Downriver Outdoors

Come to the Rama, Outdoorama that is

2012-02-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

What is it with the outdoor sporting events? I see commercials for Outdoorama on TV but I haven't seen any live coverage from any of the channels. Yet every morning from Wed. on one of the stations is live at Autorama. Maybe it's because Autorama was around first as a rama. The origins of Outdoorama however go farther back than the auto version. In 1974 the Detroit outdoor shows were officially named Outdoorama and put on by the MUCC. These were big shows with big attendance. However, interest waned and even the bear wrestling features couldn't hold interest amongst the general public. I'm sure that's why the coverage is so sparse now but for true outdoor people it's just as much fun as it was 38 years ago.

It's always nice to meet new friends but even better to see some old ones. Fred Abbas was manning the A-Way Hunting booth and I picked up a sweet turkey hunting box call that I hope brings in the toms like the old one I got 10 years ago. Fred says it will. I also talked to Captain Dan from Stormy Chinook Charters. I've written about Dan before and am very impressed with his knowledge of fishing and the fisheries he uses.

The show is still a great adventure from hunting in Africa, America and Canada to fishing in remote Canada and catching Grayling in Michigan for the first time in 80 years. Plus many other outdoor activities and live animals.

So until the water warms up a little bit you need to...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

I Say C C CWD

2012-02-22T00:32:00.001-05:00

Oh see what you have done done. CWD is a neurological disease that is limited to deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family, known as "cervids." CWD is spread by animal-to-animal contact or by animal contact with soil that contains prions from urine, feces or the decomposition of an infected animal. Deer and other cervids with signs of CWD show changes in natural behavior and can exhibit extreme weight loss, excessive salivation, stumbling and tremors. CWD can spread through natural movements of infected animals, transportation of infected live captive animals, or the transportation of infected carcasses.

As you can see from the photo this disease is a heart breaker just like the focus of the song. This is why most of the 21 states it's found in are very cautious of the outcome if the disease takes hold. When 3 free ranging deer were found in Wisconsin, to have CWD, in 2003 the Mi DNR devised a plan to try and control any outbreak in our state. When a penned or ranch deer was found in Kent County in MI the plan was enforced and baiting was outlawed in the lower peninsula and restricted in the UP. So far, 7,999 deer statewide have tested free of chronic wasting disease, experts said. Testing was ordered after the fatal neurological disorder was found in that pen-raised deer. Experts collected deer heads from hunters to test for the disease. The collection was mandatory for any deer killed in a nine-township surveillance area adjacent to Algoma Township. Throughout the rest of the state, giving up deer heads was voluntary, though officials had a goal of 300 from each county touching Kent.
CWD monitoring has cost the state about $960,000 in 2008. Deer killed in the nine- township Kent County surveillance zone will continue to be tested through the end of the year, when bowhunting ends.
The money for testing comes from several sources, including:
• $1.8 million from taxpayers in a general fund appropriation to the DNR for wildlife disease work.
• $75,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture for CWD work.
• $500,000 from the Michigan Game & Fish Fund, which is supported by hunters and anglers through license fees and federal surcharges on outdoor equipment. Processing and testing deer heads for CWD costs almost $120 per deer, Schmitt said. Expenses include testing by Michigan State University, collecting and transporting the heads, incineration and public outreach.
So now after 5 years with no cases of CWD found we have baiting back. All the Elmer Fudd hunters are happy again. Deer hunting is quite different for different people in different places and lifestyles. Most of the hunters I know bait to try to see more deer. They hunt less than a week a year and the bait gives them a warm fuzzy feeling but not much else. The bait needs to be out for quite a while longer for deer to come to the bait on a regular basis. None of the baiters I know of take the bait out of the woods after thier 3-4 day stint so the bait stays there and allows deer to find it and congregate around it causing body contact and exchange of fluids from sneezing on each other. So the ban on baiting was used in the NE Lower Peninsula to control Bovine TB, another devestating disease that could wipe out the herd. The baiting ban, however, really had little effect on CWD so why was it used? CWD is passed on through prions which are on the ground, deposited trough urine or feces. So prions could be on the bait, but the use of food plots and standing crops, which are more prevelant, also produce the same effect. Maybe it's something that another state has done.
No, sorry, you'll have to come up with your own opinion on why Michigan stopped baiting. Other states have CWD problems but haven't had the same knee jerk reaction we have had. The impetus of this article was a report from Missouri that they had 2 free ranging deer tested positive for CWD. Kathy Etling, a famous outdoor writer, covered the story in the St. Louis paper. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) received two positive test results for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from 1,077 tissue samples taken from free-ranging deer harvested by hunters in north-central Missouri during the 2011 fall firearms deer season. Both positive test results were from adult bucks harvested by Missouri hunters in Macon County, and are the first CWD-positive results for free-ranging deer in Missouri. Two years ago the state had a scare with a deer ranch. Agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made an indemnification offer to Rob Brasher, who is the owner of Heartland Wildlife Ranches in Ethel, Mo., to cover the costs of destroying the remainder of the whitetail deer and red elk now inhabiting the high-fenced pasture where last fall a single CWD-positive whitetail buck was found. Heartland Wildlife Ranch is located in Linn County in the heart of Missouri's big buck country. The ranch is not double fenced since Missouri law does not require it, so wild whitetails can easily contact animals inside, some of which may now be infected with CWD.
According to Tim Ripperger of the Missouri Department of Conservation, Brasher turned down the USDA's indemnification offer. Sources have stated off the record that officials with the USDA are planning to make further adjustments to the offer in hopes that the next amount will be more acceptable.
The CWD-infected whitetail, an animal which had spent its entire life at Heartland Wildlife Ranches, died last fall. The pasture inhabited by the buck prior to its death is near Buckland, Mo. No red flags, supposedly, were waved at the time of the buck's death but when its tissue was later tested as part of the state's voluntary CWD surveillance program — believe it or not only a small percentage of deer and elk who die or are killed in any Missouri high-fenced area are tested for CWD — it was determined that the buck had CWD. For how long was anybody's guess.
The CWD-infected whitetail had been living in the 800-acre, high-fenced pasture together with about 50 other whitetail deer and about 150 red elk. Since CWD is an infectious disease of cervids — whitetails, mule deer, elk and moose — it is very likely that other animals have already been exposed to the infectious prions. Scientists believe CWD is transmitted through urine and feces and possibly other bodily fluids such as saliva.
The buck died in the fall. Soon afterward the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), which has jurisdiction over high-fenced shooting operations like Heartland's, ordered the removal and testing of 50 additional animals from the pasture in which the infected buck had been living and 20 animals from another of Heartland's pastures. All tested negative for CWD.
In mid-March employees of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), together with a team of sharpshooters and landowners, culled 150 wild whitetails within a 5-mile radius of Heartland. Tissue from those 150 deer, three additional road-killed deer and 72 deer which had been shot during the 2009 hunting season was also tested. All tested negative for CWD. I count 300, 70 ranched deer and 222 free ranging, deer tested.
Now Maryland has discovered a CWD deer on 2/10/2011 after intensive testing for 10 years. We have tested intensively for this disease and see this as an unfortunate but somewhat inevitable outcome. Hurray! One out of 6800 deer tested.
So it seems every state is excited to welcome this disease. Eager to stop it's spread before any other state can. Huh? All the info is very reachable on a search, I'm not making anything up but just touching the surface. Look up CWD in Wiscinsin, Missouri, Maryland and Michigan. Now the discouraging part. What's it cost for all of this testing? Well $1 mil in 2008 in Michigan @ $120/test, $65 in Wisconsin / test and $17 / test in Colorado, the first state to discover CWD. Why so cheap in Coloradao? Well they were the first state and if you donate a deer for the community food bank the deer has to be tested. Go figure.
Who pays for all this testing? You and me partner. The Federal budget has included up to $13.9 mil per year up to 2011. For 2012 the alotted budget is $1.9 mil, look for the caution and the ammount of testing to go way down here on in.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Michigan Muskie Show

2012-02-17T13:06:00.000-05:00

MBT Expo Center in Monroe Mi.

Admission
Kids 15-Under – $5.00
Adults – $10.00
Three Day Pass - $20.00

http://www.michiganmuskieshow.com/

Follow my To Do Downriver link for more activities.

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Seek a Paradise, look about you

2012-02-16T00:14:00.000-05:00

A few months ago Warren Riggen passed away. You may have read about him in the News Herald years back. He was retired in his 70s and still trapping at Point Moullie State Refuge. He was born in Arkansas, fought in WWII including Omaha beach and then came to Detroit for a job in the automotive industry.
In his free time Warren loved to trap and Point Moullie was a favorite stop. He trapped muskrat, mink and coon. He became a mink trapping expert and had even trained DNR CO's in the finer points of trapping mink. In his full life long journey you could say Warren found paradise at Point Moullie.
Now there are about a dozen other trappers still plying their trade in Warren's old classroom and they still catch many muskrat and mink. This helps keep the dykes safe and helping control the vegetation which helps the ducks in the fall migrations. At one time 13,000 muskrats were trapped in one year but those numbers are way down now. Still there a lot of opportunities for catches at Point Moullie. Now for a different opportunity.
The opportunity came with a $284,477 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant acquired by Ducks Unlimited in partnership with the DNR in 2011. The 66-acre Dusseau tract is being converted to 38 acres of productive emergent wetlands and 28 acres of high-quality lake plain prairie grassland over the next two years.
DNR biologist Joe Robison recognizes the critical role partnerships like this one play in accomplishing conservation goals that benefit native species. "We've seen a decline in hunting license sales in recent years, the proceeds of which go directly back to species management projects on our State Game Areas. Partners like Ducks Unlimited, with their wetland restoration expertise and aid in grant-seeking opportunities, make a big difference in what habitat improvement work we are able to do on our State Game Areas."
Whatever we can do to keep paradise alive.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Mickey Z

2012-02-11T13:49:00.003-05:00

After talking to Redcan on Super Bowl Sunday about how he and his buddies almost blew up Riverview. This winter blast, has reminded me of an article written by the former outdoor writer for the News Herald, Mike Zelinski. Mike was quite the outdoorsman and a fluent talker which was a perfect combo for his News Herald position. Mike could come up with 2 articles at the mention of any outdoor pursuit. The article that the cold front reminded me of was late season goose hunting on the Detroit River. Emphasis on late here, this year the season lasted until January 29th. There was good weather this year and from the sounds of shooting the hunters had plenty of action. You have to be a die hard to hunt in the conditions Mike wrote about.

Holy cow, as you can see from the picture the boys are just south of Sugar Island. That's not just a hop skip and a jump from Gibraltar, where Mike lived, but a white knuckled boat ride. These waterfowlers are a little different. I've been in a boat late in February on the river and even if everything goes right and ice flows aren't encountered there's always that uneasy feeling about getting locked in ice. Mike wrote well about the whole experience especially about safety in the case anything bad may happen. From the set up of decoys to the blind set up or just dressing in the white camo and laying on the ice somehow Mike made it sound like anyone could do it.

On the day Mike reported on there must have been a warmer front move in because a heavy fog surrounded them and they could hear the birds flying but couldn't see them until they had committed and were very close. So add another chance for disaster, a 20 pound bird flying in fog coming in to your calling and just being able to see a landing spot seconds before landing. A slight miscalculation by the bird and you could become an episode on Mythbusters. Oh those wildfowlers, a little different and die hards just like Mickey.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Happy Super Bowl/ Start of 2012 fishing season on the Detroit River Day

2012-02-05T14:10:00.000-05:00

Go Tom Brady. It's hard to pick from these 2 teams but Brady is a MI man so let's go with the Pats. Hopefully a close game with action on some squares is in your future. The super bowl comes every year at about the same time just like taxes. This year however is special because of the weather.

The first day of the 2012 fishing season in the Detroit River? From the reports I'm getting the fish are biting. Well biting as hard as they can in 37 degree water. But the fish are there and willing if you can find them and you can find them in your boat this year because of the weather we've had. It may still get cold for a while but ice formation should be held back allowing boat fishing in the river for the rest of winter.

Some parts of the river always freeze allowing icefishing, like Airport Bay on he south end of Grs Isle, but the big problem for river fishing by boat is the ice flows coming down from Lake St. Clair. I'm sure there'll be so ice coming down like Car fixer John found out last week heading over to Duffy's in Amherstburg, Canada. His group got thru the hole in the wall but couldn't get to Duffy's because of an ice flow dam.

So be carefull out there and call your local bait shop for reports, that's all the papers do. You can get all the numbers in my bait shop link. The other link is MI-sportsman.com, near the bottom, check this site for the river forum. GT Charters is catching perch on their outings and some reports from the river state they're catching walleyes. Hopefully a long season for walleye fishing in the river is in order following last spring's horibble waether and low catch rate.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

WWD Day

2012-02-01T10:27:00.003-05:00

Not a World War or a new Wrestling organization but a day to celebrate. Ground hog's day and Lucy's birthday are now sharing February 2nd with the World Wetlands Day. Not to associate wetlands with ground hogs or any other mammal, especially in the everglades where the populations of mammals have decreased by 90% because of the introduction of snakes like the Burmese python. Documented cases of 75 pound deer and 6 foot long aligators are some of their larger prey.

Since its inception in 1997, World Wetlands Day has been observed worldwide each year on February 2nd in recognition of the date the international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands was signed at the Ramsar Convention in 1971. The Ramsar Convention maintains a list of wetlands across the globe that have been deemed worthy of international importance; a list totaling nearly 2,000 sites.
In many ways, the commemoration of such a monumental event is an appropriate thing to do here in Michigan, a state that, in many ways, is defined by its environment and natural resources. The designation of Humbug Marsh, a unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, as Michigan’s only “Wetland of International Importance” in 2010 makes the decision to commemorate the holiday locally even more fitting.
The 3rd Annual celebration of World Wetlands Day will take place on Thursday, February 2nd at Gibraltar Carlson High School from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The event will feature a Wetlands Exposition that will showcase over 20 displays dedicated to wetland conservation from a number of environmental organizations. In addition, students and visitors will be treated to a World Wetlands Day program, slated to begin at 12:30pm, which will include an appearance by U.S. National Ramsar Committee Chairperson, Suzanne Pittenger-Slear. In addition, Monroe Power Plant Manager Brian Rice will speak on behalf of DTE Energy, Kathy Klein will speak in representation of Waste Management, and special guest, Humbug Marsha, will make her public debut and share wetland adventures with program participants. A short celebration for the Refuge’s 10th birthday with the National Wildlife Refuge System mascot Puddles the Blue Goose will follow. The World Wetlands Day event will be open to the public from 12:30pm – 3:00pm

Puddles

The World Wetlands Day Celebration is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, Gibraltar Carlson High School, DTE Energy, Waste Management, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. This event is subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. If necessary, the alternate weather date is Feb. 9. Please contact Gibralter Carlson HS Principal Bill Stevenson for event status at 734.379.7100.

Digi what?

2012-01-30T15:37:00.000-05:00

A good friend of mine is an avid birder. He is so involved he's considered an expert by many. Jerry Jourdan. His web site info is in my links page, or go to http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com/. He's a photography expert both for work and for pleasure. His passion for bird photography has caused him to pursue the art of digiscoping, or photographing birds through a spotting scope using a point & shoot camera, and an adaptor to connect the camera to the scope. This new technology has enabled him and other birders to get involved in a previously expensive pursuit. The cost of cameras, lenses, film (old style) and assorted other equipment used for taking pictures of birds, even common ones, is very prohibitive for many people to consider for a hobby. One could easily spend $10K to $20K for camera equipment, and still have to call in the bird, or get lucky to get close enough then wait for a perfect shot. Sometimes this can be more torture than hobby.

Digiscoping allows Jerry to get much higher magnification images, is much less costly and gives more range so as not to alarm the bird. With any new endeavor there are many problems to deal with but the birders are finding out how to do this and sharing their info. His other blog is devoted just on this topic: "the how's and why's of digiscoping" - http://jerryjourdan2.blogspot.com/. Check out his sites and you may catch the bug yourself, I know I have. I just bought an adapter from Cabela's to get me started and maybe I'll be able to get pics like this...

From 2011-12-31

Just like Jerry.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Hot Time at Snow Daze

2012-01-26T17:44:00.001-05:00

With Daisy hot footing it with the dulcimers at Lake Erie Metro Park it was a perfect ending to the day.

Dulcimer Daisey

The dog sledding was a hit, thank you Hiekkie Lunta, and if you'd like to try it contact Becky at trailboss29@yahoo.com. During times like these you may get a ride on a go cart behind the dogs but if there's enough snow a sled will be in order.

Mike the wood carver was there carving fish decoy bodies. He does a lot of other carving and the signs were very nice. He's in Taylor and you can call him at 734-442-4134

Mary Spun a Little Lamb was there showing how to spin yarn and make rope all from her pet rabbit. Yeah it was a little hairy but the rug she made was from recycled t-shirts. Contact her at meslonie@hotmail.com, 734-243-2852
Jerry did his yearly ice carving.

;

Snow snakes were thrown.

The Huron River Fishing Association was there tying flies and teaching others to do so.

The Ford Astronomers were there as well as Dan Hovater the flint knapping expert.

Along with the displays from the nature center they also had crafts which were over the top. Making a snow snake pillow, painting a chickadee face and dressing up a muskrat. A very busy day.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Elk on Hoof

2012-01-24T10:40:00.000-05:00

A local hunter recently bagged the elk of a lifetime. It wasn't a record breaker but it was collected in Michigan and that usually means one and done. Especially since his dad has already been drawn for an elk a few years back what are the odds of that? The way Ron hunted was also unique in that he was guided on horseback to find the prey.

You may have seen Ron on his hunt on the Michigan Out of Doors TV show a few weeks back. That show has gotten a lot better this year, I've really enjoyed their content. The show was more about the outfitter and the fact he took out 3 hunters on his horses to find elk. Find elk they did but connecting had some problems. Even Ron had a problem racking shells for a follow up shot. His first shot was true however and he collected a nice cow right next to an access road. The elk was on a knoll and when a truck backed up to it the cow almost slid into the bed by itself.

So it was a great hunt all around and one that may not be offered again. It seems that the MDNR wants to charge Vern a lot more for a guide license and make sure he carries many hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance in order to keep such license. There aren't enough hunting opportunities or hunters to help pay these fees so like many other unique things to do hunting elk by horse may pass by us like a ship in the night.

Vern Bishop, Ray Andres and Ron

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Snow/No Snow Daze

2012-01-20T12:55:00.000-05:00

Hiekki Lunta

This was to be a big weekend at Lake Erie Metropark but old man winter isn't cooperating. A lot of the activities are geared toward winter temperatures having been here for a while. The main casualty has been the ice fishing demo, no ice no demo. I was really looking forward to that, Bill from Bottom Line really likes to cater to the kids and enjoys it more than the kids when they catch fish.
All other activities are still a go and should be lots of fun. The weekend is geared to traditional and non-traditional winter activities, including snowsnake and atlatl throwing, Tundra swan watching, flintknapping and fly tying. Short programs will be held both days on winter animals, tundra swans, ice age animals and winter bird feeding. The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club will present an indoor winter starwatching program at 4 p.m. Saturday, followed by observing the sky through powerful telescopes from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A bonfire will help keep everyone warm between stargazing sessions.
Jerry is busy carving his ice sculpture so you'll want to see that and to help the dogs run more comfortably we'll need more snow so I want everyone to join me in evoking Heikki Lunta, the Finnish snow god, to let it snow. Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Lunta, Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Heikki Lunta, Lunta, Lunta, repeat refrain for as long as you can stand it. Hopefully this will bring snow for the weekend.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Good Omen?

