Every few years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service treats rivers across Michigan with a chemical aimed at killing the invasive sea lamprey. Two of those rivers – the Big Manistee and the Muskegon – are home to lake sturgeon as well as sea lamprey. While many aquatic species aren’t affected by the treatments, lake sturgeon, especially in these locations, are. In fact, the water chemistry there means lake sturgeon exposed to the chemical have a higher chance of dying.

This month and next, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is heading up an effort to protect juvenile lake sturgeon from these sea lamprey treatments. The DNR, the Fish and Wildlife Service and Gun Lake Tribe are on board, too.

“Lake sturgeon are an important species in the Great Lakes ecosystem, and it’s critical to protect and restore these populations because of their historical and cultural significance,” said Emily Martin, a fisheries biologist with the DNR’s Tribal Coordination Unit. “Collaboration like this makes us more effective in protecting a species that’s important to a variety of people and many agencies.” Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

“There’s no fish in here,” was the conclusion of my great grandson, 9 year-old Landon, after casting lines into the Looking Glass River for an hour or so this past spring. The trouble was that I couldn’t convince him otherwise. This time, however, when he was to visit, I was hoping to find a quiet place on a lake where we could participate in more than a worm-drowning exercise.

The lake selected was Woodland Lake – an all-sports, public access lake in Livingston County about 45 miles from our home in Shiawassee County. Quiet it is not during most any summertime weekend. In fact, I thought it might be a bit too large and busy for my tidy little 10-foot jon boat; that’s exactly why the plan was to be on the water by 6:30 am Monday.

Having never fished the lake, I was happy to learn from the lake’s only marina owner/operator, Mike, that Monday mornings are about as peaceful as it gets on this body of water. I didn’t have the time or inclination to dig our own worms, figuring they’d have tunneled half way to China during the heat we’ve experienced recently. Fortunately for us, worms and night crawlers are about as readily available at many gas stations as the fuel they offer.

The day before the fishing trip, Landon practiced casting a small weight with an open-face reel of mine and picked up the technique quickly. The boat and gear were then loaded into the truck on Sunday and by 5:30 am the following morning we were on the road. The sun had turned the scant clouds red, as it made its glorious entrance on the horizon.

The calm and inviting water made for the perfect setting. No other boats were present; we had the lake to ourselves.

The bobber was set about 4 feet above the small sinker and hook – deep enough to make it difficult to cast for a novice, so I took on the task for the youngster. Although pike were among the species regularly caught in the lake, I didn’t want to fish with steel leaders; if one took our bait, it would just have to snap the 4-pound test line. I figured the young man would be happy fighting some bluegills – and, he was.

We pulled them in one after the other. We weren’t getting anything large enough to keep for a fish fry, but the action was so fast that it was all I could do to keep bait on Landon’s line. In the meantime, I’d cast some top-water lures and some small spinners but it produced nothing more than lake weeds. But, weeds are good, as Landon learned.

One after the other, the boy who had never fished in a lake from a boat was occupied with non-stop action. But, then it happened. I couldn’t help but notice the severely bent rod and Landon’s struggle to turn the handle on the ultra-light reel. It was all he could do to hang on, as I reached for the landing net in anticipation of something big. I saw the fish’s reflection under water and recognized it as a large mouth bass and a good one at that!

Landon’s first Large Mouth Bass

Once in the boat, I took some pictures and set the fat fish free in short order. The kid had landed the biggest fish of his life and took it in stride. I didn’t measure it but it was certainly over the minimum 14 inch length – a good catch for anyone.

A few more bluegills and a lake perch and things were back to normal. And, then it happened again. Another big bass had struck Landon’s night crawler and it was instant replay time. A lunker bass, some photos, and the prize was releaed into the water. Ho hum.

Landon’s second big Bass

I don’t know how many fish were landed that morning but there was one more giant hooked. This one, however, had the fortune to give us the slip in the weeds. By now, the sun was heating up the air and after about 4 hours of non-stop action, we agreed that we had had enough fun.

We never got more than 100 yards or so from shore making for a simple adventure. Although city life was all around us, we had found the serenity within – a mundane Monday morning for many but not for us.

It’s been more than 20 years in the making, but this month a fish spawning habitat restoration dream becomes a reality for Saginaw Bay. The DNR and Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy have built a coalition to restore a 2-acre rock reef at the Coreyon Reef site, about 11 miles northeast of the mouth of the Saginaw River.

