Category: Fishing

2024 Black Lake sturgeon season begins Feb. 3

The largest sturgeon caught on the day by Matt Barber is shown on the ice of Black Lake.The 2024 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan, will begin at 8 a.m. , Feb. 3. All anglers must register online to participate in the fishing season, and those age 17 or older must have a valid Michigan fishing license.

The harvest limit for the 2024 season on Black Lake is six lake sturgeon. Officials will close the season when one of two scenarios occurs:

  • The sixth fish is harvested.
  • Five fish have been harvested at the end of any fishing day.

Fishing hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day of the season. The season will end either at 2 p.m. , Feb. 7, or when one of the above scenarios is met, at which point anglers will be notified via text message and on the ice by DNR personnel that they must immediately stop fishing for lake sturgeon.

Anyone who wants to participate this year must register online by Feb. 2. Get more registration and season information at Michigan.gov/Sturgeon. Read more

Fishing

Regulation amendment for select Michigan steelhead rivers takes effect this spring

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission recently adopted regulation changes to establish a daily possession limit of one (1) rainbow trout 20 inches or greater year-round on select rivers, effective , 2024. The amendment will be a new component of the current daily possession limit regulation covering Type 3 and Type 4 waters where five (5) fish, but no more than three (3) trout 15 inches or greater with only one (1) rainbow trout 20 inches or greater are allowed.

The selected rivers are listed below Read more

Fishing

Return ‘Em Right Best Release Practices Manual for Recreational Anglers Now Available

The Return ‘Em Right Best Release Practices Manual, developed in collaboration with private anglers, captains, scientists and fisheries managers, will help anglers improve the survival of reef fish that are caught and released.

Each year, millions of reef fish are caught and released, and many die from the impacts of barotrauma. Barotrauma is a pressure-related injury fish experience when reeled up from depth. These dead discards negatively impact the health of the fisheries. Anglers have the ability to reduce mortality of released fish by learning and using best practices to support the fishery, the objective of the Return ‘Em Right program.

“Research shows using best release practices can dramatically increase the survival of reef fish. This manual is yet another tool anglers can add to their tacklebox,” said Dr. Marcus Drymon, Marine Fisheries Specialist, Mississippi State University, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant.

In December of 2021, key experts from the recreational fishing community identified the best strategies to reduce mortality of released reef fish at a two-day workshop. The manual, a product of this workshop, guides recreational anglers through choices they make during a fishing trip to maximize the chances of fish surviving release. Read more

Fishing

Milestone Reached in Continuing Arctic Grayling Reintroduction Effort

In early November, three Michigan lakes were stocked with Arctic grayling.

These fish are surplus from the establishment of a grayling brood stock as part of the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative. The initiative has been underway since Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began a partnership aimed at reintroducing this iconic species to Michigan waters in 2015.

The full partnership now includes nearly 50 stakeholder and partner groups, along with the general and angling public.

Four hundred grayling were stocked at Alger County’s West Johns Lake, 300 at Penegor Lake in Houghton County and nearly 1,300 in Manistee County’s Pine Lake.

The fish were taken from the Marquette State Fish Hatchery in Marquette and represented year classes from 2019 and 2021. Read more

Fishing

Utah Cutthroat Slam Reaches Record Number of Yearly Completions, Releases Newest Medallion

GW: The best trout fishing anywhere in the world can be found in Utah.

The Utah Cutthroat Slam saw a record number of completions in 2023 and is releasing the newest medallion for anglers who complete the fishing challenge.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Trout Unlimited launched the slam in 2016 as a challenge for anglers to catch the four subspecies of cutthroat trout that are native to Utah in their native ranges, as well as a way to raise funds for cutthroat trout conservation. The original medallion was awarded to the first 1,000 anglers to complete the slam, a milestone that was reached in September 2022. Last year, the partners of the slam announced a new series of four medallions — one for each of the cutthroat trout subspecies — that anglers could earn when completing the slam. Read more

Fishing

BoatUS: 3 Best Practices to Follow for Your Boat’s Long Winter’s Nap

SPRINGFIELD, Va. – Across much of America, millions of recreational boats have been laid up for winter storage. With the boating season officially over, some boat owners may think they are free and clear for the next six months. However, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers three best practices for winter storage to ensure the off-season goes smoothly and safely.

1. If you haven’t done so yet, read your marina, boat club or storage facility contract. Every page. Why? This document clearly specifies critical safety rules to live by over the winter. Don’t assume that because you read one contract they’re all the same. Different contracts apply to the specific type of winter storage you might have, such as outdoor, indoor or boats stored on a rack. Contracts also include work rules. Some common ones may include no work of any kind (most often for boats in rack storage but also sometimes for indoor storage), prohibiting outside contractors, no heaters or portable generators, or batteries must be disconnected. Why all the rules? There’s no getting around the fact that vessels tightly stored together tee up an increased fire hazard. So, for the greater good of everyone in winter storage, follow these rules to the letter.

