Current South Central Wisconsin - Fitchburg - Horicon - Dodgeville Fishing Reports - Click Here
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June 26, 2008
Though the Wisconsin River has dropped back down to a normal flow level, Lower Wisconsin and Wisconsin River users are staying away due to DNR warnings of contaminated water. All of the streams in Southwestern Wisconsin have been affected by the flooding, causing wide and braided channels. The floods have scoured silt-laden places and deposited sediment and rock in other. Streams that have been constricted by bridges and culverts have completely blown out or have created large pools downstream. Larger fish are anticipated to have survived, but the number of smaller fish (young-of-year and yearlings) has likely reduced. Shore anglers should be aware that in many areas banks have eroded and may give way underfoot. Strong currents in rivers and streams pose an additional threat.
Military Ridge State Trail - The trail remains closed in two locations because of standing water: 1) Under the second box culvert approximately 2 miles west of the City of Verona, 2) Approximately 1/2 mile east of Klevenville on a section of blacktopped trail.
Yellowstone Lake State Park - The park is open and the campgrounds is dry. All trails are open to hiking, but the mountain bike trail is closed to biking. All trails have recently been mowed and are in good condition. In the day use area, mowing has been a challenge due to moisture in some low laying spots. Those areas have not been mowed. There is still plenty of room for picnicking in other areas. The lake level is up about 3 inches. There are no motor or wake restriction on the lake at this time. The beach is open for use, minus some sand Fishing has been very good in the lake and below the dam.
Dane County - Panfish are still hitting on the Madison chain. The chain is slow, no wake. Trout streams are fishable. Most went up and down pretty quickly, considering the conditions. Small streams recovered especially quickly.
Jefferson County - Fishing has all but ended for now on the Rock River and Lake Koshkonong. The water is currently about 9 feet above its normal summer level. Most public access sites are closed. Entry is by going through County Sherriff or National Guard checkpoints, and only those with businesses or homes are being allowed to pass. Just the same, anglers are fishing in road ditches, miles from the lake and river. Some folks are enjoying the novelty of catching a fish in the middle of a road. Carp anglers and spearers are wading through fields to attack spawning populations of the rough fish.
Iowa County – The Wisconsin River is coming down and some sandbars are becoming usable. Very bad mosquitoes. Earlier the river was at 12,000 CFS at the Prairie du Sac dam and normally in the summer it is at about 6,000 CFS, with a lot of good camping spots available. As of July 26, the flow at the dam is at 6,680 CFS. So there should be plenty of spots to camp this weekend for folks.
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