ThreeDogsDown

Progress is creeping along on HB 5093. The bill will get a hearing at the House Natural Resources & Tourism Committee on either January 14th or 21st. The bill needs to pass the NR&T Committee to move to a vote by the full House of Representatives. The GLSI and Michigan Angler's Consortium have verbal and/or in writing commitments of supporting groups and businesses and this lists keeps growing. ending emails to the House Natural Resources Committee member to urge them to pass HB 5093 will also really help, especially if you are in their district. Contact info here: https://www.house.mi.gov/Committee/HNATU This Bill will really help our big water and inland lake fisheries. How? The first 2 on the list are the BIG TWO changes from this bill: 1) Puts all license fee revenue in the DNR Fisheries Division-right now your license money goes into the black hole general fund. 2) Puts a Citizen Advisor in a new Fisheries Oversight Committee to speak for recreational and charter boat fishermen, and oversee DNR Fisheries spending-this will expand funding transparency and align DNR Fisheries priorities with recreational and charter boat fishermen's priorities. 3) 1 million more walleye for inland lakes 4) Increase of 25,000 more muskies for inland lakes 5) Increase the number of inland brown trout, rainbow and lake trout stocking sites 6) Continue reintroduction efforts of arctic grayling and sturgeon restoration. 7) Fund increased cormorant control. 😎 Expand inland lake and river surveys which are critical to stocking plans and regulation changes such as slot limits to increase natural reproduction. 9) It will continue funding for salmon and trout stocking programs. 10) It will continue ongoing research and data collection such as creel counts; charter reporting, fish population studies and forage surveys are required to manage inland and Great Lakes fisheries. Here is the current sign on list and it continues to grow. Get your group to sign up. We need to pressure Lansing to do something about our dwindling inland lakes and our regulation management. Ludington Area Charter Boat Association Northwest Michigan Fishing Club Eastern Michigan Sportsman Hammond Bay Area Anglers Association Arenac County Walleye Club Battle Creek Chapter of MSSFA Manistique Area Sportfishing Club Muskegon Charter Boat Association Michigan Spearfishing Association Grand Haven Chapter of MSSFA South Haven Chapter of MSSFA Pentwater Sportfishing Association Southwest Michigan Chapter of MSSFA South Shore Fishing Association Marinette Menominee Great Lakes Sportfishing Captain Chucks II Blood Run Tackle Dreamweaver Lures Yeck Lures Traxstech Saugatuck Sportfishing Association Holland Sportfishing Association Cannon Downriggers Michigan Boating Industry Association ( MBIA ) Charlie's Fishing Hole and Tackle Shop Michigan Salmon and Steelheaders Fishing Association. Michigan Trout Unlimited Raptor Trolling Flies Great Lakes Salmon Initiative Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance Visit Keweenaw Michigan Charter Boat Association Detroit Steelheaders Magee Insurance Ludington Bay Brewery Reel to Reel Outdoors Blue Water Sportfishing Association Andersons Pro Bait Lake Michigan Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee Tournament Trail.Net Hoosier Coho Club St. Clair-Detroit River Sturgeon for Tomorrow Lake Superior Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee Manistee County Sportfishing Association Haglund Floor Store Fish Hawk Electronics Fish On For Freedom Michigan Muskie Alliance Jamesport Brewery Ludington Meat Company Great Lakes Fisherman’s Digest (John Bergsma) Michigan Outdoors TV (Jimmy Gretzinger) Shalvis Taxidermy Mascot Reel Service MAC Rod Repair Sekenske Marine Sportsman Charters Pentwater In Depth Precision Charters Tribal Co-Management Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee Fisheries Oversight Committee Danish Brotherhood of Ludington Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 1354 Mike Avery’s Outdoor Magazine Radio

This bill is way better than SB 276 & 277. This puts our license fees where they belong - back in the fisheries division of the DNR...not the black hole of death (The General Fund). A healthy DNR budget will get stockings more dispersed across the state, increase walleye in inland lakes, and give us fishermen a say in the management process (via the Fisheries Oversight Committee). Looking good here. Good work all!

