Because the 2018 harvest limit for lake trout in Grand Traverse Bay was exceeded, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking at some regulation changes for 2019. Before any changes are proposed to the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, which has the authority for establishing most regulations, the DNR is inviting the public to learn about options during a meeting Wednesday, March 6, 6 to 8 p.m. at the DNR Customer Service Center in Traverse City, 2122 South M-37.

Each year, lake trout harvest limits in 1836 Treaty-ceded waters are determined by the treaty tribes, the United States and the state of Michigan. Last year, the state recreational harvest in Grand Traverse Bay (known as the Lake Trout Management Unit MM-4) reached 93,000 pounds – exceeding the set total allowable catch of 77,200 pounds.

“When either the state or the tribes exceed harvest limits by more than 15 percent, there is a penalty the following season,” said DNR Fisheries Division Chief Jim Dexter. “Under this scenario, recreational anglers on Grand Traverse Bay this year will be required to reduce their catch by nearly 32,000 pounds.”
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Anyone hoping to submit a catch to the DNR’s Master Angler program – which each year recognizes the largest fish of several dozen species – will want to pay close attention to the 2019 application.

A few new rules have been added to the program for 2019, including:

• No more than one entry for fish of the exact same size will be accepted for each species. (For example, if you catch two 10-inch bluegills, submit just one.)
• Each entry must include at least one photo showing the fish being measured. Color photos of the entire fish are required, too; entries received without color photos will not be accepted.

“The DNR’s Master Angler program has more than tripled in popularity in the last five years,” said Lynne Thoma, the program’s administrator. “We want to recognize as many anglers as possible for their fishing accomplishments, while retaining the integrity of this program. We feel these new rules will help us do that.”
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Washington, DC – In a letter submitted to President Donald Trump on Thursday, February 7, 2019, Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) Executive Director Jim Donofrio requested an immediate halt on all work on proposed industrial wind farms along the Atlantic Coast. The request was prompted in response to the issuance of 6 commercial offshore wind leases by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) since 2016 along the Atlantic Coast. BOEM is the federal agency under the Department of Interior that oversees offshore renewal energy development in federal waters. Donofrio called for work being conducted under this permits to be halted citing a failure of the agency to fully investigate and assess the impacts that offshore wind energy generation facilities will have on valuable commercial and recreational fisheries.

In his letter, Donofrio articulated the fishing community’s concerns with the pace at which the leases have been issued and the lack of a comprehensive ecological evaluation on the potential impacts that offshore wind development may have on fish stocks. While the idea that adding new structure in the form of wind turbines to the ocean, particularly in areas where the bottom is comprised of fine sand, will attract fish and create new fishing opportunities for anglers, one cannot over-look the literature coming out of countries that have aggressively developed their coast lines with wind turbines. Studies from Denmark and other European countries find that fish stocks display measurable behavioral and migratory responses in presences of noise (vibrations created by the massive blades) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) produced by the turbines and the miles of underwater cables required to transmit the electricity generated to shore.

Applying these findings to the lease areas proposed for development off of Atlantic coast the US, there is the very real threat that once installed, offshore wind farms may disrupt north/south and inshore/offshore migrations of important fish stocks such as striped bass, bluefish and pelagics. It is also unknown how the inshore/offshore movements of demersal species such as summer flounder will be impacted. It would be extremely unfortunate to build these facilities in hast only to find out that EMF from the transmission cables disrupts the seasonal movements of summer flounder into Mid-Atlantic bays and estuaries. RFA finds that associated risks far outweigh the benefits of offshore wind and demands that development be halted so that all potential impacts can be fully vetted.

“The companies that are pursuing these projects have no legal obligation or regard for American commercial or recreational fishermen who have been on these grounds earning a living for decades,” explained Jim Donofrio. “Our jobs and our fisheries must come first.”
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are celebrating the return of fishing season and inviting customers to trade in used gear to be donated to local charities in exchange for big savings. The 2019 Spring Fishing Classic is a free celebration taking place February 15 – March 3 in all Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s locations across North America (March 1 – 17 in Canada and Alaska).

Customers that donate used rods and reels (in working order) can receive trade-in savings of up to $200 on the purchase of a new rod and reel. The used fishing equipment will be donated to local nonprofit organizations. Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s have donated nearly 340,000 products to youth-focused nonprofit organizations as part of the company’s mission to inspire everyone to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors.
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If you’re planning to fish for yellow perch this spring, keep in mind that there’s a new daily possession limit – 25 fish, reduced from 50 – starting April 1 on nearly all state waters. Exceptions include:

• Lake Erie, which will retain a 50-fish daily limit.
• Lake Gogebic in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, which will have the 25-fish daily limit, but with no more than five of those fish being 12 inches or longer.

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission approved the proposed fishing regulation change late last year, after extensive public and scientific reviews. The new regulation is effective with the start of the 2019 Michigan fishing season. Read more

This year’s sturgeon season on Black Lake (Cheboygan County, Michigan) ended at 9:18 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 – after only 78 minutes of fishing.

The fishing season, which included spearing or hook-and-line fishing, was scheduled to run Feb. 2-6, or until the harvest quota had been reached. This year’s allocation of sturgeon for Black Lake anglers was seven fish, although Department of Natural Resources officials set a harvest quota of six fish.

There were 403 registered anglers on the ice Saturday, slightly down from 422 the year before. Anglers of all ages again participated, including a good number of supervised youth.

According to the DNR, the first four sturgeon harvested were males ranging from 52 to 60 inches, and 25 to 47 pounds in weight. The final two fish were females ranging from 61 to 72 inches long, and 54 to 80 pounds in weight. Read more

The DNR’s 2018 fall fish-stocking totals are in! From September through December, fisheries crews stocked nine different species: more than 1.1 million fish that weighed in at over 17 tons. These fish were stocked at 153 different locations throughout Michigan and – when combined with spring and summer efforts – bring the total number of fish stocked last year to more than 22 million!

Species stocked this fall included Atlantic salmon, channel catfish, brook trout, brown trout, coho salmon, rainbow trout (Eagle Lake and Michigan strain steelhead), lake sturgeon, walleye and muskellunge (northern and Great Lakes strains).

See a breakdown of which state hatchery stocked which fish at Michigan.gov/Fishing.

Several other fisheries management units also stocked fall fingerling walleye last year, including 15,564 Muskegon strain (1,554.2 pounds) and 7,437 Bay de Noc strain (555.1 pounds).

Two additional species of coolwater fish also were stocked in 2018 – 50 adult channel catfish (181.8 pounds) and 585 fall fingerling lake sturgeon (20.7 pounds).

Wondering if any fish were stocked in your favorite spots? Visit the DNR’s fish stocking database at MichiganDNR.com/FishStock/. For more information, contact Steve Vanderlaan, 269-668-2696, ext. 26 or Elyse Walter, 517-284-5839.

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha Marine’s F20, the latest addition to its portable power product line, is big on performance and features. Combining power, efficiency and convenience, the all-new four-stroke outboard is a perfect fit for boaters limited to 20-horsepower.

“The new F20 is an exceptionally strong outboard with the versatility to power a wide variety of boats,” said Ben Speciale, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit President. “It delivers faster acceleration and improved boat performance under load, so when it’s time to hit the water, you don’t have to leave anything (or anyone) behind.” Read more