Category: Fishing

Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops Pledge Conservation Dollars in Memory of President Jimmy Carter

Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops have announced a One Million Dollar Conservation pledge to support conservation causes President Jimmy Carter championed for many years, all aimed to help introduce more kids to the joys of fishing hunting and the great outdoors. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is honored to be part of the disbursement of these dollars to support wildlife law enforcement.

Other conservation organizations benefiting from this support include:

    • American Wetlands Trust (aligned with Ducks Unlimited) representing President Carter’s longtime commitment to clean water initiatives.
    • National Wild Turkey Federation in recognition of President Carter’s passion for turkey hunting and wildlife habitat.
    • Vamos A Pescar Education Fund, named in honor of fellow conservationist President George H.W. Bush to engage Hispanic families and youth with fishing, boating and conservation.
    • National Wildlife Federation benefiting youth education and participation in nature.
    • Gateway to Fishing Program supporting the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to provide fishing opportunities for urban youth who may not otherwise have access to the joys of fishing.

Read more

Fishing, Hunting

2025 Black Lake sturgeon season begins Feb. 1

Contact: Neal Godby, 231-340-2621 or Tim Cwalinski, 231-340-0276

The 2025 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. All anglers must register online in advance to participate in the fishing season, and those age 17 or older must have a valid Michigan fishing license.

The harvest limit for the 2025 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. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 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 Jan. 31. Get more registration and season information at Michigan.gov/Sturgeon. Read more

Fishing

Christmas trees for fish habitat not as smart as many believe

Dec. 23, 2024

Learn more about what to do with your Christmas tree after the holidays

Each year, Michiganders purchase millions of live Christmas trees. When the holidays are over though, many people wonder if there are beneficial uses for their trees rather than sending them to a landfill. The answer is yes — there are many ways that your old Christmas trees can keep on giving as habitat, but it’s important to think carefully about the best way to do so.

Christmas trees for fish?

People often ask the Michigan Department of Natural Resources whether their Christmas trees would make good habitat for fish. This is a great question, as many of Michigan’s lakes once had woody habitat, such as a fallen tree, every 5 to 50 feet! This woody habitat is important for fish, turtles, frogs, herons and other animals, because it provides refuge from predators and opportunities to bask in the sun, reduces wave energy that erodes shorelines and encourages growth of aquatic plants. Harder-wood trees with an open branch structure provide high-quality habitat.

However, Christmas trees are classified as softwoods, and are typically species such as balsam fir, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and white pine. These softwoods break down relatively quickly in aquatic environments. The dense branches on Christmas trees that are perfect for holding ornaments are often too dense for many fish to use as habitat.

Additionally, pesticides applied to Christmas trees, leftover decorations and anchors used to sink trees may introduce unwanted materials into our waters. So, if you’re thinking about sinking that tree in your favorite lake for fish habitat, we urge you to consider an alternative. Read more

Fishing, Wildlife

Future salmon and trout incoming! Fall and winter egg-take efforts wrapping up at DNR facilities

Every year, the Department of Natural Resources stocks fish in Michigan waters to provide fishing opportunities and maintain healthy ecosystems. Where do these stocked fish come from? It all starts with collecting fish eggs, and the DNR has been working hard this fall gathering the necessary eggs to produce fish for stocking. Fall egg collections have been completed for wild Chinook and coho salmon and for captive broodstocks of brown, brook and lake trout, and rainbow trout egg collection will soon begin.

Chinook salmon eggs were collected Oct. 1–16 at the Little Manistee River Weir. Eggs and milt (sperm) are gathered from fish during the annual salmon run. At the weir, salmon swim up a fish ladder and into holding ponds. From there, fish are brought into the facility, where eggs and milt are collected and the eggs are fertilized.

“We experienced a solid run of wild Chinook salmon this year,” said Aaron Switzer, Fish Production Program manager. “The run at the Little Manistee was healthy enough to provide all of Michigan’s egg needs. We were also able to provide eggs to Indiana and Illinois state-owned fish hatcheries. Once hatched, reared and stocked all of these Chinook salmon contribute to the Lake Michigan salmon fishery.”

Coho salmon eggs were collected at the Platte River State Fish Hatchery Weir from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1.

