Record Breakin' Weekend

Sizzlin' summer temperatures just a few shy of 90 on Sunday.

Well, the weekend is upon us and it's looking downright summer-like! Highs will jump into the 70s and 80s on Saturday, and mid to upper 80s on Sunday! What month is this again? That's nearly 30 degrees above the average temperature. Humidity will also increase, which will make it feel more like late June than the beginning of April.

They're firing up! This weekend will be a good one to get
out after these little morsels.

If you want to get some Morel mushrooms in March, I'd suggest going today or Saturday! Our rainfall came down on soil temps that are in the 50s for most of central Iowa. Moisture on warm ground and high humidity at night seem to really contribute to growing Morels. We've already seen preferential micro-climates popping off these little edibles. I think this weekend we will start seeing a wide-spread showing of all 3 main species of Morel (Whites, Commons, and Big Foots).

Rain amounts varied widely, but in general 1/4 to 3/4 fell with
Thursday's thunderstorms. Perfect for rejuvinating the fishing
activity.

The rainfall was substantial enough to kick up water levels in creeks and tributaries. This should serve to keep a light to moderate bite going Friday and Saturday despite high barometric pressure. Winds will kick up to the 15mph range from the SE on Saturday and the 30 mph wind speed range from the SW on Sunday.

Rain is a Good Thing

SW Iowa picked up pockets of moderate rainfall Thursday
morning with more rain expected state-wide Thursday evening.

Chances for rain in the forecast Thursday have got my hopes up for finding wide-spread Morels this weekend! The last few days we've had lows in the 40s and 50s and highs in the 70s and soil temps are primed for White Morels (Little Greys)! Areas, especially south of I-80, that see rainfall today and tonight could stand to see a good crop of Morels spring up in the next few days. Temps bounce back up into the 80s this weekend will be a good combination with the new rainfall.

More reports are coming in from outdoorsmen across Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri who are finding Morels. Whites and Yellows are the primary so far, but I suspect one or two spots will begin to show some of the Bigfoot Morels which are the largest species. This is especially true if you're lucky enough to see more than .5" of rain. Lilacs are in bloom in many spots as are the Violets suggesting the soil temps.

Large swings in the mercury will have fish and game shifting.
But above average temps, plus new rain and we should
 have Morels this weekend.

On a fishing note, this storm system has two chances to strike up some good fishing activity. The first will be with the pressure tendency. Barometric pressure will fall this afternoon at the same time we expect to see the evening activity pick up. We'll also have a broken line of storms and clouds ahead of the main system. These factors plus a moderate breeze should make this afternoon worth-while on the water. The second thing is locally heavy rains will contribute to slight water level rises, a subtle increase in river flow and this could carry a decent bite over into the weekend, despite high pressure nearby. And with summer-like temperatures, who wouldn't want to be outside!

In any event I'd check out your favorite spots for Morels and fish this weekend. I think it will be worth a look ;-) Good luck!

More Morel Adventures



Sunday's mushrooms. Not Morels :( But not bad for March 25th

 It has been truly remarkable to see the transition from winter brown to emerald green. In many locations, the forest more closely resembles mid-April rather than late March. And I'm happy to report, some lucky outdoorsmen are finding morels in central Iowa!

Unfortunately for me, I'm not one of 'em. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong spots or maybe it's the fact that I only spent an hour or two on Sunday morning looking for "little greys" which are the hardest species to spot. Whatever the reason, my 'hotspots' let me down and I got skunked on my search. But signs were everywhere that they'll be firing up soon. Here's my thoughts about Sunday's excursion.

Blue Violets are an excellent sign the soil is close or suitable
for Morel mushrooms to fire up. In my locations the soil was
quite dry which make conditions harsh for morels.

For most areas, it's still a bit too early for widespread Morels. Pockets of forest terrain have suitable conditions right now, but the majority of the woods isn't quite ready yet. There was a very substantial difference in forest undergrowth from the north/east facing slopes to the south and west facing slopes... South slopes had thicker grasses, healthier ferns, and forest flowers meanwhile the north slopes are perhaps a week or two weeks behind.

Some of the most reliable indicators I've ever had for searching for Morels are subtle clues from the woods. I look for blue and yellow Violets, Dandelions and Creeping Charlies. I also look for knee high ferns and moss as good signs the forest is ready to produce Morels.

Rocky soils, steep cut banks near creeks and small pockets facing south or west will be the best bets this week. Our next best chance of rain is late in the week, which might make the upcoming weekend a great time to get out. I'm going to try to search again on Wednesday.

This year's conditions are circled. Most areas could use some
more rain to make the Mushroom hunting better.

I hate to say it, but conditions are a bit off again this year. If we can't get substantial moisture without cooling way down, we could be facing the 3rd bad year in a row for Morels.

The Mysterious Morel

Well, I went out for a nice hike in central Iowa on the first full day of Spring. It looked much more like the first day of Turkey season than March 21st. I even caught a hen turkey sitting on a nest while I stalked through the woods looking for sheds and the mysterious Morel.

The grass was surprisingly green as I left the truck and began my walk. Humidity was high, and just enough sunshine was getting through the clouds that I had to shed my jacket.

Robins, Cardinals and many other birds were enjoying the worm buffet from our recent rains. As I slogged through the mud, I was getting more and more excited to find the first tasty White Morels (Little Greys) of the season.

I was happy to see ferns coming up! Lichens and moss were also out in full force, and I found several spots where various cup fungi were feasting on dead bark from Elm trees. I have always seen these fungi when I find morels. But more often than not those cup fungi are a bit drier and not quite as fresh, something I never noticed until this year. A small thought popped into my head, "I probably wouldn't find any morels today."

So I sat down on a log and drank some ice water while I put the pieces together. Grass was greenest in open fields on ridge tops and south slopes and not very green under the trees. Open south slopes were also the only place I found Dandelions and they were the only flower on the forest floor.

Vegitation under the trees is still immature/emergant and I suspect the soil temp in the forest is substantially cooler than the open-field soil readings we can look up online. Normally when I find Morels, there are little blue flowers, Dandelions and taller ferns nearby. I didn't see any of that on my hike. I'm also concerned the rain isn't soaking in deep enough since we've only seen between .25" and .75" despite several days of rain.
I still expect very small pockets of cover to have Morels right now. More wide-spread Morels should pop in a few days to a week from now. I think the ground is still too cool and the warmth/moisture needs to sink in just a bit deeper. They're already being reported in Kansas City and northwestern Missori which is about a week ahead of us climate-wise. So bring on the sunshine, and let the outdoorsman's easter egg hunt begin!

Based on the forecast I think we are in great shape. Conditions will still be tough since the usual suspects like the White Morels usually fire first and they're small and hide really well under leaves. If you're not having much luck in your usual spots try focusing in on Micro-Climates. These are "pockets" of cover that heat up more than surrounding areas. I like south facing slopes and for whatever reason I often find my first Morels painfully close to the center of Multi-flora Rose bushes. I think these locations seem to "hold" the heat overnight when moisture is higher.

I love seeing the transformation from Winter as Iowa blossoms into Spring and I plan on going back out on Friday or Saturday. I hope you get out and enjoy it, and I'll keep you posted on what I find!

-Chris