2012-01-17T22:37:00.000-05:00

Ross Robertson caught this huge walleye in the glow of the city lights of Cleveland. It's late for lake trolling, although they're still doing it up in Saginaw Bay, and the bigger fish are usually found over by the Huron River in North Central Ohio. With the muddy water the cleaner water is farther east and that's where Ross was hunting them.

It'll only be about 60 days until we start catching hogs in the river. Maybe another like John Kinkead's from last year. We can only hope...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Ultimate Fishing - Last Call

2012-01-15T13:53:00.004-05:00

The UFS is going strong and today is the last day to attend. We got there about 1 pm and stayed for 3 hours and didn't even look at half the exhibits. With the Auto Show going on at the same time it's hard to believe how many people were there. A resolve as to how fishing and the outdoors are to Michigainians. It was very family oriented with many activities for kids including a mini zoo. There was also some live entertainment involving WRIF and some trout.

It'll take me a week or two to go thru all the hand out info I picked up but one stood out because I didn't know a place like this even existed in Michigan. It's Brookhaven Lake near Clare, A new concept that allows you to fish for giant brook trout and the once prolific grayling. Yes, grayling, the fish that's been eradicated from the state since the big corporation loggers wiped them out. I've always wanted to catch one of these fish, a kind of bucketlist thing. Since the paddle fish is checked off the grayling may now be in my sight. In the pamphlet they allude to the fact a trip to places that hold grayling can cost $2K or more. They're offering a chance to fish for their young population of fish for a days charter fishing cost. Guaranteed to catch fish but not to keep. Check them out at http://www.brookhaven-lake.com/
As far as entertainment there was the fish bobbing contest sponsored by WRIF as well as all of the many fishing seminars. With the football games fast approaching the seminars were out of our picture but we did catch the bobbing.

Someone did grab a nice sized trout between their teeth and haul it out of the tub to win a musky charter on Lake St. Clair. From using teeth to catching teeth the circle becomes closed.

Get Outdoors Downriver

What a day for ice fishing

2012-01-09T20:06:00.000-05:00

That is if you're in the UP. There are still trollers fishing the mouth of the Saginaw River near Bay City. No ice fishing here but a day on the boat was greatly enjoyed. I did get some tanning time in for about an hour then the guide wanted to move again. All I have to show are some tan lines from my glasses and the straps from my bibs. After the move the wind picked up so tanning was out of the question. We did stay warm, however, by just using the windshield on the Lindberg Flash's Crestliner. The wall of bone wind blocker was set up but we never needed to put up the tarp on it. It's a nice design that keeps you still fishing in nasty wind.

You can see from the photo the bones are 1+1/4" pvc and they fit nicely into the rod holders. The tarp is secured inside the boat and weights are attached to the outside by the grommets. You know what they say about fishing, if it's nice out the fish don't bite , if it's nasty they won't stop biting. Thanks Mike for your idea and for your idea you win a free pass to the Ultimate Fishing Show this weekend. If anyone else is going the Downriver Walleye Federation is asking you to go to Mark Romanack's Super Walleye Clinic at Novi Ultimate Fishing Show on Saturday, January 14, 2010 at 2:30 PM – Stage A. Mark will be donating $5 back to the club from the $25 entry fee. If you're a DWF member Mark will leave a free ticket for you at will call.

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Chase Nature At Oakwoods Park

2012-01-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

This weekend we'll be taking our Grand Daughters to the Oakwood nature center. The eldest of three, Stella, has been torn by staying with Ms. Jennifer or going to the older kids group, the Explorer's club. All the girls really love Ms. Jennifer and it was hard to convince Stella to change but it was time for her to move on up. The month before she decided to move I notice a table in the fireplace room that had a display of mushrooms on it and I asked how long did it take to collect all of them.

About 48 hours was Chase's reply. He had it down to hours and a few of the specimens were some I'd never seen before.
The next month Stella attended the Explorer's group and immediately got involved in Chase's discussion about beavers. Soon he had given out treats for correct answers and had a member of the group dressed as a beaver with a can of WD-40 and a deodorant applicator attached to the back, it all made sense at the time. Next we took a short walk to a site where beavers were chewing down their favorite trees, aspen or poplar. Wait did we just get beamed up north by Scotty? No we're just a couple miles west of Flatrock. Amazing.
Last month Case announces to the group we will be starting camp fires and boiling eggs. These are 6 - 10 year olds and the thought of each of them starting a fire seemed far fetched even if their name was Blue Tip. Much to my surprise each had a fire going in short order with the supplies provided. From dryer vent lint and shaved wood for kindling to bigger twigs and branches each kid started their own camp fire. The out came the 5 foot 2 x 2s and tin cups with wire handles on them. Soon eggs were boiling in the set ups and after about 10 minutes of this the eggs were cooled and thrown at a wood target. All were hardboiled or very close to it and smashing them on the wood was icing on the cake. A very interesting start to the weekend.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

   Yes it's that time of the year when we remember back about the old year and are relieved to start a Happy New Year. I tend to remember the really impressive things or the negative things and not much else. I think there was a lot of negativity to remember from last year so next year has to be better. I was reminded of a ride I took in a department store by my Sister-In -Law, Donna, Roger's wife. This was many years and pounds ago in Grand Rapids. Seeing me crammed in the ride must have impressed Donna because she still remembers and couldn't believe I have no recall. I couldn't see myself and nothing bad happened so there was nothing there for me to remember.

   I recently saw a flock of between 50-75 turkeys on Ostrander road just west of Maybe in Monroe county. I thought this to be very impressive and I'll remember this for a while. I've only seen flocks that big in the thumb area never this close to home and that reminded me of the turkey me and my boys saw just on the shore of the Detroit River. This was a few years ago and it was about the same time my neighbor said he saw a turkey sitting on our fence and a coworker told me a turkey had traffic bottled up at Pennsylvania road and Biddle in Wyandotte. You must admit these are amazing things that anyone would remember for a long time. Then there are the "other" memories, like the truck and boat floating in the river, that are better left for another time.

   Some things to put on your calendar to remember:

The last weekend in Jan. Ray's Prime Meats in Taylor will be making their venison bacon so if you were lucky this year this is a real treat to use up some of you deer cache.

The Ultimate Fishing Show Jan. 12-15 at the Suburban Collection Showplace

There will be a NRC meeting in the Hyatt Regency, 600 town Center Drive, Dearborn, on Feb 9th.

This is your chance to make your voice heard by those making the decisions on your hunting and fishing.

Along those lines in you received a deer hunting survey complete it and if you hunted turkey in the fall go to the DNR website and complete the hunting activity report, even if you didn't get one.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Inventions

2011-12-28T12:39:00.001-05:00

Here are some neat tips for all you outdoor people.

Apply for the Pure Michigan Hunt online or at any license agent. A great prize

Fishing:
Use heat shrink tubing to help your wacy worm last longer. Just cut a 1/2" piece of heat shrink tubing with a large enough diameter to slip over your worm and heat until it fits snug. Insert hook thru both heat shrink and worm.

Hunting:
For all of the lucky pheasant hunters out there or and bird hunters check this video out.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Wolf Delisting?

2011-12-23T14:14:00.001-05:00

We've heard this many times before but now this may become a reality. Due to Congress passing a law to delist wolves it becomes very hard for the anti-hunting groups to " persuade " a judge to put an injunction on any sane decision the Department of Natural Resources makes. Finally we'll have people making decisions on wolf numbers based on scientific data. This will make residents and hunters in the UP very happy.

   Recently it was stated that the wolves were introduce by the MDNR 30 years ago. This was news to me as they've always said the wolves came down from Canada thru Minnesota and Wisconsin to get here. If they were introduced I'd like to know who decided that dumb move. Now, however, it looks like we can expect a wolf season soon. Up until now to hunt a wolf was a major undertaking. Some Canadian provinces let non residents hunt wolves but the license is costly and to get into Canada with a gun is tricky at best. Idaho and Montana are currently in their wolf seasons and let non residents hunt. Idaho charges $187 to hunt wolves and with travel costs at almost $1000 in the least the urge to hunt a wolf must be strong.

   People involved with the first hunts in Idaho 2 years ago are saying the wolves are much more wary now that they have been hunted before. As with any hunting finding your quarry is more than half the battle and 2 years ago the wolves would respond to howling challenges which greatly helps the hunter. Now the wolves aren't as vocal and tend to stay farther away from places inhabited or roads so a lot of leather work is needed. Only time will help hunters figure out what's needed to successfully fill a tag.

   So if your interested in hunting the eye of the pyramid in the predator chain the first season in Michigan will be the best. I'm sure there'll be many farmers willing to let you hunt their land if and when a wolf season opens here. This situation has gone on too long without any plan in place to control this predator and like any other problem that's left to fester, emotion run high on both sides. Hopefully now the MDNR will be allowed to study and control the population of wolves although with declining revenues I'm sure they'll just try to deal with the worst problem areas. With the loss of ~200,000 deer hunters to the tune of $14 each has got to be putting a lot of pressure on the department and the decisions on where the money they have will be spent. Baiting was reintroduce late in the year and some hunters may not have received the message but weather you like this type of hunting strategy or not it helps the weekend hunters feel good about their chances. Do wolves like sugar beets? oh that's right we can't buy them here. Maybe they'll go for corn and we can hunt wolves and deer together.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Crossbow Crossroads

2011-12-06T13:29:00.001-05:00

That's where I'm at. The crossroads of buying a crossbow or not. My boys both got deer already during the bow season using these high tech devises. Justin got a doe on hard hunted state land in October. It was an amazing shot right thru the heart. Jason got his 8 point buck in early November a nice rack with a 14 inch spread. His 25 yard shot didn't hit any bone and we couldn't find the bolt in the tall weeds so it must have been going pretty fast to bury in that stuff. Speed however is still higher in the new compounds so what's so special about these weapons?

Speed not being better what else is there for bow hunting. Crossbows usually have scopes on them but you can put a scope on a compound bow. Compounds are lighter than the counterpart so that's not it. I think it all boils down to the amount of practice needed to become proficient with the compounds. They're definitely easier to use, especially for women, but they do have some drawbacks.

Crossbows I think are clumsier to use because of the orientation of the weapon. A compound is in one hand and is balanced while the crossbow needs two hands to point and aim. The crossbow allures you into thinking you're using a gun which isn't a big problem unless one of the limbs catches on the window you're shooting thru. The biggest problem that occurs, as reported by vendors, is a user’s thumb can catch on the bow string causing injury. This injury can be very severe so chose a new crossbow accordingly.

So just like trying to decide on which deer license to purchase I'm not sure about buying a new crossbow. Do I really need another option to hunt deer with? It's probably more important to hunt in a good area with high deer numbers than to cover every option to take them with. So maybe I should use that money to lease some good hunting land, or maybe I could hire a guide to take me to the deer, or maybe buy a mountain bike to take me deeper into the woods, or maybe take deer calling lessons, or maybe....

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Deer Hunting in Michigan- Get Your Program and Lose Your Head Win $200

2011-11-10T20:27:00.000-05:00

The article will be much shorter than the headline implies. Compared to last year the regulations are easier to remember. Last year the combination of hunting scenarios was 47. That's combining hunting area, antlers/ no antlers, antler length, number of points and type of license. This year the regulations are more traditional lets say. However the baiting rules are much different, last year no baiting - this year baiting is allowed except for area 487. Well for most of area 487, the new regulations allow baiting in certain township included in the area. You'll have to check the regulations for which townships are excluded because once again the DNR has made it difficult to know them. So get a program and good luck his year.

Another decision the DNR made but hasn't got the word out about is the cash for TB. If you're luck enough to bag a deer in the 487 area, and are willing to turn in your head , if your deer is infected with TB then you'll win $200 from the DNR. They say lightning doesn't strike twice but you could bag a buck and bag some bucks all at the same time.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Extreme Makeover Downriver Edition

2011-11-04T14:58:00.003-04:00

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge will be celebrating the makeover of the area this Monday November 7th at 2pm in the Gibraltar Carlson High School. The DRIWR is the only international refuge in the country and the property just north of Humbug Marsh, designated the Refuge Gateway, has gone thru an amazing makeover in just a few short years. Considerable cleanup and restoration has been accomplished in 2011 including restoration of a natural shoreline, restoration of 3 acres of riparian buffer habitat (thanks to Nathan Lewis and the scout troop #802 out of Woodhaven), construction of a second access road, creation of the kayak landing and the greenway bike trail connecting Humbug marsh and Lake Erie Metropark. Amongst other projects with more to come.

From October 16, 2011

Not that long ago the developer, Made in Detroit, would have ripped this area apart to make a high end housing development with a marina and golf course. I wonder how that project would have ended up with the current economy. Definitely no where near the jewel it’s become so far and will become in the near future. So come and join Congressman Dingle and all those involved in the making for a truly joyous celebration.

From Downriver Outdoors

From October 16, 2011

Get Outdoors Downriver.

They Shoot Plates, Don't They?

2011-10-22T10:24:00.001-04:00

      Friday night at the Wayne County Sportsman Club they do during the "Duel". This is a neat set up that's unique for this area. There's a shooting booth that 2 shooters occupy and the starter spins a double arrow on the top of the booth to determine which shooter aims at which color plates. Whomever knocks down all their plates first advances to the next round. The last shooter standing wins.

   They have many rules that fill up a sheet of paper that make the event fun for everyone and safe. The gun must be of a .22 LR caliber with a barrel limit of 10 inches. No shooter may win more than $50/month or $200 per year but many compete anyway with the winnings going to the next eligible participant. The cost is $5 per game with a $1 clean up fee, very reasonable for a night of fun.

     The club also has skeet, trap (available under the lights at the end of video), a pistol range and archery. They host ANSS and ATA shoots, steak roasts and lots of other fun get together. Definitely check them out at http://www.waynecountygunclub.webs.com/. With the pheasant season upon us this is the only skeet shooting in the area to practice up.

Get Outdoors Downriver...

Ms. Nature

2011-10-17T00:33:00.001-04:00

I've taken my Grand Daughters for the last 5 years to the Oakwood Nature Center to attend the Tadpoles program. That's the park located just south of Michigan memorial Cemetery and is part of the Huron-Clinton Metro Park system along with Willow, Lower Huron and Lake Erie in this area. The $25 entry sticker gets you in all the parks in south east Michigan and is quite a bargain. Lake Erie is closer and has many attributes like the wave pool, boat launch and their own Nature center along with Luc the eagle. Our Granddaughters really like Oakwood because of the instructor Ms. Jennifer.

Ms. Jennifer is a grade school teacher from the Deaborn School District and it shows when does the Tadploe program. I don't remember much from my Kindergarten classes but Ms. Jennifer is the best I've seen recently to combine a book and a craft around a theme. This month's was spiders, kind of a lead in to Halloween. She reads the book and draws pictures to explain things in the book. To keep 3-6 year olds attention for 15 - 20 minutes while she covers the book is amazing and well worth the price of admission. Then there's the craft and the parents/guardians are needed so everyone gets involved.

At the same time there's a program for the 8-10 year olds. Our Oldest Grand daughter still likes to stay with Ms. Jennifer but in just a short hike around the center the participants discovered some mushrooms, many of which I'd never seen before. So check this program out.

Go to their website to check out all the events they have.
http://www.metroparks.com/parks/index_all.aspx?ID=10
Like the Owl Prowl on November 11th and 12th.

Don't forget Veteran's appreciation Day.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Perch Madness

2011-09-25T22:29:00.001-04:00

Saturday was the Downriver Walleye Federation Perch Tournament and the die hards were out. Actually it was great weather but I think the giant low pressure system parked over us put a damper on the fish. Recent reports had the fish coming in shallow and really biting but the results weren't there on Saturday. A nice time was had by all with the food offered at weigh in. The biggest fish was caught by John Lewandowski at 1.14 lbs and 13 3/4 inches. Bob Clark and John also supplied the pickles.

Captain Jerry Hinton guide his team to the overall title amassing 6.34 lbs. Doesn't sound like much but the rules of this tournament allow only 10 fish to be weighed in. Last year pre-fishing for the tournament Jerry and his partner caught 2 limits weighing 75lbs. So the 10 didn't average quite as good but still fine none the less. The rest of the team was made up of M. Pasik, T. Taylor, D. Bloxum and M. Barkley. Congrats to all, it's always nice to be in a tournament, get in next year.

, 2011

Looks like the weather should be better by Thursday so go get some perch.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Fall Back

2011-09-22T23:02:00.001-04:00

I just got back from a long trip to Colorado. It's always amazing for me to see the Rockies. From awe inspiring to sheer terror in just a few miles. We went out for my niece's wedding and were part of a beautiful experience from the church to the reception. The lodge we stayed at and attended the reception at has a view of Long's Peak, one of Colorado's 50+ 14,000 foot and higher peaks. My BIL, Dan and I climbed this beast 40 years ago so the sight of old Diamond Face brought back a lot of memories.

We took Trail Ridge Road thru Rocky Mountain National Park and were entertained by the sights.

What a beautiful place to visit.

On the way home I met up with Jay Wolf from Illinois that bagged a nice 5x5 elk with Hubbard Creek Outfitters out of Hotchkiss, CO. Jay had a great hunt and his guide got him to 125 yards so the muzzleloader could get the job done. Shoot me an email Jay with all the details if you read this.

We stopped on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River to get some Kum and Go gas and saw this trio.

So it's time for fall and time to get back in the hunting mode. That means target practice weather its bow and arrow, or shotgun, or rifle get out and put your time in. Bow and arrow practice can be had at the local Gander Mountain, the Lincoln Bowman's range and Wayne County Sportsman's Club. Shotgun at Wayne County Sportsman's Club with non-members paying a little extra for skeet shooting. Rifle practice can be had at Western Wayne County Conservation Association. Get out early.

Hopefully you've consulted my calendar during my hiatus. Maybe you saw a kettle of raptors at Hawkfest, or heard the Championship duck caller at the Point Moullie Waterfowl Festival.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Find Your Niche

2011-08-20T11:22:00.000-04:00

I recently talk to a good friend of mine that's a charter captain on the great lakes. He follows the fish from one side of the state to another depending on what's biting. Captain Dan from Stormy Chinook Charters starts fishing in April from Lexington then heads to Drummond Island from the end of May till early June. From June to half of July he's at the tip of the thumb then he heads to Frankfort for the rest of the season. Like my cousin Jojo it's hard to know where Dan is half the time. His daily schedule during the fishing season is very rigorous, we met him at the boat at 4:30 am for the morning fish. He'll get done cleaning fish after 11 pm most nights. That's a crazy schedule and he's booked up most of 6 months. I couldn't last a week let alone 25+ years like Dan has. He says it's a love to do what he's doing, in some minds it would compare to torture. You can tell he really enjoys what he's doing as he sets up ten lines in record time, just don't touch the steering wheel or any other equipment unless ofcourse there's a fish on. Dan is driven to catch fish and it seems that’s a common denominator in successful guides. They start young and fish all hours of the day then develop a way to take others out to make a living. Drive is imperative but some use creativity to keep successful.

