Category: Fishing

Michigan Man Lured into Fishing by the Art of Decoys

When most people see a cedar fence post or an old, broken cedar limb on the ground, Dave Kober sees a trout; or a perch; or maybe, a bluegill.

Kober carves fish decoys.

Decoys have long been used by ice fishermen to lure large fish – generally pike, but also sturgeon and others – within range of the spearing hole, though some hook-and-line anglers use them as well.

Dave Kober shows off a perch decoy outside his shop near Cadillac.Primarily turned out by home-shop artisans, fish decoys were once manufactured by major bait companies – James Heddon’s Sons Co. in Dowagiac produced them decades ago – but the homemade models have become highly collectable, unique examples of American folk art that can fetch six figures.

Kober, 78, has been carving decoys since he was a young boy.

“It’s grandpa’s fault,” said Kober. “My grandfather was an ardent hunter and fisherman and he liked to carve decoys. He taught me everything I know I guess. I started it as a hobby. Read more

Fishing

Ohio Ice Fishermen Drown

CLEVELAND — The bodies of two men who fell through the ice while ice fishing on Sandy Pond in Oswego, Monday, were recovered following a search by the Coast Guard and first responders from partnering agencies.

Shortly after 11 a.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Oswego received a call from 911 dispatch stating that a good Samaritan reported seeing individuals in the water about one-quarter of a mile offshore in Sandy Pond. Read more

Fishing

Obama’s 11th Hour Edict Labeled Anti-Fishing

Bass lures like these, which contain lead, are banned from many federal waters by an executive order President Barack Obama issued as he was leaving office.

Obama’s 11th Hour Edict Labeled Anti-Fishing

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On the day before President Barack Obama left office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued an edict to ban lead fishing tackle and ammunition from hundreds of thousands of acres of land and water managed by that agency. Executed without stakeholder input, the controversial action has sparked outrage from fishing and hunting communities.

National Conservation Director Gene Gilliland said that B.A.S.S. “joins our state fisheries management agency partners and ASA (American Sportfishing Association) in calling on the new administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to put a hold on the order. Read more

Fishing

MI DNR creel clerks collecting angler information this winter

As the winter fishing season gets under way, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that DNR staff again will be interviewing them about their fishing trips. The DNR appreciates anglers’ cooperation in obtaining these critical data for fisheries management.

Fisheries Division creel clerks will ask anglers, through brief interviews, about how long they fished, what species they targeted, what they caught, and where they live. In a few instances, the clerks will ask to measure or weigh fish and take scale samples to gather key biological information about anglers’ catches. Read more

Fishing

Sportfishing Industry Angered by Last-Minute U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Director’s Order

New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy on lead fishing tackle blindsides
recreational fishing community
January 23, 2017 – Alexandria, VA – On the day before President Obama left office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an edict to phase out the use of traditional fishing tackle on the hundreds of thousands of square miles of public lands under its management.

Director’s Order No. 219 will, “require the use of nontoxic ammunition and fishing tackle to the fullest extent practicable for all activities on Service lands, waters and facilities by January 2022, except as needed for law enforcement or health and safety uses, as provided for in policy.”

Scott Gudes, vice president of Government Affairs for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the trade association that represents the recreational fishing industry, issued a statement of behalf of the industry.

“The sportfishing industry views this unilateral policy to ban lead fishing tackle, which was developed without any input from the industry, other angling organizations and state fish and wildlife agencies, as a complete disregard for the economic and social impact it will have on anglers and the recreational fishing industry,” said Gudes. Read more

Fishing

Key Senator Calls for New Commission on Americans Outdoors at Interior Confirmation Hearing

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) called for a new Commission on Americans Outdoors during Interior Secretary-designate Ryan Zinke’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee January 17. “Will you use this opportunity to look ahead another generation and ask the question ‘What outdoor recreation opportunities will our children and grandchildren have?'” asked Sen. Alexander. “I think you’re in a wonderful position to do a follow-up to the Commission on Americans Outdoors. This is the 30th anniversary of that report; a generation has passed and it’s time for the next look.”

Secretary-designate Zinke expressed interest and stressed the importance of attracting millennials to their great outdoors, saying, “We have to look at new ways of incentivizing younger millennials to experience the parks, to experience the outdoors, to teach them the value of our public lands…In many cases, I would argue it’s better than being in front of a TV, watching video games.” Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Michigan Awards $3.5 Million to Battle Invasives

Truckbed full of frogbit
With the help of volunteers, cooperative invasive species management areas remove tons of invasive frogbit from Michigan’s waterways each year. Photo courtesy Huron Pines.

Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program funds 17 projects across the state

Michigan departments of Environmental Quality, Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development today announced that 17 grant projects will share $3,507,907 in funding through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program – an initiative launched in 2014 to help prevent and control invasive species within the state.

Read more

Fishing

The NRA Foundation To Auction Diamondback NRA Airboat This March

FAIRFAX, Va. – The NRA Foundation proudly announces it will auction a one-of-a-kind Diamondback airboat this March on Gunbroker.com. All proceeds from the auction will benefit The NRA Foundation in their efforts to protect and improve the future of the shooting sports.

The special edition airboat features custom NRA wraps on the sides of the hull and rudders, custom seats inserts, panels and trim, Rhino non-skid hull interiors, custom powdercoat color, seat shells, webbing and center panel. The airboat comes with a painted single 5,200-lb. trailer with easy load ramps with rollers and custom XD wheels. Read more

Fishing, General

2017 lake sturgeon season on Black Lake to begin Feb. 4

2017 lake sturgeon season on Black Lake to begin Feb. 4 at 8 a.m.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced that the 2017 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake (Cheboygan County) will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. All anglers must register to participate in the lake sturgeon season.

The 2017 total recreational harvest limit for Black Lake is seven lake sturgeon. However, to reduce the chance of exceeding the harvest limit, officials will close the season when one of two scenarios occurs:

Once the sixth fish is harvested, or

If five fish have been harvested at the end of any fishing day. Read more

Fishing

Michigan DNR Battling Grass Carp in Lake Erie Basin

Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist Cleyo Harris makes an incision into the stomach cavity of a grass carp so the fish can be tagged with a transmitter.

An acoustic transmitter is shown being inserted into the stomach cavity of a grass carp. Blood is also being drawn from the fish to use in determining whether this carp was capable of reproducing (diploid) or sterile (triploid).

An incision on a grass carp is being sutured closed after a transmitter has been placed into the stomach cavity. Once suturing is complete, the fish is released.

Talk to anyone familiar with Michigan’s invasive species and you’re likely to hear their concern about carp – voracious, prolific, invasive carp.

News of electric barriers and fish flying into boats by the dozens may sound like a big fish story.

However, while they are sizable creatures, there is nothing exaggerated about the ecological and environmental damage that would occur if bighead and silver carp were ever to enter the Great Lakes.

Therefore, a good deal of attention is being paid to the work done by researchers and biologists in the Great Lakes states and Canada to help stop invasive bighead and silver carp from moving through the Chicago Area Waterway System toward Lake Michigan. Read more

Fishing
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