2. Say “no” to power cords. While this best practice could have been included above, it deserves its own mention. Ask any marina owner what keeps them up at night over the long winter storage period and they will tell you one item at the top of the list is power cords. Undersized and multiple cords connected together are not only a potential source of ignition but make whatever they are plugged into, such as a battery charger or heater, another fire issue. If you need power to the boat to do some off-season work, check with your marina first. Some marinas may also require notification of any work you wish to do.

3. Visit your boat – safely. BoatUS recommends checking on your boat at least once during the off season, though more often is better. This will help ensure animals don’t make a home and your cover or shrink wrap is still effectively shedding ice and snow. When visiting the boat, it’s best to find a parking spot away from vessels on jackstands. Don’t move or adjust jackstands, and never tie off a winter cover to them. If you need to use a ladder to climb aboard, tie it off at the top. If your boat is stored in the water, bring a friend with you so a slip off an icy dock doesn’t go unnoticed.

Fishing

DNR Shares Information on Condition, Options for Belle Isle Boathouse

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reviewing options for the deteriorated Belle Isle Boathouse, located on the Detroit River in Belle Isle Park, and is inviting the public to learn more about those options and associated costs.

Anyone interested in the future of Belle Isle, broadly, and the boathouse, specifically – visitors, community members, stakeholders and others – is encouraged to visit the project webpage to learn about the options and share feedback by Dec. 31.

Constructed by the Detroit Boat Club in 1902, the 40,000-square-foot boathouse was, for many years, for the exclusive use of its members.

The facility, not to be confused with the Detroit Yacht Club, has been overseen and maintained by the Friends of Detroit Rowing since the mid-1990s under a lease agreement. The lease initially was held with the City of Detroit but transferred to the DNR in 2014 when the department assumed management of the island as a state park. The Friends are responsible for building upkeep, while the DNR handles the park’s overall management. Read more

Fishing, General

THAW Heated Wrap with 5K Power Bank

Nothing can dampen the mood faster than chilly weather, whether at the ball stadium, sitting on the porch with friends or working on an outdoor project.

Colder temperatures are on the way, and that brings into question how to best cope with the wintry weather while not having to give up on fun outings. Cheering on the team should not be determined by how warm it is outside. The same goes for getting together with companions, sipping beverages on the veranda, or tinkering with a pet project that needs to be completed.

But maybe layering up isn’t an option. It’s hard to jump up and root for the team when you can barely move your arms for all the shirts and coats. And what good is a hot mug of cocoa when it’s hard to get the cup to your mouth. What’s called for is a way to stay warm without bundling up with every stitch of clothing in the closet.

The THAW Heated Wrap is the perfect way to stay warm in comfortable out in the elements. This rechargeable wrap will keep the wearer stylishly toasty while providing up to eight hours of wearable warmth. The THAW Heated Wrap features three heating modes, from a high mode providing 5 hours of heat to a low mode lasting up to 8 hours.

Made from ultra-soft material, the THAW Heated Wrap has a zipped closure that allows it to be worn alone or to be opened to share with a friend. It comes with a 10,000mAh power bank and a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.

Snuggle up and enjoy the comfortable, relaxing warmth of the rechargeable THAW Heated Wrap at the game, on the porch or in the workshop, no matter the outdoor setting.

Explore the full line of THAW products by visiting thaw.acgbrands.com. Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Choosing the Right Sonar Battery For How You Ice Fish

Thanksgiving is now behind us—and with it—a significant drop in daytime and nighttime temperature. Yes, there is a skim of ice on small ponds, potholes, sloughs, and backwaters getting ice anglers antsy.

If you haven’t already, it’s time to get your ice fishing flashers, sonar/GPS combos, and live imaging units juiced up for another season.

That said, it can be a bit of a head-scratcher to determine exactly the “right” battery for each specific model. We’re here to help get you exactly the right sonar battery or how you ice fish.

Flashers

Despite all the progress made in ice fishing electronics design, there is still a hardcore group of anglers loyal to mechanical flashers. They’ve worked great since the beginning—and still do. There are benefits to running flashers, like the ability to stay light and nimble on the ice.

That’s where the smallest of NORSK Lithium’s “green” battery family comes in. At a mere 1.4 lbs, the NORSK Lithium-Ion 7.5Ah battery is the perfect upgrade to any mechanical flasher. Read more

Fishing
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