Starting Wednesday, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will jaw tag 3,000 walleye across multiple Saginaw Bay tributary rivers. As the DNR adds more tagged walleye to Michigan waters, anglers are asked to report tagged fish to assist data collection efforts.

Anyone catching a tagged fish is asked to report the following information using the tag return form at Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField:

• Species.
• Length.
• Weight (if known).
• Tag location (where tag was attached).
• Identification number (the larger of the two sets of numbers).
• Tag return address (for example MICH DNR MM-1).
• Capture date and location. Read more

As water temperatures warm, manatees naturally disperse from their winter habitats, traveling to other areas of the state and beyond. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking Florida residents and visitors to help keep manatees safe, especially while out on the water.

Manatees are leaving their winter refuges and are more likely to be in rivers, canals and nearshore waters. Florida boaters are also enjoying the season, so it is crucial to stay alert and avoid manatees while traveling through Florida’s waterways.

From April 1 through Nov. 15, seasonal manatee zones require boaters to slow down in certain areas to prevent manatees from being injured or killed by motorboats or personal watercrafts. Boat strikes are a major threat to Florida manatees. FWC law enforcement officers are on patrol in state waters to remind boaters of the seasonal manatee speed zones and take enforcement actions. Read more

At 33 Pounds, Muskie Beats 2017 Record

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed a Washington County man has set a new nontidal state record for muskellunge. Kyle Mullenix of Hagerstown caught the 33-pound, 49-inch long record muskie on March 2 along the banks of the upper Potomac River.

Regarded as the “fish of ten thousand casts,” muskies are the largest freshwater fish in Maryland and among the most difficult to catch.

Mullenix is credited with the first Maryland state fishing record of 2022. The 32-year-old lifelong angler said he has spent decades trying to catch a muskie. Using a 7-foot spinning rod and live bait, his luck finally changed.

“He put up a good fight, but we didn’t think it was that big until it was on the bank,” Mullenix said. “Things don’t always go as planned, but now life has gotten a lot better.” Read more

— Frank Sargeant

While the headline of this story is likely to raise bass angler hackles pretty much everywhere, biologists across the southeast are finally starting to suggest that the idea is not as nuts as it sounds.

While anglers have had it drummed into them for the past 50 years that catch-and-release fishing makes for great fish populations, it’s becoming pretty clear that many waters, particularly in the fast-growth South, are overpopulated with small largemouth and spotted bass, and that some harvest might result in more large fish.

Jason Olive, Assistant Chief of Fisheries for the Arkansas DNR, is one of the more outspoken advocates of tossing a bunch of two pounders into hot grease instead of back over the side.

“A lake has a certain carrying capacity in pounds per acre, and that means you can have a whole lot of little fish or a few big ones, or a mix. Right now, a lot of Arkansas lakes have a whole lot of little ones and not as many big ones as anglers would like to see,” says Olive. “One way to change that is for anglers to take home bass under two pounds for the table.”

Olive’s theory, in agreement with the majority of fish managers today, is that many lakes are much like a limited acreage of forest, where researchers long ago established the fact that a certain amount of habitat can support only a limited number of whitetail deer, among other species. Too many deer eat themselves out of groceries pretty quickly and body condition, reproduction and antler growth suffer. Read more

After ice and snow cover melt on Michigan lakes early this spring, it may be more likely for people to discover dead fish or other aquatic animals. While such sights can be startling, the Department of Natural Resources reminds everyone that this is normal, since winter conditions can cause fish and other creatures such as turtles, frogs, toads and crayfish to die.

“Winterkill is the most common type of fish kill,” said Gary Whelan, DNR Fisheries Division Research manager. “As the season changes, it can be particularly common in shallow lakes, ponds, streams and canals. These kills are localized and typically do not affect the overall health of the fish populations or fishing quality.” Read more

Muskegon River anglers should be on the lookout for Michigan Department of Natural Resources personnel collecting walleye eggs below Croton Dam this spring.

Walleye will be collected with electrofishing boats starting as early as the week of March 20 and concluding by April 14. The date these collections begin will depend on water temperatures, the presence of ripe fish and other factors. It is anticipated most work will be completed from the last week of March through the first week of April. Five days of electrofishing are planned, with four of those being egg-take days.

“This adult population consists of mostly stocked fish,” said Ed Pearce, DNR fisheries technician supervisor who coordinates the egg take. “The Muskegon River has the largest run of walleye in the Lake Michigan watershed south of Green Bay.” Read more

For anglers eager to hit the water, a reminder that Michigan’s new license season – the 2022 fishing license season – starts Friday, April 1. Licenses for the 2022 season are valid through March 31, 2023, and can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. Anyone buying a fishing license online will have the opportunity to sign up for auto-renewal through the DNR eLicense system.

Last month, the DNR announced upcoming regulation changes adopted by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. One notable change is the expansion of underwater spearfishing opportunities that will now include the chance to harvest additional species.

Starting April 1, underwater spearfishing for walleye, northern pike and lake trout has been added for Lake Michigan (waters south of the southernmost pier at Grand Haven) and Lake Huron (waters south of the southernmost pier of the Thunder Bay River, extending south to the mouth of the St. Clair River [Fort Gratiot Light]).

This opportunity requires a new underwater spearfishing license along with monthly effort and harvest reporting requirements. The underwater spearfishing license is complimentary, unless a DNR Sportcard is needed, and will be available only online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. See page 16 of the 2022 fishing guide (available on the DNR guides and digests page) for more on this spearfishing opportunity.

Everyone planning to fish is encouraged to periodically review the digital version of the fishing guide for regulation updates throughout the 2022 fishing season. For tips on getting started, choosing locations, targeting different species and other “how to” information, visit Michigan.gov/Fishing.

Questions? Contact the DNR Fisheries Division main line at 517-284-5830 and select option 4.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has charged a vessel captain with the unlawful use of a monofilament entanglement net (gill net) to take pompano outside of the Pompano Endorsement Zone in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Officers with the FWC’s Offshore Patrol Vessel Program stopped a 48-foot commercial vessel, named Legacy, approximately 5.5 nautical miles south of the endorsement zone. The vessel’s captain was in possession of a gill net with a substantial amount of pompano in the net and on the deck of the vessel. Officers began a fisheries inspection and quickly realized the vessel possessed well over the allowable bycatch limit of 100 pompano outside of the endorsement zone. Officers escorted the vessel back to Everglades City for further inspection and discovered a total of 2,711 pompano on board, weighing just under 4,000 pounds. In addition, 76 of the pompano measured less than the minimum size of 11 inches to the fork. Read more

On Thursday, March 3, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) officers onboard the FWC’s Gulf Sentry, an offshore patrol vessel, conducted a resource inspection on a commercial shrimping vessel that was determined to be operating illegally just south of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa Bay. The vessel, named the Dona Lupa, and its crew were from Port Isabel, Texas.

During their inspection, officers discovered more than 11,000 pounds of shrimp, valued at more than $30,000, and several pounds of cobia fillets in the vessel’s freezer. Upon further inspection, officers also discovered turtle-excluder device (TED) violations.

“Our officers remain committed to stopping these illegal commercial shrimping trips,” said Major Rob Rowe, FWC Southwest Regional Commander. “Florida’s resources must be protected from illegal harvest, and our specially trained officers are dedicated to ensuring that these illegal commercial vessel operators are cited accordingly.” Read more