Watch Where You Step

When you venture out into the woods or onto the waters you are stepping into another world from that which you spend most of your time. There are things that should be avoided that can spoil a fishing trip or a camping adventure. One of the things that many people encounter is Poison Ivy. This is one of the plants that can cause a nasty rash on most people. Not all people are allergic to it but most are and they find out the hard way that they should have been more careful.

The islands and shoreline of the Wisconsin River is a place to watch where you’re stepping when it comes to Poison Ivy. It grows abundantly there. If you’re canoeing or boating you needn’t worry but if you go up on shore or onto an island for firewood, watch out for it.

Poison Ivy is one of three plants that have a substance on their leaves called Urushoil that causes a condition called contact dermatitis. The rash can be just an itchy red welt or can be a large itching patch that scabs up and gets very irritated.

I’ve had Poison Ivy several times and tried everything under the sun to cure it. I’ve found that plain old Calamine lotion does the best job of anything I’ve tried. One way or the other the rash will take about a week to run its course. Calamine helps keep the itching at a minimum and dries up the rash.

It’s not pleasant but it’s not the end of the world either. Poison Ivy is one of those little inconveniences that Mother Nature has for us. It shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the great Wisconsin outdoors.

Dan Bomkamp - author and host of "How's Fishing"

A Weed to Avoid

I sure don’t want to scare anyone from going into the great outdoors but there is a plant out there that many folks will say, "I’ve never heard of that."

It’s Poison Parsnip. Yes, another plant that can make you pretty uncomfortable for a week or so. Most know about Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac and have seen someone with an itchy rash caused by one of them. Few know about a similar plant that is getting more and more common in Wisconsin and the Midwest.

Poison Parsnip is in about every ditch line on any back road right now. It’s easily recognizable by the yellow flowers on the top of it which are similar to Queen Anne’s Lace. While Queen Anne’s Lace is white, Parsnips are yellow. They are a little different than the other poison plants in that the poison is a photo sensitizer. The oils need light to make them irritable. If you get it on you in daylight, that’s enough. The rash is often mistaken for Poison Ivy.

Right now Poison Parsnip is easy to see because of its flowers. Soon those will be gone and it will look just like any other weed. Be careful of it though, it’s a nasty little pest and can cause some sleepless nights if you happen to get into it.

Dan Bomkamp - author and host of the radio show "How's Fishing"

Fishing With Slip-Bobbers on Deep Lakes

If you like to fish lakes (like Blackhawk Lake in Iowa County, WI for example) one of the things you quickly find out is that it’s difficult to cast your line out when fishing deep water with a bobber. The trailing line is hard to work with and often ends up wrapped around something or someone.

Try a slip-bobber for fishing when you need to fish deeper than a few feet. This is a very simple system consisting of a bobber stop, plastic bead and a bobber with a hole in it. The bobber stop can be bought in any sport shop and will slide onto your line and can be adjusted to any depth. The beauty of it is that it can be slid to any depth allowing you to fish as deep as you like. The plastic bead keeps your bobber from sticking on the bobber stop.

Slip-bobbers come in many sizes and styles. Choose the one that you like best and then when you find a place where the fish are at ten feet deep, you will be ready to get them without all the fuss and hassle of ten feet of line dangling from your rod and reel. They’re great for kids too.

Dan Bomkamp - author and host of the radio show "How's Fishing"

Try a Slip-Sinker for Fishing the Wisconsin River

Many people resist fishing on the Wisconsin River because they like to fish with a bobber. The current in the Wisconsin is too fast to make bobber fishing practical, but there is a way to do it that works really well.

A slip-sinker is the way to go when fishing the Wisconsin. All it consists of is a sinker with a hole in it. For example you can use an egg sinker, a bell sinker or a walking sinker. They all come in many weights and will work very well. You slide the sinker onto your line, pinch a split-shot about a foot above your hook and you’re all set.

When you cast out, the sinker will hold your bait near the bottom where the fish are and when you get a bite, the fish will pull the line through the hole in the sinker, letting you know they are biting.

This system also works well for catfishing where you use a pre-rigged plastic worm with a line on it. Instead of pinching a split-shot on the line, tie a snap swivel on and hook your catfish worm on it.

Try a slip-rig and you’ll have much better success on the Wisconsin or any river with a fast current.

Dan Bomkamp - author and host of the radio show "How's Fishing"

Black Bears in Southwestern Wisconsin

The following article appeared in our local paper (The Muscoda Progressive) last week which I found very interesting. The author and chief editor, Wendell Smith, provides unique insight to the increasing bear population in Southwest Wisconsin.

Random Thoughts of the Editor
A weekly column written by Wendell Smith in The Muscoda Progressive - 6/10/2010

The big topic of discussion in this community in recent days is not: "What do you think about the BP oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico?" or "Who is going the be the next Wisconsin governor?" or even the old standard "Think it's goin' to rain?"

It seems everywhere we go, the question is, "Have you seen a bear?" No, we have not seen a bear, but other folks have. The talk of the Town of Eagle Memorial Day morning was the bear sighted in the Richland County Hwy E area at its southern end. On some days it seems as though bear sightings are sprouting up more quickly than morel mushrooms in May. In recent weeks folks have been talking about seeing bears throughout SW Wisconsin.

