The Heat is Killing Us

As if the heat and humidity isn't enough this report from the MDNR may mean these conditions will be affecting our fishing in the future.
There have been numerous fish kills recently reported from around the state, and staff from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Fisheries Division is tracking and monitoring these events.

“We appreciate the public letting us know where they are seeing unusual fish kill events,” said Jim Dexter, Fisheries Division chief. “This can be done by emailing reports to DNR-FISH-Report-Fish-Kills@michigan.gov.”

The combination of very high water temperatures and drought flow conditions have made conditions very stressful for fish and, in many cases, these conditions are beyond lethal temperatures for fish. Additionally, high water temperatures also often result in low oxygen values, particularly where there is a lot of vegetation.

“For example, water temperatures of nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded in the lower Shiawassee River last week, which resulted in a small kill of northern pike as temperatures were beyond their physiological ability to handle these conditions,” explained Gary Whelan, DNR fish production manager. “We expect to see more of these fish kills until there are major changes in this summer’s weather.”

The overall fisheries effects of such events are often very local in nature and may not significantly change overall population numbers. However, population level effects are not known at this time and will take some time to fully evaluate.

“We recommend anglers be extra careful in handling and unhooking fish that are to be released to keep stress to a minimum. It is also best for our fish if anglers refrain from fishing during the hottest parts of the day and not keep fish to be released in live wells for very long,” continued Whelan. “Fishing in the early morning period is least stressful for fish, as it has the coolest water temperatures.”

Once most fish lose most of the oxygen in their blood they can't make up the loss and will die. Some like carp and largemouth bass have a special chemical in their blood that allows them to extract oxygen more readily from the water. At water temperatures of 80 F and above many fish will crossover that critical concentration and become what's called the living dead. The water can't hold enough oxygen and the fish can't absorb it fast enough. So fish in the morning to help the fish and yourself.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Leviathan

What is it with our fascination of large fish? Is it a fear factor of not knowing what’s down below? Man has a natural instinct to fear large predators dating back to dinosaur times. I’m guessing T-rex had a lot to do with that. You’d think by now after having fire for over a million years we’d overcome our fear of the unknown and not be scared of any predators. After reports of a man being rescued by a bear from a mountain lion attack I guess we should still retain some of that caution. When you catch one of these big fish the feeling is of exhilaration and great joy. As, I’m sure, you would feel after winning a lottery. Is this because you’ve eliminated a large predator from the system or because the fish put up a good fight and was an enjoyable experience?
I think it’s more about things going right at the right time. The moment of truth so to speak much like hunting when game is spotted and the decision to harvest is made. The moment of truth when the trigger is pulled is much like netting a trophy fish. Everything has to go right and decisions are made in a split second that could affect the outcome of shooting or netting.
When there’s a report of a large fish caught everyone wants to see a picture. Put a mental record on some unbelievable statistics.

A 50” musky.
A 15.9 pound walleye that you netted yourself.
All these fish are large and some caught right here in the Detroit River. So...
Get Outdoors Downriver.

Michigan and Ohio Departments of Natural Resources Six Lake Erie water samples test positive for Asian carp eDNA

"Federal and state wildlife officials working in conjunction with academic researchers today announced six water samples taken from Sandusky and north Maumee bays tested positive for the presence of Asian carp environmental DNA in Michigan and Ohio waters.
The positive samples were among 417 taken from Lake Erie in August 2011, and more than 2,000 samples taken from the Great Lakes Basin since 2010. The Lake Erie batch was recently analyzed and test results were confirmed by eDNA researchers this week. The six positive samples represent less than 1.5 percent of the Lake Erie samples.

Since 2010, the Michigan DNR, Ohio DNR, USFWS, University of Notre Dame, Central Michigan University and the Nature Conservancy have partnered to collect water samples from Great Lakes basin waters, including the Chicago Area Waterway System, southern Lake Michigan, western Lake Erie and tributary streams of lakes Michigan and Erie. The collaborative early-detection Asian carp surveillance program is funded by the USFWS with a federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant, administered under the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework".

So are we on the slippery slope heading for Great Lakes deserts or is this an over reach by the departments involved. As with CWD worry was at fever pitch until the funding dried up and then less aggresive treatment philosophies were adopted. The government has been fighting an increase in the Asian carp battle funding. Now they may have to incease the budgets or assign more resources to the problem.

Just recently there were reports of studies that said the Asian carp wouldn't have any adverse affect of the Great Lakes and that they would destroy the Great Lakes. If the funding is increased then people doing studies on the problem may get government backing. Lets hope these samples get expained away and we won't have to worry about the problem as of yet. Finding Asian carp DNA in a Chicago canal near where we know the fish are found is one thing but 3 1/2 Great Lakes away is a different story.

Get Outdoors Downriver (before the good fish are gone)

Kid's Day

Head to Lake Erie Metro Park on July 15th for Kid's Day from noon to 4 pm.

