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Anglers Prepare for Fishing Opener Published on 04/30/2021 under News

In less than 24 hours, anglers will once again fill Wisconsin's lakes and rivers hoping to land a prize fish.

Saturday marks the start of the inland fishing season for a number of species; most notably walleye, northern pike and large mouth bass. Anglers should note that the northern zone muskie season doesn't open until May 25; while the small-mouth bass harvest begins June 19.

Anglers are reminded to check all regulations when heading out for lake-specific rules and bag limits.

Wisconsin has a tremendous fishing tradition, with an estimated 2 million anglers each year. An estimated 20% of adults fish, twice the national average. Approximately 88 million fish are caught on Wisconsin waters, with two thirds returned as catch-and-release. While walleye is the top target, panfish are the most frequently caught and consumed.

Over the past year, DNR staffers have continued to enhance the state's fishery resources responsibly. Those efforts include enhancing fish habitat, conducting population surveys, adding 120 miles of classified trout waters and stocking more than 5.5 million fish into public waterways.

To help preserve the ecosystem, anglers are also reminded to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Inspect your boat, trailer and equipment to remove any attached aquatic plants and animals. And never move live fish from a water body and dispose of any unused and unwanted bait properly.

Weather shouldn't be an issue, with temperatures forecast in the 70's on Saturday. It was just three years ago, in 2018, when anglers dealt with ice on some area lakes for opening weekend.

Reservoirs:

Checking reservoir levels, the Eau Pleine is at 4 feet below full; the Willow 2 feet down. Nokomis remains about 9 inches below full. The Rainbow is just 4 inches below full, while the Spirit is 3 inches down.

In Other News

Hatchet Hockey Team Defeats Mosinee - Claim Third Straight GNC Title

Published on 01/28/2026 under Sports The Hatchet hockey squad clinched their third consecutive Great Northern Conference Title Tuesday night at SARA Park in Tomahawk, defeating Mosinee, 5-1. The Hatchets scored early in the first, as Cole Peterson scored an even strength goal, which was assisted by Beau Stromberg and Caiden Reichelt. Mosinee would tie the game with 10:14 remaining as Tyler Baars beat Hudson Seymour. The game would remain tied at 1-1 after the first. The Hatchets scored two goals in the second period, the first on a power play by Brayden Lamer with an assist to Jett Reilly. The Hatchets second goal was also on the power play, as Mason Jaecks gave Tomahawk 3-1 lead. Lamer and Reilly assisted on the Jaecks goal. All the scoring in the third period came late, as Jonah Dickens scored an empty netter with 1:21 remaining in the game. Lamer and Jake Albert got assists. Landyn Seymour closed out the scoring with 00:13 left in the game. Dickens and Reilly with assists. Hudson Seymour gets the win in the Hatchet net, with 15 saves. Tomahawk outshot Mosinee 40-16. The win puts Tomahawk at 17-3 on the season and 9-0 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back on the ice Saturday evening in Fond du Lac at St. Mary Springs.

Published on 01/28/2026 under Sports The Hatchet girls' basketball struggles would continue in Wausau East Tuesday night as they would lose to the Lumberjacks, 68-49. Tomahawk got productive outings from two of their starters, but were unable to prevent Wausau East from hitting 11 three-pointers. Anita Ziert led the Hatchets in scoring with 19 points. Freya Alberg was second on the team in scoring with 17 points. The loss drops Tomahawk to 9-8 on the season and 3-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets resume GNC play Friday night in Eagle River against Northland Pines. Alex Koch and Matt Theiler will have the broadcast on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ. The Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show begins at 6:50 and tip-off is at 7:15 PM.

Published on 01/28/2026 under News This week is dedicated to smarter use of road salts. In addition to the environmental impacts, salting also has an impact on city budgets. This week is Salt Awareness Week. Coincidentally, the City of Tomahawk salt and sand budget was a conversation at Tuesday's Finance and Board of Public Works meetings. With a few bills outstanding, Street Lead Nick Rosenmeier anticipated the city will exceed their 2025 salt/sand budget. He also noted that they are already halfway through their 2026 budget and we're only a few weeks into the year. When budgeting for road salt, it is a guessing game at the whim of Mother Nature. The City of Tomahawk uses a 20 year average to provide the best recent estimate. After a couple of mild winters, this winter has been a challenge. In addition to needing more salt, the cost has also been on the rise, doubling over the past decade. Rosenemeier says salt prices are currently $127 a ton. The city gets their supply from the county. The local crews do take steps to more effectively use road salts. Rosenmeier says they have been scraping a lot more to remove the layers of snow and ice, which reduces the amount of salt needed. During this cold stretch they have primarily used sand, which is not only cheaper, but works better. That is because salt loses its melting effectiveness the further temperatures drop below freezing. The sand, however, could have some additional costs come spring, as the crews will likely have to do more street sweeping to remove.

