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Opening Day of Wisconsin Fishing Season slower than normal

May 09, 2022 09:16AM ● By Editor

Photos: Fox 21 News


By Natalie Noury from Fox 21 News • May 7, 2022


It’s a beautiful day to get out on the water for the opening day of fishing season in Wisconsin.

Anglers were excited to cast their lines out on Lake Nebagamon Saturday, launching their boats in the water for the first day of the fishing season.

Despite the sun and blue skies, below freezing temps early in the morning kept it less busy.

“I think it’s so far it’s been a little bit slower than it has been in other years,” Jeff Giansanti, Wisconsin DNR, Invasive Species Clean Boat And Water Monitor said.

 

But we’re told anglers were out ice fishing in the middle of Lake Nebagamon just a week ago so any spring like weather was welcome.

“Yeah, could be snowing, could be raining it’s sunny out today so nice day out, winters done it looks like so it’s time to be fishing,” Dan Scray, a Fisherman from Hudson, WI said.

Even though it was quieter than normal, Lake Nebagamon has a reputation of being clean, and stocked with potential prized catches which drew Dan Scray out with friends and family.

“This is the first time I’ve been on the lake so we’ll have to see, uh we found it in a map, lake map, it had a fish on it so the fish should be biting,” Scray said.

To keep it that way, Wisconsin DNR officials ask anglers to do their part in keeping invasive species from disrupting ecosystems and causing other health and economic problems in and around lakes.
A simple way to do that, is to inspect boats for invasive species like zebra mussels, and remove them. Usually, inspectors say the anglers do their part.

“They do they keep their boats clean, they empty them, get all the water out of it, any live bait that they have here that’s been in the local water, they have to leave it here they can’t transport it to another lake,” Giansanti said.

The lake is also known for small mouth bass, blue gill and northern pike, but of course, there is one fishing favorite.

“Well walleye is the one everyone likes,” Giansanti said, and Scary added “We’re trying for walleyes”.

But the memories and connections made on fishing excursions, are the real catches of opening day.

“Well I’ve been an outdoorsman all my life, I grew up fishing, had a chance to fish a lot of different places so it’s like talking to old friends,” Giansanti said

The DNR reminds boaters to always have enough life jackets on board.. As in, one jacket per person. And to always be aware of other boaters as well on the open water.


To see the video version of this report and read related stories, follow this link to the Fox 21 News website. https://www.fox21online.com/2022/05/07/opening-day-of-wisconsin-fishing-season-slower-than-normal/

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