Stormy Chinook

Jon Bondy was at the Downriver Walleye Federation meeting this month to talk about fishing the river. He started young fishing for smallmouth and walleye but was then smitten by an incidental catch, a musky. When a big fish hits and tries to yank the rod out of your hands while taking line out of the reel it's an exhilarating experience, one you tend to remember. Jon couldn't forget and the passion he developed caused him to concentrate on catching these fish and using some extreme measures. At least that's how the clubs musky expert tells it. Mr. Johnson also has the musky fever and while he was trying to treat it one day a kid in a tiny boat came up and started to follow him. Mr. Johnson enjoys his solitude during these musky fever treatments and so after some negotiations he showed the kid how he was fishing and actually let him catch one of his musky. That kid was Bondy tying to learn everything he could about the ways of muskies. Jon used Mr. Johnson's techniques and caught many fish while trying different methods like casting. What he found was that after 9 am his catch rate really dropped off causing him to think the fish were moving into deep water. After all that's where he was making the incidental catches fishing for walleye. So after much trial and error he came up with the Bondy bait.

Bondy bait

The baits have been around for a while and Jon has been on many outdoor TV shows and in many outdoor magazines. A smaller version is out now and are being used to catch lake trout and also some saltwater fish. It's nice to see a local guy make good even if he's on the wrong side of the river.

Another guide often seen on the Detroit River is Lance Valentine he's often seen because he drives a big white boat and is hard not to notice. Lance's niche is walleye and he likes to talk about anything and everything about walleye. You may have heard of his Walleye 101 web site where the motto is “Teachin' fishin' ...That's our mission”. Check out his site for everything to do with walleye fishing from techniques on fishing, sonar use, gps workshops and fishing reports. His latest endeavor is “Catch For a Cause” along the same lines of Sparky Anderson's charity with a different kind of catch. It's a fishing tournament on Lake Belleville in conjunction with the HOSPICE of Michigan. There is a ton of prizes for a raffle that uses tickets won during the event depending of which fish you catch. There's also a bigger ticket raffle that anyone can buy a ticket to win. Visit Lance's site for more info or to buy tickets.

Lance

Get Outdoors Downriver...

Heat Wave

2011-07-21T15:13:00.001-04:00

Forcasted high is 100^oF. Record high for this date is 96^oF so it looks like we're headed for the history books. It makes it hard to get Outdoors Downriver but there's so much going on. The top draw would be the Trenton Boat Races known as the "Roar on the River". The activities start tomorrow so check out their web site- http://trentonroarontheriver.com/ for more info. They have a fund raiser on the Diamond Jack boat but you can take a cruise Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays leaving Wyandotte's Bishop park at 1 and 3:30pm. See their web site for more info-http://www.diamondjack.com/.

Remember the water is only about 75^oF so the ride should be a bit cooler than being on shore. Lake Erie Metro Park has boat tours also on a limited basis. Check their web site for more info- http://www.metroparks.com/calendar_item.aspx?ID=1727&PID=7&r=3 or go to the Discovery Cruise's web site-ID=1727&PID=7&r=3 http://miseagrant.umich.edu/discovery/ here's the schedule.

Lake Erie Metropark 2011 Schedule
Cruise Dates	Cruise Times
	10am	2pm	6pm	9pm
June 25 - Saturday	No Child Left on Shore	No Child Left on Shore
July 1 - Friday				Fireworks!
July 6 - Wednesday	ROV Adventures	ROV Adventures	River deTroit History
July 7 - Thursday	Eagle's Eye	Aliens Among Us	Bob-Lo Island	Night Watch
July 8 - Friday	Great Lakes Science for Teachers		Whiskey River
July 9 - Saturday	Eagle's Eye	Strait Talk History	Bob-Lo Island	Night Watch
July 10 - Sunday	Eagle's Eye	Big River Meander
July 13 - Wednesday	All Aboard Kids	Shipping Out	River deTroit History
July 14 - Thursday	Wind, Waves & Weather	Fish Story	Eagle's Eye
July 15 - Friday	Bob-Lo Island	Shipping Out	Handy Billy
July 16 - Saturday	Whiskey River	Lower Lighthouse Lore	Eagle's Eye
July 17 - Sunday	Eagle's Eye	Strait Talk History	All Aboard Kids
July 22 - Friday	Aliens Among Us	Eagle's Eye	River deTroit History
July 23 - Saturday	Strait Talk History	Lower Lighthouse Lore	Detroit River Revival
July 24 - Sunday	Fish Story	Big River Meander
July 25 - Monday	Journey Through the Straits (10:30-4:30)

Getting closer to the water would be a canoe or kayak outing. The Riverside Kayak Connection in Wyandotte has tours and classes to get you on the water. Every Saturday and Sunday at Elizabeth Park they rent kayaks. Check their web site for more info- http://www.riversidekayak.com/.

Extreme Fishing Gets Good

2011-07-12T15:46:00.001-04:00

The Lindberg Flash says walleye are almost jumping in the boat on the DR delta. Many reports are coming in from up and down the river of limits. Summer is finally here and the mayflies are gone. Many fish, especially walleye, just gorge themselves on these pupae. The fishing usually slows during this time, except for the silvers, so it's a good time to be fishing now that they're gone. Unless you're into extremes.

Extreme Fishing show host British actor Robson Green returns for yet another series of the show in which he travels the world screaming and swearing his head off as he reels in the fish. Today he is visiting Detroit and he's probably going to fish one of the hot spots on the river. Fighting Island, Mud Island, Sugar Island, pick any island and you should find some fish around. So which island does Robson pick? Zug Island!

He usually goes after an exotic fish, a toothy relative of piranha or a hammerhead shark or even octopus. What is he fishing for around Zug? His specialty is competing with local anglers using their fishing techniques. So let me guess, he'll be handlining for carp. Oops sorry handlining isn't fishing, my bad. We'll just have to wait and see what’s so exotic about fishing the old channel of the Rouge River. Probably the view.

What is it about the rest of the world and Detroit? Writers covering the Autoshow cover the desolation of the city, ESPN writes about how rundown and depressing the city is and then the show about what would happen if humans were wiped off the face of the earth; building unoccupied for 50 years, crumbling with trees and other things growing out of the cracks. Nothing about the sharp new cars or the new sporting venues we have and surely nothing about new neighborhoods going up around the city.

I made a call to Lockeman’e Hardware in Delray to find out the scoop. Dave said I should call Andy’s Bait and Tackle Shop who was contacted by the Friends of the Rouge River. This was becoming a tangled web and I found out that Delray resident Danny Newsome would be Green’s competition. The FOTR, http://www.therouge.org/, had contacted Mr. Green about fishing the Rouge and showing off how much the river has been cleaned up. It looks like this may turn positive after all. The program is only aired in the UK and should be available in September. Green’s web site is;

http://www.robsongreen.com/extreme-fishing/#

From a very reliable source I’m told that Zug Island wasn’t an island until 1888 when Mr. Zug let the River Rouge Improvement Company cut a small canal through the south section of his property to connect the Rouge River and the Detroit River more directly (this Short Cut Canal, as it came to be known, was enlarged in the early 1920s by Henry Ford to allow large ships to more easily navigate to and from his famous Ford Rouge Complex. Making it easier for Iron Warriors like Yash to build our country. Like sands thru the hour glass so are the changes on this river.

Happy Birthday Amelica

2011-07-02T15:25:00.002-04:00

Yes this weekend we're celebrating my Daughter's birthday along with the country's. It seems just a few short years ago that she was born. It was the 200th anniversary of declaring our freedom. Now she's old enough to be President. Happy birthday Melissa! Let take a fishing trip if you can pull yourself away from all of the Bike Club meetings.

Fishing will be on the US side since she doesn't have a Canadian license. For those of you that have them I ran across an article from Bassmasters.com:

From Bassmaster.com

Anglers caught in Canada's border crackdown
Lake Erie
B.A.S.S.
For U.S. anglers, what is required when fishing Canadian waters on Lake Erie remains unclear.

By Frank Sargeant
Jun 29, 2011

On May 30, 22-year-old Roy Andersen of Baldwinsville, N.Y., motored to his favorite fishing spot in the Gananoque Narrows of the Thousand Islands area in the St. Lawrence River — as he had done dozens of times before — and proceeded to fish for pike and perch.

But in short order, two officers from the Canadian Border Services Agency boarded his boat and informed him he was in violation of customs procedures. He had failed to report in to Canadian customs when he crossed the international border at midriver.

This amazed Andersen, since not only he but hundreds of other U.S. anglers routinely cross the border to fish. The norm has been that so long as no one attempted to anchor or land on Canadian soil, reporting in was de-facto not required.

But the CBSA officers understood the rules differently, and they informed Andersen that if he did not pay a $1,000 fine, on the spot, his boat would be confiscated!

Andersen managed to pay with a credit card, but the incident, which seemed to mark a dramatic change in Canadian policy on border enforcement for boaters and fishermen, has ruffled feathers all the way to Washington.

Andersen is appealing the fine, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Congressman Bill Owens, both of New York, have sent letters to the head of CBSA requesting an explanation of the change in policy. The outcome of the incident could have an impact on tournament anglers as well as casual fishermen throughout the border region, since anglers routinely pass back and forth across the unmarked open-water border during fishing trips throughout the Great Lakes and the connecting rivers.

The possibility of fines and confiscation of property threatens anglers competing in the upcoming Bass Pro Shops Northern Open on Lake Erie out of Sandusky, Ohio, as well as B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events on border waters.

There’s been a lot of confusion over what’s required, with different offices and officers of the CBSA interpreting the rule differently now that the question has come to a head.

Here’s what Chris Kealey, spokesperson for Canadian Border Services Agency’s Northern Ontario Region, told Bassmaster.com:

“These rules have not changed. If you are entering Canadian waters by boat and you drop anchor or go to shore to refuel, lunch or shop, you must report to Canada border services. It’s the same for Canadians going into U.S. waters.

“However, there is an exception that states if you are in transit from one location in U.S. waters to another in U.S. waters and pass through Canadian waters temporarily, that is permitted without reporting in to CBSA. And we also recognize that, in some areas, navigation into Canadian waters may be necessary for safe passage. In the Thousand Islands, for example, you might travel into Canada to avoid islands and shoals in many areas on the U.S. side, and that’s no problem.”

Captain Rick Unger, president of the Lake Erie Charterboat Association, said that he had never had an issue in many decades of taking anglers into Canadian waters to fish for walleyes, nor had he heard of any other skippers who had run afoul of CBSA — until the Andersen case.

“This is a big issue for us, naturally, so I tried to run it down,” Unger said. “I called the CBSA’s CANPASS remote reporting number and got hold of the Windsor office, and the officer in charge there told me flat out that word had come down from the top last week that they were not going to require U.S. boaters and fishermen to report unless they anchor or go ashore, period. I called back the next day, got another officer, and got the same answer. So, the members of our association are proceeding on that, (and we’re) fishing as we always have without reporting on trips that go straight out and straight back to U.S. ports.”

Chris Kealey of CBSA agrees: “We understand that boaters may not even know when they cross the border at times; in general, our enforcement people are not going to arrest and fine fishermen who do not attempt to anchor or land. However, if you have doubts, you can call 888-226-7277 anywhere along the Canadian/U.S. border to report in,” Kealey told BASS Times.

Chris Bowes, tournament manager for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, said that based on what is known at this point, anglers in the Lake Erie event (scheduled for Aug. 25-27) will be permitted to cross over and fish the Canadian side of the lake, but they will be advised to check in by phone with a Canadian customs office.

Some good and bad news about our country's bird the eagle. Last year I wrote about the eagle I saw soaring over I-75 coming back from turkey hunting. This year I heard of an eagle being shot in Genesse County a mile from where I saw the bird. It had to be the same one. Now this:

An injured bald eagle is recovering from a gunshot wound and should take flight again soon.

The five year old male eagle was rescued February 17 in Genesse County with a broken wing after being shot. The eight pound eagle was moved to the Howell Conference and Nature Center from Monroe in early May to continue rehabilitation. The facility has a large flight pen which allows the bird to fly back and forth to regain the strength necessary to survive in the wild.

Veterinarian Maxine Biwer tells Action News the eagle's release could possibly come in the next three or four weeks. The shooter was apprehended and fined heavily.

O' Canada, Don't take my Fathers Day Away

2011-06-22T23:39:00.015-04:00

   I had a great day on the water this past Sunday with my sons. It was a little wind but not uncomfortably so. For 4 hours we were out on an adventure to catch whatever may come our way. Rekindling the past, bonding , catching up. While not all but most of our time on the water was spent on the Queens side of the Detroit River. It seems that may have been our last one. The cost of the license is high but not prohibitive but now with the reports out of New York state in order to fish those waters reporting in is mandatory and failure to do so will cost a $1000 fine.

   Roy M. Anderson, a seasonal resident of Thousand Island Park, found out May 30 that long-held notions of where it's OK for United States citizens to fish no longer apply. While fishing a favorite spot in the Gananoque Narrows with a friend, his boat was boarded and then "seized" by Canadian Border Services Agency officers. I was dumbfounded," Mr. Anderson, 22, Baldwinsville, said. "My dad's 67 years old and he's fished there his whole life without a problem."

   According to Mr. Anderson, officers came aboard his boat and checked his $83 Canadian fishing license, which he always carries, and checked for outstanding criminal warrants, of which there were none. Trouble started when Mr. Anderson was asked if he had reported his presence in Canada at a port of entry, which he had not. At the time, he was less than a quarter-mile into Canadian waters.

   "I was told, 'If you are in Canadian waters, you should be running toward a port of entry. If you're not running toward a port of entry, you are in violation of the law,'" he said. Mr. Anderson, who fishes the narrows daily in the summer, said he had been checked previously by Ontario Provincial Police and Canadian game wardens and was always left with the impression that, as long as he was not anchored or otherwise on shore, he was doing nothing illegal.

   This time, his boat was searched for contraband and seized and he was told that it would cost him $1,000 to get it back. If he could not immediately come up with the money, he would be placed in handcuffs and made to lie on his stomach while his boat was towed to shore in Canada, where he could face a fine of up to $25,000 under the Canadian Customs Act."I had to pay it on the spot," Mr. Anderson said. "They seized my boat and I had to buy it back on the spot."

   Why the change in policy enforcement? Here is something that you need to keep an eye on. Two cases of border patrol giving tickets to boaters on the river (St. Laurence). Case #1 was a US. fisherman who was drift fishing in Canadian. water near Ga. when he was stopped by Cd. border patrol and asked for his fishing license which he had. They then asked for his reporting in # and he did not have one since he had not landed but had had just come by boat for the US to fish, not touched land or anchored. They told him since he was not under power he was deemed to have landed and they gave him a ticket for $1,000.00 which had to be paid on the spot by credit card or they would impound the boat. The guy paid the ticket – I saw the photo copy of this ticket at a meeting of the 1000 Is. International Tourism Council. He was told that he should have gone to report in station in Gan and phoned in when he came over AND phoned back in before he left Cdn. water. US fishing guides and resort owners are having fits!!

   Case #2 was reported to Mary at Caiger’s by a regular customer who said it happened to member of his family ( I have no proof to confirm this ). A guy on a PWC went from Canada to Boldt Castle, just to look at it from the water. He drove around it and decided to stop on the water to look at it more closely. While stopped on the water he never touched land or anchored. He was stopped by US border patrol and given a $300 ticket for illegal entry into the US. The customer that told Mary the story went to customs at Boldt Castle to inquire about the law and the officer on duty said that he knew nothing about the law. The ticket was written by a different agency. Apparently there are laws on the books in both countries that say if you are not under way you are considered to have landed and they have been there for ever but have not been enforced. This should make for an interesting season for tournament anglers and recreational fishermen.

   So it seems that a game of tit n tat is going on for some reason. The Canada Border Services Agency is adamant that all anglers will need to check in. Superintendent Wiley told me the policy is the same in Michigan waters, New York waters and the Boundary waters between Minnesota and Ontario. You must use an approved phone on land in order to do this. Everyone on the boat will have to have a passport, passport card , an I-68 card, a Nexus card or carry their birth certificate with them in case they are checked. The number to call is (888) 226-7277 and is available 24 hours a day.

   The State Department said Tuesday that Canadian border officers had the law on their side when they seized an American fisherman's boat and fined him $1,000 for fishing in Canadian waters without registering at customs. In fact, they could have made him pay more, the department said. In a statement, the State Department said the Canada Border Services Agency was acting within "long standing regulations" by penalizing Roy M. Anderson, the Thousand Island Park resident who was snagged by Canadian officers while fishing, unanchored, in a favorite spot in the Gananoque Narrows. All foreign boaters must report to Canadian authorities upon arrival in Canadian waters regardless of whether they anchor their boats, the State Department said, echoing the Canadian government's position. North country boaters have long been under the impression they did not have to report unless they anchored.

   A spokesman at the State Department's Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Charles E. Luoma-Overstreet, said in a statement, "We understand that this case was handled consistent with long standing regulations. We refer you to Canadian authorities for further information."The State Department's backing of the Canadians' approach comes as Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, challenges the CBSA's interpretation of the law and after New York officials asked the CBSA to refund Mr. Anderson his $1,000.

   David A. McCrea, a charter captain out of Henderson who fishes frequently in Canada, said "there's no rhyme nor reason" to be found in the enforcement of the Canadian fishing and boating regulations. He said calls to the border agency's Canadian Passenger Accelerated Service System, or CANPASS, which is designed to expedite the customs and immigration process, rarely provides a satisfactory answer as to what is and isn't allowed. You call that number five times and get five different answers," he said. "You just keep calling back until you get the answer you're looking for and then you get that guy's badge number.""They don't want us to go over there. It's quite apparent to me," he said. "It'll be the last time I buy a Canadian fishing license."

   O'Sammy's been gone for a little over a month now but his reach is still pulling at us from the grave. I don't know the reason for the change in interpretation of the Canadian Customs Act but it seems we're dancing to a tune not familiar to friends but from a place far away. As the war on terror winds down we need to rely on trust more and not a change in policy to crack down on law abiding citizens. With all of the money spent on high tech gadgetry to stop illegal crossings, allowing a dad and his sons to float down the river may be worth more in the long run to all of us.

This was a compilation of info from these articles:
http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/users/tweinz/blog/be-prepared-if-your-fishing-the-us-or-canadian-side-of-a-body-of-water-109390.aspx

http://watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110621/NEWS02/306219939/-1/NEWS

http://watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110622/NEWS02/306229942/0/news
Get Outdoors Downriver

Derby Days, AIM to please

2011-06-07T14:41:00.005-04:00

Thanks to the Wyandotte Jaycees and to everyone involved for a great Kid's Fishing Derby last Saturday. The weather was perfect and the fish cooperated. A big thank you goes out to the bait shops that donated bait for the derby. The Wyandotte Boat Launch donated all the worms and minnows were donated by Bottom Line Bait and Tackle of Gibraltar, Bait and Tackle box of Trenton, The Lighthouse Bait Shop also of Trenton and the Dip Net from Ecorse. Please frequent these businesses because the value of the bait donated is higher this time of the year with the fishing and the weather turning outstanding at the same time.

