DNR to host open houses at various fish hatcheries and spawning facilities
Madison, Wisconsin. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced fall opening dates for two fish hatcheries and two hatchery facilities. Over the next month, the DNR will host open houses at the Governor Tommy J. Thompson Fish Hatchery, Pissadney River Fish Facility, Root River Steelhead Facility, and Wild Rose Fish Hatchery.
Each of these free events will give attendees a chance to see the fish up close and learn how hatcheries and spawning facilities help maintain fish populations in Wisconsin.
Tour the state’s largest cold-water fish hatchery and the world’s largest muskellunge hatchery at Governor Tommy J. Thompson’s Fish Hatchery on Saturday, September 30, at 951 West Maple Street in Spooner. Doors will open at 10 a.m. and allow attendees the opportunity to see walleye, muskellunge, and various tools used to help raise and stock fish in bodies of water throughout the state.
The second open house event will showcase the spawning facility and will be held on Saturday, October 7 from 9am to 2pm at the Peasandy River Fish Facility, at N3884 Ransom Moore Lane in Kewaunee. Come watch salmon egg collection demonstrations, enjoy fishing demonstrations and take a guided tour of the facility. The Algoma Kewaunee Great Lakes Sport Fisherman will also provide wagon rides from the Winter Park Ski Area parking lot to the facility.
Join the DNR at another fish hatchery facility on Saturday, October 14 from 9am-3pm at the Root River Steelhead Facility. The event will be held at 2200 Domanik Dr, Lincoln Park in Racine and will include guided tours and fish hatchery demonstrations. Volunteers from Salmon Unlimited, Trout Unlimited and the Kenosha Sport Fishing and Conservation Association will be on hand to provide educational fishing stations where visitors can try out new casting techniques and take fly tying lessons.
The final open house of the fall will be held on Saturday, October 28 from 8am-3pm at the Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery Education Center, located at N5871 State Road 22 in Wild Rose. This event will celebrate the annual salmon migration in the fall. There will be educational games and activities for people of all ages, including workshops on learning how to cast fish, fish identification tips or the opportunity to ‘swim’ upstream like salmon on their migratory journey to their spawning grounds. Other fish activities include printing fish on tote bags, building a spinnerbait, making Kool-Aid slime, and touring the original 1908 hatchery and modern operation.
More details about each of these events can be found on the DNR’s events web page.
Event details
What: Governor Tommy J. Thompson Fish Hatchery Open House
when: 10am-2pm, Saturday, September 30
where: Governor Tommy J. Thompson Fish Hatchery
951 West Maple Street
Spooner, WI 54801
What: Besandi Open River Fish Facility
when: 9am – 2pm, Saturday 7 October
where: Besandi River Fish Facility
3884 Ransom Moore Lane
Kewaunee, WI 53404
What: Root River Steelhead Facility Open House
when: 9am – 3pm Saturday 14 October
where: Root River Steelhead Facility
2200 Domanic Drive
Racine, WI 53404
What: Open house for rosehip fish migration
when: 8am – 3pm Saturday 28 October
where: Wild rose hatchery
N5871 State Road 22
Wild Rose, WI 54984
