04-21-2005, 04:34 PM
MADISON - Weather willing, the game fish season that opens May 7 on inland waters should bring fantastic fishing for the 1.4 million anglers who annually wet a line in Wisconsin waters, the state’s fisheries director says.
“Wisconsin has great fishing opportunities at any time of the year, but many anglers really look forward to the gamefish opener and their first walleye shore lunch of the season on most inland lakes,” says Mike Staggs, who directs the Department of Natural Resources fisheries management program. “It’s been an early spring across Wisconsin and opening day is later than usual, so we expect most gamefish to be in their active post-spawn feeding stages particularly in the southern parts of the state.
“Also, most of our assessment netting and ceded territory tribal walleye spearing should be done so anglers should have the lakes more to themselves.”
People can read fishing forecasts, survey results, and other information specific to individual waters in the 2005 Fishing Report, found online or available in limited quantities at DNR service centers and license agents.
In general, Staggs says, fishing prospects for all anglers’ favorite species are good. The following information is based on reports from state fish biologists:
Walleyes: Although 2000 was not a good year for walleye reproduction in northern Wisconsin, there were very good year classes in northern Wisconsin in 2001 and 2002. The fish will be out there, but the weather will probably have more of an effect on angler success. Generally the best populations are in the larger rivers such as the Mississippi and Wisconsin, and flowages such as the Flambeau and Chippewa, which have good natural reproduction.
Largemouth bass: Surveys of young fish show the catch rates of juvenile bass have been increasing steadily over the last four years, so the abundance of adult bass should also be increasing in the coming years.
Panfish: Wisconsin’s panfish don’t often get the media attention, but they are the most popular fish taken home by Wisconsin anglers. Of 31 million fish harvested by anglers each year, 25 million were bluegills, yellow perch and crappies. Anglers certainly know that Wisconsin is a great panfishing state! There are many outstanding panfish waters - the Madison lakes and the Mississippi River backwaters, for example, are legendary for producing large numbers of quality size panfish.
Muskies: The catch-and-release ethic is going strong, resulting in continuing declines in angler harvest of musky, contributing to good musky fishing. Also, more and more trophy fish are being caught each year, like the 17 fish measuring in at 50 inches or greater at the Vilas County Muskie Marathon in 2004. Because muskellunge take 20 years or more to reach trophy sizes, we expect to see more big fish in the coming years.
Great Lakes: There has been record setting chinook fishing in Lake Michigan the last two years – it may be hard for the fishery to get any better, but biologists expect another great year. Lake trout populations in Lake Superior continue to increase and are very popular with anglers up there.
Mississippi River: Pools 4-10 are a good bet any time, any year. It’s tough to match the year-round season, fish diversity and habitat diversity, which offers diverse fishing opportunities.
Wisconsin anglers catch 69 million fish and keep about one-third of them, or 31 million, and release the rest to fight another day, according to a 2000-01 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point mail survey of anglers. Walleye and bass are the most popular targets, but anglers catch more panfish – bluegill, yellow perch and crappie – followed by walleye and largemouth bass.
Wisconsin typically sells 1.4 million licenses, and state fisheries officials figure the number of anglers swells to about 2 million when children and others who aren’t required to have fishing licenses are added in. Nearly one-quarter of Wisconsin’s adults fish, and the state trails only Florida as the top destination for non-resident anglers. With 462,000 non-resident anglers spending a whopping 3.74 million days fishing in Wisconsin and spending $280 million on retail goods, sportfishing in Wisconsin generates a total economic impact of $2.3 billion and $90 million in sales, fuel and income tax revenue for state and local governments, according to the American Sportfishing Association.
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“Wisconsin has great fishing opportunities at any time of the year, but many anglers really look forward to the gamefish opener and their first walleye shore lunch of the season on most inland lakes,” says Mike Staggs, who directs the Department of Natural Resources fisheries management program. “It’s been an early spring across Wisconsin and opening day is later than usual, so we expect most gamefish to be in their active post-spawn feeding stages particularly in the southern parts of the state.
“Also, most of our assessment netting and ceded territory tribal walleye spearing should be done so anglers should have the lakes more to themselves.”
People can read fishing forecasts, survey results, and other information specific to individual waters in the 2005 Fishing Report, found online or available in limited quantities at DNR service centers and license agents.
In general, Staggs says, fishing prospects for all anglers’ favorite species are good. The following information is based on reports from state fish biologists:
Walleyes: Although 2000 was not a good year for walleye reproduction in northern Wisconsin, there were very good year classes in northern Wisconsin in 2001 and 2002. The fish will be out there, but the weather will probably have more of an effect on angler success. Generally the best populations are in the larger rivers such as the Mississippi and Wisconsin, and flowages such as the Flambeau and Chippewa, which have good natural reproduction.
Largemouth bass: Surveys of young fish show the catch rates of juvenile bass have been increasing steadily over the last four years, so the abundance of adult bass should also be increasing in the coming years.
Panfish: Wisconsin’s panfish don’t often get the media attention, but they are the most popular fish taken home by Wisconsin anglers. Of 31 million fish harvested by anglers each year, 25 million were bluegills, yellow perch and crappies. Anglers certainly know that Wisconsin is a great panfishing state! There are many outstanding panfish waters - the Madison lakes and the Mississippi River backwaters, for example, are legendary for producing large numbers of quality size panfish.
Muskies: The catch-and-release ethic is going strong, resulting in continuing declines in angler harvest of musky, contributing to good musky fishing. Also, more and more trophy fish are being caught each year, like the 17 fish measuring in at 50 inches or greater at the Vilas County Muskie Marathon in 2004. Because muskellunge take 20 years or more to reach trophy sizes, we expect to see more big fish in the coming years.
Great Lakes: There has been record setting chinook fishing in Lake Michigan the last two years – it may be hard for the fishery to get any better, but biologists expect another great year. Lake trout populations in Lake Superior continue to increase and are very popular with anglers up there.
Mississippi River: Pools 4-10 are a good bet any time, any year. It’s tough to match the year-round season, fish diversity and habitat diversity, which offers diverse fishing opportunities.
Wisconsin anglers catch 69 million fish and keep about one-third of them, or 31 million, and release the rest to fight another day, according to a 2000-01 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point mail survey of anglers. Walleye and bass are the most popular targets, but anglers catch more panfish – bluegill, yellow perch and crappie – followed by walleye and largemouth bass.
Wisconsin typically sells 1.4 million licenses, and state fisheries officials figure the number of anglers swells to about 2 million when children and others who aren’t required to have fishing licenses are added in. Nearly one-quarter of Wisconsin’s adults fish, and the state trails only Florida as the top destination for non-resident anglers. With 462,000 non-resident anglers spending a whopping 3.74 million days fishing in Wisconsin and spending $280 million on retail goods, sportfishing in Wisconsin generates a total economic impact of $2.3 billion and $90 million in sales, fuel and income tax revenue for state and local governments, according to the American Sportfishing Association.
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