Would you support a rule that would limit smallmouth bass fishing in Green Bay, northern Lake Michigan and many tributaries to catch-and-release-only through the end of June?
That’s one of the most controversial proposals included in this year’s Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fish and wildlife hearings to be held across the state April 14.
All the hearings begin at 7 p.m. that night, but if you don’t want to or can’t attend in person, there will be an online opportunity from 7 p.m., April 14 to 6 p.m., April 16.
Votes are considered advisory-only, and it’s often legislators that decide if something advances to a rule or not. Still, the chance to make your vote heard is there, and it’s not to be taken lightly. You can even express interest in running for one of the county Conservation Congress representative positions if you attend in person.
The WCC was created in 1934. Five citizens from each county are elected to serve terms to represent their county at an annual meeting, and many also serve on various committees that take up citizen resolutions and decide to advance them or not. The group is the only statutory body in Wisconsin where citizens elect delegates to advise the seven-member state Natural Resources Board and the DNR on how to responsibly manage natural resources for present and future generations.
Locally, hearings will be held at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, and the Kewaunee, Oconto, Sturgeon Bay and Suring High Schools.
Question 17 asks if the bass harvest season should be delayed until July 1 off Door County as well as in the Fox, Oconto and Peshtigo Rivers up to the first dam. The proposal originates from concerns raised by the angling public for additional protection of spawning fish.
There are also questions asking if you think a sport fishing board should be created, if the inland trout season should open a month earlier and if the daily bag limit for steelhead in streams should be reduced to three.
On the hunting side, one question asks if you support allowing County Deer Advisory Councils to extend the late archery season archery hunt to Jan. 31 without having an approved Holiday Hunt in their county. Another asks if all active bear baits on public land should be required to be labeled with the person’s identification; and one asks if nonedible parts of deer, bear and elk should be able to be left in the field after harvest.
Others ask if you think lead ammo and fishing tackle should be phased out; if a $5 habitat stamp should be required with funds used for habitat work on uplands, warm water lakes, and streams; if more funding should be made available for non-point pollution control; and if a sandhill crane stamp should be created with funds to compensate farmers for treating their corn with a crane deterrent or purchasing pre-treated corn.
Online input was added in 2019 to give more people an opportunity to vote. Last year, fewer than 1,500 citizens attended the first in-person hearings held since COVID-19 forced an all-online format in 2020. More than 90 percent of the 18,802 votes last April were online.
See all the questions and learn more at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/about/wcc/springhearing.
Prior to heavy rain, sleet and snow earlier this week, Lake Michigan’s water levels rose three inches since early March and were expected to rise another four inches by early May. Levels last weekend were six inches below the 100-year average and down 41 inches since the record high five years ago, but were still two feet above the record March low, set in 1964.
Increased flows on the tributaries are drawing runs of spawning walleyes, rainbow trout and suckers. There’s also been decent catches of ‘eyes in Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay waters, especially at night.
When it’s not too windy, trollers have been doing well on brown trout and an occasional laker, rainbow or pike in the lake and bay shallows.
New 2025-2026 licenses are now needed. Get them and any needed stamps online at https://gowild.wi.gov/ (print it out yourself) or at any business that has an automated license issuing system (will be printed for you).
Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 all had leftover spring wild turkey permits available earlier this week. Check what’s left and for what period at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/permits/springturkey.html.
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