Poaching Spoons

Authorities have announced that eight men have been indicted for alleged trafficking in American paddlefish caviar. One of the men had allegedly tried to smuggle paddlefish eggs in his checked luggage on an international flight from Washington, DC. The investigation was a joint effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation. The Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri announced four indictments against the men for alleged acts in 2011 and 2012.

These fish are very unique and have a cartilaginous skeleton like their cousins the sturgeon. What would anyone want with this fish? Well the eggs are made into caviar that can rival some that's made from sturgeon eggs. They have been introduced in the Danube River in Europe so introduction to China may be in the works.

Due to their filter feeding gills, much like a whales baleen, they can't be lured or baited to catch them. Only snagging will allow you to catch these prehistoric fish. They must swim to eat and trolling in the same direction won't get you hooked up so knowing where and when to troll and in what direction has a steep learning curve. Fishing with a knowledgeable guide is the way to go and I found Charlie Loomis. He put us on the fish and I got one. This fish was just barely legal believe it or not. That takes another check off the bucket list but the fight of the fish was much like catching a tire in the river. Not too exciting.

Here's a video from the Missouri DNR about the history in that state of paddlefish management. It could be said that it rivals our salmon fishery here in Michigan. I can tell you for a fact that salmon taste a lot better.

Found in the mighty Mississipp,
American paddlefish, I,
Named for the snout above my lip,
Flat and long and can notify
Me by electroreceptor,
When food I like is nearby – yes!
My tuned snout is also good for
Navigating, like GPS.
Fishy fisherfolk can’t lure me,
Due to my filter feeding way.
But by their sneaky snaggery,
I must look out for their foul play.
Smug smugglers do smuggle my roe.
Those greedy humans – doncha know!

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Walleye for money and your jigs for free

This just in from Mike Thomas from the MDNR.

The target numbers were 200 fish implanted in the Tittabawasee River and 200 fish implanted in the Maumee River. We won't likely see many of the Tittabawasee River fish down here, but the Maumee River fish could show up anywhere in the connecting waters of SE Michigan. Some fish will be released on the Ohio "reefs" by the ODNR. So keep an eye out for the spagetti like tags on these fish. Just imagine what you'll do with $100. Jigs, rapalas, reefrunners...

Get Outdoors downriver.

Pete the Greek

Pete was a Greek bar owner in the Rouge that was really liked. So when a friend called me with a problem I immediately thought of Pete. I'm sure it's not what you're thinking but said friend was getting ready to leave for a vacation in loan ladden Greece. The problem was he had a visitor that had no intention of leaving.

By having a tell tale orange colored beak it was determined Pete the Greek is a mute swan. He ended up in said friends dog run and well wouldn't leave. He even used the doghouse for shelter. This is unusual behavior for a swan and with their mean streak they are hard to deal with. So I called Joe Robison head of the Point Mouillie State Game Area for advice. He pointed me to the MDNR website for a licensed rehabilitator.

http://www.michigandnr.com/dlr/


I called 2 of the licensees and was told mute swans were an invasive species. Just like gobies and zebra mussels and the black death, cormorants. So they could lose their licenses if they got involved at all.  So I searched around on the MDNR website and found Mute Swans FAQ.   
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_12145_59132_59333-263394--,00.html

Bad news for Pete since the MDNR has plans to try and control theirs numbers by culling and anyone with a problem mute swan can get a permit to dispatch them from the MDNR. Before you could say Yipie Cy Yeah my friend called and told me a neighbor had somehow shooed the squatter from the pen and was escorted out of the back yard. He was last seen limping down the street off into the great blue yonder looking for a new place to stay. Good luck Pete you will definately need it.
Get Outdoors Downriver.

Spring Breaks

Last weekend was a breath of fresh air, and warm, for all weary outdoor people. Especially the fishermen who haven't had decent ice and couldn't get their boats in. That is until Saturday. There had been scattered reports of fish being caught in the river from some die hards. Then walleye were starting to show up in the Huron River as Jack Kell had some success.

Now there are reports of limits in the south waters of the Detroit River.

A call to the local bait shops confirmed some good action on both walleye and perch.

As I write this there's a robin in my backyard wrestling with a worm. I know it's early but things are breaking all over. Now I just need to unbury the boat in the garage.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Wetland Wonders

Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division has developed a new promotional campaign called "Explore Michigan's Wetland Wonders" to highlight the managed waterfowl areas throughout southern Michigan. These are premier locations not only for waterfowl hunting, but also for birding, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, nature exploration, and a variety of other outdoor recreation. These areas are located in major waterfowl migration areas and are managed to provide wetland habitat for waterfowl and a wide diversity of other wildlife species.

As part of the Exploring Michigan's Wetland Wonders campaign, they have developed a Wetland Wonders Challenge II contest that will begin on March 23, 2013 and run through the middle of August. We're inviting folks to explore these areas during the spring and summer to experience all of the great outdoor recreational opportunities. Events are being planned at all seven of these areas during this timeframe to highlight non-hunting recreational activities. When visitors come to an official Wetland Wonders Challenge II event, they can sign-up for a chance to win one of seven prize packages including unique outdoor experiences. Examples of events include birding tours and workshops, paddling workshops, fishing workshops, nature hikes, and photography and nature art workshops.

You can find more information on the Wetland Wonders website(www.michigan.gov/wetlandwonders).


To kick this event off, the Pte. Mouillee staff is hosting a driving birding tour that will be guided by local area staff and local birding experts. The tour will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Pte. Mouillee headquarters located at 37205 Mouillee Rd., Rockwood, MI 48173. You can call 734.379.7430 for additional details if needed. This will give you a great chance to see the entire 4,040 acre wetland complex. A great opportunity to see a whole host of wildlife species and see all the exciting projects that have been initiated at the game area.
This is a real gem of southeast Michigan for many outdoor opportunities. The effort that Joe Robison and crew put in every year really gets maximum value for the wildlife.

Hope to see you on the 23rd.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Tag a Muskie

This is not a trick, repeat...

Even though it starts April 1st a new regulation will go into effect and it isn't a joke. Along with some new pike regs, that are confusing,  the muskie limit for the year will be 1 fish which must be tagged to retain possession.

Muskellunge harvest tags will be free and available at all license vendors. Anglers who do not possess the tag are required to release all muskies they catch. The new tag will be used as a means to enforce the new possession limit statewide and will allow the MDNR to monitor how many tags are provided to anglers and to provide insight on the level of harvest.

So you are heading to go fishing and you remember you don't have a tag yet. You go into a big box 24 hour store and ask the teenager behind the counter for a muskie tag. Do you think they'll know what you're talking about or have them or be able to find them? Chances are not and you'll be forced to break the law or release a fish like this:

These guys were out smallmouth fishing and caught a world record muskie. They had to use 2 small nets to try and get the fish in the boat, do you think a muskie tag would have been with any of them? So you hold the muskie until you run to the bait shop to get a tag, if they have them and return to your world record to tag it. All the while breaking the law because you didn't release it immediately. What about someone who's had a muskie in the freezer waiting to get it mounted? Since it's in possession and you need to tag it you won't be able to keep any muskie caught no matter how big for over a year.

The MDNR has used a tagging system for years on Lake St. Clair sturgeon for years. I'm sure they think this is a great tool for managing muskies but I haven't heard of a world record sturgeon coming out of those waters. I just hope they have the tags when I get my new license this year.

Get Outdoors Downriver.