Wisconsin Fishing Opener One Week Away

Saturday, April 27th, 2024 -- 8:11 AM

(Paul Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) -Wisconsin's fishing season fits the description of a "soft open."

Some state waters are open year-round for most species, for example, and some species may be angled 365 days a year no matter where they are found. But the first Saturday in May remains a date most anglers circle on their calendars and it features a spike in fishing activity. Why? It's the traditional opener for walleye and other game fish on Wisconsin's inland waters. This year the start of the general inland season falls on May 4. Anglers should expect good conditions when they take to the waters for the opener, according to Justine Hasz, fisheries director for the Department of Natural Resources. "Our fisheries are in good stead across the state," Hasz said during a Tuesday media briefing to preview and promote the season. The run-up to the inland opener has been anything but normal, however.

An abnormally mild winter led to ice coming off some Wisconsin waters the earliest in recorded history. Then a cold snap in March saw some northern waters ice over. The last several weeks have settled into a semblance of normal for spring in Wisconsin. "So we've definitely seen some erratic weather and the fish really do react to that," Hasz said. "But now we are sitting here in late April and the fish are starting to get back on track and doing what they are supposed to be doing at this time of year."

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