PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Despite a chilly and windy start to the week, Ozaukee County's main marina is busy getting ready for the summer.
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources delivered a huge shipment of 60,000 salmon Monday afternoon. Many local charter fishers spent the day launching their boats for the first time this year.
Dale Allen is the president of the Great Lakes Sport Fisherman's Club. He oversaw Monday's delivery.
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"Port Washington's the best place to be," Allen said. "We keep (the fish) in the net pens for the entire three weeks, so that they get scented to the Port Washington water, so in four years, they come back and spawn."
Allen estimates about half of the fish could be caught by the end of the roughly five-month fishing season, which starts at the beginning of May.
Nicky Boy Charters put two of their boats in the water Monday morning. They run a total of four boats each summer, sometimes venturing out to fish twice daily. Boat captain Jeremy Dahm said they worked on the boats all winter.
"We look forward to this all spring," Dahm said. "All of these boats bring thousands and thousands of dollars to the city."
And for residents of Port Washington, signs of life on the lakefront signal the beginning of the Summer and warmer weather coming soon. Maggie Fassett has lived in Port Washington for five decades and recently moved right near the lakefront.
"The views are great," Fassett said. "In about a month, there will be boats pulling in every day with salmon and trout."
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