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Trails remain open in Oneida, Vilas, Iron counties but rated fair to poor

Warm, mild conditions dominated across Wisconsin for the beginning of the new year, with the southern half of the state snow-free and minimal snow cover across the north. Many lakes and rivers remain open across southern Wisconsin and recent warm temperatures and rain have caused lake and river ice conditions in the north to deteriorate making some waterways unsafe for travel. A number of snowmobiles and ATVs have gone through the ice in northern Wisconsin this past week. Department of Natural Resource recreational safety specialists are urging all recreationists who venture onto the ice to use extra caution until colder weather sets in. Daytime temperatures in the 30 degree range and nighttime temperatures in the 20s has not produced good ice. The warm temperatures along with rain and snow melt have caused ice to weaken on top and below the ice.

Northern Wisconsin received freezing rain New Year's eve that turned to snow throughout the night, with the region receiving 4 to 6 inches of snow. The soggy base made grooming difficult for both skiing and snowmobiling. Snowmobile trails remain open as of early this week in Vilas, Oneida and Iron counties, but conditions were just fair to poor. There was not enough snow for most state parks and forests to groom cross-country ski trails.

This weekend marks the beginning of candlelight events at parks and forests, but none of the four parks hosting events this weekend have enough snow for skiing. In most cases, the events will be held as hikes, but people should call ahead to confirm the event will be held. A complete list of events is available on the DNR Web site.

The unseasonably warm weather continues to affect fishing across the state: there's no ice for ice fishing in southern Wisconsin and highly variable ice conditions in northern Wisconsin.

In the north, walleye have been the main species of interest and most anglers report sporadic action. Cloudy days have produced the best success, with the hour before dark being the prime time to be out. Northern pike action has been pretty good. Panfish anglers have seen some fair action, with some decent catches of perch and crappie being reported.

In the south, there has still been some ice fishing on frozen bays of lakes, but wardens caution that conditions are treacherous. There are a few anglers open water fishing, with some action on the Rock River below the dam in Hustisford for walleye.

In the southeastern, shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching a few brown trout. Milwaukee River flows are relatively high with some steelhead being found. Boaters out of Milwaukee have been finding good numbers of browns in the harbor. The Root River is approaching fishable levels again, with browns and steelhead remaining in the river.

Wild canines such as fox, coyote and wolf are starting to pair off in preparation for the breeding season which usually starts mid January. Bluebirds and robins are still being reported across southern Wisconsin, and there have been some reports of snow owls in the state, including in the south where their white feathers make them stand out against the brown background.

NORTHERN REGION

Recent warm temperatures and rain have caused lake and river ice conditions to deteriorate making some waterways unsafe for travel. A number of snowmobiles and ATVs have gone through the ice in northern Wisconsin this past week. Department of Natural Resource recreational safety specialists are urging all recreationists who venture onto the ice to use extra caution until colder weather sets in. Daytime temperatures in the 30 degree range and nighttime temperatures in the 20s has not produced good ice. The warm temperatures along with rain and snow melt have caused ice to weaken on top and below the ice.

Woodruff DNR Service Center area

The state forest trails have poor snow conditions making it difficult for skiing and snowmobiling but ideal for a nice winter hike. Area fishing guides and wardens report that walleye and perch action has been good. Perch have been taking small minnows in 12-18 feet of water. Walleyes of better quality have been coming from deeper water at this time. Bluegill and crappie action is picking up and these fish can be found in the deeper weed beds. Ice conditions vary so continue to pay attention and exercise caution before venturing out onto area lakes. This past weekend saw a few snowmobiles break through the ice on the larger bodies of water that were the last to ice over. Warm temperatures continue which makes ice development a slow process right now. Currently ice travel is not recommended. Ice depth varies greatly from one lake to the next so be sure to check conditions prior to traveling onto the lake.

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