Mornin' to all the snowmobilers wishing we had snow (in the meantime, read about WI’s first snowmobile race). This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

This week’s weekly:

• Surfing “America’s Third Coast” 🏄

• Retired game warden under investigation 🐺 

• Dismal sturgeon spearing opener 🐟

A Hypothermic Hang Ten: Surfing America’s Third Coast

When most ‘Sconnies hear the words hang-ten, they usually think of the 10-point buck hanging in their cousin’s garage.

What they don't think of is the different kind of thrill that attracts folks to our great state:

Surfing.

That's right, located thousands of miles from either of the admittedly more well-known coasts, Wisconsin is graced to have a surfeable coastline of its own—AKA Lake Michigan.

And while there are plenty of freshwater surf spots along our great lake, none appeals to the surf savant like Sheboygan in the wintertime.

Surfing “America’s Third Coast”

• Wisconsin’s surf depends entirely on winds

• Best time to surf in Wisconsin is August to April

• The peak time to surf is middle of winter, so a full-body wetsuit is needed

The Bratwurst/Freshwater Surfing Capital of the World

Forget the coconuts, sun burns, and salted seas!

For the past 50 or so years, surfers from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to Sheboygan, WI to surf the famed breakwaters of its beaches, earning it the moniker "The Malibu of the Midwest."

Ya see folks, what makes Sheboygan so special (besides those delicious bratwurst) is the way the wind whips up around its beaches.

Deland Park, which is hailed as the "Best Sconnie Surf Spot," juts out out into Lake Michigan not unlike your Aunt Susan's cheek boil, creating perfect conditions for sometimes 7+ foot waves. And don’t forget—zero sharks!!!

It's all about timing

Although you can technically surf in Sheboygan (and other spots on Lake Michigan) any time, the best time is from August to April, with the peak landing right smack-dab in the middle of winter.

When the cold winter air mixes with the warmer lake air along the shoreline, powerful winds create great surf conditions.

And unlike oceanic surf spots, which are aided by rising and lowering tides, where wind is often not preferred, Lake Michigan surfing is purely dependent on winter winds.

Thus, it’s not uncommon to spot surfers in sub-zero temps, scrambling across icy beaches in wetsuits, just to catch an ideal weather window (which don't last too long).

The brother's quest

Though the surfing itself is pretty rad, the culture of freshwater surfing is just as appealing, which is in part because of the two Sheboygan-native brothers who pioneered this cold water pursuit.

Back in the 60's, Lee "Water Flea" and Larry "Longboard" Williams, upon realizing that it takes a bit of doe (and not the furry kind) to surf California and Hawaii, figured why not master the waves off the shore of their hometown Sheboygan?

Into their adulthood, this question became a focused pursuit, chasing after freshwater waves at famed spots like The Elbow.

Their passioned vision of Wisconsin's surfing potential helped kickstart the surf culture that thrives in Sheboygan today, a legacy that is championed through Facebook groups and local surf shops.

How to get out ‘der

Next time you're thinking about taking it tropical, consider a 'staycation' in Wisconsin's own surfing mecca!

Support surf shops like EOS (Sheboygan shop for rentals, lessons, surf reports) or Lake Effect (MKE shop for rentals lessons, and surf reports).

High 5 Surf has been providing year-round surf lessons and guided trips on Lake Michigan

Or, if you’d rather not freeze your cheeks off, check out a flick on freshwater surfing. Heck, even forward this email to your friends!

Whatever it takes to - you guessed it - get out 'der.

Other great Wiscampsin reads…

The History of Ice Fishing

Wisconsin's must-see frozen waterfalls

How-to: Canoeing the Wisconsin River

Shop Wiscampsin

Wisconsin State Bird Art Print: “Very nicely made, great colors and design. It looks amazing in my home. Keep it up Wiscampsin ❤️” - Peggy

Wiscampsin Badgers Tee: “It’s the perfect t-shirt to show off my love for camping and Wisconsin at the same time :)” - Emily

Wiscampsin Recycled License Plate Frame: “Love it! Get out der! Makes my Mazda look even better” - Alex

Wiscampsin Mug: “Awesome mug, very lightweight, the mug doesn't get piping hot if you need to microwave your coffee either.” - Matthew

Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

Would you look at that, 55% of you guessed correctly: Wisconsin ranks 3rd in the US for highest estimated population of Bald eagles behind Alaska and our neighbor to the NW, Minnesota.

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

💰 Death and Taxes: They say those are the only guarantees in life (Hey, what about Da Bears losing to the Pack?). But you can get a tax deduction by donating to the Endangered Resources Fund on your Wisconsin income tax form. Help protect some of the nation’s oldest forests, undeveloped lakes, diverse wetlands and unique geologic features!

🐟 Sturgeon Spearing off to a sloppy start: Literally. The Lake Winnebago Sturgeon spearing season got off to a pretty dismal start, as shotty ice conditions kept many anglers off the ice. The DNR found little more than 450 shanties on Lake Winnebago, compared to 3,000 last year (which was much less than 2022’s 6,000!). Just 122 sturgeons were speared, a significant drop from last 2023’s opening weekend total of 783.

🐺 Investigation into wolf kill: A retired game warden is under investigation after shooting a collared wolf in northern Wisconsin. The retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wolf Management Committee member self-reported his kill, claiming it was self-defense. Read the full story here on the ongoing investigation by U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

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Meme of the Week 😂

A review from the trail… Stocking it full like the garage freezer!