Family-Outdoors

 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...

 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 ...

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 This coming  Saturday, May 25  is the opening day of bass season on the Great Lakes and all inland waters except Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and the Detroit River which do not open until the third  Saturday  in June. The early catch and release season has been excellent so the opener should be as well.       SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:   Anglers are catching a fair number of walleye in 18 to 22 feet of water between Fermi and the Raisin River buoys 1 and 2. Though most are trolling or drifting crawler harnesses some did better with spoons or body baits. Walleye were caught when drifting crawler harnesses or jigging in 15 feet of water off the Metro Park. Boats launching out of Bolles Harbor are doing well on the nor...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) Snow and cold across much of the state improved late winter recreation opportunities, especially in northern Wisconsin, including ice fishing, snowmobiling and skiing. Snow conditions are good to excellent in Bayfield and Sawyer counties for the American Birkebeiner Race this weekend. The largest cross-country ski race in North America is expected to attract 10,000 skiers this weekend. Snowmobile trials are also in good riding condition across most of the northern half of the state, with the best conditions in the northern tier of counties. Potawatomi State Park received more than 3-inches of snow so far this week and snowmobile trials are open. They are also open in Flambeau River State Forest, where conditions are good to excellent. Many others to the south are in poor condition, or closed, including Sauk County’s 400 State Trail. While ice depths are good in the 18-20 inch range on most Northwood’s lakes, fishing success has been sporadic. I...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:   Boats are heading out of Bolles Harbor and fishing in Ohio waters where limit catches were reported at the Sputnik and the shipping channel. Michigan waters were hit-or-miss as boats were fishing Brest Bay, Stony Point, and along the state lines in 25 to 27 feet of water. Most fish were caught on crawler harnesses. Perch were caught out from Stony Point and the Dumping Grounds. Walleye and perch were caught in 18 feet of water near the E Buoy and limit catches were possible. Smallmouth bass fishing was great along the rock walls in Brest Bay and the shallow waters near the River Raisin.   Washtenaw County:   Inland lakes are producing lots of bluegills and some bass. Detroit River:   Walleye fishing is good but the white bass were making it had to fish for walleye. Large and smallmouth bass season opens this Saturday. Lake St. Clair :   Perch fishing is getting started...

Atlantic salmon.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) May 24, 2012 This coming Saturday, May 26 is the opening day of bass season on the Great Lakes and all inland waters except for Lake St. Clair , St. Clair River and the Detroit River which do not open until the third Saturday in June. The early catch-and-release season has been very successful so the opener should be good as well. SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:  Anglers are targeting walleye in 21 to 25 feet of water off Stony Point and straight out from Brest Bay near the Ohio line. Those doing the best are running inline weights with crawler harnesses but a few boats caught fish on spoons. Boats launching from Bolles Harbor are heading to the E Buoy and the Dumping Grounds. Lots of white bass and white perch were caught. Hot colors are purple, pink and perch. Huron River:  Is producing smallmouth bass and white bass. Try minnows, crank baits, spinners or crawlers. A few walleye were caught b...