Kids will have free use of inflatables, including a moon walk, obstacle course and giant slide, plus a DJ, magic and a puppet show. There will be 100 bicycle helmets handed out to kids on a first come, first serve basis. For additional information, contact the Lake Erie Metropark at 734-379-5020.

Located along the Huron and Clinton rivers, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks provide a natural oasis from urban and suburban life as well as year-round recreational activities and events. A regional park system, the Metroparks consist of 13 beautiful parks covering 25,000 acres, 10 spectacular public golf courses and two marinas on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, respectively. The parks also offer scenic nature trails, breathtaking beaches, educational activities and exciting winter sports.

Muskiecopia

The Detroit River and it's surrounding waters has to be the largest cornucopia of fish and fishing opportunities in the world. From checking my Michigan Outdoor News I find reports of anglers taking over limits of silver bass. Silver bass? The scourge of the spring walleye enthusiast, silver bass are very popular somewhere. It was reported that the DNR caught enough illegal fishers to confiscate over 900 silvers. Included in one report was the fact that the department would receive $5 for each illegally caught fish. That's over $4500 for the state coffers in just a few weeks and I'm sure there were more busts than what was reported. They're fun to catch but not at that price.
Now that they're gone and the river is settling back to normal the walleye are biting again. Many catches have been made and there are also many throwbacks that will be legal in just a couple of months. While chasing the waldos my son that is jersey-less and a V1 swing software salesman encountered a different fish species just last week.
This is a 45” muskie caught on a walleye jig. Quite a surprise and a little disappointment for him since he didn't get it on one of the baits he normally uses for these fish. Gary and Ben enjoyed the show.

Now it's my turn. Just last Sunday we were out after some walleyes when I got a surprise.
Catching these fish is always fun but once they're in the boat care must be taken as not to get injured or hurt the fish.

As we're heading back for another drift, Jason says Bondy always says there are more than one musky in a spot so we switched over to Bondy baits. These things are big and bulky and hard to jig but there what the muskies want. Sure enough in almost the same spot I hooked the first one I got bit by another musky on the Bondy bait. After the strike I tried to set the hook but there was just slack in the line. Suddenly behind us we heard why, the musky was trashing around on the surface trying to dislodge the bait. Soon it was heading for Davey Jones' locker, the slack was gone and the fight was on. This one was a little bigger than the first and not as cooperative, ending up flopping back in while I was trying to measure it.

We ended up with 2 walleye and 2 musky, quite a productive day. I just goes to show you no matter from boat or shore you never know what you can catch from the Detroit River.

Get Outdoors Downriver

Geiger Encounters Tomskullery

One of Wyandotte's finest, Devin Geiger, recently had a very successful hunting trip in Northwest Michigan. Devin was after the elusive Eastern Turkey and spent quite some time tracking down a bird. While driving the backroads he noticed birds crossing a road at a certain time each day. Turkeys can seem very dumb sometimes but just try to get close to one.
After picking out a general area he started laying down leather not rubber. It's not easy figuring these birds out and any discovery while scouting could help determine a blind location to intercept the quarry. Taking note of tracks, droppings, wing drag marks and feathers while deciphering the lay of the land you can get an idea of where the birds will travel thru. Adding in the time you see them a date can be made to hunt up the birds. As Devin was doing all this he made a discovery of a different kind.
This is a skull of a wild Russian boar you may have heard about being shown off by his son, Magnus. Nice tusks! These invasives are doing so much damage to crops and habitat that the State has created an open season on them. They are evasive as well and hunting them isn't as easy as some may think. You need to know where they live and sit and wait for them to show up or call them in. Calling in can be tricky as to the type of call to use and keeping calm if a big one comes in. Here's one harvested in the Chelsea area in 2010.
Devin ended up making a date with a tom and got his bird.
Good job Devin, two trophies in one trip.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Summer and Celebrations.

Well summer is finally here. School's out in many different directions and the temperature is soaring like the national debt. The silvers are finally down to manageable levels and many walleye limits are reported. Along with those reports is the fact that many undersized fish are being caught, the 2010 year class is showing how good it was. This class should carry us for a while. Bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses are the ticket now whether you're in the river or lake.
Some are even using an Alabama rig to cast and troll for walleye. Casting should take some practice and a pretty stiff action rod. Especially if you put 2 in tandem as I've seen before. An in-line weight behind a in-line planer board should troll up even the shyest fish.
For other entertainment look to our Metro parks. Lake Erie Metro Park has a lot of fun things planned for the kids and adults. With the cut backs in city budgets many are opting out of firework displays. Both Lake Erie and Willow Metro parks are having firework displays coming up.
LAKE ERIE METROPARK, in Brownstown– Saturday, June 30 at 10 pm. Flashback will perform from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. There is a $5 daily vehicle permit before 5 pm; $10 special event daily vehicle permit required after 5 pm; admission is free with an annual permit. For information, call Lake Erie Metropark at 734-379-5020.
WILLOW METROPARK, near New Boston – Wednesday, July 4. Hidden Agenda and the Rick Lieder Band will perform from 5:30 pm to 11 pm with a break for fireworks at 10 pm. There is a $5 daily vehicle permit before 5 pm; $10 special event daily vehicle permit required after 5 pm; admission is free with an annual permit. For more information, call Willow Metropark at 734-697-9181.
At Lake Erie they're offering cruises covering topic about the Detroit River and western Lake Erie.
Go to http://miseagrant.umich.edu/discovery/ to see cruise descriptions. Here's the schedule.

