Family-Outdoors

Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota, near Garrison Dam (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Fisheries crews have completed their annual salmon spawning operation on the Missouri River System after collecting roughly 1.3 million eggs. Dave Fryda, North Dakota Game and Fish Department Missouri River System supervisor, said about two thirds of the eggs came from Lake Sakakawea and the remainder from the Missouri River below Garrison Dam.  The average size of Lake Sakakawea females was 8.5 pounds, almost 3 pounds larger than 2013 and among the highest weights documented since the inception of the salmon program. The Missouri River females, which are typically larger than the lake fish, averaged 10.4 pounds. “The 2014 salmon spawning run was successful in obtaining enough eggs to meet next year’s stocking goals.” Fryda said. “However, contrary to recent years, we might not be able to provide excess eggs to Montana and South Dakota to meet their egg goals.” Fryda said the...

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel have wrapped up surveys and sampling efforts for the open water season, and results point toward good conditions on the state’s big waters. “Fishing in North Dakota continues to be record-setting on most all levels,” said Greg Power, fisheries chief. “A record number of fishing lakes has contributed considerably to the record number of fishing licenses sold in recent years.” North Dakota’s three big fisheries – Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe/Missouri River and Devils Lake – continue to account for approximately half of the annual statewide fishing effort. Good habitat and forage conditions in Lake Sakakawea have resulted in an abundance of rainbow smelt and other alternative forage, which in turn has contributed to excellent condition and growth of game fish. Walleye numbers are high, and recruitment of several strong year classes in recent years bodes well for the future. In addition, a good popu...

Michigan’s fishing licenses were restructured on March 1 – there are now five options to choose from when making your purchase. All fishing licenses are good for all species.  •    Resident Annual - $26 •    Non-Resident Annual - $76  •    Senior Annual (for residents age 65 or older) - $11  •    24-Hour (resident or non-resident) - $10 •    72-Hour (resident or non-resident) - $30 Residents and non-residents can also purchase the Hunt/Fish combo license for $76 and $266 respectively that consists of a base license, annual fishing license, and two deer tags.  Please note, a base license is not required when just purchasing a fishing license. Michigan’s new fishing licenses will bring additional revenue into the state that will be invested into the state’s fisheries; including providing greater access to world-class fishing opportunities, improving fisheries habitat in inland lakes and streams,...

PIERRE, S.D. – Anglers targeting walleye on one of South Dakota’s most popular walleye fisheries will be met with new walleye regulations in 2013. In response to a large number of smaller walleyes produced during the last few years and low food availability stemming from the 2011 flood, anglers are now allowed a daily limit of eight walleye. No more than four may be 15 inches in length or longer and the daily limit may include no more than one 20 inches or longer. The possession limit for Lake Oahe is 24 per angler. If you are fishing Oahe and another water during the same day, the first four walleye you keep count as your standard, statewide daily limit. You can’t keep walleye from another water if you have already kept four or more walleyes from Lake Oahe that day. Any walleye caught and kept that day, in addition to your standard statewide four-fish limit, must be from Lake Oahe. Anglers may have up to 24 walleyes from Lake Oahe, in possession, taken according to the daily li...

Maquoketa – Dan Kirby had never been on the David Reiss property when he stepped into a small stream in 2011 with a backpack shocker used to survey trout streams. The watercress-covered stream didn’t have much water flowing, but when Kirby turned on the electricity and the probe hit the water, 2-to 3-inch brown trout floated to the surface. To Kirby, fisheries biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the presence of these young trout was evidence that adult trout in the stream were reproducing on their own. Tete Des Morts Creek is on the southern edge of Iowa’s driftless region along the Dubuque-Jackson county line. The DNR stocked 4-inch long trout from 1991 to 2005 hoping to create a trout fishery with fish that grew up in the stream like wild trout. The stocking had limited success. In 2005, they began stocking a different strain of brown trout spawned from fish collected in French Creek. This new strain of brown trout had better survival in other streams and Ki...

English: Iowa Department of Natural Resources logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) LAKE VIEW, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will discuss its plans to renovate the fishery in Black Hawk Lake during a public meeting on August 30, at 6:30 p.m., at the American Legion Hall, in Lake View.  Black Hawk Lake is in the early stages of a major watershed and lake improvement and restoration effort to improve the water quality and clarity and remove the lake from the Impaired Waters List.  Black Hawk Lake is listed on the state’s Impaired Waters List for algae, turbidity, and bacteria.   The major focus of the lake restoration project has been targeted at improving the watershed.  Local landowners, stakeholders, and other citizens have made great advances in reducing the amount of sediment and nutrient loading into the lake.  While improvements can still be made to the watershed, the internal recycling of nutrients and re-suspension of sedimen...