It kind of reminds me of the excitement a deer sighting could cause in those first years we were in Muscoda. I recall the late Otto Mueller, south-side car mechanic and our neighbor, coming back from a trip to the Hickory Flat area, all excited because he had seen a deer. Believe it or not, in those days, farmers would get on the phone and call the neighbor if a deer was in sight - sort of like what is happening now with bears.

Guys who wanted to hunt deer didn't give this area much thought.  They headed to Jackson, Juneau, Wood or other counties to the north. Deer registration in this area was done just at the then Conservation Department (later DNR) nursery in Boscobel. So few hunters were successful in bagging a deer in this vicinity, I would go to the nursery and copy down the names of people who gunned one down - because it was news.

We hear a lot about disappearing habitat. But, you know, as the small farms disappeared, agriculture methods changed, including not pasturing the hillsides. That has resulted in the woods being much more dense. This area has become more wild with large acreages never experiencing a human footprint except perhaps in deer season. When you drive slowly along a rural road, there are many places you cannot see into the woods at all, or maybe just for a few feet. There could be all kinds of things in "them thar woods - maybe a b'ar" for a modern day Davy Crocket. Perhaps soon we will see one of the bears unless some other wild critter gets in the way, like a wolf or a cougar!

Hogs Went Fishing

This past week the DNR arrested a group of Milwaukee fishermen for being over their fish limit. This happens now and then but not to the extent that these hogs took it. The 13 fishermen, part of a church group, had 2,238 fish in their possession. Yes, I said over 2,000 fish.

They were all upset at being arrested thinking they’d been picked-on by the DNR which acted on tips called in by other fishermen who saw these hogs keeping so many fish. The other fishermen should be given praise for turning these guys in and helping get them arrested.

The fines for the hogs can be up to $71,280 and I hope the Court fines them to the maximum. Anyone who is that greedy deserves to pay the maximum and I think it’s too bad they can’t throw them in jail too.

People like this are stealing from all the law-abiding people who go out and do what they are suppose to do concerning game and fish laws. If you see someone violating, call the DNR and turn them in. They have no right to steal from you and me, and the rest of the people who enjoy fishing in our great state. It makes me sick to think of these guys ever fishing again, and I hope they don’t ever get the privilege.

Dan Bomkamp - author and host of the radio show "How's Fishing"

http://www.myoakpro.com/

Turtle Crossings

Wisconsin turtles lay their eggs in June so if you’re driving along any areas near rivers or lakes, be on the lookout for them crossing the road. Turtles leave their homes near the water and go looking for that perfect spot to lay their eggs, sometimes quite a long way from the water. Often you will see them crossing a road half a mile or more from a stream or lake. So keep your eyes open and give them some room to cross.

There are over 260 species of turtles in the world and 55 in the United States. Wisconsin is home to 11 of these species that range from the common Painted Turtles that you see lining logs in the river to the seldom seen Ornate Box Turtle that lives in forests and seldom is found near water.

One of the most recognizable turtles is the Snapping Turtle which is trapped by some as food. These critters get quite large with an adult weighing about 30 pounds on average. They can get up to about 60 pounds and are not to be messed with. They have strong jaws that can do damage if you get careless with them. Best idea is to leave them alone.

So, if you see something in the road in the next couple of weeks and aren’t sure what it is, slow down and give it wide berth. It’ll probably be a mother turtle looking for that perfect spot to lay her eggs. Give her a chance to get across and on her way.

Dan Bomkamp - Author and host of the radio show "How's Fishing"

How to Fish for Bluegills With Rubber Spiders

Fishing in Wisconsin

When the bluegills are on their spawning beds as they are at this time of year, a great way to fish for them is with a flyrod and a rubber spider. Rubber spiders are tiny foam rubber imitations made especially for fishing bluegills. The foam bodies are tied onto a #12 or #14 hook and little rubber band legs are added to make what looks like a water spider. They come in dozens of colors and for my money they all work the same.

When you find a bluegill bed, cast your spider into the area. Male bluegills are guarding the nests and will grab the spider and take it out of the beds. Of course that’s when you set the hook on them.

Catching an 8 inch bluegill on a limber flyrod is great fun and when the fish are concentrated like they are on the beds, you can have a lot of action with them. Do remember that these are the spawning fish for next year so don’t over-fish them.

Rubber spiders are available in most sport shops. Get a few and give them a try….you’ll be glad you did.

Dan Bomkamp - Author and Host of the radio show "How's Fishing"

Look Out for Deer on the Roads

Although you don’t think of car/deer accidents in June, you should. Next to November, June is the second highest month for deer vs. car collisions in Wisconsin. The reason is that does have just had their new fawns and when they do give birth, they chase away last year’s fawns. These yearlings have been with mom their whole lives and now are on their own. They are unsure of what they should be doing and not real savvy about cars and traffic.

The yearling deer aren’t real huge and when they are in the tall grass along the highway they are hard to see, especially at dusk when they move about a lot. So, watch for them and be ready to stop.

The fishing is great on the Wisconsin River. Catfish are biting very well. Successful anglers are using cheese baits and chicken liver. The river is low but with a little care you can get around. Look for a treetop in almost any depth of water and you’ll usually find a few hungry catfish.

Dan Bomkamp - Author and Host of the radio show "How's Fishing"
http://www.danbomkamp.com/