Spiel

'Caught my first walleye' - then a bullet to the head Student was having a "golden" day on Ely lake until he heard shots. February 18, 2010 PAUL WALSH / Star Tribune Ryan Byrnes loves fishing so much that he left Phoenix to spend winters at college in Ely, Minn., where walleye are practically a snowball's throw from his classrooms. Wednesday night he got an ice-fishing experience he'll never forget: First, he caught his first walleye ever. Second, he got shot in the head. "The next I know, I'm laying in the snow and there is blood on the ground," said Byrnes, 18. "I felt the back of my head and it was bloody." Byrnes, a student at Vermilion Community College in Ely, was fishing on Shagawa Lake with his roommate Cody Kuznia. "The fish were biting, and everything was golden," said Byrnes, 18. "... Caught my first walleye. I was very excited." So excited that Byrnes and Kuznia, in separate pop-up shanties about 10 feet apart, barely took note of the 10 to 15 shots they heard from the north, "a pretty good ways away." That is, until a bullet pierced the top of Byrnes' shanty. Kuznia, in an online fishing chat site, wrote that he heard Byrnes yelling that he had been shot, but "I didn't believe him till I went outside and seen that there was blood in his hand." Byrnes said they "broke down camp and took off for the emergency room. They said I was fine, no concussion or anything." Byrnes added, "It was a crazy day of fishing. I caught my first walleye, and I got shot for the first time." Authorities have yet to figure out where the bullet came from. Sgt. Dirk Davis of the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said there is small-game hunting going on now for squirrels, cottontail rabbits and snowshoe hares. Davis said the public's help "is going to be key" to help authorities find the shooter. "If someone heard something, call us [at 1-218-749-6010]," he said. Byrnes, who is studying wilderness management, said he left behind the warmth of Phoenix "to get out of the big city and get close to the lakes," adding that he was "tired of driving two hours to the nearest lake." Byrnes said he found the bullet that glanced off his head, and "I had it in my pocket and wanted to keep it as a trophy. But the police took it away. I asked if I could get it back. They said they had to hold onto it for a little for evidence." He said a little thing like getting shot won't deter him from going back to a lucky walleye hole. "I'm going to go back to that same spot," he said.

Bolton: There's really no argument that pro fishermen are athletes February 21, 2010 Michael C. Bolton / al.com Gerald Swindle of Hayden spent a cold day on Lay Lake practicing for the Bassmaster Classic. The Birmingham News / Hal Yeager Do I consider professional fishermen to be athletes? I've been asked that question on several occasions over the past 30 years. That question most often is offered by someone who has already formed an opinion and is looking for an argument. I never bite on that question. Instead of spouting my opinion, I instead issue a challenge. I tell them to look up "athlete" in the dictionary and then tell me whether pro fishermen are athletes. For the record, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "athlete" as "a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina." There's no question that pro fishermen qualify under that description. To the novices who will watch the final weigh-in of today's Bassmaster Classic at BJCC, you will be glad you went. It is an athletic endeavor unlike one you have ever seen. Physical strength? Most pro fishermen are in excellent shape from man-handling a 250-horsepower bass boat constantly through rough waters. Agility? You try making a 50-foot cast to a bush hanging six inches above the water. Stamina? You get up at 3:30 a.m. and go fishing all day for three straight days in the brutal cold or under a blazing sun. Most of those unfamiliar with professional bass fishing get a chuckle when I tell them that professional fishermen play hurt as much as any football player. They think I'm joking. I'm not. Just as the human body wasn't really designed to throw an overhand fastball 90 mph, neither was it designed to cast a lure 1,000 or 2,000 times a day three or four days a week. Many pro fishermen have grotesque arm and elbow injuries where tendons have pulled away from the bones. Many have had surgery and are constantly in pain. Back injuries are the norm. Imagine how riding a motorcycle on the cross-ties of a railroad track for 20 miles would jar the spine. A 70-mph boat ride on choppy waters is worse and in many tournaments anglers must take that ride four days a week plus practice days. I took a 50-mile bass boat ride with George Cochran on the Calumet River in Chicago years ago. He drove at top speed, all the while striking waves created by oncoming barges. It almost beat me to death. I'm sure an attack by a motorcycle gang couldn't have hurt me that badly. If you cover sports as I have for more than 30 years, you can't help but fantasize about what it would be like to play in the Alabama-Auburn football game or drive at Talladega. I've never imagined being a professional fisherman because I've never wanted to be one. I know what's involved. I love bass fishing but I would not want that to be my profession. I can't imagine investing $100,000 in a boat, a tow vehicle, tournament entry fees and travel to show up for a job with no guaranteed paycheck. Imagine then having to go out for four consecutive days in 25- or 90-degree weather with your ability to make a house payment contingent on catching a lot of big fish. What other sports have pressure like that? Are professional bass fishermen athletes? Of course they are.

