Hot summer weather this past week had many people looking for ways to cool down. Some rivers were busy with people tubing, kayaking and canoeing and others are heading out in search of beaches.

River levels continue to be high in northeast Wisconsin. In the last week, southern Oconto and Marinette counties received up to 5 inches of rain, which pushed flows in the Oconto, Peshtigo and Menominee rivers to much higher than normal levels. Because of the high water, many small lakes in Central Wisconsin have slow no wake restrictions in place. Driven by a growing number of calls and complaints about excessive wakes, both Wisconsin and Minnesota have launched an educational effort urging people to “Own Your Wake – for everyone’s sake,” to spread the word about minimizing wakes that might pose a nuisance or hazard to others.

There was good fishing for perch and walleye this week along both the east and west shores of Green Bay. Finally the news anglers fishing northern Door County wanted to hear: chinook salmon have started to show up, with boats catching upwards of five fish. Smallmouth bass fishing in and around the Mink River was still producing fish, with even a few 5-pound fish being caught yet. On the bayside, smallmouth bass fishing remained steady throughout the week with boats catching roughly 20 fish per boat.

Turkey broods are being seen and the young seem to have more than doubled in size over a weeks’ time. Reports of fawns are still coming in strong with one report this week of a doe with triplets. Loons are serenating into the night on Northwoods lakes.

Bergamot, purple coneflower, blazing star, butterfly weed and black-eyed Susan are adding pops of color on the landscape. Strawberries, blueberries and Juneberries are ripening.