This bill is way better than SB 276 & 277. This puts our license fees where they belong - back in the fisheries division of the DNR...not the black hole of death (The General Fund). A healthy DNR budget will get stockings more dispersed across the state, increase walleye in inland lakes, and give us fishermen a say in the management process (via the Fisheries Oversight Committee). Looking good here.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission (among other agencies) just announced Lake Superior is fully rehabilitated with Lake Trout. This is a pre-cursor to allowing more gill nets, not only for the Soo Tribe, but also for State Licensed Commercial Netters (White Man gill nets as well).

Would you believe oral arguments in the appeals court start on 10 December? Its been a year.

So glad to hear salmon season is getting kicked started. Good reports!

All of these Moonshine colors, but get them in the RV series. Add Happy Meal and Shelly Snack to the list.

https://chng.it/CRbQjgGrRD Read it. Sign it. Need your sig before the 16th. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

New Public Released Court Order signed 02DEC2022 - When there is a new consent decree, (Thank God for the Soo Tribe holding up the signatures) these 4 new gill net expansions will be in effect and are guaranteed to destroy the trout, perch, bass, cisco and anything that swims fisheries. Bravo to the State of Michigan! 1. New Gill nets from Empire to Glen Arbor to Leland! This is new. Only “less lethal trap nets” were allowed until now. Manitou Islands and Platte Bay are still targets for the Tribes, but that hasn’t been clarified yet. Knowing how effective the state is a protecting the resource, these areas will be fair game as well. At any rate, good bye to zones 813 (Empire, Glen Arbor) and 814 (Leland) to all fish. These will be cleaned out in 90 days. 2. New Gill nets in West Bay from the Elmwood Marina to Suttons Bay up to Peshawbestown! 4500’ per day. That is almost a mile of new gill nets where once there was none in zone 815 (West Bay). New Gill nets in East Bay from the Center Road Launch up to the tip of the Old Mission Peninsula!4500’ of gill net per day will be allowed because “it is the fairest and most equitable management plan for the great lakes”. Hilarious and unbelievable. 3. New and Improved small mesh gill nets from Norwood to Lake Charlevoix, including Lake Charlevoix and the Round Lake Channel. These are to get all the perch and walleye, and will also take all of the bass, small lake trout and all of the cisco. The State of Michigan did not present any biological persuasion argument. 4. New-Use of Hook-and-Line Gear for Commercial Fishing is now approved in Grand Traverse Bay. Just in case a laker, bass, cisco, or any other fish managed to stay out of the new 2-miles of gill nets, Tribal Commercial fishermen can now use hook-and-line gear for recreation with no limits. You can thank The State of Michigan negotiating team for destroying the fishery in Lake Michigan: DNR Director Dan Eichinger (re-assigned to avoid the heat) DNR Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter (Retiring soon to avoid the heat) DNR/Tribal Unit Manager Dave Caroffino (promoted in August for great work) DNR Chief Law Enforcement (recently promoted as well) The next meeting to is 16 December. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is not new, and these “negotiations” are not going to go well for recreational or charter fishermen. The Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources (CPMR) is a gathering of fishing clubs and conservation organizations that pool our money together to pay lawyers to speak for 1 million fishing license purchasers…vs 40 tribal licenses. And the tribes will win with this woke BS we are Living through. Go to their website and paypal the CPMR what you want. But, when you don’t, don’t badmouth the guys that fight this decree every 20 years (yes, the same legal team from 1980, 2000, and now 2020). They have been frustrated, pissed off, and now worried they will become the scapegoat of “the reason there are nets at every tributary in the Great Lakes”, or “why are there nets covering Saginaw Bay?” Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great report Randy. Hope to see you out there again this year. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk