justnorth posted on February 27, 2007 14:14 :: 1286 Views
Temperatures have gone from sub-zero two weeks ago to up to 50 degrees in some areas of Wisconsin this week, causing snow to melt in many locations and closing ski and snowmobile trails across much of the state. Only snowmobile trails in far north central Wisconsin were still being reported as open and they were listed as fair on the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Snow Conditions Report. American Birkebeiner officials have announced that 52-degree temperatures and sunshine this week damaged the existing trail base and opened fields beyond repair, and that this weekend’s race will be shortened to 23 kilometers on the northern half of the trail. The Birkebeiner is the largest cross-country ski race in North America and is still expected to attract upwards of 9,000 skiers and 15,000 spectators to the Hayward and Cable area.
The more seasonal weather of the last week helped to increase ice fishing pressure across the state, but success has continued to be erratic. In the north, panfish have provided the most consistent action with anglers reporting some good catches of crappie, perch and bluegill at various times through the week. Crappie are starting to suspend in deeper water and the best success came with small minnow and waxworms. Ice anglers have been out in full force on southern Wisconsin waters, with panfish anglers catching bluegills and crappies in 6 to 15 feet of water on jigs and waxworms for bluegills, and shiners and plastics are working best for crappies. Northern pike action has also been fair on most lakes.
The Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing season continued through Wednesday, Feb. 21, with 919 sturgeon speared so far from Lake Winnebago, and 313 speared during the upriver lakes season, which closed Feb. 15. The season tally to date is 1,232 sturgeon. Fisheries biologists expect the season to run into this weekend and likely the full 16 days. A 158-pound, 74-inch female sturgeon speared Monday is the eighth largest sturgeon on record taken in the spear harvest on the Winnebago Pool Lakes since records began in 1941. The big adult female, was in a stage of egg development, meaning it would have spawned this year in 2007. The total weight of both ovaries was 54.8 pounds, or 34.7 percent of the fish's body weight. Biologists estimate the fish was carrying 1.27 million eggs.
Along Lake Michigan, yellow perch success remained spotty along the east shore of Green Bay. Some brown trout have been reported by shore anglers fishing the open water in the Menomonee River in Milwaukee and the in Kenosha marina.
The Mississippi River stayed fairly steady all week again at about 7 feet at Prairie du Chien. The warming trend improved fishing action in some river backwater areas, but has also made ice conditions in the areas with significant currents and springs more unstable.
Coyote activity has been noticeable as this is the beginning of their mating season. With the warm weather, raccoons and opossums are out and are being attracted to bird feeders.
Goldfinches are beginning to show just a hint of yellow on the front of their necks. The first great-horned owls and bald eagles are sitting on eggs, but good numbers of eagles are still being seen along the Mississippi River between La Crosse and Prairie du Chien. Cardinals and house finches are singing. Wild turkeys are beginning to "strut" in fields on sunny days. The first trickle of migratory waterfowl has arrived in southern Wisconsin and along Lake Michigan. Lower Mud Lake in Dane county is beginning to open up attracting tundra swans and other waterfowl.
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