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 To clarify recent changes to bass fishing that went into effect April 9, anglers will now be able to practice catch-and-immediate-release all year long instead of having to wait until the last Saturday in April to do so.  The season to keep large and smallmouth bass will still open on the  Saturday  before Memorial Day on the inland waters and the Great Lakes or the third  Saturday  in June on Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River and will close on  December 31 .  SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:  Perch and walleye were being targeted near the Dumping Grounds off LaPlaisance Bay but few fish were seen.  Anglers are looking for perch in Brest Bay. River Raisin:  From Dundee downst...

CENTRAL Game wardens Doug Gottschalk (Noble County) and Marshall Reigh (Grant County) recently certified a new lake record largemouth bass for Sooner Lake.  It weighed in at 12 pounds 2 ounces. Congratulations to Casey Gandy! Arcadia: April 29. Elevation above normal, water 64 and murky. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 2-5 ft. along riprap and the north end of the dam. Bass fair to good on swim baits and square bill baits along points and coves. Channel and blue catfish fair on punch bait and cut shad near rocky points and near the draw down on the dam. White bass good on rattletraps near boat ramps and along the dam. Report submitted by Mark Murray, game warden stationed in Oklahoma and Canadian counties. Draper: April 27. Elevation above normal, water 63 and stained. Crappie fair on minnows, jigs and tube jigs around brush structure and riprap. Channel and blue catfish fair on cut bait and punch bait in the main lake and around brush structure. Largemouth bass...

With warmer weather luring people out to their yards, state conservation Almost all North American birds other than seabirds feed insects to their young. Adding a few native plants to your yard can help feed birds, bees and other wildlife. biologists say now is the time to consider adding native plants to their property to welcome birds, bees and other wildlife. "Adding even one or two native plant species can make a difference for birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife," says Kevin Doyle, a conservation biologist and native plant expert with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. A live, online chat set for noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, will give people a chance to ask their questions about native trees and other native plants. To participate on that day, visit the DNR home page, dnr.wi.gov, and click on the graphic or search the phrase " Ask the Experts ." People can also join the conversation via our Facebook page at  facebook.com/WIDNR...

The 139 th   walleye fishing season officially opens   May 2   at Spirit Lake, East and West Okoboji lakes. Beautiful weather is forecast this weekend, but lake conditions could create some challenges. “The lakes are very cool and clear this spring,” said fisheries biologist Mike Hawkins. “We’re seeing 12-15 feet of water clarity on Big Spirit Lake and 6-7 feet of clarity on East Okoboji.  Walleyes are definitely more cautious and finicky in that clear water. When the water is this clear, the bite is usually a lot better after dark.  Daytime walleye fishing will be tough. “Water clarity presents challenges anglers may be accustomed to, but lagging water temperatures are certainly another thing to keep in mind.  After a cold first half of April, water temperatures are struggling to get into the 50s,” Hawkins said. Walleye population assessments in the Iowa Great Lakes indicate very healthy numbers of large walleyes.  “We continue to...

When species populations start to decline to a concerning number it takes many American woodcock (left) and golden-winged warbler (right) are birds of high concern. American woodcock courtesy of Steve Gifford. Golden-winged warbler courtesy of Laura Gooch/Creative Commons. conservation groups to pull their efforts together to ensure the long term viability of the species. In this case, the American woodcock and the golden-winged warbler are two species of concern. Regional Director Tom Melius has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians to enhance 12,000 acres of forest habitat on the Red Lake reservation that will benefit these two bird species as well as having benefits to a wide range of other game and nongame species. Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, along with several conservation partners including the American Bird Conservancy, will be collaborating with Red Lake Band’s Department of Natural Re...

Spring morel hunters would be doing their favorite woodland a favor by packing along a big garbage bag, too…to load up with garlic mustard plants before they set their seeds. Morels are being found now; and should really be popping with the string of 60+ degree days ahead. In an ideal spring—and who has those anymore—a string of days in the 70s is sufficient to warm soil temperatures, to spur morel development. Last week’s cool down probably slowed things a little; but warm air hitting afternoon sun-facing slopes—especially near dead elms and other trees-- should prod the fabulous fungi to pop from the soil. It’s also good for garlic mustard. Which isn’t good for Iowa’s woods and the critters that live there. “It is a really noxious, invasive species. It overtakes the native flora; so it really out competes everything else on the forest floor, for sunlight,” explains Lake Macbride State Park manger Ron Puettmann. “We’ve been battling garlic mustard here for the better ...

Monarch butterfly conservation in the Midwest has been the latest buzz. October 2014, Monarch butterfly. Photo by Tina Shaw/USFWS. marked the official launch of the Service’s commitment to support the famous monarch butterfly and in February 2015 Service Director Dan Ashe furthered our commitment by dedicating $2 million dollars to address the monarch concern in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “We can save the monarch butterfly in North America, but only if we act quickly and together,” said Ashe. “And that is why we are excited to be working with the National Wildlife Federation and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to engage Americans everywhere, from schools and community groups to corporations and governments, in protecting and restoring habitat. Together we can create oases for monarchs in communities across the country.” Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius has directed his team to assist in monarc...

Welcoming Fire Back to the Landscape Prescribed burning at Fahl Waterfowl Production Area. Photo by Alex Galt/USFWS. Fire is good for monarchs? Yes. The blackened, charred remains of a prairie after a prescribed burn might look catastrophic, but the opposite is the case when it comes to monarch health. To understand how prescribed burning benefits habitat for monarchs and other prairie wildlife, you first need to know what makes prairies look and function the way they do. Techniques, like prescribed burning, when combined with other restoration efforts, collectively creates monarch habitat. A great example of this in action is at  Morris Wetland Management District  in Minnesota. Every year Morris biologists make sure to include milkweed and more than 40 other native wildflower seeds in new prairie plantings. This habitat has direct benefits for monarchs and other prairie species by providing food and shelter during all stages of a monarch’s life while in Minnesota....

Despite some recent light snow, signs of spring abound Signs of spring abound, despite some recent light snow, with dusting in the south and up to a couple of inches in the north. Lakes are now open statewide and only a little floating pack ice is reported in some spots on Lake Superior. Angling pressure on Northwoods waters has been generally light, with just a few sucker and panfish anglers out there trying their luck. However, expect that to pick up with the warmer weather and the end of several spawning periods. Walleye spawning started very quickly but the unsettled weather and cold water temperatures have extended it, with a few ripe male and female walleye still being found near the spawning grounds. Perch are now in the middle of their annual spawning ritual and musky spawning gets in full gear when the water temp gets in the low 50-degree range and a few fish have been observed up in the shallows. Sucker fishing has been fair with some decent catches of redhorse an...