Sampling Efforts to net Asian Carp ongoing IDNR, USFWS searching Chicago Area Waterway System near warm water discharges February 22, 2010 / www.great-lakes.org CHICAGO – Fisheries biologists from the Illinois DNR and the USFWS have begun intensive sampling operations in multiple locations within the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). The sampling efforts, initiated on February 17 will include using commercial fishing nets and electro fishing gear in an attempt to locate either silver or bighead Asian carp above the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Electric Fish Barrier System. The sampling operation will also include the use of commercial fishermen and is scheduled to take place in the CAWS over the next 2-3 weeks. Sampling crews will concentrate their efforts near warm water discharges created by various industrial operations along the waterway system. These areas of warm water serve as a place of congregation for fish during the winter when water temperatures drop significantly. To view the entire control framework or for more information about the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee log on to www.asiancarp.org/rapidresponse.

Ban on felt-soled shoes intended to prevent spread of fish diseases February 22, 2010 / www.great-lakes.org Starting next season, felt-soled boots will be banned from Juneau waters A new ban on felt-soled wading shoes is set to take place next year as Juneau fishermen take to freshwater streams with fly rods in hand. The ban is meant to keep nasty fish diseases from creeping into waters on the waders of traveling fishermen. A proposal to expand the ban from the Southeast region statewide will be considered by the state Board of Fisheries at its March meeting in Anchorage. Whirling disease is just one communicable fish disease of concern. Didymo, an algae also called rock snot, mud snails and zebra mussels are others that can kill all the fish in a stream. The waters where fly fishermen tend to fish and wade have become a map of the spread of these problems. They spread by hitchhiking on the bottom of shoes as fishermen tote them between fishing grounds. Felt-bottomed shoes are of particular concern because they tend to stay wet, providing a living habitat for the host to survive away from the infected stream. Felt-soled waders provide good traction for standing on wet river stones. The fly fishing industry has been moving away from felt soles on wading boots for several years, because felt is known to facilitate the transport of aquatic invasive species like didymo (rock snot), mud snails, and other nasty things that negatively impact trout fisheries. Simms, for example, has said it will stop manufacturing felt-soled boots after this year, and Trout Unlimited has also asked for tighter anti-felt regulations. Many manufacturers are suggesting that anglers steer clear of felt. A bill introduced in the Vermont State legislature would actually prohibit the manufacture and sale of felt-soled wading boots.

Hot diggity damn, that's a fantastic laker Terry! Nicely done, you've certainly earned it.

I'll be happy to take it Art and even happier if it gets me my first musky. I promise to give it a good workout while I'm there.

I remove those hooks as soon as I unpackage them. A better option is another small treble on the top split ring so the hook rides on the inside of the spoon, thus pointing up when the spoon settles on the bottom. Whiteys tend to grab one end or the other, not the middle.

It was never locked! Stay tuned.

JP, I don't think I've ever read such an articulate and concise rebuttal on this site, ever! Thanks for taking the time, many, myself included would not have taken the time to be so wordy.

I have a good friend on the board that made this musky bait for me.... I used on my first musky venture to Eagle Lake a few years back and was determined to get a fish on it which would have been my first musky. While it did produce the only fish for the 4 days a friend and I worked the lake, alas it was not a musky but rather a pike. None the less I was happy it caught a fish! I'll also state that it did raise several musky that seemed very interested in the colour pattern, the only other single lure to garner as much interest was a black suick. It's solidly built and if he wants to take credit for it, he can.

Trust me Bernie, it's on my bucket list and the sooner the better!

"DANG !"....

"a" TV......very funny! Yes I messed up the keyboard!

Not sure if you can even get insurance at your age?

I'll echo all the other congrats Cliff, well done. I have no issues learning "new tricks" myself just trouble remembering what they were/are.

