Family-Outdoors

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will release trout in seven locations this winter in areas that would not support them during warmer months. The popular program is supported by the sales of the trout fee. Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.  A family friendly event is paired with the stocking to help anglers have success and fun while fishing. Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but they must limit their catch to one daily limit.  The child can purchase a trout fee which will allow them to catch their own limit. Winter stocking events are based on favorable weather conditions.   2016 Winter Trout Stocking Schedule Jan. 9 , Scharnberg Pond, Spencer, at  Noon Jan. 16 , Bacon Creek, Sioux City, at  2 p.m. Jan. 16 , Blue Pit, Mason City, at  11 a.m. Jan. 22...

Harry Fasching of Edmond holds a stringer of rainbow trout he caught at Perry CCC Lake during the 2014-15 season.  Trout stocking season will begin Nov. 1 at most designated trout areas statewide. (Don P. Brown/ODWC) The arrival of cooler weather might prompt many fishermen to store away their rods and reels until next spring. But don't be so quick -- plenty of exciting angling can be found throughout the winter months in Oklahoma's designated trout fishing areas.    The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation operates two year-round trout fisheries in the Lower Mountain Fork River below Broken Bow dam and in the Lower Illinois River below Tenkiller Ferry Dam. Trout are normally stocked in those areas every week or two. However, stocking in the Lower Illinois River has been temporarily suspended due to high water temperatures. Stocking will resume when water quality returns to a level suitable for sustaining a healthy trout population.    ...

Women interested in expanding their fly-fishing capabilities have a great opportunity to learn more during a three-day outing on the Carp River (Mackinac County), located in the Hiawatha National Forest. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is offering the Beyond BOW salmon-fishing workshop for women. The event will begin at  noon   Friday, Sept. 25 , and end at noon   Sunday, Sept. 27 , at the Carp River Campground, situated about 15 miles north of St. Ignace off I-75 and Mackinac Trail. “Many of the women who have attended this event in the past asked us to expand the workshop by a day, and we have been able to accommodate that request,” said Sharon Pitz, DNR BOW program coordinator. “The program is for women who have previous fly-fishing experience and would like to expand on their abilities.” A few details to consider:  Participants should bring their own fly-fishing equipment, if they have it. A few rods and...

Trout fishing and southeastern Michigan aren't often thought of at the same time, but there's at least one shining exception to the rule. Paint Creek, in Oakland County, is simply a dynamite trout stream. The 15 miles of designated trout water below Lake Orion Dam to its confluence with the Clinton River has offered close-to-home trout fishing to southeastern Michigan anglers for decades. "We've been stocking and managing Paint Creek for brown trout for more than 50 years," said DNR Lake Erie Basin Coordinator Jim Francis. "It's always been a good trout stream. And in the past few years it's improved." Two relatively recent occurrences - a change in the strain of brown trout strain stocked in the stream and the removal of a dam about midway down the designated trout water stretch - have both contributed. "We're seeing more trout and more big trout," Francis said. "Our pounds-per-acre has gone up and we've seen a substant...

 Fly fishing is a popular technique for catching trout, and Oklahomans have a great opportunity to learn how it's done at an upcoming course held by the Illinois River Fly Fishing School. A course will be held  Feb. 21-22  based out of Tenkiller State Park.            Long-time instructor Mark Patton says the clinic lays a good foundation for both amateur and experienced anglers. While he "starts from the ground up," Patton said even those familiar with fly fishing can benefit from the instruction.          The clinic will offer in depth information on equipment, tackle assembly, knots, flies, casting, and tactics and will include on-stream fishing instruction. According to Patton, participants will leave with a better understanding of fly fishing by learning how the equipment works and why it performs the way it does when operated properly. Upon completion of the Illinois River Fly Fishing School, Patton sai...

XENIA, OH -- Anglers interested in learning the art of fly tying and fishing are invited to attend a free workshop sponsored the Division of Wildlife according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). In addition to fly-tying and fishing instruction by Division of Wildlife staff attendees will be able to test their new tackle and fishing skills by spending a few hours fly-fishing on site.  Instructors will offer the workshop at the Wildlife District Five Headquarters from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 1, 2013.  All fishing equipment and tying supplies will be provided.  Lunch is on your own from noon to 12:30 pm; participants can bring a lunch or purchase it at a variety of local restaurants. Be prepared to go outside regardless of weather conditions. Participants should bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, water etc.  To apply, applicants must be 16 years of age or older and  pre-register  by calling Brant Fulks, Wildlife Communic...

Anglers interested in fly fishing can learn the sport March 15-16 at the Illinois River Fly Fishing School. The clinic will be based out of Tenkiller State Park and will feature instructional sessions as well as hands-on practice on the banks of the Illinois River.             Long-time instructor Mark Patton says the clinic lays a good foundation for both amateur and experienced anglers. While he "starts from the ground up," Patton said even those familiar with fly fishing can benefit from the instruction.             The clinic will offer in depth information on equipment, tackle assembly, knots, flies, casting, and tactics and will include on-stream fishing instruction. According to Patton, participants will leave with a better understanding of fly fishing by learning how the equipment works and why it performs the way it does when operated properly. Upo...

