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- Making fishing better
- Contact information
- For more information on the panfish project, contact:
- Joanna Griffin
608-264-8953
Fishing WisconsinPlanning for panfish
Do you have a passion for panfish? Read on ... and then plan to attend a public meeting.
A pile of panfish is a welcome sight to many Wisconsin anglers.
Panfish are the most common fish caught by anglers in Wisconsin. In a 2006-07 statewide survey, Wisconsin anglers reported catching 88 million fish, of which 57.7 million were panfish (bluegill, yellow perch, crappies). Public concern regarding panfish appears to be increasing and, in recent years, the Conservation Congress (a long-standing DNR advisory organization) has proposed reducing the 25 panfish bag limit on select lakes. Analysis of many years’ worth of fisheries surveys is starting to tell us about the status of panfish in the state, and we would like to share the results.
Conservation Congress concerns, in combination with data analyses and modeling efforts, lead us to believe we should take the next step and develop a panfish management plan. We are holding a series of public meetings to better connect with Wisconsin panfish anglers. Angler feedback will help guide us in the direction and prioritization of panfish management goals. We hope anglers will use this opportunity to tell us what changes they would like to see in their panfishing experience.
Message from Secretary
An invitation from Secretary Cathy Stepp
“Whether you’re seeking a tasty meal … introducing your kids to the fun of fishing … or just looking for some great action … Wisconsin panfish deliver. We want to make sure they keep delivering food and fishing fun into the future.”
Department of Natural Resources’ Secretary Cathy Stepp invites Wisconsin anglers to participate in public meetings on panfish management that will be held around the state in February and March.
Public meetings
Public meetings
Fisheries biologists are holding public meetings around the state in February and March. Please review the list and, if you are interested in the future of panfish, attend a meeting near you. The information gathered from these meetings will be used to help develop a panfish management plan for Wisconsin.
Meeting schedule
| Date | Time | City | Location | Address | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Stevens Point | Franklin Jr High School, Learning Resource Center | 2000 Polk St | Tom Meronek |
| February 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Waukesha | DNR Waukesha Service Center | 141 NW Barstow St | Ben Heussner |
| February 19 | 7:00 p.m. | Eau Claire | DNR Eau Claire Regional Office | 1300 W Clairemont Ave | Heath Benike |
| February 19 | 7:00 p.m. | Horicon | DNR Horicon Marsh Education Center/lower level auditorium | N7725 Hwy 28 | Laura Stremick-Thompson |
| February 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Hayward | Hayward High School Auditorium | 10320 N Greenwood Ln | Max Wolter |
| February 21 | 7:00 p.m. | Plymouth | Plymouth High School Cafeteria | 125 S Highland Ave | Travis Motl |
| February 22-24 | 6:30 p.m. | Madison | Madison Fishing Expo | Alliant Energy Center | Kurt Welke |
| March 4 | 5:30 p.m. | Shawano | Shawano Library | 128 S. Sawyer St. | Al Niebur |
| March 4 | 6:00 p.m. | Burlington | Burlington High School Library (2nd Floor) | 400 McCanna Pkwy | Doug Welch |
| March 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Mercer | Mercey Community Center | 2648 W Margaret St | Lawrence Eslinger |
| March 6 | 7:00 p.m. | Medford | Frances L Simek Memorial Library | 400 N Main St | Jeff Scheirer |
| March 6 | 6:30 p.m. | Adams | Adams County Community Center | 569 N Cedar St | Jennifer Bergman |
| March 6 | 7:00 p.m. | Florence | Wild Rivers Interpretive Center | 5631 Forestry Dr | Greg Matzke |
| March 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Butternut | American Legion Hall | 126 4th St North | Lawrence Eslinger |
| March 7 | 7:00 p.m. | Dodgeville | DNR Dodgeville Office, Prairie Room | 1500 N Johns St | |
| March 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Wautoma | Waushara County Courthouse, Demonstration Room | 209 S Main St | Dave Bartz |
| March 7 | 7:00 p.m. | Fond du Lac | Fisherman's Rd Fishing Club Headquarters | End of Fisherman's Rd on Winnebago | Kendall Kamke Ryan Koenigs |
| March 11 | 6:00 p.m. | Merrill | Merrill High School Large Conference Room | 1201 N Sales St | Dave Seibel |
| March 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Brule | Brule Ranger Station | 6250 S Ranger Rd | Scott Toshner |
| March 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Menasha | Germania Hall | 320 Chute St | Kendall Kamke Ryan Koenigs |
| March 13 | 6:30 p.m. | Green Bay | Brown County Library Auditorium | 515 Pine St | Steve Hogler |
| March 13 | 7:00 p.m. | Rhinelander | DNR Rhinelander Service Center | 107 Sutcliff Ave | John Kubisiak |
| March 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Spooner | DNR Spooner Service Center | 810 W Maple St | Jamison Wendel |
| March 14 | 5:30 p.m. | Waupaca | Waupaca Area Library | 107 S Main St | Al Niebur |
| March 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Black River Falls | UW Extension Office | 227 S 11th St | Dan Hatleli |
| March 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Woodruff | Woodruff Town Hall | 1418 First St (Hwy 47) | Steve Gilbert |
| March 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Balsam Lake | Polk County Government Center, East Conference Room | 100 Polk County Plaza | Aaron Cole |
| March 18 | 6:30 p.m. | Crivitz | Crivitz High School Auditorium | 400 South Ave | Chip Long Tammie Paoli |
| March 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Wisconsin Rapids | McMillan Memorial Library | 490 E Grand Ave | Jennifer Bergman |
Panfish survey
Panfish survey
Those interested anglers who attend panfish public meetings in February and March will have an opportunity to complete a panfish survey. If you don't think you'll be able to attend one of the meetings (or you were unable to attend one of the meetings), we still want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes and complete the following survey:
Your input will help guide the development of a statewide plan for managing panfish populations. We hope to provide our anglers with a variety of panfishing opportunities. We appreciate your help.
