The Milwaukee Post

MILWAUKEE (DNR) — Fisheries biolo- gists from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources say anglers can expect to find some potential trophy fish as well as abundant numbers of popular game species this spring when the general inland fishing season gets underway statewide Saturday. "Thanks to great partnerships with angling groups and lake associations, Wisconsin's sportfish populations are in excellent shape heading into opening week- end," said Justine Hasz, DNR fisheries bureau director. "We are seeing continued increases in overall muskie size, abundant bass populations on many lakes, strong results from walleye stocking efforts and expanded inland trout fishing opportuni- ties. While many anglers will use the inland season opener as an opportunity to head out for an extended weekend trip, the success of our urban stocking program also means there will be catchable trout close to home for families and young anglers." Wisconsin's unique combination of easy access, opportunities for consistent action and the potential for trophy fish make it one of the top fishing destinations in the nation, Hasz said. "Each year, more than 1.3 million anglers buy fishing licenses in the state and their participation generates about $2.3 billion in economic benefits while supporting 22,000 jobs," Hasz said. "Sportfishing brings more than 330,000 nonresident anglers to our state — ranking behind only Florida and Michigan. While our diverse fishing opportunities certainly contribute to these impressive rankings, it's also no secret that Wisconsin produces more record muskie than any other state." In southern Wisconsin waters, the inland muskie season gets underway this weekend as part of the general season opener while on northern waters, the muskie season opens May 27 to give the fish additional time to complete spawning. Steve Hewett, DNR fisheries manage- ment section chief, said the average length of all muskies captured during spring net- ting surveys as well as the size of the largest 10 percent of fish has been trending upward in recent years. "The average length of all adult muskies in state waters now stands between 37 and 38 inches with the top 10 percent of fish col- lected during spring netting surveys run- ning above 46 inches in length," Hewett said. "We attribute these positive trends to a combination of sound propagation work, continued habitat improvements and incredible angler commitment to informed catch and release practices." Among the impressive fish captured this spring was a 47-plus-inch muskie weighing more than 32 pounds that was netted in April on Two Sisters Lake in Oneida County while Upper Eau Claire Lake in Bayfield County yielded 48- and 49-inch fish. After getting weighed and measured and given a fin clip for population studies, all the muskies were quickly released. In all areas of the state, the daily bag limit for muskie is one fish and it must be at least 40 inches. Most muskie anglers practice catch and release even if the fish are of legal size. Hasz said DNR fisheries biologists also are conducting walleye research on a num- ber of inland and boundary waters to understand local population dynamics. Through the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative, more than 797,000 6- to 8-inch walleye fin- gerlings were stocked in 150 Wisconsin waters in 2016 — a record number of fish. "This year, anglers can look forward to catching some of the 455,307 large finger- lings stocked in 2013 as many of these fish are now reaching legal size," Hasz said. "Most inland lakes and rivers in the north- ern third of Wisconsin known as the Ceded Territory have a daily bag limit of three walleye with a length limit of 15 to 20 inch- es with one fish greater than 24 inches. We are excited to see how anglers do this year and in the years ahead as more of the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative stocked fish reach legal size." Wisconsin bass management efforts also continue to move ahead with a daily bag limit of five largemouth bass 14 inches in length or greater on most waters. Smallmouth bass management is divided into northern and southern zones with catch and release only in the northern zone until June 17. Northern zone regulations for smallmouth bass then become consis- tent with southern zones with a five fish daily bag limit and 14 inch minimum size. Meanwhile, trout anglers continue to benefit from habitat management efforts that have contributed to a significant expansion of Wisconsin's documented trout waters. More than 41 additional streams have been classified as trout waters since 2014 with most of these new 292 trout-stream miles located in west cen- tral and souther n Wisconsin. Overall, Wisconsin boasts more than 13,000 miles of trout streams. The general Wisconsin fishing season runs from Saturday to March 4. To learn more about statewide fishing regulations and rules that apply on specific lakes, search the website dnr.wi.gov for "fishing regulations." For a complete calendar, search "fishing season dates." Inland open water fishing opens Saturday OUTDOORS DNR DNR fisheries supervisor John Kubisiak cradles a 47.7-inch muskie netted in April on Two Sisters Lake in Oneida County during spring netting surveys. While the southern zone muskie season south of Highway 10 gets underway Saturday, the northern zone muskie fishing season begins May 27 to give the big fish a chance to finish spawning. 10 • Milwaukee County Post • May 5, 2017 We are now accepting Memorials, Obituaries and Pending Death Notices. Now for only $85 (Includes up to 300 words.) For an extra $10 Add a Photo. Or a short notice for only $25 (Includes 25 words.) For more information call Dan Muckelbauer @ 262-513-2626 and leave a message or email dmuck@conleynet.com Let your friends and relatives know about the passing of a loved one. Place a memorial in the Milwaukee County Post newspaper. DEADLINES ARE TUESDAY (2pm) FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND PAPER. 255317040

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