Anglers fishing off of Kewaunee and Door counties can expect more of the same this season after leading the state in catches of Chinook salmon (“kings”) and rainbow trout (steelhead) last year.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported a record harvest of sport-caught coho salmon in 2024, more than 210,000 between guides and private anglers from boat, pier and riverbank. In addition, the agency reported an estimated 160,000 Chinooks caught, the most since 2012.
Though this spring has been overall colder than usual, another mild winter may be part of the reason the action has heated up early.
Brown trout catches were terrific in the nearshore shallows, the spring run of steelhead (rainbow trout) in the tributaries was excellent and coho catches have been outstanding in the southern basin.
Last year, more than 40,000 of the kings caught came from Algoma and Kewaunee, including 12,000+ on charter boats. That area was also No. 1 in steelhead, with more than 18,000 of the 67,000-plus fish reported. Late spring and the summer months were best, though the few boaters still active last October did extremely well.
Nearly 160,000 cohos came from the southern ports from Kenosha to Port Washington, while the estimated lake trout catch of 14,636 was the least since 2008. That wasn’t unexpected considering how good the fishing was preferred species.
Green Bay waters produced more than a third of the estimated 9,000+ brown trout, though the numbers are likely much higher considering there’s little to no creel census in most areas during the top brown trout months of November through April.
Meanwhile, lake trout are already providing action on Lake Michigan. As more boats head out to explore, look for salmon and steelhead reports to heat up.
Green Bay anglers are tackling smallmouth bass, walleyes and northern pike. It’s been taking a five- to six-pound average to secure a top spot in bass tournaments, and some fish up to eight pounds have been landed.
The spring yellow perch closure on Green Bay ends Tuesday, May 20, but perch fishing will remain closed through June 15 on Lake Michigan tributaries. Meanwhile, the Green Bay muskie season opens Saturday, May 24.
Close to 20 million birds crossed into or over Wisconsin each night earlier this week, including a high of more than 24 million Monday night. The BirdCast migration dashboard uses bird migration research, including radar ornithology, to come up with the numbers.
A collaboration among the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and other partners, the daily data can be seen at www.dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-WI.
Colorful backyard visitors seen in the past week include Baltimore and orchard orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks and ruby-throated hummingbirds. Some lucky birders are also seeing less-common species such as scarlet tanagers, indigo buntings and red-headed woodpeckers.
With fur prices low, reduced hunting and trapping pressure on raccoons has led to soaring coon populations. The masked bandits can do a lot of damage to bird feeding stations, stealing seed, suet and sugar water and sometimes breaking feeders. If you’ve been having issues, it’s best to bring food inside before dark and put it back out in the morning.
Wisconsin’s black bear population is estimated at more than 20,000, with most of them in the northern and central forest regions. This time of year, bears are on the hunt for an easy meal.
With a sense of smell about seven times greater than a bloodhound, bears zero in on the scent of unsecured garbage, dirty grills, bird feeders, bee hives and pet food left outside. They can cause property damage and break into homes and sheds.
Every year, there are reports of aggressive actions, nuisance behaviors and loss of wariness around people. Most reports resulted from bears accessing bird seed or garbage. Remove bird feeders if bears have been spotted in your area, don’t leave pet food outdoors and clean and store grills after each use.
Trail camera photos and videos posted on social media last weekend showed the first tiny whitetail fawns of the season. Last year’s rutting activity did seem a little earlier than usual. You can backtrack 200-205 days for the conception date, meaning fawns spotted in the past week could have been from does bred between Oct. 15-25.
Remember, unless you know for certain that a fawn (or other baby wildlife) has been abandoned, leave them where you find them. If you are certain it has been orphaned because you observed the parent deceased (such as in a vehicle-deer accident) or you find an injured baby, call the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary at (920) 391-3685.
The Door County Festival of Nature still had openings for some of its field trips earlier this week. Check what’s available for the May 22-25 Memorial Day Weekend schedule at www.doorcountyfestivalofnature.org/field-trips.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here