The days are getting cooler, the leaves are beginning to change and the salmon are starting their annual spawning runs – all signs that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is preparing for Chinook and coho salmon egg takes.

Managing Michigan’s world-class fisheries is dependent on egg takes each fall. Salmon return to the rivers and streams where they were hatched or stocked. To aid in annual egg collection, the DNR has strategically placed weirs in rivers with high concentrations of spawning salmon.

DNR facilities begin operations in mid-September and complete the process in late October for all Pacific salmon egg takes. Though the egg collection work is scheduled, the DNR team will act only when there are sufficient numbers to indicate the fish are ready. Conditions can vary day to day.

DNR staff conduct egg takes not only to support Michigan’s yearly fish production goals, but also to assist other Great Lakes states in meeting their fishery needs. This season, portions of Michigan-collected eggs will be directed to Illinois and Indiana. Read more

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife annually stocks 54 lakes and reservoirs with saugeye, a fast-growing and popular game fish. A hybrid cross between a sauger and a walleye, saugeye offer Ohio anglers the chance to catch excellent table fare and the occasional trophy fish.

Three Division of Wildlife state fish hatcheries produce and stock about 25 million saugeye annually. These fish reach a catchable size in one to three years depending on where they are stocked. The state record saugeye was caught in 2004 at Antrim Lake in Franklin County. It weighed 14.04 pounds and measured 30? inches long. The fish are active year-round and will particularly engage with artificial lures and live bait during the fall and spring months.

“The fall is an excellent time to catch saugeye because they are feeding heavily to bulk up for the coming winter,” said Rich Zweifel, the Division of Wildlife’s Inland Fisheries Program Administrator. “Saugeye are often caught in shallow water, so be sure to consider its clarity when choosing your fishing methods. A good time to fish for saugeye is at sunrise and sunset when they are most active.” Read more

Acclaimed nautical photographer and mariner, Onne van der Wal, refits what may be the most beautiful Grand Banks 32 on Earth.

Born in the Netherlands and raised in South Africa, Onne van der Wal took to the seas at a young age. Early, indelible memories were forged sailing aboard his grandfather’s boat in Holland. Later, working as a commercial fisherman from the port of Hout Bay throughout his teenage years, van der Wal’s love for the ocean compounded. “I liked the vibe of being at sea and catching fish,” he recalls. “Growing up, there were always boats in the family and all our vacations revolved around boating, sailing and fishing.”

As van der Wal grew into a young man, his passions for the sea and for boats matured with him. He became an acclaimed sailor and entered the 1981 Whitbread Round the World Race on Flyer, leaving the competition in his wake. His artful photographs depicting scenes from his maritime adventures became widely published, paving the way for van der Wal to combine his two loves – boating and photography – into a vocation.

Today, Onne van der Wal lives in Jamestown, Rhode Island, where he and his wife, Tenley, own and operate a gallery showcasing his work, which has been published in boating and sailing magazines and other forms of media over the past 35 years. A machinist by trade, van der Wal also enjoys working with his hands. Boat restorations have allowed him to throw this skill into the mix of a life well lived. He completed a well-publicized restoration of a 1972 Pearson 36 sailboat named Snoek a few years ago and is currently wrapping up the refit of a 1986 Grand Banks 32 trawler, Snow Goose.

“I’ve been keen on trawlers since my teenage years in Cape Town,” van der Wal says. “We had a lot of fun with Snoek, but my wife isn’t a sailor at heart and we were ready for something different.” Van der Wal says he was fortunate to find the solid Grand Banks 32 under his nose in Jamestown before it was even listed for sale. “We bought it and put it on the hard, where I spent six months restoring it last winter. It’s simply much better for photography than a sailboat; it’s more comfortable with more room and more daylight. Tenley and I just love it.” Read more

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has completed its investigation of the common carp mortality on Lake Orion in northeast Oakland County that occurred in mid-to late July. With the assistance of the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory at Michigan State University, it has been determined and confirmed that the common carp fish kill was caused by koi herpesvirus (KHV – cyprinid herpesvirus 3).

“As the case with most herpesviruses, KHV is very specific on which fish species it will infect and only affects common carp, koi and goldfish,” said Gary Whelan, Fisheries Division Research Program manager. “This is only the third detection of this non-native virus in Michigan waters, and it is known to kill large numbers of its host species at times. KHV does not affect any other fish species and has no implications for any other birds, mammals or humans.”

The July fish kill was reported by residents using the DNR’s Eyes in the Field website. The only species involved was adult common carp, and the number killed was between 300 to 600 mostly adult fish.