“We collected nearly 6.5 million coho salmon eggs at the Platte River weir by the time the egg collection wrapped up. Read more

Fishing

Turn Christmas Leftovers into ‘Habitat for the Holidays’

When the eggnog is finished and the last of the holiday feasts are over, many live Christmas trees are destined to sit next to the road until the sanitation department picks them up. Instead of tossing your festive fir to the curb on Dec. 26, donate it to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Habitat for the Holidays program.

AGFC biologists throughout the state have designated special Christmas tree donation locations where you can deliver your tree so it can be used as fish habitat in local lakes.

The drop-off locations act just like a “take-a-penny, leave-a-penny tray” at a cashier’s station, only it’s for fish. Anyone who wants to drop off their natural Christmas tree can take it to a location and leave it. Any angler who wants to take the trees and sink them can do so throughout January. After that, AGFC staff will take the remainder of the trees and freshen up some of the existing fishing hotspots found on the AGFC interactive map.

Anglers should bring their own rope and weights to sink the trees. Paracord works well to bind trees together and attach the weight (sandbags and cinder blocks are most commonly used).

Christmas trees are relatively short-term habitat because they don’t have much thick woody material, but they can be gathered in clusters easily and sunk in large groups. The main stems will last longer than the wispy branches and continue to draw fish throughout the year. Many anglers use these Christmas trees to freshen up productive attractor sites every year, with the main trunks offering long-lasting cover and the branches of the new brush.

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 Gloves and Mittens. These are 100 percent wind- and waterproof, but even more important, they are constructed with a durable water repellent finish. Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

POMA Updates Membership Categories

The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) is excited to announce that it has updated its membership categories to better reflect current outdoor media.

Membership in POMA affords a wide range of benefits. From exclusive networking opportunities, to membership directories, to high-level business education, POMA services are primarily focused on helping members build and grow their businesses and keep pace with new media and technology.

“POMA has simplified our membership categories to better serve our media members,” said POMA President Kevin Reese. “As outdoor media has evolved, including social media and gig work, it’s important that we reevaluate our criteria and categories to stay current and inclusive across a broader spectrum of communication platforms.”

Updated Media Membership categories include: Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Don’t Fear the Cold with Fish Monkey

When you’re fishing in some of the harshest winter conditions imaginable, you need gear that’s up to the task. Other brands produce great cold-weather gloves, but they’re a poor choice for fishing, which demands not only warmth but also dexterity, among other needs.

Be ready for the cold with the Stealth Sherpa Heavyweight Waterproof HD Glove from Fish Monkey, the world’s leader in high performance gloves and gear designed specifically for fishing.

The Sherpa is a 100-percent wind- and waterproof glove which has a whopping 220 grams of heavyweight Sherpa fleece lining in addition to 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation, making this one of the warmest cold-weather and ice fishing glove on the market today. Other features include a touch-screen compatible index finger as well as a Function-Touch index and thumb for rod and tackle management. There’s also a non-slip Monkey Grip palm which works as well wet as it does dry. Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Eleventh Hour ‘Skis

Take advantage of the gap between fall and ice fishing season to stalk the biggest muskies of the year.

Muskie fishermen are at the very least super focused on their quest to hook and land a giant, and truth be known, most are obsessed with it. Why else would somebody dedicate nearly every angling second in pursuit of these Jurassic-sized freshwater fish?

Muskie fishing is hardly a high-volume ordeal, and the old saying – yes, the ten thousand cast one, well it often rings true. But these fish keep numbers of anglers coming back for more punishment season after season. You could even call muskie fishing a lifestyle for many anglers. Naturally, some are just better at it than others.

One such angler is Lee Tauchen of Madison, Wisconsin. He has spent countless hours hammering away for the next big tug at the end of the line.

Fall muskie fishing is a grand finale for those who revel in their annual quest for fishing glory. It’s the BIG BOOM. This is when massive ‘skis put on the feedbag and forage with a fair amount of consistency, which is a welcome departure from their incredibly reliable propensity to make even the most battle-worn anglers question whether these mythical beasts exist. Fall, and during warm years such as this, early winter as well, are periods that increase the odds of breaking personal bests and landing a true record class fish. Read more

Fishing
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