Derby Winners –

5 – 8 age category

Most Fish – Jonathan Lesko – 13 fish
Largest Fish – Elizabeth Richardson
Smallest Fish – Sean Stambersky
Most Unusual – Kyla Summers – Napkin

9 – 13 age category

Most Fish – Clara Kissling – 10 fish
Largest Fish – Kayla Salamon
Smallest Fish – Wallen Woodward
Most Unusual – Joseph Crenshaw – plastic bag

Judges provided by – Wyandotte Big Boys

In the river a limit of silver bass is attainable with shiners and attention to your rod tip. In Lake Erie a limit of walleye is the norm trolling BBs with meat from Holiday Beach in Ontario to the shores of Enrico Fermi with direction of troll being the trick. Check your bait shop for info on either.
******
The Gibraltar Fishing Derby is this weekend, Sunday June 12th. Top prize is $500 for the heaviest 5 walleyes. Many other fishing and raffle prizes will be up for grabs. Check-in at Lake Erie Metro between 6:30 and 9am with weigh-in at the ramp between 11am and 2pm. Fish fry to follow at the Gibraltar Comm. Center. $30 for entry into the tourney and dinner, $10 just for dinner. Kids under 12 fish free. Call Bob at 675-5182 for further info. MI waters only.
******
A different type of derby took place in Brimley Michigan. The AIM Walleye tournament was held with Brett King registered 19 fish over three days to take first place and $40,000 in the AIM Bay Mills Resort and Casino Invitational Walleye Tournament. The winning recipe, according to tournament officials, came in the form of slow trolling cranks in shallow water. King jumped out to a big lead on Thursday with seven fish coming in at 26.56 pounds under the organization's catch-record-release policy, and added to his lead on Friday with another 29.02 pounds. Saturday's bite was a tough one for King, but with the overwhelming numbers he built on the first two days no one could catch him even though he only managed to pull two fish totaling 4.62 pounds in the finale.Joe Okada finished second with 49.33 pounds good for just over $7,000, while Robert Blosser came in third with 43.90 pounds and pocketed over $5,700.

Did you catch the 19 fish weighed in 3 days? The limit for walleye is 5 per day in Great Lakes waters of the UP. Do they get special dispensation for the over limits? No, this group of fishermen uses new technology to determine the amount of fish caught. The primary innovation is the exclusive AIM Catch-Record-Release™ (CRR™) format. This is something that many anglers have been clamoring for like Jack Kell from Southgate MI. “It’s a shame that they kill all those big fish just to have a tournament” is his sentiment. Most fishing organizations that have fishing tournaments try their best to keep the fish alive before and after weigh-in. Some studies indicate many of these fish die even days later and far from the weigh-in site, out of sight out of mind. With CRR, teams of Pro Anglers and Co-anglers measure each walleye on the official AIM ruler and take a digital photograph, record the length of each walleye on the official scorecard, and then immediately release the live fish. NO fish are brought to the “weigh-in” stage. Instead, the Pro Angler selects the SEVEN largest walleyes that are tallied for his daily weight. (The length of each walleye is converted to pounds and ounces using a standardized formula prior to taking the stage.)

The photos of the largest walleyes caught are displayed to the weigh-in fans – and also included in the live streaming of the proceedings on www.aimfishing.com. Because all fish are recorded and then immediately released, Pro Anglers are allowed to “weigh” fish within local “slots” that would otherwise be excluded from the daily bag.
The AIM Catch-Record-Release™ format has three huge advantages for the sport of competitive angling.
• First, AIM tournaments can be scheduled at the best times of the year for catching the most fish at each tournament site. Tournaments have been prohibited in many locations at certain times of the year due to fish kills associated with conventional formats that hold the fish in “live wells”.
• Second, AIM tournaments reward the Pro Anglers that catch the biggest fish – not the anglers that were fortunate enough to catch fish in a certain order, dictated by local slot limits and possession rules. As noted above, the daily weigh limits for AIM tournaments include the SEVEN largest walleyes. This also means that a Pro Angler can come from behind and advance many places; the excitement continues up to the last minute of the last day!
• Third, AIM Pro Anglers can not suffer penalties that are assessed in other formats for fish that are not releasable. With many events being decided by mere ounces, “dead fish” penalties are never a deciding factor in AIM tournaments.

Another key component of AIM Pro Walleye Series™ events is that most are being scheduled to coincide with local festivals. While tournament angling is exciting to the participants, it receives lesser interest from the general public. Scheduling AIM events within festivals helps to expose the sport of fishing to an audience of literally hundreds of thousands of new people. The festival attendees will see tournament anglers, along with their impressive boats and tow vehicles (and sponsor affiliations) up close at the AIM weigh-ins.
In addition to the weigh-in stage show for the local fans, the entire weigh-in is also broadcasted live at www.aimfishing.com. This live streaming includes interviews with the Pro Anglers and Co-anglers and photos of hundreds of the largest walleyes caught that day. Also featured are numerous videos taken by the AIM camera crew as well as video clips recorded by the anglers themselves. AIM has adopted the latest video technology to actually upload videos during the course of each tournament day. These “On the Water” videos are added continually to www.aimfishing.com (plus your iPhone) during the day and they provide the head-to-head competition that has never been possible to cover in tournament angling before. On Day Three of each tournament the top Pro Anglers’ boats are equipped with the AIM Pro Track™ GPS systems. Pro Track™ systems provide continual GPS tracks that can be followed all day at www.aimfishing.com. The GPS tracks not only show the exact locations of the leaders but also their travel speeds – allowing viewers to discern whether the trolling bite is working or the leaders have switched to jigging or are making a high-speed run to try a different “secret location.”

Their next tournament is June 22-24th; check them out on-line to witness the new format. Good Luck Mark Martin, http://www.markmartins.net/

Get Outdoors Downriver!

Remember

2011-05-30T13:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day to everyone, especially our Vets. If you know a Vet thank them for serving, if you don't know one adopt one at the VA hospital or any of our local assited living centers. At the least they gave up years to protect our freedom.

June 1st is the last day to apply for Michigan bear or elk permit drawings. Go here to get it done http://www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings

This pic was sent in by a reader from his place on Secord Lake near Gladwin.

Remember to send in those pics and...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Quackers in Paradise

2011-05-14T11:13:00.004-04:00

What would draw grown men to the edge of Lake Erie at 5am in the late fall? Yes, Fall. I’m just a little behind in my article chronology. This fine morning I came to find out what happens at the duck hunting drawings at the Point Mouillie Headquarters on Campau road. There were about 25 men waiting for the drawing results. As with all endeavors of chance there are those that try to sway favor their way. To this end the area manager, Joe Robinson, has listed almost 2 pages of rules to comply with in order to be eligible for a permit. Yet that doesn’t deter these men afflicted with the fever. As the numbers are drawn the best spots go first and it seemed these were the easiest to access, and they have corn. Many times the drawer for the day, Chuck Pulling, mentioned that you couldn’t wade that ditch because the water was over your head. Some areas are accessed by boat only so that’s another obstacle to overcome. Of the 12 areas for permit only 9 got picked for the morning hunt, there’s another drawing later for the afternoon hunt. Something Joe failed to mention when I first inquired about the permit process.

From Downriver Outdoors

So only a little more than half of the hunters got a permit and it seemed like a waste of time for the unlucky ones, time which could’ve been spent sleeping in. No, the fever doesn’t allow sleeping in; you have to be ready when shooting light becomes available. Ready means all decoys are deployed and a blind or some place to sit and not be seen by incoming birds is set up. So getting a permit only allows an easier, quicker set up, the others usually already know where they’ll be. Then it becomes a matter of first come, first to set up. There are 4000 acres in the Point Mouillie State Game Area and with a little work you can find your own little paradise within it’s’ boundaries. As I left the drawing building I could hear a cacophony of duck sounds that I didn’t hear just half an hour earlier. I don’t know if it was just the normal chatter of the duck or an in your face tease like here I am come and get me.

PMSGA is considered the “Jewel of the Midwest” by many and not only duck hunters. It’s a natural flyway for ducks and many other birds and that’s what makes it so popular. Many birds use it as a reference for their migrations north and south. As I wrote last fall about the Hawkfest at Lake Erie Metropark, many birders flock to the area to catch a glimpse of birds that may only be in the area for a few days on their trips back and forth. Everyone visiting the site must follow the rules and regulations of use. The most notable is that no one is allowed within the PMSGA after September 15th and the end of duck season, usually the first weekend in December, without a permit. Call the area’s headquarters at 734-379-9692 between 8am and noon on Wednesdays only to ask any questions about permits and other subjects. Check out Jerry Jordan’s web page for info on what birds may be in the area at any time of the year. Last year while working outside at home I heard the most awful honk coming from the sky. I looked up to see a lone sandhill crane looking for a mate or just some company in its new climes.

Get Outdoors Downriver

River Trip

2011-05-07T10:12:00.000-04:00

All the heavenly bodies aligned today and I finally got to spend a good chunk of time on the river. 3-3-3: 3 waldos, 3 huge smallmouth and 3 silvers. Yes the silver scourge are coming. I guess they're late like everything else this year but when they come in the walleye are harder to find. This year is the hardest in recent memory so just the thought of making it harder is depressing.

The Boarder Patrol boats were out doing some kind of training, maybe. I didn't want to get too close to them so as not to become part of the training myself. The DNR and Wayne County boats are also out so make sure and check the boat for everything you must have for an inspection. Use the “quick list” to see if you are ready.
http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/ReviewPages/BoatUSF/PDF_files/section4.pdf this is a good page for info as is http://a0911806.uscgaux.info/Detriverwakezones.html

Something else I saw on the river

It's a cell phone picture so the quality isn't the best but these are nesting cormorants. Something that isn't supposed to be happening in the Detroit River area. At least that's what people involved with these birds tell me. If you see these birds nesting anywhere in our area send me a picture or notify the DNR using the cormorant report form(link just under and to the right of the slideshow. Seeing a cormorant 25 years ago was a rare sight and kind of gave you that "wildlife feel". Something reminding you there is wilderness somewhere. Now these birds are so numerous that you can only imagine what affect they're having on our fish population. Each bird eats a pound of fish per day but they can't eat big fish so a lot of little fish make up their diet. In the 7 months(210+ days) they live here they consume many fry of the fish we like. However, I'm told, let don't make a dent in any fish's population. We'll just have to wait and see.

Sacred Land Restoration Ceremony/ with update

2011-05-03T08:21:00.004-04:00

The Blessing went off without a hitch. Many members of the Wyandot Nation were in attendance confirming the reverence they have for the land their families have walked on for many eons. The Wyandot's were the first people to reference the sunflower, maybe it originated from around here. Corn, beans and squash were used in the ceremony as well as smoke from the tobacco plant to reclaim this brownfield and make it a place that wildlife and people will want to use. Over 200 students(would have been more if not for budget cuts) from Summit Academy in Huron Township, Southgate Anderson, Trenton and Gibraltar Carlson high schools were all well behaved and in awe of the happenings.

Faith keeper Tharehtade from the Quebec Wyandot carried out the blessing with the help of many Canadian(http://www.wyandotofanderdon.com/) and local members of the Wyandot including Chief Ted Roll.

The blessing was a kickoff for many projects that are happening at the sight. Right now there's a shoreline restoration going on using large land moving machines. This brief period of elevated noise will pay off big in the future for aquatic wildlife in the area. The crown jewel will be the fishing pier, placed out away from shore, that could become the most popular one this side of the Mississippi. http://www.fws.gov/midwest/detroitriver/HumbugRefugeGateway.html
This could open walleye fishing to more people than any other fishing pier in the world. That's quite a statement and the rest of the refuge is shaping up to be even better than the pier.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 4th - Refuge Gateway
5437 W. Jefferson Ave. Trenton, MI 12:00-2:00 pm
We invite you to join the Wyandot of Anderdon in
blessing the Shoreline Restoration at the Refuge Gateway.
We invite students to experience a traditional smudging ceremony, administered by the Wyandot of Anderdon, the local Native American Tribe. The ceremony will bless the restoration work at the Refuge Gateway and Humbug Marsh.
After the ceremony, students will embark on a journey to learn about the natural, industrial, and cultural history of our region through visiting 5 learning stations. Stations will include: history and culture of the Wyandot of Anderdon; industrial history of the Refuge Gateway; Monguagon wetland system restoration; shoreline restoration ; and the natural history and the habitat found in Humbug Marsh and the Refuge Gateway.
For More Infromation Contact:
Allison Krueger
ph: 734.692.7672
Dear Teachers and Administrators:
The Wyandot of Anderdon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invite your class to participate in a traditional blessing ceremony at the Refuge Gateway.
May 4th, Refuge Gateway, Trenton, MI
11:30 arrival, 12:00 pm ceremony, 2:00 pm dismissal
After the ceremony, the students will visit 5 learning stations to describe the natural, industrial, and cultural history of the Refuge Gateway site.
As a traditional Wyandot ceremony will be performed at this event, we ask that participating students act respectfully
and appropriately.
We would be honored by your classes’
participation in this upcoming
learning opportunity.

Schedule:
11:30 arrival,
12:00 pm Blessing Ceremony,
12:30-2:00 Visiting learning stations
2:00 pm dismissal
Directions:
The Refuge Gateway is located 1 mile south of Van Horn on West Jefferson Ave.
5437 W. Jefferson Ave, Trenton, MI 48183

ACTIVITIES:
1.WYANDOT OF ANDERDON SMUDGING CEREMONY & BLESSING OF THE LAND
LEARNING STATIONS:
2. INDUSTRIAL HISTORY: Learn the Refuge Gateway’s industrial history and how we are transforming this property back to wildlife habitat
3. MONGUAGON CREEK DAYLIGHTING: The Monguagon is a newly restored wetland at the Refuge Gateway, learn what ‘daylighting’ means and how it improves water quality
4. WYANDOT HISTORY: Discover the culture of the Wyandot of Anderdon, our local Native American tribe, and learn how they used these lands
5. NATURAL HISTORY: Learn what species of birds use this land with and how migratory species use it as stopover habitat
6. SHORELINE RESTORATION: The restoration of coastal habitat is significant to our area! Learn the why and what of this important restoration

ZZ Tops

2011-04-26T11:23:00.000-04:00

This year hunting turkey was different. Normally I’d be north of Bay City on the first or second week of the season trying to outwit a THUNDERBIRD. My cousin Jojo got permission to hunt a farm in the thumb area of Michigan from his wife’s uncle. This is the ZZ hunt unit and offered 2 weeks to hunt closer to home. We knew there were birds around but didn’t expect the turkey LOVETHING that would happen opening day.

We used a combination of pop up and ground blinds to cover the farm. Expecting most birds to be on the north side of the farm 3 hunters stationed there and I went south. Opening morning was cold and crisp; rice crispy snow fell much of the morning. Jo set out his Flambeau decoy, she’s got LEGS and SHE’S A HEARTBREAKER. Right at 8:30 a nice tom came in all HOT BLUE AND RIGHTEOUS calling out GIMMIE ALL YOUR LOVIN’ to the decoy. Jo punched his tag with a little GUN LOVE from his Browning 10 gage pump shortly there after. A big bird with a 9 1/2“ beard and 1 1/8” spurs.

From Downriver Outdoors

After lunch there were birds in the field when Jay went to Jojo’s blind. He would be using the same decoy with the PENTHOUSE EYES. Just decided to stay in his SLEEPING BAG and I headed south again. Soon Jay was surrounded by birds and everything was GOIN’ SO GOOD. Jo informed me that Deuce wouldn’t be going out for the afternoon hunt and I should use his blind due to the birds being on that side of the farm. The only problem was being seen by the flock around Jay and causing them to leave the field. So I used the NEIGHBOR NEIGHBOR’s hedgerow to stay out of site and got set up without being detected. Now I was looking directly west and even with the cloudy skies I wished I had some CHEAP SUNGLASSES.

Jay on the other side of the field has a DEAL GOIN’ DOWN. He’s got the SHARP DRESSED MAN coming in to the decoys. A huge tom, definitely the boss of the field. He’s just 10 yards out of range and here comes the WORLD OF SWIRL. Three jakes, young toms, going spastic chasing each other in a tight circle and are about as wanted as rowdy teenagers in church.

LB2 is up now, Jojo and he are having a PARTY ON THE PATIO watching the action from a good part of a quarter mile away. They can see the circling jakes and the boss tom strutting to beat the band in front of Jay. Then like it always can hunting turkey, things took a turn for the worse. The pesky jakes got up close to the decoy and didn’t like what they saw. When they started putting, the turkey alarm sound, the boss tom got nervous and started moving off. A long shot was attempted and missed the mark but did push the birds to my side of the field.

I was just on the other side of a rise in the field from the turkeys. I couldn’t see them but I could hear them clucking and purring. Soon I could see the top of a turkey fan tail then a PRETTY HEAD. Just on the other side of the rise, a fan then a head, a fan then a head, DON”T TEASE ME like this. The tom can’t see me in the Ameristep pop up blind but he’s GOT ME UNDER PRESSURE with the head bobbing, now I see him now I don’t. A light purr on my Abbas A-Way box call and the curiosity was too much for him. DUSTED. I felt like a TEN FOOT POLE. The tom sported a 9 3/4” beard with 1” spurs. Thank you Uncle Chet!

From Downriver Outdoors

Cursed Wind

2011-04-17T13:14:00.000-04:00

The MWC Pro Walleye Tournament was canceled today due to the unsafe conditions caused by this big blow. The winning team of Greg Bliznik and Keith Greear posted a 5 fish basket weighing 43.49 pounds yesterday. The wind is a curse of the early spring walleye fisher testing the boat handling abilities of everyone. This wind was just dangerous to go out in so congratulations to these two for the big catch yesterday.

Hopefully it won't take long for the river to clear up so we can get at this spring's run of this delectable fish.

Cormorants

2011-04-14T22:01:00.001-04:00

April Foolish

With all definitions of crazy aside, this story borders on craziness and April foolishness. As you can tell by my slide show, with the first picture being a cormorant devouring a nice sized pike, I think the black death from the sky is a very clear and present danger. This is why I have a link on the blog page for anyone that sees a cormorant to report it. This is why I volunteered to be a cormorant guard.

Saturday 4/2 I was at the Southgate library to volunteer for cormorant control. What type of shot to use was my first question. No these birds are federally protected. Only agents of the USFW service are authorized to do and rarely at that. . Tim Wilson, from the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Division, gave a very detailed presentation on the state of the cormorant in Michigan and what the different agencies are doing to try and control them. So I volunteered to be a cormorant guard. Guard them as in protecting? No, not hardly. Guarding them from a highly prized valuable.

Tim Wilson

You see the USFWS doesn’t think there are any cormorants south of northern Lake Huron, that’s why we need to get those reports in. I sent in a report last October after a quick outing on the river and counting 80+ cormorants. Yesterday I observed 220 flying north, there were many others swimming or flying east and west in the river so I couldn't get an accurate count, the ones I reported were flying off into the north. For years now the black death from the sky has been taking advantage of a fish near and dear to many. Who knows when it started, but for 8 years it’s been known that when fish are stocked at certain locations cormorants show up in droves for a free meal. These fish are steelhead smolts that stick around the area they’re planted for a week or 2 to get their bearings and imprint on the water source they’re in. Somehow cormorants have adapted to this, like someone ringing a dinner bell.

Somewhere Downriver

These fish are fairly large, raised in the hatchery to help their survival. The cost for each fish is in the neighborhood of $2 each by the time they’re released. Bob Eggleston released 35,564 fish today somewhere Downriver. Due to red tape the truck drivers can’t release the fish at night, which may not help anyway. How the cormorants know the stocked fish are there is a mystery, but keeping the fish safe is now the job of the cormorant guards. Bring it black death, I’ll be waiting.