The restoration project focuses on the trailing edge of a historic rock reef complex that existed naturally in the bay until it was heavily degraded by sand and sedimentation from long-standing erosion in the watershed.

Restoration efforts began this month and should be completed by early fall. Once done, the restored reef will be roughly 2 acres and reach a peak of about 5 feet off the bottom in 18 feet of water. The rock, placed by Great Lakes Dock and Materials, LLC from Muskegon, is crushed limestone and glacial cobble. In all, approximately 22,500 tons of rock will be used to build the reef, carefully placed in precise positions and dimensions by barges and cranes. Read more

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Whether you like to keep your kayak fishing simple or prefer to outfit with all the bells and whistles, there’s no doubt that some level of accessorizing can make for better days on the water. From live bait and tackle management solutions to products improving onboard ergonomics and boat transport, Hobie offers a complete range of highly practical accessories for today’s kayak angler.

Livewell V2

Looking for a better way to keep live bait frisky? Look no further than Hobie’s eight-gallon Livewell V2. The Livewell V2 is built from heavy-duty molded plastic, making it lightweight and strong. It features a sturdy, eight-inch Twist and Seal hatch lid for quick access and secure bait containment. A high-quality sealed marine switch controls a high-output pump that circulates oxygenated water in the tank, keeping fish alive and healthy. An adjustable drain tube allows for easy water-level management, and removable tank partitions keep bait accessible in a rounded environment. A pump cap is included for filling the tank with non-circulating water, while a threaded drain plug allows the tank to be completely emptied after each use. Hobie’s Livewell V2 comes factory-equipped with three rod holders, and up to eight rod holders can be added, depending on the kayak model. Read more

The Bays de Noc recently received a much-needed boost – 464,800 walleye fingerlings – through collaborative stocking efforts by the DNR, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the Bay de Noc Great Lakes Sport Fishermen.

After Little Bay de Noc’s spring ice-out (when all the surface ice broke up), DNR crews conducted an egg take on adult walleye. Those eggs were transferred to the Thompson State Fish Hatchery in Manistique. A portion of that egg batch later was moved to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe hatchery.

After hatching, the larval walleye were moved to ponds operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe and the Bay de Noc Great Lakes Sport Fishermen.

The Sport Fishermen ponds yielded 329,600 fingerlings that were stocked July 1-9 in northern Little Bay de Noc near the mouth of the Whitefish River and Kipling.

The Sault Tribe pond produced 135,200 fish that were stocked July 3 near Gladstone, Kipling and the lower Escanaba River. Read more

Michigan is one step closer to bringing Arctic grayling back to state waters. The ultraviolet water disinfection system at Oden State Fish Hatchery in Emmet County has been installed, meaning the facility is ready to welcome juvenile Arctic grayling.

“With the completion of this project, we can protect the fish populations in the inland waterway – the series of rivers and inland lakes that the rearing water flows into – from any pathogens that may inadvertently arrive with these fish,” said Ed Eisch, the DNR’s fish production manager. “We don’t anticipate any issues, but we definitely want to err on the conservative side when it comes to the possibility of introducing new pathogens.”

The UV system is critical for the long-term process of cultivating Michigan’s Arctic grayling broodstock (mature fish used for breeding), a goal of the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative.

This project was generously supported through grants and donations by private donors. More than $350,000 was raised to upgrade Oden’s isolated rearing facility, including engineering and construction costs. Read more

By Glen Wunderlich, July 27, 2019

Heard this lake has some good fish, but without a small boat, this is all there is to see. Lots of deer flies late summer. A head net would be a good item to pack.

I was able to drive right up to this dock. Hokey, for sure so bring some rubber boots and wade in for the launch, if desired.

The sportsman’s new best friend

FLIPPIN, Ark. — With the introduction of the all-new RB200, Ranger’s RB Series adds a bigger brother to the acclaimed RB190. The RB200 features everything sportsmen could want in an expertly outfitted package that is designed to excel in any environment or season. With saltwater-savvy touches throughout, an optional all-camo version, anglers and hunters alike will find much to love about this new rig.

“This boat is bound to be a hit with guys who hunt, fish, and just love being outdoors,” says Jimmy Wallace, Ranger New Product Development Engineer. “It’s bigger, stronger and has everything you’d need for a day on the lake, in the marsh or on the flats. We’ve integrated key features specifically for outdoorsmen along with ample power and performance.” Read more