MIAMI, FL — The demand for boats remained strong during the first half of the year as inventory levels continue to recover from the pandemic-era buying surge, according to the latest market report from Boats Group. The global leader in online boating marketplaces analyzed data from its top sites, Boat Trader, YachtWorld and boats.com, from the first half of the year through 2019.

“Early indicators like days on the market, number of listings and overall boat value are contributing factors to understanding the health of the boating industry, and what we are seeing is a very positive trajectory,” said Courtney Chalmers, vice president of marketing at Boats Group. “Consumers have continued to show a high level of interest in boating, creating a favorable position for brokers and dealers as inventory levels ramp up.”

The industry continued to overcome inventory shortages, specifically in the larger boat segments, as the total volume of boats sold was down 9.8% compared to 2019. On the other hand, recovery is well underway as Boat Trader, YachtWorld and boats.com have collectively seen a growth of 56% in listings compared to the first half of 2022. Read more

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to help enhance fish populations in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior through its 2023 stocking efforts.

“The fisheries of the Great Lakes provide world-class fishing opportunities for our stakeholders,” said Brad Eggold, DNR Great Lakes District Fisheries Supervisor. “We continue to assess the fish populations of the Great Lakes and stock appropriate numbers and species of fish to build on the success that started over five decades ago.”

Stocking efforts will continue throughout the year, including stocking 50,000 brook trout, 44,468 brown trout and 258,228 coho salmon into the Great Lakes, to ensure the 2023 stocking quotas are fulfilled.

Since the start of 2023, DNR fisheries staff have stocked the following fish into the Great Lakes:

LAKE MICHIGAN

• • 405,532 brown trout
  • 1,386,492 Chinook salmon
  • 241,772 coho salmon
  • 7,681 muskellunge
  • 522,852 rainbow trout

LAKE SUPERIOR

• 174,906 brown trout
• 58,300 lake trout
• 40,816 splake
• 100,000 walleye

During this year’s data entry, DNR staff discovered that approximately 4,200 additional steelhead yearlings stocked into Lake Michigan in 2022 had not been recorded in the database. The database has since been updated to reflect this addition to the fishery.

Read more fast facts about our Great Lakes stocking efforts on this DNR publication.

You can find previous years’ fish stocking information for Lake Michigan and Lake Superior on the DNR fisheries webpage.

From Frank Sargeant

Lithium batteries have seen amazing growth in the fishing/boating biz over the last decade despite prices that are as much as 10 times higher than the conventional lead-acid batteries most of us are familiar with in our cars, trucks and boats.

Lithium-based batteries have a couple of huge advantages when they’re built right, which is why many serious boaters have invested in them despite the very high prices.

The most obvious is the extremely light weight, about 1/3 of what a lead-acid battery of similar output weighs, or even less in the case of the 36 volt models that can replace three lead-acid 12-volt batteries. Less weight is particularly important in smaller boats like flats boats, bass boats and kayaks, allowing them to float in less water and also deliver better performance.

Norsk is Among lithium batteries that can be monitored via bluetooth on any smartphone (Norse photo, with permission.

In the case of a flats boat with a 36-volt troller, the difference can be whether or not you can get up on a 12” deep flat or not. In bass boats, all that extra weight at the transom can mean water over the aft deck when you drop off plane quickly, and the weight also cuts top speed and reduces fuel economy.

The fact that one 36-volt battery takes the physical space of one 12-volt battery can also be huge in boats where space is limited. Read more

PHOENIX — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Aug. 10 announcement proposing that Apache trout be removed from the federal list of Endangered and Threatened Species is a huge win for fish and wildlife conservation. If delisted, it would be the first native trout species and gamefish to be removed from the list due to conservation efforts. (See short video clip from the Aug. 10 Apache Trout Recovery Partner Recognition event near Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery, east of McNary in eastern Arizona).

The Apache trout is Arizona’s state fish and is native exclusively to the streams in and around the White Mountains in the eastern part of the state on Tribal and public lands. It gained protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973, 50 years ago. The current status of Apache trout is a result of the collaborative conservation and threat reduction actions implemented by many entities, including Tribes, federal and state agencies, conservation organizations and private citizens.