Of course the ball game is in favor of the protected bird not the fish the state pays to raise. The only tools and tactics we can use are pyrotechnics, in certain areas, and using boats to herd the cormorants away. So for 2 weeks the sites will be manned with volunteers trying to save the young steelheads. If you have questions or wish to volunteer contact any of these organizations for details.

http://huronriverfishing.com/About%20HRFA.html

http://huronval.michigansteelheaders.org/

http://www.dwfonline.com/

15.9 pound Walleye, Biggest in 15 years

2011-04-14T12:27:00.004-04:00

Yesterday 4/13 at 9:30 am John Kinkead caught a hog walleye out of the lower Detroit River. John caught the fish of a lifetime on a jig tipped with a 4" Gulp in shad color. John took it to Bottomline Bait and Tackle to get some pictures taken. Bill at Bottomline says it's the biggest walleye from the river in the last 15 years. Congrats John.

John's big fish has all of the FLW pro anglers in town for this weekend's tournament itching for a chance at the same type of fish. Final weigh-in will be Sunday 4/17 at 3 pm at Elizabeth Park in Trenton. More pics and info to come.

From Downriver Outdoors

John caught the fish of a lifetime on a Northland jig in orange and black with a shad colored Gulp minnow body. The fish was 31 1/8 in length. For fishing updates from Bottomline shoot them an email at bottomlinebait734@yahoo.com

From Downriver Outdoors

Nathan Lewis Eagle Scout Aspirant

2011-04-01T20:14:00.000-04:00

Nathan Lewis, of Trenton, is completing a long journey in scouting to becomes an Eagle Scout. It's the last step in rank a scout can make, the last of 6. After many merit badges, outings, camping trips and projects the light at the end of the tunnel is coming into view.

Nathan, a junior at Gabriel Richard High School in Riverview, has been in scouting for 11 years. An endeavor he enjoyed because it introduced him to camping and he loves camping. After many camping outings with his troop, #802 out of Woodhaven, Nathan has been involved in some intense camping. These trips are on a par with the survivor reality shows. One was a week on an island just off of Florida, a week surrounded by saltwater. Are you thirsty yet? Last year was 10 days in New Mexico, so think desert. Foraging for food and water for 10 days in the desert, maybe love doesn't quite describe Nathan's zest for camping.

Now the Life Scout has just one more step to make Eagle Scout. Thanks in part to the leaders of troop 802 who made sure Nathan stayed on track. They have a good recipe there because Nathan isn't the only Eagle Scout to come out of the 802. Nathan isn't just a scout either, he's also a football player and track participant at school. So the project comes at a good time for him, a little lull so to speak. Also a good time for the vegetation to take root. Under the guidance of Allison Krueger, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Alliance landscape designer, Nathan and his troop installed 300 feet of fa-chine on the banks of the overflow from the retention pond on the north end of Humbug Marsh. The pond collects surface rain water from the surrounding area. This water used to go right into the river and now gets a natural treatment from the pond and Humbug Marsh. This is a big plus for the fish and animals in the refuge. I saw a pair of geese there already so the herons and egrets aren't far behind.

Congrats to Nathan for achieving the highest rank in scouting and a big thanks to all that helped with the project. Allison Krueger, Nathan's parents and the members of troop 802 that volunteered all deserve a big attaboy. If you'd like to help out on another of the DRIWRA's projects go to their website http://www.fws.gov/midwest/detroitriver/ and check it out. Volunteers are always appreciated in a wildlife refuge.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Antique Outboard Motor Show

2011-03-29T21:57:00.002-04:00

Lockeman's Hardware and Boat hosted it's annual outboard motor show last Saturday, 3/26/11. There were 15 outboards on display for judging by members of the Great Lakes Chapter of The Antique Outboard Motor Club, Inc. It's amazing how these members can get a 75 year old outboard motor to look. A lot of elbow grease and some fabricating are needed. Fabricating because parts are no longer available, that is unless Lockeman's doesn't have it in stock.

Along with the show is a swap meet in the alley. Quite a few vendors had the odd motor parts and things like motor covers which can be lost quickly in the Detroit River. It was a great turnout as I found out because by the time I got there the free doughnuts and hot dogs were gone. All in all everyone had a good time and enjoyed the show. Make sure to check my "To Do Downriver" next year to find out when it will be.

Get Outdoors Downriver

It’s Walleye Time Again

2011-03-22T13:45:00.005-04:00

Mark Martin was at the Downriver Walleye Federation meeting last night and if Mark’s in town the walleyes can’t be far behind. Mark was giving tips on fishing the Detroit River and the 500+ in attendance were all ears. You can judge the interest in a speaker by the lack of side conversations in the room and when Mark stopped talking, which wasn’t very often, you cold hear a pin drop. Considering this was 2-3 times the normal attendance Mark’s reputation is well known. An interesting moment of the evening was the Pledge of Allegiance by the crowd of mostly 40 and over men. A pure slice of Americana.

Mark pointed out quite a few hot spots on the river to try. He also pointed out that if the spot is crowded with boats and the fish aren’t biting, to try moving just up or down river to find active fish that are spooked by the armada. One thing he did stress more than once is that if the water is dirty jigging takes a backseat to crankbaits. The fish can hear the crankbait better than they can see it and are more prone to hit. This knowledge helped him develop special techniques to present the lures where the fish are. All the info is found in his book of which he only covered maybe 30%. If interested in the book or just finding out more about Mark go to http://www.markmartins.net/.

On a sad note it was announced that Dorothy from Lockeman’s Hardware and Boats is very ill and in need of some support. There is a fund raiser for her this Saturday, March 26th at Westland VFW Hall, 055 South Wayne Road. Check out the web site:

http://www.giveforward.com/fight4dorothy

or stop by the shop to leave a donation.

From odds

Get Outdoors Downriver

CANCELLED!

2011-02-11T18:30:00.001-05:00

2011 Gander Mountain Ice Fishing Tournament

Next Saturday February 19th the annual ice fishing tournament will be held on Airport Bay. The Grosse Ile Airport and the USFWS will allow anglers to park and trek across the property to fish on the bay. Prizes will be awarded for perch, pike, pan fish (bluegill?), crappie and the heaviest limit of perch for adults. Kids (under 16) will fish for 3 prizes of biggest, smallest and weirdest. Cost is $20 per adult, $10 per child if you register early, $30 and $15 to register the day of. Hook and line only, mo spearing, and no sharing of your catch. Check in starts at 8:30 am and ends at 9:00 am when fishing starts. Fishing ends at 3:00 pm. Prizes donated by Bottom Line Bait and Tackle, Gander Mountain and Grapentine Specialties.

If you don't like fishing give Dawg a call at 734-578-8319 for a guided rabbit hunt. $90 per person with a minimum of 2. All hunts are within an hour of the area and are on public and private lands. It's the only hunting game going on right now.

Get ready for the local bass fishing tournaments. Starting June 2nd, 2011 every Thursday night for 15 weeks on Lake Bellville. You must fish 9 of the 15 weeks to be eligible for the Classic fish off on September 10th, 2011. Call Tony at 734-365-9995 for tournament entry details.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday

2011-02-06T14:52:00.001-05:00

Here's to my favorite national holiday. I hope you have some decent squares. Here's to my brother recovering from Quad bypass surgery back in Maine. After 2 days in the ITC he's sitting up and asking for

margaritas. It sounds like he's well on his way to a full recovery.

Today more than New Years Day is a time to reflect on the past year. Walleye fishing was so so on the US side but Canadian waters held more fish this year permitting some to catch their personal bests. My cousin Joe did it in May- see Joe's big walleye. I also had a personal best fishing for walleye but a different species:

From Downriver Outdoors

Muskies are really coming back in the river along with many other species; it's got to be a good thing. Turkey hunting was tough this year but as always because of the time of year it was very rewarding. Salmon fishing was the same this year, just outstanding. Captain Dan put us on fish and what a great time catching we had. His web site is http://stormychinook.com/ but he may be booked up for this year. Then deer hunting and pheasant hunting, 0 deer and 1 pheasant. Not highly productive but great times all around.

Getting ready for the game, many of the memories are coming back. Like some food you enjoy them better the second time around. The venison bacon and turkey sausage are cooked and ready to go. Thanks Ray's Prime Foods for putting them together. Although they aren't dietary they are reduced fat and great tasting.

From Downriver Outdoors

Open up a Moose Drool and get ready for kickoff. Let's hope for a high scoring game, at least that's what my squares are predicting. Happy Birthday to Jason may the squares be with you.

Goin’ up Turkey Creek to see my bird?

2011-01-31T12:25:00.002-05:00

I heard about Turkey Creek, Mississippi on the Daily Show the other night. It reminded me of the old folk song “Goin’ up Cripple Creek to see my girl”. Turkey Creek is far from having a song written about it. According to a USA Today article “When freed slaves founded the community of Turkey Creek in 1866, there was nothing here but swamps, oak trees and a muddy creek.”: The area later became a "dumping ground" for the kinds of hazardous or undesirable development no one wants to live next to: a sewage treatment facility, a chemical plant (which caught fire, leaked waste and closed), the city airport, and so on.

By 2005, many of the area's wetlands had been paved over, leaving Turkey Creek especially vulnerable to flooding when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast. Turkey Creek is now a suburb of sprawling Gulfport and a large apartment project paved over an old cemetery that had wood markers on some graves. Derrick Evans, a community activist, says repeated appeals to local officials to halt harmful projects went unanswered. He says "things finally started going our way" when he realized that Turkey Creek was a haven for tropical birds, and he reached out to conservation groups such as the Audubon Society that he says had the legal resources to help. "It's as if people cared more about birds than African Americans," Evans says. "It shouldn't have to be so hard."

Those birders have so much clout and in this case the outcome was a win – win. Not so in Michigan if you’re a hunter or snowmobiler. A lawyer from Novi has sued the US Forest Service to close 66,000 acres of Huron-Manistee National Forest land to hunting or snowmobiling. The reason, discharging of firearms and snowmobiling noise reduces the enjoyment of hikers and birders. A frivolous case? That’s up to you and the judges. If you don’t agree with banning of hunting and snowmobiling contact Lee Evison at Manistee National Forests, 1755 S. Mitchell Street, Cadillac, MI, 49601 or send an email mail to:comments-eastern-huron-manistee@fs.fed.us, Comments sent via e-mail should contain the subject line: “Forest Plan SEIS”. Public meetings will be held to answer questions and the only one in this area is February 1, 2011 – Hilton Garden Inn, 26000 American Drive, Southfield, MI, from 4-8pm.

This Michigan suit is just another anti hunting, anti public land use ploy by groups that have a lot of money and pick their spots to promote their agenda. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), PETA and many others like the Audubon Society are non-profits that use their clout to sue federal and state land use and wildlife agencies regularly because they know these agencies don’t have the money to fight back. I read a few years back, that the HSUS and PETA, essentially the same organization, receive more donations than all of the churches in America. I guess it’s those heart wrenching commercials with the sad eyed dogs begging for money to help take care of them. Too bad neither organization is involved in helping with abandoned or unwanted pets.

They’re experts now at keeping animals on the endangered species list. Even the mention of a lawsuit stops state agencies for attempting to delist those animals. The one that’s front and center now is the wolf. At least 6 states want to delist the wolf but when they get the ok from the federal government the lawsuit ensues and the states drop out. Email Lee free to put in your 2 cents on the Michigan suit.

Those Who Remain Will Be Championship.

2011-01-23T14:40:00.003-05:00

    The national holiday of Championship Sunday entails watching the 2 games to determine who'll be in the Super Bowl, another national holiday. About 3 decades ago when our ambition was larger that our waistlines I and 2 buddies set out to do some perch fishing. We planned to go out to Stoney Point just south of Fermi power plant. Power plant as in electricity, cooling towers, radioactive rods and warm water discharge. We got there early so we could fish 4 or 5 hours and get back to Ho's house to clean fish and watch the games.

We got out on the ice by 7am and headed due east to find the deepest water with safe ice. This was the typical strategy we used then, deep water meaning bigger fish and most fish caught. The strategy only worked once but that was how we rolled back then. So about 100 yards from shore we encountered a crack in the ice, thorough inspection gave 12 inches of ice thickness on both sides. At the time the recommendations for travel on ice were much different than today, I'm sure due to liability issues. A car or truck was usually driven on just 8 inches, so we had plenty of safe ice.

   The Navy Vet says "no guts no glory" in his best Admiral Farragut impression. So unlike the 400 odd people fishing on the landward side of the crack we ventured out to find the big ones. Big for our quarry the perch is 8 or 9 inches. Catch 25 and you get a pound of boneless fillets, an average catch is about 10 to 15 with a limit being 50. After catching and cleaning the going rate of 10 to $12 a pound is really a good buy. We were lucky that an empty fishing hut was available to us where the ice thickness/water depth formula had just become to our liking. The hut held all 3 of us and had holes drilled before with only 3 to 4 inches of ice on them. Ho used his brand new Xmas present to drill thru the ice with gas powered ease. We set up quickly and were soon fishing. Shortly another jumper came by and asked how we were doing and in the tradition of fisherman all over the world we told him our luck was pretty good, not having any fish just the great borrowed hut. The sun was out and the hut warming with it which called for refreshments to keep our body temps down, life was good.

   We weren't catching any fish and had just a couple of almost bites, maybe from fish swimming by. That's what made it seem odd that all 3 of our bobbers went way down under the surface of the water indicating a nice bite from a bigger fish. We all pulled up lines to check for a small fish on or lost bait, nothing. All bait was untouched and no fish or fish scales present. As I was getting my line back in the water I could see the jumper that came by earlier jogging into shore, I thought it was strange just like my bobber heading back down under the ice like a gang of fish were fighting for it and yes my buddies were dealing with the same. When I peered outside to where the jumper was about 200 yards away I saw open water. Not water on the ice, water with no ice on it. I exited the hut, leaving my bobber flailing in the hole, as I looked to shore there were about 50 to 75 jumpers standing on the lake edge of the crack not able to jump back the 10 yard distance. I brought in my line and packed up my gear to the dismay of the others. I told them they weren't still fishing anymore, they were trolling because the ice we were on was moving. After many expletives and charges of making up a story, which I hear from them often, they finally came out to take a look and then believed me.

   They packed up and we headed to the crack to find out what was going on and the crack was now 25 yards wide and getting bigger. One poor soul was rapidly pacing back and forth on a 100 yard path of ice repeating to himself that the ice must meet back up somewhere and after about 15 minutes of this he bolted north, never to be seen again. About that time a Coast Guard helicopter showed up to get a party that was stranded way out without any safe ice to come back on. As they're picking them off the ice Roc says to Ho, "You know they won't take your fishing equipment off the ice with you when they rescue you". Ho made us promise to go home and get a canoe to come back and get him and the coveted gas powered ice auger. We wouldn't agree, being Championship Sunday and all. He became very agitated and started pacing back and forth, we were still talking him down when the Coast Guard showed up with 3 or 4 boats and started ferrying the rest of us jumpers back to safety.

   The rescuers just kept saying to themselves, " Why on Championship Sunday would this have to happen..." We sheepishly told them we were sorry and thanked them profusely for coming to get us. They weren't sure about Ho since he had the ice auger bungie corded to his body. I guess it was just his way of saying he wasn't leaving it behind but they didn't care they took everything and did it making sure everyone was safe. So here's a big thanks again to the Coast Guard, I'm sure today there'd be some monetary responsibilities exchanged for that service. We remained past the crack too long and became Championship Sunday Evacuees.

Hurry to save your bacon at Ray's Prime Meats

2011-01-11T22:50:00.001-05:00

I was dining on some elk roast and imbibing a moose drool the other day when my mind began to wander. How lucky was I to be enjoying the elk from the UP courtesy of a Ford VP in a recipe from Hoe that was easy to put together, I knew it would be if he could do it. Then all of a sudden I heard such a clatter that I had to put down my drool to see what was the matter. "You've got all that venison hamburger down there and you pick a roast to fix for dinner", Precious said. That got me to wondering about forgotten venison that's stored in freezers throughout the area.

The scenario is a hunter that bags a deer and brags about it, then gets it processed and goes into the freezer out of sight out of mind. As time goes by some is made for dinner, some is given away and some turns into methane in the landfill. The dinners are the ones that turn into wrestling matches at times. Dishes like spaghetti or hamburger helper, anything to mask or er enhance the flavor but someone complains and the atmosphere turns sour. My cuz JoJo shoots 4-6 deer a year so I get a lot of venny hamburger from him plus I'll help him make breakfast sausage and get some of that too. So I usually have a good supply and at times a purge is needed.

So at my lovely wife's urging I called around to see what could be done. Ray at Ray's Prime Meat says they'll process the hamburger into kielbasa, summer sausage, hunters sausage and on and on. Check out their web page http://www.raysprimefoods.com/. You'll have to get prices on the venny hamburger processing depending on what product you pick. One product we've been hooked on from Ray's is the double smoked hams. They do the spiral sliced ham but the double smoked is superb.

From odds

Anyway as I'm asking about the sausage angle Ray says I have till the end of the month to get in on the venny bacon. I've heard of this before but not until just recently when JoJo had a deer processed up in the thumb. He got 10 lbs of it but nary a strip headed my way. I've been thinking about it since then but never gave it too much attention, until now. It's the type of thing that isn't cheep and isn't overly costly but is definitely a different presentation for your deer. Especially when no one you'll be watching the Super Bowl with has got a deer within the last decade. Bragging rights have just gone up...

Watch Your Terns on the Bridge

2010-12-27T18:04:00.001-05:00

From Blogger Pictures

Now that the coal ship is freed from the Trenton Channel I wanted to talk about terns on the bridges. Not the bad turn the ship made or anything to do with a car or truck. I'm talking about the little black capped water birds you may see diving in the water for food, the common tern. As you drive over one of the bridges look on either side at the big protection cribs. On these islands are colonies of nesting terns. You can also see these from a fishing boat if you slow down and stand up, just don't get too close because the terns are protected now. This is thanks in part to Bruce Szczechowski who did a Masters thesis on this bird and how they've been affected by our industrial abuse to the river.

Bruce is a teacher at Anderson High in Southgate and with John Nasarzewski they formed the Downriver Citizens for a Safe Environment(DCSE). The Stream Team is an off shoot of the group and offers a chance for students to help with projects they may not have a chance to at their current school. The team cleans up stream, bands birds, created and cares for the Southgate Community Nature Preserve and performs Downriver Benthic Monitoring w/ Wayne County. This is a great experience for anyone interested in helping the areas ecology. But back to Bruce.

From Blogger Pictures

Bruce's became interested in the areas ecology at an early age when his biophilic bonds became strong while riding a bike along the shores of the Detroit River. This was when he first notice the terns nesting on the cribs guarding the bridges. Little did he know that the fascination with the tern would take him on a fabulous journey throughout the Great Lakes Region. In obtaining his Masters Degree from Michigan Technological University Bruce found that the nesting pairs of terns had dropped from 4000 in the 1960s to just 300 now. He contributes this to many factors including predation from gulls and night herons to chemical toxicity in the region. You may have received a survey from Bruce for one of his studies of the effects of legacy contaminants if not it can be found on the DCSE web site( http://www.dcseweb.org/dcse.php?page=index).

