YELLOWSTONE LAKE STATE PARK - Scattered ice shanties, pop ups and minnow buckets have begun to appear on area lakes. The ice has hardened to a thickness of eight inches or more at Yellowstone Lake, making way for the enjoyment of a highly popular recreational activity for many Wisconsinites.
Fishing enthusiasts around the area are braving the recent wintry weather to spend some quality time on the ice. Dick Tuescher of Darlington and his sons, Colton and Chase, spent the day fishing at Yellowstone Lake on Monday.
The Tueschers were fishing in about 12 feet of water near the southern shore of the lake, but had not had any luck by mid-day. Using minnows and grubs as bait, the anglers were focusing on the main channel and the location of several "cribs" deposited through the cooperative efforts of park staff and area sportsmen's organizations.
A Coleman stove set up in a cozy ice shanty offered shelter from the elements and a source of heat to cook up a brace of squirrels shot on an earlier family hunt. Thirteen-year old Chase claimed responsibility for providing the sustenance with his single shot .22 rifle.
A hundred yards away, Bob Novy of Verona and fishing buddy Tony Grabski of Blue Mounds were tending a cluster of tip ups. A row of quickly freezing holes in the ice revealed their attempts to find just the right spot for enticing a few walleyes or pan fish to their assortment of minnows, shiners and fat heads.
To their surprise, most of the strikes were coming from northern pike. Grabski landed a thickset 36-incher while Novy brought a similar-sized fish to the surface, only to have it snap his line.
The northern was released under rules specific to Yellowstone Lake. The lake is catch-and-release for northern pike, musky and their hybrids, gar and bowfish. Anglers can keep walleye, sauger and their hybrids, channel and flathead catfish between 15 and 18 inches while large- and smallmouth bass have a 12-to-15-inch slot limit. The aggregate bag limit is two.
VHS rules apply to ice fishing
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia is a deadly virus that threatens Wisconsin's fish populations. Symptoms of the disease include hemorrhaging, bulging eyes, anemia and the rapid onset of death. While the disease can affect more than 25 species of fish, walleyes, musky and bluegill are among the most susceptible to the disease.
Previously confined to several eastern Great Lakes, VHS has now spread to some northeastern Wisconsin waters. As a result, the Natural Resources Board has ordered the statewide enforcement of rules designed to prevent the spread of the disease.
These rules apply to ice fishing activities just as they would to open water. Here are a few reminders for ice fishers regarding the new rules:
• Water must be drained from all equipment, including bait buckets.
• Anglers may not leave the lake with any live fish, fish eggs, including left-over bait fish.
• Other types of bait such as worms, leeches or insects and their larva, even though alive, can be taken from the water, but the containers holding these baits must be drained. Once removed, the bait can be placed back into fresh water.
DNR biologists suggest leaving a portion of ones bait behind in a vehicle and then returning to restock as needed.
Yellowstone Lake Fisharee is Feb. 3
The 51st annual Yellowstone Lake Fisharee will be held on Sunday, Feb. 3. All proceeds from the event, sponsored by the sportsmen's clubs of Lafayette County, are used for area conservation projects.
First, second and third place prizes will be awarded for the largest fish in each category (slot limits will apply for some species). Door prizes include $500 cash, Remington 700 win mag, Savage 110/10 package (choice of caliber), Savage Mk II Lam .22 and hundreds of other prizes.
The schedule of other special events is as follows:
9:00 a.m. - BB gun shoot (three classes)
1:00 p.m. - Youth Ice Fishing Seminar
1:30 p.m. - Spudding contest (four types)
3:00 p.m. - Main drawing for door prizes (other drawings will occur throughout the day)
A new attraction added this year is a venison tasting competition. Taste the best venison sausage made by local commercial meat processors and vote on your favorite.
Park stickers are not required on the date of the Fisharee. Snow date is Feb. 10. Contact Steve Staver at 965-3639 or Randy Steiner at 523-1543 for more information.
- Lee Fahrney can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
Fishing enthusiasts around the area are braving the recent wintry weather to spend some quality time on the ice. Dick Tuescher of Darlington and his sons, Colton and Chase, spent the day fishing at Yellowstone Lake on Monday.
The Tueschers were fishing in about 12 feet of water near the southern shore of the lake, but had not had any luck by mid-day. Using minnows and grubs as bait, the anglers were focusing on the main channel and the location of several "cribs" deposited through the cooperative efforts of park staff and area sportsmen's organizations.
A Coleman stove set up in a cozy ice shanty offered shelter from the elements and a source of heat to cook up a brace of squirrels shot on an earlier family hunt. Thirteen-year old Chase claimed responsibility for providing the sustenance with his single shot .22 rifle.
A hundred yards away, Bob Novy of Verona and fishing buddy Tony Grabski of Blue Mounds were tending a cluster of tip ups. A row of quickly freezing holes in the ice revealed their attempts to find just the right spot for enticing a few walleyes or pan fish to their assortment of minnows, shiners and fat heads.
To their surprise, most of the strikes were coming from northern pike. Grabski landed a thickset 36-incher while Novy brought a similar-sized fish to the surface, only to have it snap his line.
The northern was released under rules specific to Yellowstone Lake. The lake is catch-and-release for northern pike, musky and their hybrids, gar and bowfish. Anglers can keep walleye, sauger and their hybrids, channel and flathead catfish between 15 and 18 inches while large- and smallmouth bass have a 12-to-15-inch slot limit. The aggregate bag limit is two.
VHS rules apply to ice fishing
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia is a deadly virus that threatens Wisconsin's fish populations. Symptoms of the disease include hemorrhaging, bulging eyes, anemia and the rapid onset of death. While the disease can affect more than 25 species of fish, walleyes, musky and bluegill are among the most susceptible to the disease.
Previously confined to several eastern Great Lakes, VHS has now spread to some northeastern Wisconsin waters. As a result, the Natural Resources Board has ordered the statewide enforcement of rules designed to prevent the spread of the disease.
These rules apply to ice fishing activities just as they would to open water. Here are a few reminders for ice fishers regarding the new rules:
• Water must be drained from all equipment, including bait buckets.
• Anglers may not leave the lake with any live fish, fish eggs, including left-over bait fish.
• Other types of bait such as worms, leeches or insects and their larva, even though alive, can be taken from the water, but the containers holding these baits must be drained. Once removed, the bait can be placed back into fresh water.
DNR biologists suggest leaving a portion of ones bait behind in a vehicle and then returning to restock as needed.
Yellowstone Lake Fisharee is Feb. 3
The 51st annual Yellowstone Lake Fisharee will be held on Sunday, Feb. 3. All proceeds from the event, sponsored by the sportsmen's clubs of Lafayette County, are used for area conservation projects.
First, second and third place prizes will be awarded for the largest fish in each category (slot limits will apply for some species). Door prizes include $500 cash, Remington 700 win mag, Savage 110/10 package (choice of caliber), Savage Mk II Lam .22 and hundreds of other prizes.
The schedule of other special events is as follows:
9:00 a.m. - BB gun shoot (three classes)
1:00 p.m. - Youth Ice Fishing Seminar
1:30 p.m. - Spudding contest (four types)
3:00 p.m. - Main drawing for door prizes (other drawings will occur throughout the day)
A new attraction added this year is a venison tasting competition. Taste the best venison sausage made by local commercial meat processors and vote on your favorite.
Park stickers are not required on the date of the Fisharee. Snow date is Feb. 10. Contact Steve Staver at 965-3639 or Randy Steiner at 523-1543 for more information.
- Lee Fahrney can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
