Category: Fishing

2025 POMA Annual Meeting Registration Now Open

Registration for the Professional Outdoor Media Association’s (POMA) Annual Meeting is now open. POMA’s 2025 Annual Meeting will be held at Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center, hosted by Destination Toledo. The annual gathering of the nation’s top outdoor journalists and supporting outdoor companies will kick off early Monday morning, June 23, and conclude Wednesday evening, June 25.

POMA’s Annual Meeting is open to all media, brands and businesses, regardless of membership status in the organization. Registration is $250 per attendee. A spouse/partner can be added for $185. All meals and transportation during the event are included.

Event highlights include:

  • Choice of field trip including: island getaway on Ohio’s Lake Erie, explore Maumee Bay State Park from land and water, charter boat fishing on Lake Erie and Castalia Fish Hatchery tour and trout stream fishing
  • Range Experience, Sponsored by NSSF – The Firearms Industry Trade Association
  • Product Showcase
  • Content Creation Sessions
  • Educational Breakout Sessions
  • Awards ceremony
  • Silent and live auctions
  • Nightly networking sessions

Lodging is available on-site at the Maumee Bay Lodge. Use group code 10B9TI to book at our discounted rate. The nearest airport is the Toledo Express Airport (TOL); however, it offers limited service. We recommend flying in and out of the Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).

Media members can register here. POMA corporate partners can register here.

Questions about POMA’s Annual Meeting can be directed to Admin@ProfessionalOutdoorMedia.org.

About Professional Outdoor Media Association

The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) is a member-based organization that fosters excellence in communications at all levels. Its goal is to help members build their businesses, connect media and industry, promote fair and honest communication of traditional outdoor sports and conservation stories and mentor the next generation of traditional outdoor sports communicators.

Media Contact:

Stephanie Spika Hickey, POMA Communications Specialist

Stephanie@ProfessionalOutdoorMedia.org

Fishing, Hunting

Help Protect Michigan’s Sturgeon While Ice Fishing This Season

DNR reminds anglers of lake sturgeon fishing regulations and rehabilitation efforts

Ice fishing has been good this season, but anglers on the ice targeting walleye or other fish may unexpectedly find themselves with a lake sturgeon on the line. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that regulations on the targeting and harvest of lake sturgeon are in effect, and that on most waters of the state, fishing for lake sturgeon is prohibited and any lake sturgeon caught must be released immediately.

What is a lake sturgeon?

Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), the only sturgeon species found in the Great Lakes, are unique in appearance and characteristics. They have five rows of bony plates, called scutes, on their backs and sides, as well as whisker-like barbels near their mouths. Often referred to as “living fossils” or “dinosaur fish,” lake sturgeon first appeared in the fossil record in the Mesozoic Era, 100 million to 150 million years ago. These fish are long-lived, with some documented at more than 100 years old.

Lake sturgeon are freshwater fish native to Michigan and found in North America throughout the Great Lakes, Mississippi and Hudson River basins. The species is an important cultural resource in the region, in addition to its ecological significance. But due to overfishing and habitat loss and degradation, lake sturgeon populations in Michigan began to decline in the 1800s.

Why are lake sturgeon protected?

As a result of declines in lake sturgeon populations, in 1994 the State of Michigan listed lake sturgeon as a threatened species. Since then, the DNR has partnered with state, federal and tribal agencies to rehabilitate lake sturgeon in the state. The goals of these efforts are to conserve lake sturgeon populations that are currently self-sustaining and to rehabilitate depressed or declining populations to self-sustaining levels so that lake sturgeon can be removed from the threatened species list. Read more

Fishing

Team USA Prepares as 2025 Surf Casting World Championship Details Announced

As the United States of America Surf Casting Team moves into the final phases of their physical training and casting practice regimens, the Federation Internationale de la Pesche Sportive en Mer (FIPS-M) has officially released the final details for the anticipated 2025 Long Casting of Sea Weights World Championship.

The American trio of Ryan Lambert, Conner Brown, and Daniel “Big Dan” Nassiff hope to unseat the top surf casting teams and athletes on the globe. Despite distance records held by individual international casters in their respective countries and climates, competing together in a single event is what truly proves who the best surf casters in the world are.

The event is to be held in Tandil, Argentina – a town south of Buenos Aires, hosted in part by that nation’s premier sport fishing organization, Confederación Argentina de Pesca y Lanzamiento (CAPyL).