So here's to Bruce for overlooking our ecological health and helping the local population of common terns to create new and improved nesting areas. Hopefully with Bruce's help some students from the Stream Team will carry on with more river monitoring. Also congrats to Bruce for getting a Masters Degree from Michigan's Toughest University!

Pics

2010-12-23T12:16:00.000-05:00

Got a couple of pictures in. This is one of the big perch taken this year near Wyandotte. The Lindberg Flash looks very happy, which isn't very often. The 16 incher is now being processed.

From odds

Here's a pic of the corner of 23rd and Pennsylvania. This 4 to 6 pointer made sure to look both ways before crossing.

From odds

A future Downriver Walleye Fed. member

From odds

A nice trip this time of year is Cabela's, here's what awaits you at the front lobby.

From odds

Here's somebody that knows what they want.

Opening Day was here and gone, nary a deer was even sawn

2010-11-17T23:06:00.001-05:00

I know it's a horrible title but I've been very busy lately and that's the best I could come up with. Yes Opening Day, what a great happening, like Xmas morn to most hunters. There's electricity in the air and hopefully in your camp, the aura of getting away and the magic of bagging the biggest buck in the world. All these feelings make the experience addictive and keep hunters like me coming back for more.

This year the opener fell on a Monday which is bad for most that can't get away from work. It put a little damper on our camp, we lost 5 hunters to the constraints of the working stiffs. To their credit they did make it up on Friday night for 2 nights of camaraderie and remembering hunts gone by. This is the stuff hunting is made of, the exchange of information and experiences to try to out wit the elusive whitetail. Now more than any other time I've been hunting everyone in our group needs help. We hunt in the DMZ, that's the Deer Minimalized Zone. Baiting is outlawed, many does have been taken with extra permits and now you can't harvest a buck unless it has more points on one side than I've seen in 5 years. We hunt state land and it isn't like anything you see on the outdoor shows, but we have a great time.

A highlight of the hunt is usually the Michigan football game and this year was no exception. The camp doesn't have cable so we try to find the game on a local establishment. This year it was at a local club that one of our hunters just joined. The Wolverines won and the club member only got 2 demerits in the process. Loud cheering is against one of their rules. The biggest project this year was moving Uncle Jerry's outhouse about 2 miles to the camp. It's in good shape and will be appreciated for many years to come.

The biggest problem with losing so many hunters was the heaters couldn't keep up with the temps outside due to the loss of body heat. It got pretty cold at night and frost covered most of the leaves. Plus with only the 4 of us the deer weren't pushed to move around causing more sightings. There may be others in the area illegally baiting drawing the deer away from us but with only 2 or 3 days hunting every year we don't know for sure. All we can be sure of is that the numbers of deer sighted has dropped off drastically over the last few years. It's probably a number of problems that are hard to pin down but in over 30 man hours of hunting we saw 3 doe and 1 tail. So there's very low interest in missing work or buying a license which will hurt hunts in the future.

If you had some success this year send in your pics so I can post on my slideshow.

Get out Downriver....

Calling All Train Enthusiasts

2010-10-22T11:43:00.000-04:00

I know you’re thinking what have trains to do with the outdoors? Well I could go on about how the train workers used to stock streams and ponds with smallmouths and carp near where they would stop for water or a pick up. Doing this they spread the range of these fish throughout the country some for good, some not so. I want to cover some interesting things Downriver that are interesting and could interest people on off days.

From Blogger Pictures

The Lincoln Par Train Club, formerly the Trenton Train Club, have been Downriver for quite some time. Thanks to the city of Lincoln Park they have a semi-permanent set up in the J.F.K. Memorial Building, some may know this as the bandshell building, and are open every Saturday from 10am till 1pm January thru Thanksgiving. For the Christmas season they help the city with Fantasyland operations.

From Blogger Pictures

They have 3 different scale train set ups with HO, O and S all running during the open sessions. All the members are very helpful if you have questions about a set up or trouble shoot. Some members may even be persuaded to fix some old equipment you may have. Special arrangements can be made for groups such as schools or seniors to come in for a tour, please do this a month in advance. Call 624-1462 for info. If you do have questions or any interest in trains then this is the weekend to take advantage of their train show.

From Blogger Pictures

On Sunday October 24th at the J.F.K. building the 3rd annual Train Show will be held. From 11am until 3pm for the $3 admission you can swap and buy all things trains. If you’re not familiar with the area the J.F.K. building is just east of the Veteran’s memorial or the First Baptist Church on Fort Street between Emmons and Champagne.

Remember get Outdoors (indoors) Downriver

The perch, the perch, the perch are on fire!

2010-10-12T12:23:00.001-04:00

This is one of those feel good stories. The numbers and size of perch this fall are incredible. Reports of foot long double headers have come from more than one source. This would be unheard of just a few short years ago when the commercial fishermen were making big hauls the perch were small and harder to come by. The Ohio operations were bought out and the Canadians are keeping a closer watch on their quotas. The results are a rebound of magnanimous proportions of this fine table fair.

The reports are in Lake Erie east of Stoney Point in 24 feet of water. Use this as a starting point and move around if you must to find a biting school. As always for perch emerald shiner minnows are a must. Check the bait shop link for the phone numbers to call to make sure the dealer has them. If you’re like me, and have a smaller boat, in rough weather stick to the river. Anywhere in the triangle between the crossdyke, Celeron Island and the boundary marker look for an opening in the weedbeds and plant your speader there. Or look for Ray’s marker to make a killing.

From Downriver Outdoors

On the other hand the walleyes are declining without a good explanation. The powers that be are seriously considering a reduction in limits. Hopefully they’ll see a rebound soon. One way to help is reporting any cormorant sightings. According to Larry Meijer who’s on the cormorant advisory Committee for the state the ASF+G considers Lake Erie to be cormorant free. So if you see cormorants please report to the MDNRE to establish a baseline for possible control. Go to: http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/cormorantobs/ for the form.

I just wanted to mention the rebound in sturgeon also. Not as prolific as the perch but a good start from the spawning reefs near Fighting Island in the river on the Canadien side. Here’s proof positive they’re working thanks to DR. John Hartig.

From Downriver Outdoors

If you want to catch an adult specimen of these fine fish contact Walleye Mike from the MI sportsman web site. http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=349532, he’s running a special up on Lake St. Clair and the SCR. Fish aren’t guarantied but they have been having great luck and he supplies everything including the proper tags.

Calendar - Many opportunities this weekend

2010-09-24T12:51:00.000-04:00

In an effort to disseminate more info I'm posting a few of my calendar events:

Great Lakes Council - Boy Scouts of America – 100th Anniversary

Boy Scouts, Venturers and Explorers from thorughout southeast Michigan will gather at Willow Metropark the weekend of September 24-26, 2010. They too will have numerous exciting activities to choose from. Their evening will end with an Arena Show, featuring Chuck Gaidica from WDIV Local 4 as our emcee, FiftyAmpFuse...A live band, country/pop singer Whitney Raenan and an exhilarating fireworks show. Check out their web page http://www.glcscouting.org/rendez-vous/arena.html

Harvest Moon Hayride- Oakwoods Nature Center

When Fri Sep 24, 2010 call for a time (734-782-3956‎)

Where Oakwoods Metropark http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Oakwoods+Metropark&hl=en
Also - Fall Festival

Appreciate fall with crafts, games, cider making and guided hikes. $

When Sat Sep 25, 2010

Where Oakwoods Metropark

Lincoln Park Train Club

Take a step back in time and enjoy a miniature version of yesteryear.

Admission is FREE!

•Meets every Saturday from 11am-1pm

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Lincoln+Park&hl=en

That’s a Fine Kettle of Hawk?

2010-09-21T19:37:00.002-04:00

Yes, that’s right, hawk. Most have heard of a fine kettle of fish but hawk. I was confused until the folks at Hawkfest 2010 explained it all to me. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself just yet. I was impressed with the turnout. I didn’t know there were so many people out there interested in raptors. When I got close to the nature center the road was blocked and I thought there may be an accident but it was the scouts directing traffic.

From Downriver Outdoors

Traffic, how many people out there are interested in raptors? Ask the scouts they’ve been helping out for Hawkfest for over 15 years and they’re from Ferndale. Boy Scout Troop 1204 and Cub Scout Troop 1245 were directing cars and shuttles without a hitch. I’m estimating 400 cars were there just in the short time I was there and that‘s not counting all the cars by the boat launch.

From Downriver Outdoors

Members of the Michigan Hawking Club brought hawks and discussed falconry. Live birds of prey were brought out during special programs by Joe Rogers. Presentations on the Osprey Recovery Project, Peregrine Falcon research and the Oak Openings Raptor Project were featured. The binocular/digital camera tent hosted a variety of cameras, spotting scopes and binoculars for demonstrations and sales. Jerry Wykes had many activities for the kids from the wall climb to hawk puzzles and crafts scheduled thru out the day.

From Downriver Outdoors

A kettle of hawk

From Downriver Outdoors

Jerry said the birds have usually passed thru before Hawkfest but this year is different with only a few thousand birds recorded as of yet the main bulk of over 500,000 is staging close by and will be coming thru with the next north or northeast wind. It looks like this Saturday will be prime time for viewing. So if you remember the next time it blows from the north look up to find a kettle of hawk. This usually looks like a number of small circles of birds floating together on thermals pushed by the north wind.
Don't forget Luke the eagle. He lives in this large enclosure behind the nature center but the proud eagle heeds fresh fish to eat. If you launch at the park to fish you can drop off a meal for Luke but Jerry would rather have it cleaned and frozen. Don't forget Luke.

From Downriver Outdoors

Get Outdoors Downriver.

The Rush to Fall

2010-09-10T15:17:00.009-04:00

   Happy Labor Day, everyone. Hope you enjoyed your day off, if you got one. The last days of summer are winding down and the outdoor activities are ramping up. No it’s not about the Lions offensive line preparing for the season, this is serious, hunting season is upon us. All I’ve been writing about so far is fishing. With the water cooling off fishing is on a comeback but will be playing second fiddle soon. September 15th is opening day for small game hunting. It’s usually just for squirrels around here, rabbits aren’t ready yet and grouse are up north. The most important aspect about September is getting ready for deer and pheasant seasons, the most popular by far.

   There is a new opportunity for bow hunters this year, the crossbow. The crossbow was illegal to use until this year unless you had a disability permit. Thanks to some local folk the DNRE has relented to allow all hunters to use them. Plus, the fact that many hunters had dropped out of bow hunting because of old age, not a disability needed for applying to the old permit. The traditionalist bow hunters were against it but the lure of attracting new hunters and more revenue persuaded the powers that be to ok the use of these weapons. I believe these bows are easier and safer to use than compound bows. Once cocked the crossbow is just like operating a gun and this will allow even 10 year olds to deer and turkey hunt this fall. Check with the new hunting regulations before taking anyone younger than 17 hunting.

   Now the rush part for people like me, I like deadlines they keep me on track though I rarely meet them. For the bow hunters here’s a refresher checklist. Equipment first, for arrows or bolts (arrows for crossbows) Frank at Trenton Lighthouse, near the entrance to Elizabeth Park, Frank has been making these for over 40 years. See him for a more personal fitting for your bow length draw. Otherwise the big box sporting good stores will have what you need, but you’ll have to customize yourself. Once your arrows or bolts are strait and shoot worthy you’ll need to accessorize. Arrow rest, sights, releases, limb savers, string silencers, peep holes, stabilizers and quivers, just to name a few. See Frank or one of the associates at Gander Mountain for all the possibilities and what’s appropriate for you. Gander has an indoor archery range that goes for $8 / hour, if you buy an accessory you may be able to get some free time to line out the new equipment. Wayne County Sportsman’s Club also offers an archery range at $6.50/ hour. Practice, practice, practice…

   For gun hunters accessories are limited to maybe a scope for deer hunters and the type of shot for wing shooters. Besides the big box sporting goods stores the only gun shop around is Westborn’s on Ecorse in Taylor. If you can’t find a gun or type of shot at the bigger stores Westborn’s will usually have it. I’m told their prices are even cheaper than the sale prices at the big stores, it pays to shop around even with guns and ammo. They have over 200 rifles and handguns there and specialty items like 20 gauge steel shot. Hunters’ associate steel shot with duck hunting and while it’s still true to some extent the application of steel shot I’m familiar with is using it at game farms. Dundee Pheasant Farm (734-735-7271) is where I’ve gone for some guaranteed pheasant action. It’s pricey, but it’s a matter of convenience after state land has been hunted hard and farm access hasn’t been found.

   Along those lines no matter that you’re paying a premium with money or leg work, if you hunt on state land, to get the most out of the investment you need to practice. Shooting at live birds is a lot harder than it seems. Most people think you just look down the barrel and the quarry is yours. Ha, even at a skeet range where you know from where and when the clay pigeon is arriving, for the average amateur shooter, 50 % is outstanding. Wayne County Sportsman’s Club offers any pheasant or duck hunter a chance to sharpen up for the ensuing seasons. They’re located just south of Pennsylvania Rd. on Inkster, look for the sign on the west side of the road, it is a smaller sign so look carefully. At $6.50/shoot, plus a box of shells, you’ll gain a lot of experience and confidence, for just over $10. Call 734-941-9688 for times and the type of shells to bring. This place is quite a gem in the Downriver Outdoors and well worth the trip even considering the long driveway.

From Downriver Outdoors

Get Outdoors Downriver….

Whoaaaaa!

2010-08-23T23:03:00.001-04:00

It's been hard to keep up with my articles here in the summer long stretch. I've got a few on the burners but the research has been slow. I did get out for a salmon trip recently heading out from Port Frankfort in the NW lower. The five of us caught 50 in 3 days and much like deer hunting it's a long period of inaction followed by brief intense encounters with some big fish. So it seems...

As you can see it can get crowded at the back of the boat some times. It's one of those great problems to have. We were on Captain Dan's Stormy Chinook and I really like the way he fishes. He usually knows where the fish are and isn't happy when the boat isn't putting fish in the cooler. Many times he'll say the fish are slashing, he can see this on his depth finder. To a normal person it's just a little streak on the graph but to Dan it's a fish that should be on one of his lures. This is the type of charter to look for, a fisherman that guides to catch fish and be in on the action. There are many other charters in the area and most are of the ilk that they're giving you a great experience on their floating living room and fish are just icing on the cake. I like the catching better.

This is an interesting way to fish with all the technology out there. First is the fish/depth finder. It's much more sophisticated than the one I have. As mentioned earlier the more you use it the more you can interpret. The best thing I could tell right away was the thermo cline where most of the fish congregate. This is the depth where cold water of the deep meets warmer water of the surface. Loosely defined as a change in temperature of one degree or more per foot for so many feet. The bait fish associate with this temperature structure and the salmon follow the bait fish. This trip it was about 100 feet and that depth reading now determines how the lines are set. First the downriggers are set with a 10 lb. weight on the end, three rubber bands are attached to the fishing line, after a fair amount of line is let out and the rubber bands are attached to the downrigger ball. Two downriggers off the back and one out each side with the depths of each separated to prevent any line tangling. So the right side of the boat would have the riggers set at 100 feet and 60 feet and the left side would be at 80 feet and 120 feet. It takes me longer to explain it than it takes the captain to set them up.

Now the long lines go out, dipsy divers and lead core and copper wire. The dipsy divers are disks that steer the line off to one side, so go right some go left. The lure is put on a lead and attached to the dipsy and the main line is attached to the other end of the disk. When a fish hits the dipsy springs open so it no longer tracks to either side and just becomes part of the main line but the extra length of the lead to the lure can cause problems when landing a fish(sorry Dan). These lines are set back 250-300 feet for a 100 foot intended depth. The other lines are the lead core and copper lines and these can be out up to 500 feet, that's a tenth of a mile. Just a little advise when the long lines take a hit and you're not fighting a fish at the time have a backup excuse or plan to evade the curse of reeling one in. Head to the front of the boat for a drink, or a bite to eat , or a cell phone check, or a potty break. Hopefully the youngest member of the party volunteers to take the line or is order to take the line, otherwise you'll eventually make eye contact with the captain and now you'll be reeling for about 30 mins. and your arms will not work for many minutes after. Did I mention 1/10th of a mile?

Such problems to have. It's all very enjoyable but a bit pricey. Hopefully you know someone with a big boat with all the equipment. Just recently steelhead trout were biting in large numbers off of the north shore of Lake Erie. Erieou and Wheatly are the most mentioned spots with catches of steelhead and walleye coming at the same time. How much better can it get, especially with this hot water we have now.

Hopefully things will start cooling off and the fish will start biting again. There was a big bass tourney recently with the weigh in at Elizabeth Park right by the free bridge in Trenton so the bass fishing should be good south of the bridge for a while. Now's the time to get ready for bow season. The Trenton lighthouse sells arrows and bolts for you cross bowers. Gander Mt. has a shooting range for $8 / hour. Start practicing.

Get Outdoors Downriver!

Dog Day Musings...

2010-08-07T22:17:00.000-04:00

It 's that time of year when there isn't too much going on DR. Fishing for walleye has slowed, there still in the river if you work for the. Even in the lake they’re spotty and fast action is followed by long slow bites. So other than my calendar entries the only other things I've done or heard about are;

3 Mikes, 3 Strikes We're Out - Went on the Lindberg Crest with 2 other Mikes. We BBed for over 4 hours mid river without even sniffing a walleye. The weather was great however and we had a great time. I did manage to catch one of the catfish in the river. 20" of some fine sweet meat from these fish. It went with all the walleye cooked up behind the hospital near a boat house. Quite a bit of R+R.

My Daughter's family recently went out to Sterling State Park and they had a wonderful time. I was surprised they went after the horrible news about a swimmer there. The Grand-Daughters stayed close to shore so everything went well. If you consider occupying a 6+4+2 year old for 2 hours at the beach and another 4 at home going well. They had a ball collecting seashells and sorting them and cleaning them and then dividing them which is always tricky. It's the closest beach around and has a reasonable admission.

We went to the Humbug Marsh for their open house and a macro-invertebrate program. The program was cancel due to weather but we toured the grounds and enjoyed the solitude it offered. Being so close to cities all around it the atmosphere is quite nice there. Check the calendar or their web site for open house dates and up coming events.

Talked to Joe at the Point Muoillee about hiking opportunities for boy scouts there. A badge is given for a 10 mile hike and they have one there. This is a premier birding and hiking area, especially birding for being rated in the entire country. There are many dikes and paths to walk on to increase your chances of seeing some unique shore birds and other wildlife. Back to the 10 mile hike, if you start at the parking area just East of the storage buildings that are South of the Huron River, you can hike the entire banana dike and the follow the roads back to the parking area. This is just over 10 miles for you boy scouts or other health enthusiasts. There are other paths and dikes in side this area for other activities such as birding or fishing. It's a nice place to check out. You can also launch a boat there to fish the back waters or go out on Lake Erie. Call Mon. or Wed. for info (734) 379-9692.

I'll be heading up to Frankfort for salmon in the morning and will post a report after I get back so...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

7-22-10 Fishing Report

2010-07-22T17:57:00.002-04:00

   Fishing has been really good for this time of year. Many fish are still in the river with good catches coming on BBs deep in the river. Read the last article for bb use. The surprising fish this year is the catfish. Many shore anglers are hooking into these like never before. The river supports so many fish it’s nice to see a new species take off.

