by Aisha Liebenow My usual Fourth of July consists of a parade, fireworks, and everything red, white, and blue. This Fourth may not have been much different, but this time my family and I had the chance to celebrate our nation’s birthday Minocqua-style. Minocqua is a tourist ‘hotspot’ up North known for its shops, charming …
In Muckraking Mendota: A Naturalist’s Investigations, UW–Madison undergraduate, Emily Hilts, plunges beneath the surface of the Yahara chain of lakes to answer questions about Madison’s aquatic ecosystem. Follow her to uncover your own connection to the lakes. — As I snorkeled among the vegetation, the ‘weeds’ around me looked more like a sprawling neighborhood than …
by Aisha Liebenow It’s not every day that you get to say you went on an adventure; unless your name is Samantha Oliver or Andy Muench. Sam is a PhD student in the Center for Limnology at UW – Madison, and Andy is an Undergraduate student from UW – Madison majoring in Botony and Wildlife …
A new study by Center for Limnology researchers says that, when it comes to managing our sport fisheries, some regulations aren’t in line with the reality of fishing trips. CFL post-doctoral researcher, Jereme Gaeta, is lead author of the report, published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management, and says that, currently, the main …
Last week I took advantage of the clear water conditions to observe fish in their natural habitat. While it was an awesome experience, I was left wondering: “Why does the water start off clear and get exponentially scummier over the summer?” At first glance, the question doesn’t seem complicated. Algae don’t thrive in cold conditions, …
This week’s Fish Fry Day – our series of posts featuring fish of Wisconsin – is taking a Southern twist! While catfish is a common menu item down south, it’s uncommon to find the tasty cornmeal-battered fillets offered in Wisconsin. In most of the state, fishermen tend to avoid catfish except for along the Mississippi …
by Emily Hilts While walking along the lakeshore to my first day of work, I spotted a smallmouth bass hanging out in the rocky shallows of Lake Mendota. After watching for a minute, it finally struck me … the water was clear. I could see the bottom! So much for the scummy cesspool I’d imagined. …
by Aisha Liebenow “You love what you know.” This is how Susie Hoffman, Director of the Center for Conservation Leadership (CCL), described the interest that the Lake County high school students showed during Trout Lake Station director, Tim Kratz’, presentation at the North Lakeland Discovery Center. She continued, “You know how when we first came …
Once again, the batter is coming out in the kitchens of restaurants across Wisconsin and folks are preparing to cap off another work week with the time-honored ritual of eating fried fish – happy Fish Fry Day everyone! Today’s special: black crappie. As any angler knows, May and June are good months for crappie fishing …
This summer, UW–Madison undergrad, Emily Hilts, will be exploring Lake Mendota and the other Yahara lakes and writing a running diary of sorts detailing what she finds. Stay tuned for more great posts from her about the history and ecology of the lake, as well as closer looks at the animals and plants that call …