For several years now, Argentina’s team has claimed gold medals. Now on their home turf, world champion Salvador Bustos will attempt to lead his team to another title, and his own grand finale, as he is set to retire from international competition after 2025. Read more

Fishing

Targeting Spring Bass

In just a few short weeks, anglers across the United States will be gearing up for one of our favorite pastimes: spring largemouth bass fishing. Depending on where you are located, spring bassing could mean cool, crisp mornings, long days in the sun and rod-bending action for hours. No matter if you’re flipping soft plastics into heavy cover, casting buzzbaits or just plugging the shoreline of your favorite lake or reservoir, you’ll benefit from a good pair of fishing gloves.

Just as you’d wear a glove for golf or baseball batting practice, fishing gloves can help your game on the water by greatly reducing hand fatigue. Fish Monkey gloves have just the right amount of padding in all the right places plus a superb grip area that works as well when wet as it does dry to help relieve the pressure on your hands from making hundreds of casts every day. Another benefit: They offer good hand protection and reduce those fin pricks, scrapes and small cuts from hooks, gill plates, braided line and more. You can also virtually eliminate “bass thumb” —those scrapes on your thumbs from lipping and releasing largemouths—with a good pair of gloves as well.

One of the most popular options is the Stubby from Fish Monkey. This design has been a best-seller since the first season it was introduced, and for some very good reasons. First, it was crafted for comfort and all-day wearability, with ultra-lightweight, quick-drying fabric and a second-skin fit, plus shorter fingers and cuffs (hence the name). The Stubby offers UPF 50-plus sun protection for the sensitive skin on the backs of your hands and has a non-slip silicone palm print. Read more

Fishing

Walleye Fishing Clinic

Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit

The walleye run in Lake Erie and the Detroit River is known worldwide! In this informative and hands-on fishing program, you’ll learn how to select equipment and set up poles, plus techniques for shore fishing and walleye fishing regulations. This clinic includes time fishing along the Detroit River.

Participants must be age 12 or older. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. A fishing license is required for adults age 17 and older. You can purchase your fishing license at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or at DNR license retailers.

Cost is $30 per person.

Learn more about Walleye Fishing Clinic.

Fishing

‘Wardens,’ featuring Michigan DNR, kicks off ninth season

By CASEY WARNER
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Teaching kids fishing, archery and other outdoor activities at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Pocket Park in the Escanaba.

A survival skills program for women.

Managing Michigan’s elk population in the northern Lower Peninsula.

A charity skeet shooting event with Detroit Lions football players at a DNR shooting range.

Not necessarily things that come to mind when you hear about a TV show called “Wardens,” but the show covered these topics and more in its 2024 season.

Since 2016, the Outdoor Channel series has highlighted the work of DNR conservation officers and other DNR employees, providing an inside look at what staff throughout the department does to conserve, protect and manage Michigan’s natural and cultural resources.

The DNR continues its partnership with the channel on production of the 2025 season of “Wardens.” New episodes begin Friday, Feb. 14, and air on the Outdoor Channel Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.

See a preview of the season’s first episode, featuring officers patrolling November waterfowl hunting and the firearm deer hunting season, plus a segment on the Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area in Bay County and what goes into managing one of Michigan’s Wetland Wonders. Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

Garmin Unveils Tactix 8 Smartwatch: Stay Active, Stay Mission Ready

Rugged tactical watch offers two sizes, speaker and mic, and rucking activity to keep you ready for any mission

Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the tactix® 8, its next-gen tactical smartwatch. Available in a new 47mm case size and traditional 51mm size, tactix 8 adds dedicated rucking and dive activities, as well as a speaker and mic to create the ultimate tactical smartwatch. Built to a U.S. military standard (MIL-STD-810) for thermal, shock and water resistance and a 40-meter dive rating with leakproof buttons, users can now take tactix 8 to new depths. And with incredible battery life, it’s easy to always be prepared; the new 47mm AMOLED display offers up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, while the 51mm solar model with an always-on display offers up to 48 days1.

“Whether you train for a mission, or your mission is training, tactix 8’s premium design and innovative features like the new rucking and dive functionality make it the ultimate tactical GPS smartwatch on land, air or sea.” –Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales

Field-ready features Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

Win a Fishing Trip for Two with Legendary Angler Mark Zona Presented by MyOutdoorTV

DENVER – Reel in the fishing adventure of a lifetime by entering for a fishing trip for two with legendary angler Mark Zona in “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Sweepstakes” presented by MyOutdoorTV. Running now through February 17, this one-of-a-kind sweepstakes offers a grand prize that’s every angler’s dream—a day spent fishing on Michigan’s renowned Lake St. Clair with none other than professional angler and TV personality, Mark Zona. To enter, visit www.myoutdoortv.com/zonasweeps.