   A couple of years ago it was the shad that went crazy. Not many were caught by hook and line but the walleye gorged themselves on them. That was bad because in parts of the river the walleye bite stopped, they were all eating the shad. Some of the fish from that year actually tasted like shad, not to my liking. When the walleye go crazy no body notices because they’re so happy catching fish. If you remember the year that a lot of 13” and 14” fish were caught that was the start of some wonderful walleye years. Then there’s the silver scourge, silver bass. Two years ago I was jigging in the river late in the season when my depth finder jumped from the usual 27’ to 20’ and stayed there. I thought the depth finder had bit the dust but no it was a giant school of silvers. It felt like they were playing volleyball with my jig. Needless to say walleye fishing was done for that year.

   From all accounts people are catching fish everywhere. In the lake Lil’ Bill says bell bouy from 23’ to 27’, watch the state lines so you don’t go into Ohio. He’s really pushing the Kelly worms for bass. There’s a big bite from these fish closer to shore on Lake Erie. You just have to fight the weeds. There are many reports of muskies also, they’re making quite a comeback. Very fun to catch but the smell turns some people off. Hopefully I’ll get some huge sheephead soon so I can try a new recipe. Good luck fishing…

Get Outdoors Downriver!

Use BBs on Your Summer Quarry

2010-07-15T13:35:00.002-04:00

   Did the laws change to allow hunting in July? BBs for squirrels or bb shot for geese? No, it’s just a great technique to use for the favorite quarry on the river or western Lake Erie, bottom bouncing. Bottom Bouncers are an easier to use version of the 3way swivels. 3 ways are attached to the main line with a lead to a weight and a lead to your lure. Cumbersome to use, but more versatile in that you can change the length of the lead, to the weight, to change the depth of the lure. However, with the favorite quarry in the area being walleye, the bottom in bottom bouncing is more important. This keeps your lure in the strike zone where the walleyes are, unless you’re Redcan.

   The bottom bouncers are very handy when it comes to trolling for walleye this time of year. The gorge on the mayfly hatch is still fresh in their minds and they can’t resist an imitation spinner blade presented in the strike zone. At least that’s a theory and not only are spinners used but also spoons and lipped lures. It’s an imitation of handlining or maybe a precursor (which came first the chicken or the egg?). Both techniques have been around so long no one really knows. The big difference between the 2 is weight. Handliners you 1 -2 lb weights to keep the line at 45 degrees in the water column heading upriver. Bottom bouncers are much lighter and so are more conducive for use in the lake or in the river heading downstream. Many reports are being posted about nice catches of walleye all along the river using bbs and spinners.

   In the lake a standard set up for trolling consists of lighter bbs(2oz) on the outside with in-line planer boards, medium weight bbs(3oz) on a rod perpendicular to the boat and heavy bbs(4oz) strait out the back. This will help keep the lines from tangling up unless the old curse of a sheephead decides to take your rig from here to Niagara. For spinners boat speed is 1.5 to 1.8 mph, for spoons 2.5 to 3.5 mph depending on the whims of the fish. On the river heavy weights are needed to keep the spinners in the depths being reported of 25 to 40 feet. Added note from G. Warsaw from the 7/19 DWF meeting, after hooking a fish on an outside rod ecspecially, give the fish some line until it swings directly behind the boat then reel it in thru the chute between all the rods.

   Speed on the river is very tricky so a gps is a basic piece of equipment. You can get a floating speed of your boat and try to go the speeds for your lures above the floating speed. You can also troll downriver increasing speed until the blades are spinning or the spoons and crankbaits start wobbling and take note of that speed and maintain it. As in any type of trolling speeding up or slowing down can make a difference until the fish tell you what they want. Or you can just look for Cliff in the Lindberg Crest.

Good Luck and Get Outdoors Downriver.

What A Weekend

2010-07-05T23:54:00.001-04:00

Here’s hoping this finds you hale and hearty. After this weekend everyone should be. Thanks to all that served, thanks to all that volunteered and thanks to the weatherman. After reading the fishing reports on the web the boys and I went fishing Saturday morning. We got 6 walleye in just a few hours before the wind made it a chore to fish. I’ve never witnessed this before but a boat about 40 yards up wind from us caught a fish. In less than 2 minutes we all knew what was caught, musky. The fish of 10,000 casts has a very distinctive odor. Much like their cousin the pike they release a slime when stressed and the musky is the worst smelling of the 2. We had a great time and the weather was perfect. I was impressed by the amount of boats out on the river and lake. That was probably the reason we didn’t get checked by the Coast Guard of either country, the Border Patrol , the County Sheriff or the MDNRE which is rare these days.

Now with the official start of summer, schools out and the temperatures rising, now’s the time to get the boat summerized. That’s right if you haven’t been out fishing in the spring you’ll need to get the boat ready for the boating season. According to Al Anderson from Aquamarine Boat Brokers in Ecorse you need to summerize. Checking the spark plugs, the air filter, the gas filter, all gas lines and fitting, all belts and on the larger boats the bilge blower among other things. There was a boat fire recently at a gas station on the river. The blowers were on but unbeknownst to the captain an animal built a nest or winter home in the blower system. Add leaking gas lines to the mix and there was a little explosion and fire that could have been a lot worse Thank God no one was hurt. So summerize, summerize, summerize to try to catch those hidden dangers.

By the looks of things there must be fish biting out there. The river had plenty of takers and the lake was also populated with many boats. I understand the lake has seen a prodigious mayfly hatch and the walleye bite is off for a while. So in Michigan stay in the good old DR. It’s hard at times, especially this weekend with all of the parades, fireworks and cookouts, to get out and fish. My buddy Rick only gets out for 1-2 hours at times and does very well. He does it often though and gets to know his spots and how the fish react to weather and water clarity. So get out and fish and don’t forget Luc at Lake Erie Metro Park. He’s the injured eagle that needs fish to survive. The fish can be of most kind but must be frozen. Call first to see if they'll take your catch.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Happy Fathers Day

2010-06-23T13:27:00.003-04:00

   This may be late but bloggers are fathers too. I’ve been writing this article for 2 weeks now. I’ve been busy lately. Fathers Day is for that though slow down and go see dad. Finding something for dad can be tricky. Mom is easy, just buying a sappy card and maybe some flowers and she’s happy. Mostly the gift is just to see the kids or grandkids. Dads are different. They don’t want sappy cards, they aren’t supposed to sniffle.

   Moms are the caregivers. They patch the scrape on your knee and give it a kiss and you’re back in action. Dads are the adventuregivers, fishing, hunting, camping, golfing, hiking, catching a ball game or just going on a Sunday drive. For knees it’s just rub some dirt on it and quit whining. But oh those adventures, those are what memories are made of. The most memorable are when something good or bad happens. As long as nobody gets hurt everyone involved remembers what happened for a lifetime. So the best thing to get Dad is an adventure. Probably the easiest adventure for most offspring to procure is a fishing charter. The prices vary greatly with deep water fishing going for $400-$600 per day to a perch or walleye charter for ½ that. I guess it depends on what price you put on your memories. A good place to start is on my link page, go to the DWF link and look for charters on their page. I know George Cini and he’ll put you on fish even if it takes a lot of moving around. Depending when you go you may not catch a monster but you’ll definitely have a great adventure. Just remember the guides could be fathers too so schedule accordingly.

   I was on a father-son adventure not long ago. It was an impromptu trip that just came together. Someone had expressed interest in catching a certain type of fish and before we knew it the 4 of us were sitting under the 7 Mile Bridge of the Florida Keys fame. The bridge is halfway between Key West and Miami and is an early season tarpon spot. The dad and son took the first shift in the back of the boat, sipping beverages and fishing with live bait. My buddy Mark and I were relegated to the front of the boat with casting rigs that cut out drinking of any kind. The live baiters were having a ball catching all kinds of fish including a master angler mangrove snapper.

   Finally after 2 hours of casting and reeling and casting and reeling the sands in the hour glass drained out and it was our turn in back with live bait and unlimited beverage. The captain set us up with pin fish, dancing in front of the hungry fish below. About 3 sips into our watch I heard a loud splash 50 feet from the boat. I looked over to see a big tarpon 8 feet in the air trying to spit the son’s lure. “I think I got one” he says and without hesitation hands over the rod to his dad. It seemed natural at the time; we all knew Pops wanted to catch a tarpon. He even grew a beard that made him look like Hemmingway, we were in the keys. However this was a fish of a lifetime, over 6 feet long, 135 pounds and taking line out like a patriot missile.

   I didn’t think anything of it until I saw the video that the communication between father and son is often silent. It’s could be just a gesture, a look or a grunt nothing sappy or emotional. Without asking the son handed off the rod, helped put on the rod belt and made sure the rod was in properly. The son held his dad up when the fish tried to do an end run around one of the bridge trestles and at the last second backtracked to the other side, causing the guide to slam the motor in reverse, all the while holding up a light so they could see in the pitch dark night.

It was like a chapter out of The Old Man and The Sea. Akin to a boxing match between man and fish, back and forth until the guide lifted his hand from the water and the bimini twist looked like a bowl of spaghetti in his hand. You never know when an adventure might happen and memories will be made.

Get Outdoors Downriver!

Great Time

2010-06-09T13:18:00.011-04:00

   Thanks to the Wyandotte Jaycees and to everyone involved for a great Kid's Fishing Derby last Saturday. The weather was perfect and the fish cooperated. More fish were caught this year than in any of the 5 previous years. A big thanks goes out to the bait shops that donated bait for the derby. The Wyandotte Boat Launch donated all the worms and minnows were donated by Bottom Line Bait and Tackle of Gibraltar, Bait and Taclklebox of Trenton and The Lighthouse Bait Shop also of Trenton. Minnows are hard to come by this time of year and the donators really made a sacrifice for the kids.
     The Derby is usually held on the free fishing weekend but was early this year. Even if you're just helping the kids' fish the grownups need a license. Something my nephews found out a few years ago. This weekend it won't matter because it's the free fishing weekend. So all of you procrastinators get out and take a kid fishing. It's always been a problem in the past. Dad, or Mom, doesn't want to buy a license just to let Johnny fish one day out of the year. Now the MDNRE has a great solution to those with a cell phone and reception.

*Michigan DNRE allows for Mobile Fish-ing *

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment says anglers now can buy a 24-hour fishing license with any Web-enabled mobile device. The agency announced the project, called Mobile Fish, today. It's a joint effort between the DNRE and the Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Mobile device users can purchase a 24-hour, all species fishing license with a credit or debit card for $7. Purchasers choose the date and time they would like their 24-hour license to begin, enter their valid Michigan driver's license or State of Michigan ID, make a payment and receive a confirmation number. DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries says Mobile Fish is intended to "make it easier to get out on the water and go fishing."

So now there should be fewer excuses to get Outdoors Downriver!

    I just got the fishing report from Redcan. He's the one that likes to jig high, about 2-4 feet off of the bottom. Anyway he's on his way out to the Detroit Lighthouse and being the spendthrift he starts to fish on his way there. He's not sure exactly where he started bottom bouncing but it was about half way from Point Moullie to the lighthouse. Did I mention the launch there is free? Not long after he got his poles in he thought he snagged something and turned off the motor to deal with the snag. The snag started to pull back and take out line and soon he had an 8 lb walleye in the net. Good job Jim, Mickey would be proud of you.

    You can try to do what Redcan did but the reports from the people in the know say to head for the Bell Buoy. It's about 2 miles SSW of the Detroit Lighthouse, GPS coor. N41'57.032 - W083'09.56. Troll with bottom bouncers and gold blades with a worm enticer about 1.5 mph. Send in your reports or pics when you get them.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Kid's/Fun Fishing Derbies

2010-06-02T15:45:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year, when the silvers are in, to have the Wyandotte Kid's Fishing Derby. All are invited but you must register.

June 5th, 2010 at 12:00 AM (All Day)

This is a family friendly event.

Event Location: Bishop Park

Wyandotte , MI 48192

Event Description:

Fishing contest is open to children ages 5 to 13. All contestants will receive a fishing contest participation award and gift bag. Prizes will be awarded to winners for the longest fish, most fish caught, smallest fish and most unusual item caught. Registration at the Wyandotte Recreation Department, Special Events Office. Contestants are limited to 200. Contestants must bring their own fishing pole, hooks, lines and sinker. Live bait is available at the fishing pier. Admission to the fishing derby is free, but children must be pre-register. Registration begins May 1st at the Yack, 3131 Biddle Avenue, Wyandotte

Kids Expo following in Bishop Park, games, bounce, prizes. For more information you may contact the Special Events Office at 734-324-4502 or info@wyan.org.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DWF Kids Tournament
You must be a member for your Kids, Grandkids or young freinds to participate.
(If you join now you'll be invited to the annual fish fry June 21st)

When: Saturday, June 5th, 2010 2:00 PM
Where: Weigh In at “The Bait & Tackle Box” 4088
W. Jefferson – Trenton, MI 48183 (Near the
entrance to Elizabeth Park Boat Ramp)

Hot Dogs & Hamburgers at 2:00 PM Weigh In - Awards for first 3 places & for fishing.
Donations Accepted at Weigh In to Cover Expenses

Contact: Mark Schaller 313-406-6753 or Greg Warsow 734-552-4693

------------------------------------------------------------------
For a little excitement you can enter this derby with a chance to win some prizes and get a fish fry to boot.

June 12th and 13th are the free fishing days for this summer so you'll save the cost of a license.

Get Outdoors downriver.

Fishing Report

2010-05-27T17:53:00.000-04:00

It's unanimous from all bait shops, the silver bass are in. There are so many the bait shops are having a hard time catching minnows. They are catching limits in boats almost everywhere but from shore it's hit or miss depending on the area. Walleyes acn still be had in the deeper waters and the lower river but worms are needed for them. Lake Erie Metro Park and Point Moullie have had some catfish action that's better towards dark but make sure you know the hours of operation so you don't get locked in over night.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Just as some food for thought from the hiking article...
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_re_us/storytext/us_the_big_walk/36315423/SIG=10t84a2g6/*http://www.imjustwalkin.com

Barta Returns

2010-05-26T00:35:00.002-04:00

   Before you get too excited, no Jim won’t be writing a blog for the paper. He’s still really busy with his new endeavor down in Alabama. He wrote for the Heritage papers for about 10 years but had to give it up when his Hunter Safety Harness business took off. He’s partner with some old high school buddies and they are doing great. Hunters use the safety harness when they hunt from an elevated tree stand. As mentioned in a previous article after hours in the stand without seeing any deer a hunters mind can begin to wander and this can lead to a state on restfulness. Sometimes this can cause one to close their eyes and drift off, or so I’ve heard. When you’re 15 to 20 feet up in a tree this is a dangerous situation. Jim’s company’s harness is what you need if this happens. If you fall asleep, or slip, or misstep and fall, the harness will save your life. Some hunters will just tie a rope around themselves and then to the tree. If you fall and can’t get back into the tree stand you may start to get constricted and this could lead to asphyxiation. They also have a life line which helps getting into and out of the stand. That’s something my cousin Jojo could have used a few years back, he fell but was lucky to be able to walk away with just some bumps and bruises. Jim’s company has received hundreds of letters from hunters and their spouses thanking them for keeping them in one piece and being able to be with their families again. It’s got to give him a great feeling of accomplishment knowing he’s helping people like that.

   I saw Jim out on the Detroit River fishing for some hog walleyes. Each spring he comes back downriver to scratch that itch he gets from the walleye fever. The fever that drove him to learn the ways of the fish, and chase them, up and down the river, and into Lake Erie. His passion for catching walleye probably would have caused Jim to become a professional walleye fisherman but the big tournaments and money didn’t exist then. Jim started guiding other fishermen when his schedule of being a Lincoln Park fireman would allow. One day he made a comment to a client about the deficiencies of a local store’s sporting goods department. The next day Jim got a call from the client’s mother, who just happened to be the store’s regional manager of sporting goods. Well they met at the store and Jim showed her how some items were sorted by brand and if he wanted to buy fishing line he needed to look in 4 different places. The manager agreed with the things Jim was pointing out and changed the displays around. The two became good friends.

   This led to Jim being asked to talk at the State Fair and demonstrate his fishing techniques. He did that for a few years and each time his popularity grew and he added more clients. Then he was asked to talk at Outdoorama, and then at the Silverdome, which led to Ford Field, which was the precursor to the Ultimate Fishing Show in the Rock Financial Showplace. At each one of these shows Jim would give out a lot of advice and his popularity grew leading to more charter customers. I saw him at Ford Field talking about trolling Lake Erie. Jim has a gift of gab and although he can’t out talk a radio he stays in close competition.

   I then noticed Jim writing for magazines like Michigan Sportsman and Woods and Water. When I saw his article in Fur, Fish and Game about trolling for walleye in Lake Erie, that cemented in my mind that Jim was an expert in the ways of the walleye. When he left to pursue his business venture Jim left his customers in the hands of the Libra Marine boys. They’re located on Perry Place between Biddle and the river. Ron Berry and Tom Dinnewith are two who will take care of you in the early spring if they’re not booked up.

   Jim says there’re some new products coming up on his horizon. Research and marketing are so important to his business and it takes up a lot of time. Not too much time that he can’t scratch a little itch. Maybe you’ll see him next year on the river doing just that.

Get Out Hiking

2010-05-23T09:16:00.000-04:00

   What is hiking? Huh? Who invented hiking? Such are the mind wanderings while waiting in the woods for something to happen. Hiking is something you wouldn’t consider a sport, but some do. It’s considered an everyday happening, or is it? In this age of the internet I ventured to find out what hiking is. One foot in front of the other, ha, ha, ha. What is the theory of hiking? After checking many web sites and asking jives all sorts of questions the only answer I could find was that walking is using your feet to get from point A to point B. Hiking is traveling on foot to an adventure. Walking to the grocery store is a hike but it’s just walking. Walk from Georgia to Maine and that’s a hike all right, a hike along the entire Appalachian Trail. That’s another difference, walking is done on sidewalks and hiking is done on trails.

   Trails are the heart of this sport. Hiking on trails can be easy or hard depending on the terrain and how well the trail is marked. Thru swamps, hills, hummocks, rivers and sand the going can be hard but if the trail is marked well you should have a pretty good idea of how long it will take to reach your next stop. So get a map from the National Park Service and start planning a 2178 mile 5 million step adventure. About 10,000 people have reported finishing the hike but many more have lost fortune and marriages trying to complete the hardest hike in America.

   So how to get started? The first consideration is comfort and finding a place to hike near by to see if you enjoy this. Boots are naturally the best place to bet your money. You want comfort and performance, sometimes both aren’t achievable. You want a good cleated sole that’s not too heavy. The more that your boots weigh, the more your leg muscles are picking up over time adding to fatigue and more soreness the next day. There are many sites that boast the best hiking boot so you’ll have to make your own choice, my only suggestion is to get the high top boot. This boot will give more support to the ankle which is a big plus once you get off a groomed trail. With the high top you can start with a less expensive boot to get an idea of what would help your foot be more comfortable.

