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GLF

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    Switched Hosts

    in Welcome to Great Lakes Fisherman

    Posted

    I have moved the site to a new host. It is possible there may be a lost post or two while the dns is catching up. Hopefully this will take care of any slow down issues we have been expierencing.

    Mike

    Well this really crapped out. Sorry! We are back on the old host until I can get this resolved.

    Mike

    Getting Started

    in Salmon Pro's Connection

    Posted

    If you was on a limited budget, and getting started in salmon fishing, how would you rig your boat for fishing? Remember, every piece of equipment and tackle will need to be purchased. You can leave out the electronics. How much money would you need to rig your boat. This includes rods, reels, and tackle.

    Do you start out with riggers, or do you start out with lead core and pick up the riggers later?

    Free Fishing Weekend Feb 18-19

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Offers Great Opportunity for Families to GO-Get Outdoors

    Michigan's annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend, Feb. 18-19, is a great time for families to bundle up, get outdoors and go fishing. For these two days, residents and nonresidents can fish without purchasing a fishing license, though all other fishing regulations still apply. Anglers 17 or older who plan to fish on the President's Day holiday, Monday, Feb. 20, must possess a valid fishing license.

    Winter Free Fishing Weekend is designed to invite people out to discover that Michigan provides great fishing fun even in winter. Although recent mild temperatures have made it unsafe for ice fishing in many parts of the state, there still is plenty of angling opportunity from piers; from shore along rivers, streams and canals and from boats where there is plenty of open water.

    Where conditions allow fishing through the ice, the Department of Natural Resources reminds all anglers to dress warm, use the buddy system, always wear a life jacket and use caution when traveling across any ice.

    MN proposes commercial lake trout take

    in Michigan Waters Fishing Reports - Salmon and Trout

    Posted

    Lake trout rebound prompts proposal

    Responding to a strong comeback in the lake trout population, the Minnesota DNR soon may permit limited commercial fishing for the species in Minnesota waters of Lake Superior.

    The Duluth News Tribune reports commercial fishermen would be allowed to take a small number of fish while providing research data on their catch to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The proposed change would mark the first significant step toward a commercial lake trout fishery in Minnesota since netting was banned in 1962.

    In December, the Minnesota DNR proposed allowing commercial harvest of 3,000 lake trout in a zone near the Canadian border.

    "If anything, it's a reflection that the lake is in pretty decent shape," said Don Schreiner, Lake Superior area fisheries supervisor with the Minnesota DNR. "If we're considering a commercial fishery along with a sport fishery in certain parts of the lake, we've come a long way from where we were."

    The lake trout population has rebounded steadily since the late 1980s. Natural reproduction has increased over the past 15 years, and the proportion of wild lake trout in spring surveys has increased from 45 to 75 % in the past 10 years, according to the DNR.

    Currently, Minnesota allows a handful of commercial fishermen to take a few hundred lake trout annually as part of DNR research. Members of the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa also are allowed to take a limited number of lake

    trout based on 1854 treaty rights. In Wisconsin, 10 state-licensed commercial fishermen are allotted 10,750 lake trout annually. Anglers take about 19,000 lake trout per year in Minnesota waters, according to the DNR.

    The program would be conducted on an experimental basis, and fishermen would be issued permits allowing them to use specific gear and to harvest a specified number of fish, Schreiner said. The allotment of 3,000 fish has been proposed for zone MN-3 reaching from the Cascade River to the Canadian border. Other zones are MN-1, from Duluth to near Two Harbors, and MN-2, from near Two Harbors to the Cascade River.

    Currently, two commercial fishermen in MN-3 are permitted a total of 600 lake trout in the spring and 600 in the fall while providing data about the fish to DNR officials. The spring assessment quota of 600 fish would continue, but the fall assessment quota would be rolled into the 3,000 harvest total, Schreiner said.

    As bright as the lake trout picture is in Lake Superior, there's a dark side, too. Despite concerted efforts to control lampreys, the ocean invaders still kill about half of all lake trout in Lake Superior, Schreiner said. The federal government leads efforts to control lamprey, primarily by treating their spawning tributaries with chemicals.

    Lamprey numbers exploded -- nearly doubling in western Lake Superior -- during the past year. Crews trapped 9,478 lamprey in the Brule River trap in 2005, three times last year's catch and the most ever in the barrier's 20-year history, according to the Wisconsin DNR.

    '06 Lake Erie fishing outlook is promising

    in Lake Erie Discussion

    Posted

    Large 2003 walleye and yellow perch hatches should be plus for anglers

    COLUMBUS, OH - Lake Erie anglers should experience excellent fishing opportunities in 2006, say fisheries biologists with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

    "We are excited about the outstanding fishing opportunities on Lake Erie for a variety of species in 2006,†said Roger Knight, Lake Erie fisheries program manager at ODNR. "The large 2003 hatch should provide large numbers of good-sized walleye and yellow perch, while quality smallmouth bass and steelhead trout fishing also will available to Lake Erie anglers."

    Knight noted that access to good fishing in the Western and Central basins can be found through the large number of charter boats in Ohio and at numerous public boat ramps, private marinas, and shoreline areas.