Get Outdoors Downriver

School's Out Forever

I can still remember Alice Cooper belting out our class song back in 1972. It was just for a week and then the uppity ups in student council changed it to some Beatle's song. Now it's appropriate for a different set of students and a different type of school. Wilson Middle School in Wyandotte has delivered a school that will be "Out Forever", a school of Chinook salmon. Wilson Middle School is the only middle school in Wayne County to sponsor this program with coordinator Mr. White and everyday members Jeana Claxton, Sabrina Kettler, Sydney Murphy, Jason Niebrzydowski, and Endri Kambo.
Mr. White has brought "Salmon in the Classroom" to Wilson Middle School. In 1997 the Salmon in the Classroom project was started. Salmon in the classroom is not just another science activity but a very interactive participatory program in which students raise the resource and ultimately are responsible for its survival and release.
Mr. White says "We strive to add activities that will enable us to better teach students about Michigan's fisheries resources and Great lakes issues. As scientists, we have created the important messages we need to reconnect our children to the great outdoors. Together, we can develope and nurture the next generation of stewards and anglers.
About 2 years ago Mr. White was contacted by Jerry Sickon from the Huron Valley Sportfishing Club and PLAV sausage proclivity. Together they got all permits from the state and the equipment for raising the fish from eggs to smolts to young fish. The tank must be cooled to the temperature the fish need and the water quality needs to be checked frequently to give the fish a great environment to grow. The group received their eggs on December 8th from the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery and have put a lot of effort in raising 75 four inch long fish.
The day of reckoning came last week and all the fish were set free in the Huron River somewhere near Flatrock. Hopefully, Tom Cunningham and his cohorts were there to protect the plantings from the cormorants. It will be interesting to see how many fish survive and come back in 3 years. Even though the school is out they will get the urge to spawn and return to the river of their planting. Good luck class of 2012.
As an added bonus the students got a glimpse of how the DNR try to control an invasive species.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Oscillation Fascination

Getting on up in age I’ve started to lose strength and function of my hands. From carpel tunnel problems to swollen knuckles doing things that were easy before now take longer and can hurt. Some things I’ve enjoyed doing I don’t anymore but others I still want to and do. But now I use an aid to help me, it’s an oscillation tool. You may have seen these tools demonstrated on TV. It’s much like a dremmel tool in shape but instead or spinning it vibrates.
With many different blades offered you can cut wood, metal, plastic, drywall and on and on. I use the tool to process pelts and do some turkey taxidermy. There are mainly 4 types of these tools, pneumatic, battery driven and electric of which there are the one speed and variable speed. The variable speed is needed for any kind of work with the previously mentioned items. The one speed models I think are too powerful to use on delicate items and to work in tight quarters.
Here’s a turkey wing bone that would have taken me over 20 minutes to debone.
Now it's mere seconds.

After treating with some 20 mule team I can position the feathers and bondo or hot glue onto some cardboard or other backing. Next is the tail.
Separate the “guard “ feathers from the tail.
I use the O tool to get as much meat off the quills as possible on both sides.
Repeat with the borax treatment and attach to a backing.
Here’s a display I’ve donated to our local nature center.

Record Cat Caught

Caught by Rodney Akey of Niles, Mich., at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, on the St. Joseph River in Berrien County, the fish weighed 49.8 pounds and measured 45.7 inches. Akey was still-fishing from shore with an alewife when he landed the record fish.

“It only took about 15 minutes to catch this fish or to get it to bite, but it took about a half hour to land it. We were pretty excited about it, I’ve caught a lot of big ones, but nothing that big,” Akey told WWJ 950′s Marie Osborne, later adding, “We just bugged our eyes out of our heads, I said ‘I think we’ve got a state record here.’”

The record was verified by Scott Hanshue, a DNR fisheries biologist, at the DNR’s Plainwell office.

The previous state record flathead catfish was caught by Elmer Rayner of Hastings, Mich., on the Maple River in Ionia County on Aug. 6, 1943. That fish weighed in at 47.5 pounds and measured 44 inches.

“I’ve been fishing catfish on the St. Joseph River for the last 20 years, but it never crossed my mind that I would catch a state record,” said Akey. “And beating a nearly 70-year record – that’s a feat in itself!”

State records are recognized by weight only. To qualify for a state record, fish must exceed the current listed state record weight, and identification must be verified by a DNR fisheries biologist.