MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's General Fishing Season opens Saturday, and fisheries biologists with the Wisconsin Department of Resources say conditions are promising.
“It's been nice that the weather has turned the last couple of days and it's starting to get warm and helping warm up the lakes,” said David Rowe, WDNR fisheries team supervisor. “Because really biologically the lakes had kind of stalled out after a warm first part of April.”
WDNR biologists published a full forecast early in the week, but overall they expect fish to bite on opening weekend. They also expect things to be busy, and warn people to be patient and careful at crowded boat launches and streams.
In 2020, the state set a record for first-time license sales. While that was largely driven by the pandemic and people seeking outdoor activities, they expect high participation to continue.
“I think you're going to see continued participation not just this year, but going forward, people kind of got back into recognizing what an awesome thing recreating outside is,” Rowe said.
The uptick in people fishing on Wisconsin waters was noticeable to retailers.
“Last year was a record year for fishing rod sales and reels and people are loving getting outdoors with their kids,” said Wally Banfi, fishing pro with Wilderness Fish and Game in Sauk City.
Banfi is also a fishing guide and hosts a radio show called Ultimate Outdoors Radio. He said he's loved seeing people get into fishing lately, especially with so many being so young.
“I fished since I was ten years old and made a career of it, love it, and so seeing the younger kids coming up is very important to the outdoor industry,” Banfi said.
Banfi's guide schedule is packed, and that's typical for a lot of guides right now. Corey Sellers with Wishing We Were Fishing guide service said his appointments are booking up quickly too.
“It's a lot of fun,” Sellers said. “I love to teach people, it's one of my favorite things to do, being one of my passions it's a lot of fun teaching people how to fish.”
Many people who fish laud the experience as peaceful and cathartic, spending so much time in fresh air and by the water.
“I work with inner-city Black boys and what I do is I teach them how to do fishing, and I also mentor them,” said Rafael Andrews, a social worker and president of Mentor Clubs of America.
Andrews is a Hartford, Wis. Local. While Mentor Clubs of America works with kids in many ways, he said he loves seeing them learn to fish.
“It teaches them to go out and fish which is something that you can do anytime, anywhere all by yourself, with others or whatever, so it's a lifelong affair,” Andrews said.
Children 15 and under do not need a license to fish. First-time license buyers can get one at a reduced price. People can buy licenses at local outdoor retail and bait & tackle shops or online.
The DNR urges people to be safe on waterways and always have flotation devices. They also ask people to thoroughly clean watercraft like boats when leaving waterways to ensure they don't spread invasive species or diseases.
“Wisconsin is so blessed to have the resource we have, whether it's trout streams, the rivers or our lakes, really Wisconsin is a fantastic fishing destination, so get out there and utilize the resources we have,” Rowe said.
You can find suggestions for fishing locations on the DNR website as well.