Wisconsin Fishing Reports & Outdoor Report for January 10, 2019

[Rick]

Mother Nature is not being kind to winter sports enthusiasts with roughly the southern two-thirds of the state snow-free and only the far north having snow depths of 6-12 inches. A snowstorm Sunday into Monday dropped from 4 to 6 inches of snow in the north and northeast, but that was followed by rain across most of the state, with temperatures in the upper 30s in the north an approaching 50 in the south. A day later it was frigid single digit temperatures across the state.The best snow conditions are found in far northern Wisconsin, such as at the Brule River State Forest.Photo credit: DNRThere continue to be only a half-dozen far northern counties where snowmobile trails are open on the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Cross-country ski trails conditions are good to fair in about a dozen northern counties. The weather is hindering Wisconsin's popular winter candlelight events. While more than 1,700 people turned out for the first candlelight event at Mirror Lake last weekend, the two events scheduled for this Saturday have been cancelled due to lack of snow or icy trails. Learn to snowshoe and ski events and a special event Fat Tire Bike Race at the New Fane Trail at Kettle Moraine North have also been cancelled.Icy trails such as these at the New Fane trail in the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest are leading to the cancellation of some events.Photo credit: James EniglThe warm temperatures early this week continued to deteriorate ice conditions. Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes of Buttes des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan now have many large areas of open water. Only the smaller bays along Door County such as Little Sturgeon Bay had enough ice for anglers to get out. With the return of cold weather lakes have begun to freeze again, including Lake Mendota in Madison, but many waters have areas that are dangerously thin. An ATV went through on the ice on Lake Noquebay this week but the angler got out with help of local rescue.

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