Published on 01/28/2026 under News Women seeking mammograms at Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital have a newer option. As of December, the local hospital now offers 3d mammography providing improved imaging and potentially better outcomes. Radiology technologist Courtney Oberg performs these scans, and she stopped by the WJJQ studios to talk about 3d mammography. While the traditional 2d mammography was comprised of two images, Oberg says the 3d mammogram provides 20 to 50 images. She likened it to a loaf of sliced bread, allowing the radiologist to review each cross-section. The additional imagery allows the medical team an opportunity to catch cancers early, when the masses are smaller. Oberg noted early detection can result in better treatment outcomes. The 3d imagery also provides a more accurate reading, not only in detecting small masses, but also in avoiding callbacks for false detection particularly for women with dense breast tissue. Oberg said some patients have traveled to Aspirus facilities in Wausau or Rhinelander. Bringing this option to Tomahawk will allow patients to get the screening closer to home. As for what patients can expect, Oberg said it is almost identical to the 2d mammogram. She noted there will still be a little discomfort from compression, but this is necessary to hold the breast in place. On her end, after two months, Oberg called it has been a wonderful and beneficial experience. Coupled with self-exams, Oberg encouraged regular screenings. She says, "It's going to be a half an hour of your day, but the whole idea is to catch these things earlier when they're easier to treat."

Published on 01/28/2026 under News Following another successful report on Lincoln Hills from a court appointed monitor, Governor Evers plans to request a federal court end the consent decree. The decision comes after a second consecutive report in which the monitor found they have met all 50 requirements governing the operations at the youth correctional facility . That would require a judges ruling. Governor Evers said in a Wednesday news release, "This has been a goal a decade in the making, and it's tremendous to be able to celebrate the completion of reforms at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools today. Ending the consent decree marks a step in the right direction, and it is a testament to those who got us to this point today, but our work is not done." This comes as the state has been working towards building new, smaller facilities around the state in an effort to house youth offenders closer to their homes and support networks. Once complete, Lincoln Hills would be converted into an adult facility.

Published on 01/28/2026 under News One person is dead following a crash in Vilas County Tuesday morning. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, responders were called to Highway 51 near Trapp Road in Arbor Vitae for a head-on collision. The call came in at around 10:30am Tuesday morning. Based on their preliminary investigation, they said the southbound pick-up truck likely lost control and crossed over the center-line where it struck an on-coming dumptruck. The driver of the pick-up truck, a 34 year old Three Lakes man was pronounced dead at the scene. The report indicates he was not wearing a seat-belt at the time of the crash. His name is being withheld pending notification of family. The driver of the dump truck was not injured in the crash. Crews were on the scene for more than 5 hours. The crash remains under investigation.

Published on 01/28/2026 under News To kick off the New Year, more than two dozen state properties hosted First Day Hikes. Despite a bitterly cold day, it was well-attended. The DNR provided some of the participation numbers. Overall, there were 32 First Day Hikes across 28 properties. There were more than 2,161 total participants, who hiked a combined 3,543 miles. Partner organizations and Friends Groups organized, led and supported many of these hikes and provided hot drinks, warming fires and even baked goods to those braving the conditions. First Day Hikes are part of a national effort organized by the National Association of State Park Directors. Across the country, there were 1,399 First Day Hikes nationwide. More than 73,000 people showed up, tracking more than 150,000 miles.

Published on 01/27/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's male swimmers would go 2-0 in their double dual at Medford Monday night. The Hatchets began the night with a 69-57 victory over the host Medford. Tomahawk would then defeat Lakeland to cap off their night, 81-20. The Hatchets had six first-place finishes in the double dual. Dane Dekiep would place first in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM. Bruce Peetz took the top spot in the 200 Freestyle and the 50 Freestyle. This concludes the Hatchet Boys' Swim regular season. Tomahawk finishes with a 5-7 dual record. The postseason for Tomahawk begins February 6th at the Great Northern Conference Invite in Lakeland.

Published on 01/27/2026 under Sports The Hatchet basketball squads were swept in their doubleheader at Rhinelander Monday night. Tomahawk's boys lost their seventh straight game and their seventh Great Northern Conference game, losing to the Hodags, 90-25. As for the girls, they would surrender 38 second-half points, losing to the Hodags, 72-33. Freya Alberg led the way in scoring for the Hatchets with 16 points. The Hatchet boys now sit at 2-13 on the season and 0-7 in Great Northern Conference play. Tomahawk's girls fall to 9-7 on the season and 3-5 in GNC play. The Hatchet boys are back in action Friday against Northland Pines. Tomahawk's girls are back on the court Tuesday in Wausau East. Tip is at 7:15.

Published on 01/27/2026 under News The Town of Boulder Junction is turning 100 next year, and the community is planning to celebrate. To recognize this milestone anniversary of their founding, the town established a Boulder Junction Centennial Committee plan festivities. In the works are a town-wide birthday party, a historical theater performance, a special Musky Jamboree parade, an art installation, a commemorative plaque, and a history publication. They're also looking for the community to help by providing memories. On Monday, the Committee put out a call for people to share photos and stories of their times in Boulder Junction that will be used throughout the celebration. They even provided a list of potential story topics like favorite places, first memories, falling in love (with the town or another person), funny stories, or even animal encounters. The committee did remind people to make sure the stories are true and kept PG-13. They've already got a Facebook page and a website at BoulderJunctionHistory.org with updates, information, and contacts.

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