Water, Water Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink

Blue green algae toxins have brought back the curse of the ancient Mariner.
Water everywhere but none to drink. The problem has existed for many years but for some reason no has become acute. Over 40 years ago there was a documentary about the Great Lakes and the narrator canoes from Lake Superior to Lake Ontario. As I remember the context of the film, past history of the waterway was compared to current conditions. When the canoeist gets to Lake Erie he dips his paddle into semi-pristine water and lifts it up to drink from the run off. Quite a trick to pull off but when you're thirsty it is refreshing. As the paddle hits the apex of the lift the water turns from 17th century water to the sludge that existed in the 1960's, green and chunky. Along with DDT and mercury problems many considered Lake Erie dead.

 

An effort was started to clean up the Great Lakes and things turned around quickly. However there's always been an algae bloom in Lake Erie and this causes a dead zone that can cause major fish die offs. The lake is shallow in terms of the rest of the Great Lakes and accepts many chemicals from the Detroit River and the Maumee. This feeds the algae and along with the warm temperatures of the shallow water their population takes off.


 







The problem is very complex with contributions coming from fertilizers and the waste of animals, including humans. Nowhere else on the Great Lakes does this problem happen even though almost every lake has the same types and amounts of contributors. Thankfully now the Feds are chipping in. $12 million is set aside to find out where the worst contributor exist. From manure to excrement to farm runoff, how much and where from. Hopefully we'll get some answers that solve this big problem and get the albatross off our necks.

Fine Dining at the Nature Center

After putting together the craft for the day, a crayfish trap, Chase took everyone down to the fire pit along with a few dozen of his new best friends. The crayfish were a little docile being store on ice in a cooler for a couple of days. Even so they displayed the double claw over the head move that give most predators a second thought about dealing with the pincher's. The taste of the fine dining usually overcomes this fear.

Most of the explorers have indulged in this delicacy so they don't know the reward is greater than the fear. With a little schooling about how to hold the crawdad all comers grabbed their own and added it to the boiling pot. Just grab behind the head because they can't reach behind it with those claws. Soon all had put in 3 or 4 and we had enough for a feast.

Next was getting at the reward. With help from the adults the explorers were peeling off the shells and dipping their tails in butter. A fine dine was had by all. Thanks Chase.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Who Would You Want to Look in your Most Treasured Book?

Just about every fanatic outdoor person keeps a book of info garnered from outings into the unknown. Fisherman jot down weather observations, sunlight levels, lure color, trolling speed, how many of what kind of fish caught and on and on. Hunters also use weather observations and sunlight levels and with those direction deer are traveling, time of day which trails leading to which scrape/rub, which calls used and how many deer. As you can see people dedicated to an endeavor try to use all the info they can, whether good or bad, to help them harvest their game. Much of this info is kept secret, hard to come by details earned thru trial and error.

Who would you let look thru that encyclopedia of personal info and tips? Kevin Van Dam if you fish for bass, maybe. Tom Miranda if you're a big game bow hunter. I guess it depends on your fanaticism and what your game is.

 How about J.D. Martinez standing on first base unaware that someone has his secret hitting book.


Should JD be mad? Miguel is by all accounts the best hitter of a baseball in the world. I guess that's someone you'd let look at it but draw pictures, I don't know about that but in 25 years that book might just be worth more than the info inside, just look at the pictures.

Don't Look a Gift Turkey in the Snood

  This is an old story now but I'm finally getting around to tell it. Opening morning broke cool but not too crisp and the birds were very vocal. This is southern Michigan farm country and the amount of birds are amazing. I heard a few on the east part of the farm I was on, enough to keep my interest peeked. My cousin Jojo on the other hand was surrounded by a large flock of turkeys. As if they knew where he was and that it was opening day all the toms stayed too far away, even for him, to take a shot with the booming 10 gauge he uses. The toms I saw were thru binoculars in the farming field hundreds of yards away from my decoy set up. They would gobble to my calling but never took a step closer from the path they naturally take. A little after 10 it was time for breakfast.

  We got back about 1 pm after doing some road scouting. The sun was high and no birds were in the fields. Usually we see some toms trying to determine the pecking order but not today. So back to the blinds we went. On the way out to eat I took down my dominate ton hen pecking decoy so as not to educate any live toms in the area. So I set the decoys back up and got in the blind. Almost instantly and before I even tried calling I heard a gobble of to my east. I'm sure it was on of the toms I had heard gobbling earlier in the morning. I called and he gobbled for quite some time. He got close but nowhere near seeing range let alone shooting range. At some point during the excersice I asertained that what I thought were double gobbles were actually a different birds gobbles.

  Now to my west there were two different toms gobbling to my calls. They were very interested and I could tell one or both would be coming in to the decoys. I set up my camera to capture the event but things didn't go as I had hoped. This turkey came in but didn't go the right way. He's puffed up but became silent when he got close.

Here's the set up I wanted him to come into. He was headed that way but didn't make the commitment. He backed out and started coming straight toward me. I called and the other tom replied.

