Welcome to Fishing!

Fishing Opener

Intermediate snow sprinkles and cold rain gave way to booming thunderstorms, gusty winds, big downpours, and finally gorgeous, sunny skies, as the BLMA approaches this weekend’s fishing opener on Saturday, May 5th.  Handymen took advatantage of fair conditions and launched many docks into Blue Lake this week.  Lots of boats on trailers heading down driveways have also been spotted, along with tackled-up anglers.  Fishing experts and scientists note that because of early warming this season, the fish are not where they usually are in lakes so those trying for a catch will most likely need to reanalyze past fishing strategies.  That is, if your strategy is anything other just leaning back, casting off, and letting nature do the rest.

The Birds and the Bugs

Lots of moths, butterflies, and birds have been a’stir between the ever-greening foliage.  Quaking aspens are in full leaf-out mode shaking beautiful shades of spring green in the forests along Blue Lake.  Oaks and birches have their buds, and thin fern-lets are shooting from the forest floor.  We’re nearing the end of week three of Mayfly season… that’s right, and we’re hardly even into May.  Thick clouds of flies swarming everywhere have been tempered slightly by past weeks’ freezes, but by month’s start, the bugs were buzzing rampant (and quite noisily in plague-like effect) along water, over water, in woods, darn near everywhere.

It is also tick season.  Big time.  I took a one-mile walk along a road with minimal overhang this past week, in still and breezy conditions, and each time I returned with 3 ticks crawling about.  Creepy.  So be extra careful, check for hangers-on after venturing outside (even if you’re not hiking in tick-haven grasses), and be familiar with the symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease.

Take some time, too, this weekend to stop and see the flowers.  Wildflowers are just starting to pop with with little purple violets splaying between thriving dandelions.  It’s nice to see ever-increasing color in the woods, even if from common weeds.

Bring on Summer

Weekends like this, with nature activities abloom in the Northwoods; big racks of Hershey bars, graham crackers, and marshmallow in grocery stores; long daylight hours; and delicious campfire scents wafting around Blue Lake are a reminder that summer is coming on strong!  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for a good cookout.

P.S. Did you know that Minocqua is debuting a farmer’s market this year, starting June 15th?  Check it out… it looks delicious!