Mark Zona, host of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show, available to stream on MyOutdoorTV, is known for his unparalleled expertise and humor, making him one of the biggest names in the fishing world. He’s ready to guide one lucky winner and their guest on an unforgettable adventure filled with big catches, stunning lake views, and plenty of Zona-style fun.

The sweepstakes is free to enter, and there’s no better way to create memories on the water with a pro leading the way. Don’t miss the chance to experience all the thrills of Lake St. Clair fishing at its best!

To enter, visit www.myoutdoortv.com/zonasweeps. Entries will close at the end of the day on February 17, 2025.

For official rules and more information, head to www.myoutdoortv.com/zonasweeps. Read more

Contests, Fishing

2025 Black Lake sturgeon season results announced

Feb. 4, 2025
After only 17 minutes of fishing, this year’s sturgeon season on Black Lake (in Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties) ended at 8:17 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. The season, which included spearing and hook-and-line fishing, was scheduled to run Feb. 1-5, or until the harvest quota of six lake sturgeon had been reached.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources set the harvest limit for the season at six fish, though anglers were allocated a season quota of seven sturgeon by agreement with tribal governments. This limit was placed to accommodate the expected number of anglers and anticipate the possibility of near simultaneous harvest of more than one fish. Such a scenario occurred this year, as a seventh fish was harvested before notification of the season closure could be sent out.

There were 797 registered anglers this year. The harvested sturgeon ranged in size from 43.5 inches to 64 inches long and weighed 18.2 pounds to 78.3 pounds.

  • The first fish was a 45.7-inch sturgeon that weighed 18.8 pounds.
  • Fish number two was a 43.5-inch sturgeon that weighed 18.2 pounds.
  • Fish three was a 46.1-inch sturgeon that weighed 19 pounds.
  • Fish four was a 64-inch female that weighed 78.3 pounds.
  • The fifth fish was a 56.7-inch fish that weighed 41.9 pounds.
  • The sixth fish was a 51-inch fish that weighed 25.5 pounds.
  • The seventh fish was a 60.5-inch fish that weighed 47.8 pounds.
Only two of the harvested fish had been captured before by Michigan State University and the DNR during spring spawning runs in the Black River or during past surveys of Black Lake. The harvested 45.7-inch fish was captured and tagged during the 2023 netting survey of Black Lake, while the 64-inch fish was originally captured in the river in 2010. Besides the 64-inch female, which was captured previously during the spawning run, the sex of these fish is not yet known and will be determined using DNA from fin clips collected when the fish were registered.

Participating anglers were notified of the season closure in a variety of ways, including text alerts and ice shanty visits from DNR personnel. All methods were used to indicate the season’s end within minutes of the final fish being harvested. DNR law enforcement officials and other DNR personnel were embedded in the on-ice fishing communities and were able to quickly and safely report harvested fish this year, as well as to quickly contact all lake sturgeon anglers on the ice to close the season.

Rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Cheboygan River watershed is a cooperative effort involving the DNR, the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon For Tomorrow, Michigan State University, Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership, the Bay Mills Indian Community, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Contact: Neal Godby, 231-340-2621 or Marcee Wardell, 517-855-1604

For more information on lake sturgeon in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Sturgeon. To learn more about all fishing opportunities statewide, go to Michigan.gov/Fishing.
Fishing

Defeat the Cold with Fish Monkey

Ice fishing is one of the world’s truly extreme sports. It’s great fun and there is plenty of action, not to mention the good times and camaraderie shared by those who participate in this winter activity. In order to be safe and successful you need the right gear, and it starts with a good pair of gloves.

Most anglers just grab a pair of heavy insulated work gloves, but fishing requires more. You need a glove that’s not only waterproof but also one that has the dexterity to allow you to manipulate small rods and reels easily. One that can go from driving a snow machine or side by side to drilling an auger to baiting tiny hooks. Meet the cold-weather glove lineup from Fish Monkey.

First up is the Stealth Sherpa Dry-Tec Heavyweight Mittens and Gloves. These are 100 percent wind- and waterproof, but even more important, they are constructed with a durable water repellent finish. This means they won’t absorb water on the outside, which keeps them light and functional all day long.The breathable membrane also helps prevent moisture buildup, keeping your hands warm without feeling clammy. There’s 200 grams of Thinsulate on the back of the hand and another 100 grams on the palm, which ensures optimal warmth without sacrificing that critical dexterity. The mitten has magnetic stays for the slit fingers in the index and thumb to stay out of the way when not needed. The index fingers on both styles are touchscreen-friendly, and the palms have non-slip grip.

Another option for extreme cold is the Yeti Premium Ice-Fishing Gloves and Mittens. Read more

Fishing, Hunting
1 … 11 12 13 14 15 … 141