I had a hard time with the camera and was frustrated so I shot the tom the first chance I got. This was a really nice bird with a 91/2" beard and 1" spurs. A big 2-3 year old and probably still hanging out with his brother.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Give a Man a Fish...

Have you ever wanted to learn to fish? Join the DNR for "Hook, Line and Sinker", a weekly fishing program conducted by our staff at over 30 state parks and fish hatcheries in Michigan.

They'll teach you casting and fishing basics, and we can provide a rod and reel to use if you don't have your own equipment. Hook, Line and Sinker programs begin in mid-June and continue throughout the summer.

Participants under 17 do not need a fishing license. Programs are FREE; however, a Recreation Passport is required for park entry.

The  experienced, friendly instructors will introduce you to fishing in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. With step-by-step direction, you'll learn fishing basics like knot-tying, setting up your pole, casting, selecting and using bait, and removing fish from the hook. After the 20- to 30-minute lesson, you'll be ready to hit the water and exercise your new skills.

There are many parks across the state that offer the program and the closest to the DR is - Sterling State Park, Monroe, 734-289-2715. Call for info.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

The Smell of a River

Every year in the spring the Detroit River developes it's own smell. There are many aromas in the smell mostly like fresh caught fish. Throw in some fresh rain smell and a little rotten fish. Ah the ambrosia of a living river.

Usually I get the smell in early April when the first signs of walleye fishing appear. Working just a football field away I can smell the river distinctly on any calm morning. This year however after all the polar vorti's the smell was non existent until just the day after Memorial Day. I hadn't even thought about it until I recognized the smell and noticed I hadn't noticed it. It's always a welcome event because that means fish is going to be red hot, especially with the Wyandotte Kid's Fishing Derby coming up.

Just be thankful we weren't as hard hit by the polar vorti as some in the state.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Deadline for Elk and Bear Permits is Fast Approaching.

  Applications for Michigan elk and bear hunting licenses are available now through June 1. There will be 100 elk licenses and 7,831 bear hunting licenses available for the 2014 hunting seasons.

  Only Michigan residents are eligible to apply for an elk license. Bear licenses are available for both residents and nonresidents; however, no more than 2 percent of licenses in any bear management unit will be issued to nonresidents.

  Hunters can apply online at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings, at any authorized license agent or at a DNR Customer Service Center. A nonrefundable $5 fee is charged at the time of application. Hunters may purchase just one bear and one elk application.

  Want another chance at a bear or elk license? Hunters can increase their odds by applying for the Pure Michigan Hunt. Applications are $5 and are available at any license agent or online at www.mdnr-elicense.com. Hunters may buy as many applications as they want. Three lucky winners will win prize packages that include elk (Michigan residents only), bear, deer and turkey licenses; first pick at a managed waterfowl hunt area; plus firearms, crossbows and much more – worth a total of $4,000!

Head to the Detroit River for Some Salmon Jigging?



Fish on the Detroit River long enough and you can catch every kind of fish in the Great Lakes Basin. That's what Joe Richter found out this week jigging for walleye. Joe's the top catcher on the team that won the Wyandotte Boat Launch Walleye Tournament last year. His jigging technique is top notch and he proved it by hooking and landing a chinook salmon.

 

I've heard many reports of salmon being caught in the river mostly by handliners with their controlled depth trolling, just last year as reported on this blog. I can't recall anyone jigging up a salmon though. It looks really healthy and has both eyes so this isn't a fluke. Joe and his partner have caught many fish in the river, including sturgeon, but none have come close to being as unique as this salmon.

Get Outdoors downriver.

Now's your chance at a trophy

The temps are heading up and the chance to catch a 10 lb walleye is at it's peak. The water is in the lower 40's, too cold for spawning but warm enough to get these big fish to feed after a long winter. Look about you for the signs the run has started.

The forsythia bloom is the best one. I saw the first blooms just days after the last ice jam came down the river. 

Then there's also the maple tree bud husks that fall when the leaves are starting to come out. I found many of these on the ground after the last 3"s of snow fell. My son Jason went out yesterday morning and got a monster fish. 12 + pounds and 30"s long.

I went out last evening with my sons and got this 10+ lb personal best walleye also of the magical 30" length.

 Both fish were adding us to the list of thirty inch fish started by my son Justin last year. Here's his 10+ lb 30" fish.

Yes it's a family affair, the Detroit River family. The big fish are in and it's a big time family party. Everyone's invited. Just check in at your local bait shop and view the myriad of giant fish pictures. Tell'em the River invited you.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Tour in Paradise, Mouillie

This saturday the spring tour starts at 9am. Joe Robson will lead the way stopping at the best spots for bird viewing and anywhere a rare bird is spotted.

This is a great opportunity to see some birds and get some fresh air. Stop by the headquarters early to check out the info they have and buy a permit to help out their budget. The other way to help is to buy a smallgame license, or whatever they call it now, then the refuge gets money from the government based on usage.

Get Outdoors Downriver.