The DNR reminds the public that viruses and bacteria that affect fish typically are not human pathogens due to the differences in body temperatures between fish and humans. It is strongly recommended that all freshwater fish be fully cooked to ensure they are safe to consume. For more information on choosing and eating safe fish, visit Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish.

Anglers urged to step up prevention efforts during salmon season

Invasive New Zealand mudsnails have been detected at the mouth of Shanty Creek, a tributary of the Grass River in Antrim County. The snails were found during routine monitoring in May by the Grass River Natural Area Stream Watch project and confirmed through DNA analysis by Oakland University in August.

New Zealand mudsnails were first discovered in the United States in Idaho’s Snake River in 1987. Since then, the snails have spread throughout the western states and into areas of the Great Lakes by attaching themselves to boats, waders and equipment.

The Grass River is now the sixth river system in Michigan known to be infested by the mudsnails. Their discovery in the Pere Marquette River in August 2015 signaled the first detection in a Michigan inland waterway. In 2016, populations were confirmed in the Boardman and Au Sable rivers. By 2017, the invasive snails were found in the Upper Manistee and Pine rivers.

Michigan’s salmon season, which peaks in September and October, draws thousands of anglers to Michigan’s premier rivers.

“This is a time when people are likely to visit multiple rivers and streams over a few days,” said Lucas Nathan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources aquatic invasive species coordinator. “If they are not cleaning equipment thoroughly each time, there is a potential to introduce New Zealand mudsnails into new waters.”

What harm can a snail do?

This brown to black, one-eighth-inch long mudsnail, a native of New Zealand, is considered invasive and is prohibited in Michigan due to the environmental harm it can cause to rivers, streams and lakes. Because the snail reproduces by cloning (females develop complete embryos without fertilization), a single snail can start an entire population.

The abundance of Chinook and coho salmon in the Betsie and Platte rivers every September – during what are known as “fall fish runs” – draws anglers eager for this unique fishing opportunity in northwest Michigan. Unfortunately, the season also sometimes brings illegal fishing activity and community disruption, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are working with local property and business owners to improve the situation.

Conservation officers are conducting enhanced patrols to reduce violations ranging from illegal fishing, camping and parking to trespassing, littering and noise complaints.

“Local businesses and communities open their doors and welcome anglers every fall,” said Lt. Joe Molnar, the DNR’s district law supervisor who oversees officers in northwest Michigan. “Many people treat the area and fishing resources with care and respect, but those who live and work in these communities are tired of those who continue to snag fish, litter and exhibit poor behavior.” Read more

By Josh Lantz

Walleyes are still largely following established summer patterns in most lakes and rivers come early September, which generally means deeper water. Anglers targeting ‘eyes should start their searches in all the likely areas, namely offshore humps, deep weed lines, mid-depth flats, and man-made cribs in lakes, and at the bottom of the deeper pools in rivers and streams. But they should also be prepared to search shallower whenever the conditions dictate.

“September is a transition time for walleyes,” says Minnesota professional angler and fishing promoter, Joel Nelson. “Most lake walleyes will adhere to summer patterns during warm weather, but any early cold snap can trigger pods of baitfish to move to the shallows. The walleyes won’t be far behind.”

Nelson is a proponent of vertical jigging and pitching in these scenarios. His key offerings include simple 1/8-to-1/2-ounce jigheads rigged with smaller plastics, typically paddletails and shad varietals, fished under the boat in the mornings and evenings, and away from the boat during mid-day. He uses two distinct spinning rods for these presentations.

“For me, a 6’3” medium-light power, extra fast spinning rod is the perfect vertical jigging tool when using up to 3/8-ounce jigs,” Nelson says. “The shorter length is ideal for fishing vertically, and the extra-fast tip is extremely useful in detecting bites from fish still in a lazy summer pattern. St. Croix offers this popular model in several of its rod series, including Eyecon and Legend Elite, which are two examples that will appeal to the needs of a wide variety of anglers.” Personally, Nelson opts for the Legend Elite model and its extremely sensitive SCV carbon blank.

“When fish push shallower – often after a cold snap – and you’re pitching farther away from the boat, moving up in length and power to a 6’8” medium power, extra-fast rod gives you a bit of extra leverage, and it’ll also handle heavier Fireball jigs up to 5/8 of an ounce,” advises Nelson, who says shallower walleyes are often more concentrated. “Big schools of walleyes are typically present in these conditions, so look for ‘can’t-miss’ signatures on your electronics’ side-imaging before wetting any baits.” Read more