American White Pelicans - 2021

Starting in the spring as the lakes and marshes of Wisconsin thaw, American White Pelicans make their way north. Pelicans can be found at Horicon Marsh, at Lake Michigan near Manitowoc, and on Lake Puckaway. A large wetland pennisula nearly divides the lake in two. The peninsula is affectionately referred to as Bird Island.

American White Pelican swimming.

The pelicans patrol the lake. Often flying to the western end in the morning as well as leaving in V's and strings likely off to other lakes and wetlands in the area like the Grand River Marsh or Green Lake or perhaps destinations further away like Lake Butte des Morts. For those that stay on Puckaway, by late morning they fly back across from west to east. And by the evening the wondering strings of pelicans return. They are elegant fliers often taking just three wing beats between gliding.

Pelicans making their way back across the lake.

If you haven't seen pelicans before, they are quite the sight. Their bright white wings  and body with bold black wing edges. Their gigantic 7 foot wingspan and large bills make them seem like they should be awkward, but they soar elegantly both high above the trees as well as mere inches above the lake.

Of course, they can't be elegant all of the time. Pelican takes on large fish.

Getting Around Puckaway

To understand how best to navigate around Puckaway, it's worth understanding the lake's dimensions. The lake is shallow, averaging 3 feet in depth with the deepest point being 5 feet. The lake is also rather large with 27.6 miles of shoreline and being about 7 miles across east / west and 2 miles across north/south at the widest point.

The lake is somewhat bordered by WI Hwy 22 which runs north/south west of the lake and WI Hwy 73 which runs north/south east of the lake. County Hwy C provides access to the north side of lake, while County Hwy B and H provide access to the south side of the lake. Most of the roads don't actually run along the lakeshore, so your best bet to explore the big lake is in a boat. 

The lake's shallow depth somewhat limits what kinds of boats you'll see tooling around the lake. Pontoons are the most common and are probably the most ideal way to get a good look at the lake, go fishing, watch birds, or just move between Marquette and the other stops on the lake like the Log Cabin or Good Old Days restaurants. 

Jon Boats and Fishing Boats are a fairly common sight as well. During duck hunting season, shallow water craft with mud motors thunder their way across the lake to access the cattail beds on the western end of the lake.  

The water is shallow enough where I launch, that I often start by rowing before dropping the trolling motor in. 

I use a small aluminum jon boat with a trolling motor to explore the lake. Given the lake's size, a trolling motor doesn't get me very far very fast. An outboard is definitely the way to go maximize your ability to get around the lake. 

For those inclined to exercise, kayaks and paddle boards are a fairly common sight as well. 

Whether tooling around in a small jon or kayak, water conditions matter. Smaller boats do better when the lake is still. And you need to stay aware of traffic. A pontoon boat generates a fairly significant wake for 12 foot jon boat to overcome. 

Introducing Puckaway

Lake Puckaway is a shallow lake on the Fox River in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. The Fox River enters the lake at the northwest end of the lake, while the Grand River enters in the southwest corner. The Fox River continues onto Princeton, WI from the lake's northeast end. 

The lake is good for fishing and birding. Common sightings include Forster's Terns, American White Pelicans, Double Crested Cormorants, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, and Great Egrets. And they still leave plenty of fish for people to catch. 

With the lake's shallow depth, you are most likely to encounter pontoon boats, kayaks, jon boats, small fishing boats. Fishing is good for walleye, pike, bluegill, and bass. And in the fall, wood ducks, mallards, wigeon, and teal attract hunters. 

Marquette is the only town on the lake, it's on the south shore. Otherwise a variety of cabins, campgrounds, and marshes make up the shoreline. You can find food and drink along the north shore at Mike & Cathy's Good Old Days or at the Log Cabin.