Lake Michigan Water Temp

Outdoors: Warming trend sign of good times?

Some very cool, windy and wet weather has continued to put a damper on things and delay many spring activities in Wisconsin, but a slow warming trend is finally turning things around, the Department of Natural Resources officials said in its weekly report released Thursday.

Activities such as bird migration, fish spawning, tree leaf-out and spring wildflowers and mushrooms are at least a week or more behind normal, the agency said.

In the north, cold water temperatures have kept most of the fish in deeper water.

Both crappie and bluegill have been creeping back up into shallow water on warmer days.

Water temperatures are starting to approach the 60-degree mark and that should spur on the first few observations of bass starting their nesting season.

The weather has kept fishing pressure at a minimum, but diehard anglers have still been out and have had to work at catching fish. There really hasn't been any consistent walleye pattern to the early season bite, but some decent catches have been made. Northern pike action has been fair.

In the south, walleye fishing has been pretty good on lakes Monona and Mendota and musky success was good on the lakes Monona and Wingra and the Yahara River.

Anglers have been catching some white bass on the Crawfish River. The Rock River is also still very high and most of the river is slow no wake for boaters in Rock County.

The weather and very strong winds in the last week with gusts up to 40 miles-per-hour also kept Lake Michigan fishing at a minimum. Water temperatures at the landings are in the low 50s. Those who ventured out in the bay from the Peshtigo Harbor reported limits of walleye and walleye fishing was also good out of Oconto.

Fox River anglers have been catching some walleye in the river but most have been targeting the bay. Prior to the bad weather anglers were doing well catching coho out of Port Washington, Racine and Kenosha.

Water levels are continuing to recede on the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers with most areas noting the water was back in the banks and out of the parking lots. Most docks are not yet in place. Many landings are in the process of cleaning up flood related debris.

Fishing has been slow due to the flooding. Trout and bass fishing on inland streams has been improving as water temperatures climb for increased bass fishing.

The last turkey period is this week through Sunday, May 22 and things are looking good. The weather is forecasted to be the nicest five days from all the previous periods and gobblers remain active and on the prowl for hens.

ASK TOM WHY: Chicago's "crib" water temperatures - Chicago Weather ...

Two water temperatures are printed daily on this weather page. The crib water temperature is taken from a sensor near a water intake pipe at the Harrison-Dever Crib located about two miles offshore east of Navy Pier. The crib provides water to much of the Chicago area by pumping it to the Jardine Water Purification Plant, where the water is treated and purified before it is delivered to the city and suburbs through numerous pumping stations. The shore water temperature is taken near the Jardine plant and is usually warmer than the crib reading; it best reflects the conditions that swimmers will encounter at the city's beaches.

Study design for the Milwaukee Harbor estuary comprehensive water resources planning program

Report of the Michigan Academy of Science

The weather and climate of Chicago

Report of the Michigan Academy of Science ...

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