Family-Outdoors

Great Lakes Temperature Map Click on the links below to jump to the report section that interests you most: Southeast Lower Peninsula Southwest Lower Peninsula Northeast Lower Peninsula Northwest Lower Peninsula Upper Peninsula The October 2013 edition of “Reel in Michigan’s Fisheries” can now be found on our web site. This new online publication highlights work that the Fisheries Division is doing on the inland lakes and streams. To view this publication click here: October 2013 edition .  SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:  Boat anglers are trolling husky jerks for walleye off the River Raisin Channel in 12 to 16 feet. Perch anglers were just south of the launch at Bolles Harbor and off Stony Point. Rumor has it a couple walleye were caught by shore anglers off Luna Pier and Sterling State Park. Huron River:  Is starting to produce some steelhead. Most of the fish were caught in the deeper holes. Try a jig and wax worm, Hot-n-Tots or spinners. Detroit...

  John Harrison caught a new lake record crappie for Lake Hudson on October 27, 2013. It weighed in at 3.1 pounds and was 17.25 inches long. CENTRAL Arcadia: October 29. Elevation above normal, water 62. All fishing slow. Report submitted by Sheila Hutton, gate attendant. Hefner: October 30. White bass excellent on gay blades. Largemouth and smallmouth bass slow. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle. NORTHEAST Carl Blackwell: October 28. Elevation 2 ft. below normal, water 65-71. Crappie excellent on live rosy red minnows and jigs in dark color patterns at 11-14 ft. at the crappie dock. Saugeye fair on live bait, crankbaits and jigs at 5-9 ft. along creek edges in the lake. Striped bass hybrids and white bass good on rattletraps and H & H spinnerbaits at varying depths where bait fish are schooled. Channel catfish slow on nightcrawlers and chicken liver. Report submitted by Chris Pulchny, The H2O Lakeside store. Eucha: October 29. Elevation 2 1/3 ft. below nor...

Iowa fur harvesters will find good numbers of raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, river otters, mink, and, with all likelihood, other trappers in the countryside when the furbearer trapping and hunting season opens on Nov. 2. “Population-wise, all species are doing quite well except for muskrats and gray fox,” said Vince Evelsizer, furbearer biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  “Trappers who typically pursue muskrats could do well this year if they switch to coyotes and raccoons, and to some extent mink or red fox.” Muskrats are a bread-and-butter species for Iowa trappers, but the population took a significant hit last year after the drought left many Iowa wetlands dry heading in to winter. This year, wetlands are in better shape but the muskrats are not there. “It will take a few years for the population to come back,” Evelsizer said. What has come back and in a big way is the number of fur harvesters. The number of fur harvesters varies with the fur market a...

Waterfowl season is well under way, and the Fish Point Managed Waterfowl Hunt Area recently hosted two of the Pure Michigan Hunt (PMH) winners on opening weekend. Jim Bosscher from McBain chose Fish Point for his Pure Michigan waterfowl hunt. The opening morning of waterfowl season, Bosscher and three of his lucky friends got to pick first among the 35 total parties, or approximately 140 people.  PMH winners not only get to hunt at any of Michigan’s first-class managed waterfowl hunt areas, they also get first pick at selecting their hunting area. Normally hunters are entered into a drawing to find out their order for choosing their hunting location. As an added bonus, PMH winners get to bring three friends with them to enjoy their prime hunting location. “We saw hundreds of ducks and geese,” said Bosscher. “We had plenty of shooting and even got some!” Dave Gittins from Kawkawlin hadn’t duck hunted in many years, although that didn’t slow him down. He grabbed some of his close fri...

Lesser Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endorsed the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ *Lesser Prairie-Chicken Range-Wide Conservation Plan*, a landmark, collaborative planning effort to conserve a species proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The range-wide plan (RWP) represents a dedicated effort by the five range states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado to conserve the lesser prairie-chicken. After an extensive review, the Service found the plan is consistent with criteria proposed last May for conserving the species, which is proposed for listing under the ESA. The plan calls for providing financial incentives to landowners who voluntarily manage their lands to benefit the species. It also includes a framework for mitigating the potentially harmful effects to lesser prairie-chicken habitat from development activity throughout...

Great Lakes Temperature Map The fall steelhead run always starts about the same time the salmon run is winding down. The fish are starting to show up in bigger numbers. The inland lakes are doing fair to good for bluegill, crappie and perch. Try minnows or crawlers along the drop offs. Click on the links below to jump to the report section that interests you most. Southeast Lower Peninsula Southwest Lower Peninsula Northeast Lower Peninsula Northwest Lower Peninsula Upper Peninsula Southeast Lower Peninsula Lake Erie:  Perch seem to be holding in waters 24 to 26 feet deep southeast of Stoney Point. A few walleye were caught between the beach at Sterling State Park and the mouth of the River Raisin. Crank baits worked best. Water temperatures are dropping at a good rate so catch rates should continue to improve. Detroit River:  Is producing smallmouth bass, a few walleye, and the occasional muskie. For perch, try the Cross-Dike, the south end of Grosse Ile...

Rodney Troglin caught a new lake record crappie at Longmire Lake on October 17. It weighed in at 2.5 pounds and was 17 inches long. For more information go to  wildlifedepartment.com CENTRAL Hefner: October 22. Elevation normal and dropping, water 67-70 and clear. Largemouth bass good on jigs and crankbaits along riprap. Smallmouth bass fair on jigs along riprap. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on grubs and gay blades at 2-10 ft. along the dam. Channel and blue catfish fair on cut bait. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. along the dam. Walleye fair on grubs and gay blades at 2-12 ft. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle. Overholser: October 21. Elevation normal, water murky. Catfish fair on stinkbait, hotdogs and worms near the dam and off the fishing dock. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by David Rempe, game warden stationed in Oklahoma and Canadian counties. NORTHEAST Carl Blackwell: October 21. Elevation 2 3/4 ft. below normal, water 68...

Fruits of the hunt! (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Iowa pheasant hunters can expect to find the best bird numbers in northwest, north central and central Iowa and while the number of birds in the field is well below peak years, good hunting opportunities do exist. “Even with low counts some hunters will have excellent hunts and plenty of opportunities and others will be able to flush a bird or two and put one in the bag,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “The key is good habitat and good dogs.” The latest crop harvest reports indicate nearly half of the corn remains in the field. As more corn is harvested, pheasants will be concentrated in available habitat.  Areas with excellent winter cover like cattails or switch grass have the potential to hold some birds, and currently, the best cover is primarily on public land. “Hunters looking for birds and are flexible should identify public land with good winter cove...

 Campgrounds are open year-round and several parks will host trick-or-treaters at special events this Halloween season. Make plans to attend a Halloween event: Halloween Night Hike , Friday and  Saturday, October 25-26 ,  5 - 8 p.m. MT at the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center. Participants take a guided one-mile night hike along a path lit only by jack-o-lanterns during this festive educational event. The event is geared to expose families to the interesting and humors sights, sounds, and night life of  Custer State Park . Hikes take place every 15 minutes from  5:30 - 8 p.m. MT . Reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations call  605-255-4464 . Spooktacular Trick or Treat Trails ,  Saturday, Oct. 26 , at  Big Sioux Recreation Area  near Brandon. Big Sioux’s trails will provide tons of Halloween fun. Participants can follow reflective signs with their flashlights on a scavenger hunt and gather prizes and treats ...