IRON MOUNTAIN — Temperatures are expected to climb into the 60s this weekend before falling in advance of Michigan’s firearm deer opener on Monday, Nov. 15. The AccuWeather forecast for the opener calls for a high of 36 degrees in Dickinson County with a chance of rain or snow.

Bucks are starting to move, raising hopes for the rut getting underway, said Ken Dabb at Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis. “Both Michigan and Wisconsin are seeing a lot of grouse,” he added.

Fishing activity has slowed, though a pleasant weekend could bring out more anglers.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has confirmed largemouth bass virus in smallmouth bass taken from the bay of Green Bay near Door County.

In September, 14 diseased smallmouth bass were collected from the waters surrounding Door County and examined by DNR fisheries staff. Collected fish had skin wounds that appeared red, ulcerated, and varied in size and location. These skin lesions often had a cream-colored layer of dead tissue in the center of the wound.

Largemouth bass virus has been found throughout the eastern United States and previously identified in Wisconsin’s Mississippi River Basin, the DNR said. The virus can cause weakness, abnormal swimming, swimbladder over-inflation, reddening and death in largemouth bass populations.

Little is definitively known about its ability to cause disease or death in the smallmouth species.

To avoid spreading largemouth bass virus and other harmful pathogens, the DNR recommends the following:

— Drain all water from boats, motors and all equipment.

— Do not move live fish away from a waterbody.

— Handle bass as quickly and gently as possible if you intend to release them.

— Target smallmouth bass during cooler weather to reduce the stress on fish.

— Refrain from hauling fish in live wells unless fish are to be harvested.

— Report smallmouth bass with skin lesions and dead or dying fish to local biologists or fish health staff.

While largemouth bass virus is not known to infect humans, the DNR urges anglers harvesting any fish to thoroughly cook their catch, never consume dead or dying fish and follow the Center for Disease Control’s food safety guidelines.

The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Little Bay de Noc: Smallmouth bass anglers were catching fish with some reports of large fish being caught in overwintering locations. Yellow perch anglers reported a slowdown but continued to catch a few.

Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth bass anglers were headed out of Fayette and were catching numbers, as well as very respectably sized fish. Fat head minnows fished in 25 to 30 feet of water performed well.