A brown trout caught on a March afternoon,  the banks of the trout stream still encased  in snow and ice. The stone fly imitation  that fooled it is still in its jaw.  It was quickly photographed and released unharmed  within seconds of being caught. Ed Culhane Photo EAU CLAIRE -- Getting psyched up for the early catch-and-release trout season in Wisconsin – which runs 5 a.m. March 2 to midnight April 27 this year – is a late winter survival tactic for some anglers. At the Badger Fly Fishers Spring Opener held earlier this month in Madison, hundreds of fly casters gathered to stock up on materials and gear, spend outrageous sums of money on chicken feathers, learn from a room full of master fly tiers and trade in their most precious commodity – stories of battles won and lost on the fast-flowing, cold-water streams that hold trout, waters so beautiful they sooth the mind and nourish the spirit. By: Ed Culhane, DNR West Central Region public affairs man...

Minnesota youth age 11 to 17 need to apply by March 1 to take part in a special adult mentored fly-fishing weekend near Spring Valley, Minn., May 3-5. Twenty youth and their guardians will team up with experienced fly-fishing mentors to learn the basics of fly fishing and fish for trout together. Participants will also try their hand at tying flies, learn methods for safely cleaning and cooking fish, and discover how anglers catch more fish when they understand fish habits and habitat. There will also be time for fish tales and a campfire. The youth and guardian should have an interest in fly fishing, but little or no experience. The event is sponsored by MinnAqua, a statewide educational program through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), designed to connect youth and families to Minnesota’s waters through fishing. The fly-fishing weekend will be held at Good Earth Village. Activities begin after check-in Friday evening and wrap up by 2 p.m. on Sunday. L...

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...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) FINDLAY, OH – Anglers interested in learning the art of fly-fishing and practicing their skills on a half-mile section of Cold Creek at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery are encouraged to enter the lottery for beginning fly-fishing clinics. Seventy-five slots are available for the popular program, and the deadline for submitting a lottery entry is Aug. 1. In addition to fly-fishing instruction by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife staff and members of Trout Unlimited, attendees will be able to test their newly acquired skills by fishing for the abundant rainbow trout found in Cold Creek. Anglers may also encounter an occasional brown trout. Instruction will be provided on Fridays from 1-5 p.m. on Sept. 7, Sept. 14, Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Oct. 19. To apply, applicants must submit a postcard listing their name, address and phone number. The applicant may bring one guest, but the guest’s name must be lis...

. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) AKRON, OH – Young anglers from ages 10 to 15 are invited to attend a fly fishing class for beginners which be held at Wildlife District Three in Akron. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the basic skills needed to cast flies followed by an actual opportunity to catch fish in the Youth Fishing Area. Interested participants can choose to register for one class from the following dates:  May 2nd, 16th, or 30th. All classes will be held from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. An adult must accompany the participant for the program, but will not be able to participate in the class. Spaces are limited to 10 anglers per class so pre-registration is a must. Call or email Ken Fry, Division of Wildlife, at (330) 245-3030 or Kenneth.Fry@dnr.state.oh.us Related articles Free Coyote Hunting/Trapping Workshop in Akron Illinois River Fly Fishing School opens additional course this month Free Fly-Fishing Clinic Offered for Youth-Only Beginners ...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Lottery Held to Select Participants for 15 Available Spaces  FINDLAY, OH - Youth interested in learning the art of fly-fishing and practicing their skills are encouraged to enter a lottery for a free youth-only clinic, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Fifteen spots are available for this popular hands-on program, which will be held on Friday, July 6, from 1-5 p.m. on a half-mile section of Cold Creek at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery. Topics covered will be elementary “bugology,” nomenclature, set up and casting. In addition to fly-fishing instruction by ODNR Division of Wildlife staff and members of Clear Fork Chapter of Trout Unlimited, attendees will be able to test their newly acquired skills by fishing for the abundant rainbow trout and the occasional brown trout found in Cold Creek. To apply, applicants must submit a postcard listing their name, date of birth, address and p...

Image via Wikipedia After overwhelming attendance at two fly fishing sessions already held this year, the experts at the Illinois River Fly Fishing School are hosting a third course March 30-31 at Tenkiller State Park. The course was first offered in late February, which quickly filled up and prompted a second course. "We've just had so much interest that we filled up a second and now we are going to do a third," said long-time instructor Mark Patton. The clinic will feature instructional sessions as well as hands-on practice on the banks of the Illinois River. Space is limited. According to Patton, the clinic lays a good foundation for both amateur and experienced anglers. While he "starts from the ground up," Patton said even those familiar with fly fishing can benefit from the instruction. The clinic will offer in depth information on equipment, tackle assembly, knots, flies, casting, and tactic...

Instructor offers lessons learned from 40,000 students HORICON - Mark Baldock was 3 years old when he started fishing. His parents put a rod in his hand when they went to a cabin on a lake for vacation. "I caught a yellow perch, and I was hooked!" Baldock recalls. Now he gets other people hooked on fishing. Baldock has taught nearly 40,000 kids about fish and fishing during his eight years working for Wisconsin's fisheries management program. As the Department of Natural Resources urban fishing coordinator in 2005 and 2006, Baldock worked with school and scout groups, conducted kids fishing clinics and events, and ran DNR's fishing activities at the Wisconsin State Fair and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Sportshow. Now a fisheries technician-advanced at DNR's Horicon office, Baldock still takes several school groups fishing each year, helps out with fishing events at the MacKenzie Environmental Education Center near Poynette, and serves as fishing camp director fo...