    Walleye

    Anglers can expect this year’s Lake Erie walleye fishery to be dominated by hatches from 1999, 2001 and 2003. Fish from the 1999-year class will range from 21 to 25 inches; fish from 2001 will range from 19 to 21 inches; and those from 2003 will be 17 to 20 inches over the course of the fishing season. Some large walleye from the strong hatches of the 1980s and mid 1990s still persist in the population, providing “Fish Ohio†trophy (more than 28 inches) opportunities. “Weather conditions played a major role in the lake’s distribution of walleye in 2005. With extremely warm water temperatures, walleye moved further east and they remained there longer,†said Knight. “If water temperatures remain cool in 2006, we should have a phenomenal walleye fishery in the West and Central basins of Lake Erie.â€Â

    The daily bag limit increases to four fish during March and April for the 2006 fishing season and will remain at six fish May through February. The 15-inch minimum size limit is in effect during the entire season. Most of the fish from the exceptionally abundant 2003 hatch will be of legal size during the 2006 fishing season.

    Yellow Perch

    Perch anglers fishing the Ohio waters of Lake Erie should also be pleased with this year’s catches. Fish from a good 2001 hatch will range from 9-12 inches, with Central Basin fish running larger than those in the Western Basin. Anglers should expect to catch large numbers of perch from an exceptionally strong hatch in 2003. “The average size of yellow perch available to anglers in 2006 should improve, as the large 2003 year-class likely will be in the 8- to 10-inch range,†said Knight. Peak fishing will occur from August through October, but early summer fishing should also be rewarding, especially in the Central Basin. Some “Fish Ohio†perch (more than 13 inches) will be available. Schools of these “jumbos†are not abundant, but often can be in found in relatively shallow rocky areas feeding on gobies and other prey fish. Ohio's daily bag limit for yellow perch increases to 40 fish per angler for the 2006 season.

    Smallmouth Bass

    Lake Erie anglers should anticipate good smallmouth bass fishing this year. Traditional "hot spots" such as the Lake Erie islands, the Western Basin reef complex, Sandusky Bay, Ruggles Reef, and harbor breakwalls from Lorain to Conneaut, all traditionally produce good numbers of smallmouth bass and the potential to catch a trophy (more than 5 pounds). Fishing pressure tends to be highest around the islands and nearshore areas of the western half of Ohio waters. Smallmouth bass anglers can expect to land "smallies" from 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, and 2001-year classes, now ranging in size from 14 to 19 inches and weighing 1.5 to 4 pounds.

    A closed season remains in effect from May 1 through June 23, during which all black bass (smallmouth and largemouth) must be immediately released. The daily bag limit after June 23 will remain at five fish with a 14-inch minimum length limit.

    Steelhead Trout

    Peak steelhead action on Lake Erie can be found offshore from Vermilion to Conneaut, from June through August, with catches measuring 17 to 29 inches. Most anglers trolling for steelhead in deep waters use spoons with dipsy divers or downriggers. Many charter guides now offer steelhead charters as an alternative to traditional walleye charters. Lake Erie steelhead move into Central Basin streams during fall through winter and provide excellent fishing opportunities for wading anglers throughout the fall, winter and spring months.

    The ODNR Division of Wildlife maintains this popular fishery by releasing approximately 400,000 steelhead trout each spring in the Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin and Grand rivers, as well as Conneaut Creek.

    Because of the changing conditions of Lake Erie, such as increases in water clarity and aquatic vegetation, there are additional options for anglers fishing in nearshore areas. Many bays and harbors offer excellent fishing for panfish, including crappie and bluegill, as well as largemouth bass. In early spring, anglers may also catch an occasional northern pike or muskellunge in these vegetated harbors.

    Anglers are reminded that fishing conditions on Lake Erie can change hourly and adjustments are often necessary to improve their success. Anglers should take into account such factors as water temperature, cloud cover, water clarity, boat traffic, wave action, structure, and the amount of bait fish in the area. Anglers are also reminded to carefully monitor Lake Erie weather while fishing and to seek safe harbor before storms approach.

    During the season, ODNR provides an updated, recorded Lake Erie fishing report at 1-888-HOOKFISH and online at ohiodnr.com . ODNR Division of Wildlife staff members are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at Fairport Harbor (440-352-4199) for Central Basin information and at Sandusky (419-625-8062) for Western Basin information.

    For additional information on lodging, charter boat services and local launch ramps, contact one of the following lakeshore visitor’s bureaus:

    Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau 800-337-6746

    Lake County Visitors Bureau 800-368-5253

    Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland 800-321-1001

    Lorain County Visitors Bureau 800-334-1673

    Sandusky/Erie County Visitors Bureau 800-255-8070

    Ottawa County Visitors Bureau 800-441-1271

    Greater Toledo Convention & Visitors Bureau 800-243-4667

    Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism 800-BUCKEYE

    The ODNR Division of Wildlife maintains a series of web pages describing its Lake Erie research and management programs, fisheries resources, open lake and steelhead fishing reports, as well as maps and links to other Lake Erie web resources. Access this info at: www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/fishing/fairport/index.htm

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