Anglers head out to the fishing opener today. And Mike Staggs, Director the Bureau of Fish Management for the DNR, says they’ll be heading onto the water following an unusual spring. It’s unclear what that’s going to mean. “We are anxious to find out for ourselves. None of us have ever seen or experienced, and we have no records of, any spring that was like this,” he said.
Record warm weather in March pushed the ice of many lakes three weeks or even a month early. That was followed by a return to cooler weather in April. “The general thinking of our fish biologists is that a lot of fish are going to be a lot farther along in their spawning cycle, and post-spawning cycle, than most anglers would encounter this time of the year,” said Staggs. The bottom line is look for most species to be in areas where they’d be expected after they’re done spawning. Another piece of advice for everyone heading out on the water – wear a personal floatation device.