“The recovery of Apache trout is a culmination of decades of hard work and the cooperation of many partners, and is truly a success story,” said Ty Gray, Director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Read more

As anglers, swimmers and other water recreation fans flock to Michigan lakes and streams this summer, some may catch a glimpse of a common, though rarely seen invertebrate known as the freshwater jellyfish. Don’t be concerned though — these jellyfish are not harmful to humans and are believed to have negligible adverse effects on the aquatic environment.

Freshwater jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbyi) are related to the various marine species of jellyfish, but in essence are not true jellyfish since they have a membrane called a velum that the marine species do not. Despite this difference, the appearance and movement of freshwater jellyfish mimic those of a true jellyfish. They are not native to Michigan or even North America and are believed to be native to China and Asia. However, this species has been found throughout most of North America for well over a century and is considered to be a nonharmful member of our aquatic communities, and certainly an intriguing one. Read more

Riverton, WY (August 15, 2023 ) — Fish, while a popular and a healthy meal choice, can be delicate and can easily dry out if over cooked. Using one of Hi Mountain Seasonings carefully crafted brines before baking, smoking or grilling can alleviate that problem. These brines not only add great flavor to the fish, but add moisture making them easier to cook and not stick to the pan or grill.

Hi Mountain Seasonings offers three easy to use, uniquely different fish brines that can be used to brine any species of fresh or saltwater fish: Alaskan Salmon Brine with Pure Maple Sugar, Wild River Trout with Natural Honey and Gourmet Fish Brine. The company also offers a Game & Poultry Brine and a Brown Sugar Brine. Each brine has its own unique flavor and contains two packets of mix that make one gallon of brine each. Each has suggested retail price of $9.99.

So, go grab your pole or head to your closest fish market and prepare some mouthwatering, tender gourmet fish for yourself, friends and family. It is easy with Hi Mountain Seasonings brines. The Mayonnaise-Grilled Fish Fillets recipe below is taken directly off the Hi Mountain Seasonings’ website, www.himtnjerky.com, where you can find dozens of other free recipes for wild game, fish, weekend meals, quick and easy weekday dinners, breakfasts and side dishes, as well as tips and techniques for smoking and brining, sausage and jerky making, and much more. Hi Mountain Seasonings Gourmet Fish Western Style Seasoning and Wild River Trout Brine can be purchased directly from the website, as well as retailers nationwide.

Mayonnaise-Grilled Fish Fillets

Makes 4-6 servings Read more

In this the 50th anniversary year of the Endangered Species Act, it is worth noting that Rio Grande cutthroat a decade ago were considered for listing—and potential restricted angling. Thanks to fishery management endeavors already underway, that didn’t happen. A conservation strategy backed with much data guides work today and into the future.

Anglers are the archetypal optimists and there is much to look forward to in Colorado and New Mexico if you like to catch Rio Grande cutthroat trout. That’s thanks to conservation endeavors by biologists with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and their diligent work funded by federal excise taxes paid by tackle manufacturers. Sport Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson) dollars partly pay the way to conserve this gem with fins with a natural distribution that lies over the artificial state line in the upper Rio Grande and Canadian River drainages. Read more

It was a bad weekend for boaters.

An angler in a 12’ jon boat was found far at sea two days after he pushed off from a St. Augustine, Florida, boat ramp and headed out the inlet to fish at 4 a.m.

An explosion at a gas dock in California killed two women and injured several others.

And head of the N.Y. branch of the publishing group that owns the rights to Harry Potter died off Italy’s Amalfi coast when a motorboat her family had chartered crashed into a 100’ white sailboat in broad daylight.

All of these events could easily have been avoided—but hindsight is always more accurate than oversight, of course.

The Florida Rescue

The search for the Florida boater came to a dramatic end when the U.S. Coast Guard found him drifting 12 miles off Jacksonville Beach — in a boat that was largely underwater, as shown in Coast Guard video.

Charles Gregory, 25, was rescued Saturday, nearly two days after he launched from the Lighthouse Park Boat Ramp late Thursday to go fishing for bull reds at the inlet—something he had done frequently in the past. Read more