Family-Outdoors

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists are on the final leg of a four-year walleye tagging study on the Missouri River and Lake Oahe. South central district fisheries biologist Paul Bailey said this spring's goal in North Dakota is to tag 4,000 adult walleye, which would bring the four-year total covering the entire reach to more than 36,000 fish. The study area extends from the Garrison Dam in central North Dakota downstream to Oahe Dam in South Dakota, and involves a major collaboration of biologists and researchers from North Dakota Game and Fish, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, and South Dakota State University. “The study is designed to assess walleye movements, mortality and what proportion of the walleye population is harvested annually by anglers,” Bailey said. The study targets adult walleye, each fitted with a metal jaw tag stamped with a unique number to identify the fish, and a phone number to report the tag. Anglers can either keep or r...

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...

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 It’s here! Michigan’s annual  Summer Free Fishing Weekend  will be observed this  Saturday, June 7  and  Sunday, June 8 . Both residents and non-residents can fish without a license however all regulations still apply. This is a great opportunity to introduce someone new to the sport of fishing so don’t miss out, call a family member, friend or neighbor and take them fishing! SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:   Walleye were caught southwest of Stony Point in 18 to 24 feet and near the River Raisin buoys in 16 to 22 feet. Fish were also caught in 18 to 22 feet out near the C-Buoy and the stacks as well as straight out from the campground at Sterling State Park. Anglers are trolling spoons or purple and pink crawler harnesses early or hard jerk baits ...

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 Another week of roller coaster temperatures and windy conditions has hampered fishing. Inland lake fishing is slow due to the cooler water temperatures.       SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:   Water temperatures were in the low 50's but strong winds have resulted in poor water clarity. Walleye are being caught in the early morning or at dusk near Turtle Island in 10 to 12 feet or Brest Bay and Stony Pointe in eight to 10 feet. Try using hair jigs in John Deer green or black and white patterns as well as trolling minnows or jerk baits. Good numbers of catfish and bass have been caught from the Hot Ponds. Some big largemouth bass were caught off Bolles Harbor. Huron River:   Is producing white bass a...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ spring fish spawning season is over and Iowa’s two walleye hatcheries are filled to capacity as netting crews caught and spawned 1,020 quarts of walleye eggs at the Spirit Lake hatchery and more than 760 quarts at the Rathbun hatchery. “We had a really good year,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of fisheries for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “The late ice out helps us increase our catch rates and catch more fish that are ready to spawn.  That shortens the netting season for the staff, even though we increased our egg take this year.” Northern pike netting in the sloughs connected to Spirit Lake occurred April 6-7. Muskies were netted along with walleyes in Spirit Lake East Okoboji Lake and West Okoboji Lake beginning April 14. Both species exceeded their egg requests as well. Northern pike were netted on the Mississippi River beginning April 8, and the pike fry were stocked on April 18. Walleyes were caught at Lake Rathbun,...

New this year: largemouth bass harvest available statewide Editor's note: This and the trout stocking release are the first in a series of releases relating to the 2014 fishing season. Check back in coming weeks for stories on new informational tools available for anglers, fish consumption advice and new findings supporting the health benefits of sport-caught fish, cold water boating safety, and how to keep Wisconsin fish healthy by taking steps to prevent spreading aquatic invasive species and fish diseases. Anglers trying their luck at the 2014 inland fishing opener get a shot at this nice walleye caught and released by DNR creel clerk Donna Sorenson during spring surveys in Connors Lake in Sawyer County. WDNR Photo MADISON - Anglers heading out for the May 3 opening day of Wisconsin's regular inland fishing season will find a mixed bag of fishing conditions but strong populations of anglers' favorite fish species as well as the opportunity to harvest largemout...

Year one of a multi-year walleye tagging study on the Missouri River and Lake Oahe is complete, and returns are providing biologists with valuable information. Scott Gangl, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries management section leader, said more than 9,100 fish were tagged in 2013, the first year of the four-year study, and nearly 1,400 tag numbers were turned in by anglers. The study area extends from the Garrison Dam in central North Dakota downstream to Oahe Dam in South Dakota, and involves a major collaboration of biologists and researchers from North Dakota Game and Fish, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, and South Dakota State University. The study is designed to assess walleye movements, mortality and what proportion of the walleye population is harvested annually by anglers. Gangl said the first year of the study revealed some interesting movement patterns. For example, fish tagged in North Dakota moved greater distances than those tagged farther ...

Weekly Fishing Tip: Targeting walleye at the end of ice season Walleye are a popular target for many ice anglers, particularly as the season wears on. Pursuing these aggressive fish can be a great adventure, especially if you follow some of these tactics.  Focus on using jigs with spoons or minnows or tip-ups with live bait to see the most success. You might want to use a few tip-ups and then jig around that same area. Think about the depth of water as well as the time of day. Walleye fishing through the ice usually begins and ends in shallow water areas with deep water more productive during the heart of the winter. Learn more about walleye fishing during Michigan’s winter by visiting their page on our  Michigan Fish and How to Catch Them website .   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 Penin...