CRANDON (WLUK) -- With more than a million anglers hitting the waters in Wisconsin each year, Fishing is certainly part of "How WI Live," and in the Northwoods, a sluggish start to spring means conditions heading into this weekend's fishing opener might be in question.
But as the weekend approaches, even the bigger lakes are opening up.
On the eastern shoreline of Lake Metonga, only a few reminders remain from the recent season on the ice in Forest County.
"It has been a long cold winter. The last two or three weeks, fishing has been pretty much non-existent," said Eric Zahn, Tamarack Outfitters Co-Owner.
Eric Zahn and his wife Shirley Zahn own Tamarack Outfitters in Crandon. They say ice on the 2,038-acre lake officially went out, on Monday.
"It varies. It can go out in the first part of April. This is late," he said.
Just down the road in Oconto County, Chute Pond County Park Boat Launch near Mountain is open for Saturday's inland lakes sport fishing season opener.
"There you can catch a little bit of everything. Your bass, your walleye, your northern. All your panfish," said Derek Soletske, Mighty Fine Sport Shop Manager.
Soletske manages the Mighty Fine Sport Shop in Lakewood. He says ice disappeared on most area lakes about a week or two ago. He says area streams and brooks are flowing too. Trout fishing season begins Saturday as well.
"McCauslin Brook, North Branch of the Oconto River, South Branch of the Oconto River. All very popular," he said.
Soletske says supply chain issues had an impact, but his store is stocked and ready for customers. Meanwhile at Tamarack Outfitters, the Zahn's say they try to use local vendors as much as possible. They say opening day will be exciting.
"It is a big deal. Especially with the last couple weeks very slow, no good ice to get out and fish on, so there's going to be a little pent up demand out there. We're going to get busy again, and we're looking forward to it," he said.
The sport fishing season begins on Saturday May 7, 2022 and runs through March 5, 2023.