Thousands of common carp died last month in Waseca County’s Lake Elysian because of a virus likely introduced to Minnesota waters by the release or escape of ornamental koi or pet goldfish.

A joint effort by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the University of Minnesota have determined koi herpesvirus (KHV) was the main cause of the late-June fish kill in southern Minnesota. It is the state’s first documented case of the virus in a wild fish population.

KHV does not affect humans and is not believed to affect other fish species. First documented in the United Kingdom in 1996, the virus has since been documented worldwide, mostly in countries that culture koi or common carp. This virus can cause disease in koi and common carp. Goldfish can be carriers of the virus but typically do not show signs of the disease.

“The virus can be present in a lake without causing a fish kill, at least not until the right conditions are present,” said DNR fisheries pathology lab supervisor Ling Shen. “KHV is highly contagious, and as we’ve seen, very capable of causing large-scale die-offs of common carp.” Read more

Universally accessible kayak and canoe launch officially will open to the public

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host a ribbon-cutting event Tuesday, Aug. 1, to mark the official opening of the new universally accessible kayak and canoe launch at Mitchell State Park in Wexford County. The ribbon-cutting, which starts at 11 a.m., will take place at the new launch, located adjacent to the public beach on Lake Cadillac. Read more

Licensed fishing charters make a full or half-day of fishing easy and enjoyable, as they provide the boat and all the equipment, plus the knowledge needed for a day on the water. Fishing charters are for anyone, children or adult, from the first-time angler to those who are experienced. Charter businesses in Michigan help anglers of all experience levels enjoy memorable experiences – whether it’s reeling in a fish for the first time or trying one’s hand at catching a new species.

In Michigan in 2016, more than 70,000 anglers participated in more than 17,000 charter fishing trips on Great Lakes and specific navigable waters. These anglers caught more than 244,000 fish of various species, with about half of the fish caught being trout and salmon. Read more

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently confirmed the presence of invasive red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in Sunset Lake in Vicksburg, south of Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo County), and in a retention pond off Haggerty Road in Novi (Oakland County).

Reports of the crayfish at Sunset Lake came to the DNR from two separate landowners Thursday, July 13. DNR staff verified the reports during a survey of the area July 14, finding several crayfish in the grass in a local park and in shallow areas on the lake’s west side.

A citizen reported possible red swamp crayfish in the Novi retention pond Monday, July 17, after a child captured one in a dip net. DNR staff responded that afternoon and removed 111 specimens from the pond.

These two reports represent the first live detections of red swamp crayfish in Michigan. In 2015, discovery of a pile of dead red swamp crayfish at Kollen Park in Holland (Allegan County) led to an intensive trapping effort by the DNR in Lake Macatawa and portions of the Grand River. No live crayfish were found at that time.

What are red swamp crayfish? Read more

The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative – a statewide partnership effort focused on restoring self-sustaining populations of this native fish – unveiled its official action plan at Thursday’s Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing. The plan details the initiative’s goals and various activities it plans to accomplish over the next several years.

This initiative, founded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, was announced in June 2016 and consists of 32 organizations. Read more

A critical component of fisheries management is understanding what happens to fish when they are caught and released. Most recently the DNR has been looking specifically at what happens to lake trout after they are caught through a mortality assessment survey.

To ensure accurate data is being collected on fish being lost from angling, mortality estimates must include both fish harvested and fish that are released and then die as a result of fishing. The DNR’s Fisheries Division gathers this data through its creel clerk program. Creel clerks, stationed at Great Lakes ports throughout Michigan, measure lake trout that have been caught and released. The data are used in fish population models used to estimate harvest quotas for recreational and commercial fisheries.

“Underestimating mortality of angler-released fish will result in unreliable harvest quotas that are not protective of this important sport species,” said DNR fisheries research biologist Shawn Sitar. “Therefore, reliable estimates of the mortality of released fish are critical to the DNR’s management of lake trout.” Read more

COLUMBIA, SC – The PENN Conflict II features stealthy cosmetics, a smooth HT-100 carbon fiber drag system and a lightweight design, making it the lightest PENN reel to date.* The RR30 Rigid Resin body and rotor are extremely lightweight and durable – 20% lighter than the first-generation Conflict.

The next generation of PENN Conflict reels combines the comfort of a lightweight reel with the durability expected from a PENN. Additionally, the Leveline System places the line back onto the spool with little cross over or large gaps when being re-spooled.

The Conflict II is also updated with PENN’s CNC Gear Technology and high quality stainless steel ball bearings, making it the ultimate PENN inshore reel.

MSRP ranges from $149.99-$199.95.