Wisconsin Fishing Reports & Outdoor Report for April 20, 2017

[Rick]

Fairly regular rain falls over the past week have green-up proceeding rapidly with even reports of trees starting to leaf out in the far north. The rain has been especially helpful for the spring wildfire season, with fire danger levels remaining low to moderate over much of the last couple of weeks. But warm weather and wind are in the forecast, and it only takes a short time for fire danger levels to increase, so continue to check fire danger levels and if doing any burning, follow burning permit rules.Lower Falls and the Horton Covered Bridge at Amnicon Falls State Park.Photo Credit: DNRWater levels on streams and rivers are running way above the normal flow for this time of year. In the north waterfalls are roaring at Amnicon Falls, Copper Falls and Pattison state parks. The lower Wisconsin River was flowing at 33,000 cubic feet per second, more than two-and-a-half times its normal flow this time of year and travel on the main channel is not recommended.Warmer water temperatures and good river flows drew sturgeon up Wolf River and hundreds of people have shown up to watch these prehistoric fish spawn below the Shawano dam. DNR fisheries staff have been capturing sturgeon to collect eggs and sperm for fish hatcheries where young sturgeon will be reared and then stocked into state waters and in waters in other states where sturgeon are being reintroduced. Biologists also weigh measure and tag the fish to monitor the population. Sturgeon were also running on Green Bay tributaries including the Menominee, Peshtigo and Oconto rivers.

.