   Where to hike? If you have new boots the local high school track is a good place to break them in. Eventually you’ll want to get out to see some sights. The Huron-Clinton Metro Parks have many trails. The Oakwood – Willow parks have 30 miles of connected trails. Lake Erie Metro Park has 6 miles of trail thru a very unique swamp/ grassland area of the park that utilizes a boardwalk over the wet part of the ecosystem. Lake Erie Park is a hotspot for the most popular activity while hiking and that is birding. Birding or bird watching is the identifying of birds, sometimes this is easy but sometimes not. You’ll definitely need a field guide to identify and to know what to look for. This area is so good because the birds have to come around the corner of the lake during migration. The birds can be of a higher concentration in the fall and that’s when they have Hawkfest. If you go, and usually the date is picked to coincide with the height of migration, you’ll see thousands of raptors in 1 day. Impossible you say? Let’s make a bet.

   Another trail system is the Midland to Mackinaw trail. This is what remains of the old Sauk trail which connected Detroit to Mackinaw and on to the Keweenaw Peninsula where copper deposits were mined. The copper was traded in Detroit or thereabouts for shell from the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. This was long before the white man was here. The Midland to Mackinaw trail is 210 miles long and goes thru few places to gather supplies so support from the outside is needed. This would be a real adventure for those so inclined. The trail meanders somewhat and isn’t as the crow flies so it does cross roads and this would allow you to complete it in sections and over a period of time, say a summer. Start planning now for this summer. I got my map from a store that is next to the trail but you can get one from the Lake Huron Area Boy Scout Council (989)695-5593 or check with the DNR or the US Forest Service.

   Some things to keep in mind when setting out are be comfortable and be safe. Comfort comes in good boots, appropriate clothing for the weather and good weather. Lightning and hail don’t mix well with hiking. Check the weather many times before going out and be prepared by taking a raincoat or a light tarp to protect you during a flash storm. Always carry a map of the area, a compass, flashlight, whistle, walking stick and insect repellant. If you hike alone make sure someone knows where you are and where you’re going and what time you’ll be there.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Invasives

2010-05-16T23:15:00.000-04:00

Check out the Bait Shop Blog for updates and pics....

The video was quite compelling. It’s the kind of thing that you just can’t stop watching or thinking about. It’s still going on now pouring over 200,000 gallons a day and spreading the worst oil spill in history over 3500 miles2, that’s about 10 times the surface size of Lake St. Clair. It could take decades to clean it up if at all. The current strategy is a chemical that breaks down the oil into smaller particles that bacteria can break down. No one knows how long the process will take but it’s the best we have right now. We can pin point where a space ship will go but can’t handle something of this magnitude. So the oil slick becomes the latest invasive on our delicate ecosystems.

   Just 2 quick questions. When a gasoline tank truck rolls over and catches fire, the price of gas usually shoots up $.50 per gallon but not for this little burp. What gives? I’m not complaining but when gas prices were going up and down like a yo-yo we were told just little problems can cause big spikes. I’m sure glad those times are over. The other question is about the animal savers that advertise on the TV and internet all the time. You now the picture of the dog with the long eyes and a foot in a cast. Where were those people when the dolphins and turtles started dying because of the oil spill? I would have thought they’d be there cleaning up birds for photo-op but nothing. So I googled oil spill and HSUS and found only 1 article from W. Purcele stating they’re using patience to see when they’ll be needed. Maybe donators should be using the same strategy.

   It seems the whole strategy on this spill is out of sight – out of mind. The chemical is breaking up the oil but this is just making the slick sink down 6 to 10 feet below the surface. There’s also those little tar balls that are washing up on shore. Some aren’t so little, reaching an 8 inch across size. When the oil starts coming on shore no matter what phase it’s in the trouble will start. My Brother-in-Law was just down there on vacation. You can see some pics on the slideshow (hopefully). When he was there he saw the bottom of the gulf in a pinkish red tone. The red snappers were just getting ready to spawn. I believe there are many other species spawning at this time of the year. The implications aren’t good but nobody is speaking of them, they just closed fishing from the Mississippi River to the pan handle of Florida.

   Now something is happening to our fish. The Chinooks of Lake Huron are being displaced by walleye. No one is sure why but we do know by creel reports what is being caught now. One invasive alewife) was probably decimated by another invasive (zebra mussel) and the Chinook (another invasive but an invited one) over fed on the alewives and knock them out of the lake. One action causes another reaction and so on and so on down the line. That’s Mother Nature. Now in Lake Erie the walleye are in a pretty steep decline, mostly from poor spawning. At least that’s what the experts think but could it be the zebra mussels or the round gobies or some new invasive? Because of the drop it looks as though the walleye limit on Lake Erie will drop to 4 fish per day until the situation changes. Hopefully this year’s spawn effort will explode and the drop to 4 fish won’t be needed. Keep your fingers crossed.

Get Outdoors Downriver
drdownriverrat@gmail.com

DWF Tournament

2010-05-13T08:52:00.000-04:00

sorry for the last minute notice...

Tomorrow night (8 pm Thursday) is the entry deadline for the Saturday Tournament!! You don't want to miss this one! Get your entry form in to one of the locations listed in the rulrs or contact the Tournament Captains Kay or Shuan Ross at 734-285-2428

Remember , the more particpants, the more you can win!!! Thw wheather is supposed to be great (for a change) so come on and join the fun!!!!

Walleye Detroit River AND Lake Erie Tournament May 15th

This tournament will be open to the River and Lake Erie (within the boundaries shown on the maps in the Rules document)

See DWF in the links label.

Joe's big walleye

2010-05-10T09:14:00.000-04:00

Joe S caught this 30" 9.5# walleye just off of Wyandotte. There are still some nice fish bitting but they are becoming less and less. Ofcourse now the silver bass are becoming more and more...

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-07T10:12:00.000-04:00

Don't forget your mother this Sunday. For some fun downriver outdoor activity try these metro parks.

At Oakwoods Metropark

“Mother’s Day Wildflower Walk,” Sunday, May 9 at 2 p.m., Oakwoods Nature Center. Treat Mom to a hike in the woods and search for spring wildflowers. Fee: $2 per person/moms are free. Pre-registration required. For more information, please call 1-800-477-3182 or 734-782-3956.

At Lake Erie Metropark:

“Welcome Home Bird Bash: Celebrating Migratory Birds,” Sunday, May 9, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Marshlands Museum and Nature Center of Lake Erie Metropark in Brownstown. Come for early bird or lazy afternoon walks, speakers, special exhibits, craft sessions and more. Donations appreciated. For more information, please call 1-800-477-3189 or 734-379-5020.

Turkey Tracks

2010-05-05T20:55:00.000-04:00

   I’ve been out hunting the elusive turkey for the last 10 days. The turkeys didn’t cooperate at all. In over 40 hours in the field I didn’t hear 1 gobble. Very depressing, especially since last year 4 of us got a bird each. I tried every kind of call I know and nothing worked. We saw turkeys everywhere around us but nothing close. It was very frustrating but that’s why it’s called hunting and not shopping.

   The time spent in the woods was priceless however. All the little things really add up. From hearing a whip-or–will to seeing a rufous-sided towhee. At times the quiet is deafening. Very relaxing and good for recharging the batteries. The anticipation was high but the lack of gobbling was a big disappointment. I did see some birds in the field, they were very skittish, so there’s always hope for next year.

   Sitting in the woods with very little going on always makes my mind wander. I think of hunts long ago, some great some just bad. How family and friends are doing, what I’m missing at work. The eyelids start to sink and you go into a state of near sleep, sometimes a light sleep my just happen. Time seems to slow down and go by very slowly, like the house on the side of the road. God bless you Ernie, we’ll miss you.

   Traveling back from turkey camp I saw an empty eagle’s nest. Last year it was active at this time of year. Maybe it’s a late spring and that’s why the turkeys were tight lipped. I did see an eagle right over I-75 in Saginaw of all places. They’re really making a comeback from years ago, much like the Detroit River. You can’t believe the change from what I witnessed in the 60’s and 70’s. Brown effluent was coming from most manufacturing discharges right into the river.

   One of the more spectacular sights I saw back then was the quenching of coal into coke. Wyandotte Chemicals would heat the coal as high as they could without it burning and then dump water on it to produce coke. The coke burns much hotter because the impurities are driven out. I was very young at the time but it seems like yesterday because of the shock and awe of the operation. The sound was a series of loud explosions and the steam cloud that formed extended many hundreds of feet in the air. I think my uncle Pete new when they were going to do this because we were always half way across the river when it happened. That was ok by me. There were many operations that the steel mills and chemical plants did that were amazing to see. One that you can still witness is the dumping of off spec molten steel onto the ground at Great Lakes steel. You may see the sky light up at times in the summer from this process. From just 100 yards away it’s like watching fireworks.

Get outdoors downriver.

Links

2010-04-22T22:00:00.009-04:00

Jerry Jordan's digiscoping blog - http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com/

24 hour fishing license with a web enabled phone: http://mobile.mi.gov/fish

Downriver Walleye Federation - http://www.dwfonline.com/
                       Just a wealth of info on walleye fishing in the area and points nearby. Tips, articles and recipes to aid before during and after the trip.

Lance Valentine - Walleye 101 http://www.walleye101.com/
                         Lots of info regarding walleye fishing. Lance puts on a unique Trophy Hunt that's like going to school to catch walleyes.

Lockeman's Hardware - http://www.lockemans.com/ - (313) 842-0268
                          The experts for your boat. Specialists in Crestliner - Johnson - Evinrude - Shoreland'r

Ray's Prime Food - http://www.raysprimefoods.com/ (734) 287-8240
                           Deer processing and custom products from your venison.

Weather:
Wind - http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/wfo/sectors/dtx.php#tabs

Lake Erie - http://www.crh.noaa.gov/product.php?site=cle&product=GLF&issuedby=LE

Raining - http://www.outdoorchannel.com/Schedule.aspx

Mich. DNR - http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Detroit Heritage River - http://www.mac-web.org/Projects/assets/DHRWT/DHRWT%20Poster.jpg

Health - http://www.rvproperty.com/enjoyyourself_theme.htm

The Tackle Box

2010-04-22T20:53:00.000-04:00

The tackle box is essential to fishing and Spring is the prime time to organize. This can be a very daunting task. What’s important to your fishing? What’s important to your life? You’ve got some old lures, some that have been successful and some you’ve never used. It’s good to try to organize but not too critical. One of the most important goals is to keep things separated. Hooks, for example, which can scatter all over the box. Collect them, then separate them according to size and put each pile on a safety pin. You may not find the right size hook but if you do you’ll have all at your finger tips. At least you can find a similar size and have a good supply of each.

The bottom of the box is probably going to be harder if you’re like me. The space is never big enough. The size never changes but the stuff going in keeps getting bigger. When the box won’t close it’s time to reorder, I mean reorganize. First take it all out and then separate as best you can by order of importance, most used, highest potential to be used, never used but most liked or any other reason that would pertain to you. Try to get the piles down to a size that fits in a baggie. Arrange the baggies for importance and start to fill the bottom again. Once full keep the extra bags and store them in the plastic shopping bag you stored the extra bags in the last 10 years.

You’ll also have equipment that is essential to any fishing outing such as a fillet knife, a knife for emergencies (working on the boat or motor), a knife for cutting line (fishing and anchor), fingernail clippers for fishing line only, sun glasses, a lighter, antacid tabs, aspirin, prep H, sunscreen, duct tape and a candy bar. When all free space in the lure trays is full you will need to take some bags out from the bottom. Remember the least important bags come out first and put these in the plastic shopping bag.

Eventually you’ll get to a point that the bag of new gear fresh from the store, or catalog order, is bigger than the bags in the plastic shopping bag. This is a prime opportunity to purchase a new tackle box. Try to find the best bang for your buck in the largest size you can find. Now you’ll be able to organize the tackle boxes with certain subjects in mind. These could include general fishing, walleye, trout, shore fishing, trolling, lake or river, lure types and for me a kids fishing box for my grand-daughters. Each box has its own set of rules to consider for the importance of the gear. My problem now is it’s harder for me to remember which box is which. All the boxes are different sizes and shapes so I can usually associate each to their type of use. I have magic markered references on some, but not all. Some of the new boxes are more like bags and they’re black so duct tape is used to put the references on.

Now the problem is knowing which box/bag to take. Depending who I’m fishing with I may have 4 or 5 of the things. If I ever went fishing with my buddy Hankie on Lake Erie I would take 5 box/bag combos. The walleye box, the trolling bag, the bottom bounce bag, the plastic bodies bag and the general box. We were targeting walleye but switching techniques was always a consideration depending on the weather. Sometimes we caught waldos but as often as not the trip turned into a sheephead outing. Those fish are really fun to catch. Good luck to you on your spring organizing.

It's On

2010-04-18T13:17:00.000-04:00

After reading Mike Zelinski and Jim Barta for 30+ years I waited for an outdoor page in the NH for 3 years. Not the throw away one connected to the pesky half page, like an amber alert during a highly watched sporting event that isn’t on any other channel. The guy from Missouri was ok but the DNR articles were really dry for me to read. I want to bring local news, lore or suggestions pertaining to the Detroit River area. Spending most of my 50+ years within a mile of the most diverse waterway for 1000 miles around. I’m sure I can find enough stories and info around here to keep my peeps happy. Even a blind squirrel can find a nut now and then.

So to make it easy on me I’m just going to report on the current walleye run already into its 3rd week. According to reports quite a few big fish have been boated. Not such breaking news for this river at this time of year, but it seems early. Of course everyone is fishing early now because once the silver bass get here you can’t catch many walleye. The silver death of the walleye run eat anything and everything before it can get to the walleye on the bottom.

The walleyes like a jig tipped with a plastic body, be it a Wyandotte worm or a Mr. Twister, or a minnow at this time of year or both. Don’t forget the stinger hook also to pick up the finicky biters. For $1 to .75 you can have the best lure for this area or any where in North America. Jigging should be done with your line perpendicular to the water’s surface, this is called vertical. Any deviation reduces your chances of hooking a fish. If it’s windy out an electric trolling motor makes life a lot easier, especially for the captain. Keep your lure on bottom where the fish are this gives you the best chance for the fish to see your jig. If you’re like my buddy Redcan you could try to jig high and it works for him at times but usually at a lower percentage of fish hooked. This technique is jigging anywhere from 2ft above bottom to the surface.

As for a spot to fish it can change throughout the year but a good rule of thumb is to follow the other boats. Check with your bait shop and go from there. Click on my label for fishing info for bait shops in the area.

Now for the serious stuff. I don’t wear a lifejacket as much as I should but I want everyone to know the dangers of fishing or just being around the water at this time of year. The water is in its mid 40s right now. At that temp survival time is only 30-60 mins and that includes getting warmed up again. That doesn’t sound too serious but in the last week I’ve heard of 20+ deaths from drowning in the news media. A father lost his son within the Detroit metro area. There were 2 deaths in Pennsylvania, An older man in Missouri that fell off his dock and before he could be found it was too late. My buddy Yezj had a close call at the marina he keeps his boat in. He was helping a friend getting his boat in and leaving the dock thought he was on his dock and missed the small section at the end that went off on a 45 degree angle. Sploosh he was in and no ladders in sight. The only thing that saved him was his buddy’s boat he just helped put in. How does it feel to fall in?

• You begin gasping for air immediately

• You find it harder to breathe

• Less blood goes to your brain making you disoriented, faint, and more likely to drown

• Increased heart rate overworks your heart

• You may suffer from heart failure or die

• Blood flow to your arms and legs decreases

• Limbs and hands become numb

• You lose the use of your fingers and are unable to grasp rescue lines or reach onto a rescue boat

• You lose your ability to swim

• When swimming, you are in a vertical position. With more of your body underwater you have a greater chance of drowning

Water Temperature Expected Time Before Exhaustion or Unconsciousness Expected Time of Survival

°F-(°C)

32.5° 0.3° < 15 minutes 45 minutes

32.5–40° 0.3–4.4° 15 – 30 minutes 30 – 90 minutes

40–50° 3.3–10° 30 – 60 minutes 1 – 3 hours

50–60° 10–15.6° 1 – 2 hours 1 – 6 hours

60–70° 15.6–21.1° 2 – 7 hours 2 – 40 hours

70–80° 21.1–26.7° 3 – 12 hours 3 hours – indefinite

> 80° > 26.7° Indefinite Indefinite

Today I heard a man died in Saginaw Bay when he tipped over in a kayak. So everyone be careful out on the river. Be courteous of others when running back up to start your drift and also respect the kayakers and our rowers because your wake may hit them long after you’re gone and they HAVE to deal with it. Be safe and be lucky.

Send in any pics and I’ll try to post. Send in any reports of good luck. I want to post everything so all interested parties stay in the know. I’ll try to post on the water myself. If I can get the hang of this blog and facebook and myspace and twitter and my cell phone and….

Bait Shops

2010-04-16T23:35:00.016-04:00

Andy's Tackle Box - 313-388-fish(3474)       Minnows-None
located on Dix just south of Oakwood.
   Any hardware you need for fishing or making your own lures. They now have Bondy baits. They also have the area's best fly tying supplies but sorry ladies the fancy feathers for hair extentions are gone.

Bait + Tacklebox  734-301-3281              Minnows-$3.50/doz

located on Jefferson just north of VanHorn

Talked to Dave and was told they open at 5am sharp.
He's a DWF member so they have handlining equipment.
They also have boat batteries there. They now carry a lot more lures and equipment than before. Stop by and check them out.

Bottom Line – Gibraltar - 734-379-9762       Minnows-$3/doz
located just south of the Lake Erie Metropark entrance.

Talked to Little Bill, showed me the 15.9lb walleye caught this spring in the river. They cover all types of fishing including handlining.
They have a large assortment of MI stinger spoons and reef runners for lake trolling although BBs and spinner rigs are working now.
They have the clinker jigs for the river. The jig has a tiny blade attached to the jig for sound production for dirty water.
L Bill says the bass are heating up and they have some tackle just for that.

Dip Net – Ecorse - 313-388-5811           Minnows-$3.50/doz
located just south of Southfield on Jefferson

Stopped in and said hello. They have quite an assortment of Fin-s baits and Wyandotte worms. Hot colors are black and a light blue. A big assortment of jigs and lead sinkers for every type of fishing. The store has been there for over 40 years so they know what you need including handlining equipment.

Jeff’s Bait - Monroe (Dixie hwy) – 734-289-4901   Minnows-$2.99/scoop
located on Dixie near the Sterling State Park entrance

Little Dipper – Flat Rock - 734-784-4277   $3.50/doz
Associated with the Dip Net in Ecourse.

Trenton Lighthouse – Trenton - 734-675-7080   Minnows-$3/doz
located on Jefferson just before the Elizabeth Park entrance.

Talked to Frank, Frank has been around for 22 years at the same spot.
Ask him to blow his moose call if you go in.
Frank is all about bait but he does have all the tackle including handlining equipment and Bondy baits for muskie. The Lighthouse has most boating supplies including boat batteries.Frank has gotten back into archery equipment, especially arrows and bolts for crossbows.

Wyandotte Boat Launch – 734-284-6774        Minnows-$3/doz
located just northeast of Jefferson and St. John's.

Talked to Butch in the bait shop.
They have most everything but key on BBs, jigs and of course Wyandotte worms.
They are all about getting you launched here. They have 4 portable battery charger/motor starters all set and ready to go. The golf cart really speeds things up on busy days like Good Friday.
Rates are Res. $3 - non res. $6, Year pass Res. $60 - non res. $120. These rates are for boats 20ft. and under. Over 20ft. it's $6 plus $1 per ft. - no passes.