Wisconsin Fishing Reports & Outdoor Report for May 5, 2016

[Rick]

Wisconsin's 2016 inland game fish season opens this Saturday with unseasonably warm weather in the forecast. While conditions may be great for open water fishing, state forestry officials are cautioning that there are very high fire danger conditions in northwestern Wisconsin and high fire danger conditions across about half the state. Much of the southern half of the state, where vegetation is nearing full green-up, has decreased to moderate fire danger.Forestry staff, in consultation with the National Weather Service, have issued a "red flag alert," for the region on Thursday, May 5 through 8 p.m. Friday May 6, under which all burning permits are suspended and the public is asked to refrain from all outdoor burning, including campfires, outdoor grills and smoking, and to be extremely careful with other possible sources of ignition including chain saws, off-road vehicles and other small engines that could spark a wildfire.In the north, walleye have completed their spawning activity on all but the largest of the lakes. With a continued warming trend, look for an excellent opening weekend walleye bite with both live and artificial baits likely to produce good action. With water temperatures nearing the mid-50s, both smallmouth and largemouth bass have started to show up in shallow water.

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