Great link Dan, thanks! I spent most of my ice fishing youth using nothing more than a hand line. To date my biggest lakers have come on that set-up and I still carry one with me on Simcoe. But to be honest I think a reel is a big plus when hitting up hard water steelies and kings, can't imagine the damage they might do to one's digits if hand lines were employed. Good advice.

Canadian Ice Fishing Championship this weekend Anglers gear up for exciting season February 18, 2010 Michael Owen / www.yorkregion.com The Great Georgina Ice Fishing Derby may be over, but the Georgina Fishing Series is just getting geared up. This weekend, the series's longest running and biggest event, the Canadian Ice Fishing Championship is going to be even bigger. For its 16th year, the Championship will feature $25,000 in cash and $8,000 in prizes including $10,000 for the first-place team. "We're paying out record breaking amounts for perch," series organizer Rocky Madsen said. The basic rules of the championship remain unchanged. Teams of two are required to register for the two-day competition at the rules meeting tomorrow night at the Sutton Legion. Saturday morning, all teams must provide their own transportation to a designated one-kilometre zone marked by pylons on the lake, where they can fish from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The first-day teams will be allowed one line to catch up to 15 perch for weigh in at the end of the day and on the second day, teams will be allowed two lines to catch trout, ling, pike, whitefish, walleye, or bowfin, which will be scored by on-ice controllers using a point system. "We've got it well oiled and running," Mr. Madsen said, adding more than 50 teams are already registered and, despite some financial hardships, he expects there could be as many as 30 more. "It has been a tough year because of the economy, but we had four times the number of tickets sold for the derby this year than last year; 120," Mr. Madsen said and expects many anglers to wait until the last night to register for the championship. He attributes much of the championships success in tough times to its reputation. "The championship is an institution. If you're in it for the money and the recognition and you win this, it's a big feather in your cap," Mr. Madsen said. Still, he took the event's potential even further by working with the province to make use of the $37,500 Celebrate '09 Grant to increase this year's payouts and advertising, especially on American fishing websites, such as Bigfatbass.com That money will also help fund the all-new spring perch attack May 1. Mr. Madsen hopes these changes will bring the series to the attention of a younger crowd and help maintain the sport. "We've got a lot of young bloods this year. We needed to get some young guys because once they're in, they'll stay," he said. One final addition to this year's championship is the questionnaire being given to anglers to better ascertain the positive economic impact the series has on Georgina, which was estimated at $1 million, just last year. For more information on any Georgina Fishing Series events or to pre-register, visit www.georginafishingseries.ca, or call 905-722-5425.

Giddy-up....

Petoskey News.com, February 18, 2010 Wildlife officials search for carp in Chicago area Free Press.com, February 18, 2010 In carp debate, anglers, boaters bicker with tour, barge operators U.S. NEWS, February 17, 2010 Amid carp threat, a call to unhook Great Lakes states want to undo a historic project and disconnect from the Mississippi to fend off invasive fish Michigan Messenger, February 15, 2010 Federal carp control strategy is widely criticized Obama's split-the-baby plan displeases both sides in dispute White Lake Beacon, February 15, 2010 Better to be safe than sorry’ Hoekstra backs plan to keep invasive species like the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes Detroit News, February 11, 2010 Federal takeover of lakes looms

No misprint: New state record fish weighs 0.36-pound February 18, 2010 J.R. Absher / Slugs & Plugs Picture The pygmy whitefish caught by Montana angler Russ Geldrich in Little Bitterroot Lake on Sunday, Feb. 13 has officially weighed 5.76 ounces, making it the new state record for the species. That’s right, the record fish tipped the scales at just more than one-third of a pound—36/100 of a pound, to be exact. It measured 9.84 inches in length. The state of Montana is home to three species of whitefish in its lakes and streams—the mountain whitefish, lake whitefish and pygmy whitefish. The Flathead Beacon newspaper reports that Geldrich caught the pygmy on a jig and maggot while fishing deep for kokanee. He had the fish weighed on a certified scale and certified by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks personnel. The state record for the unique species has been set or broken eight times since 1982. Regular readers of my blogs may remember last year’s story about ice angler Eric Tullett of Kalispell, who tied the state record for the species at the same lake, hauling a 3.7-ounce whopper up from a depth of 80 feet while using a glow hook and maggot for bait. Geldrich’s new record eclipsed the old mark held by Tullett and two others by 2.06 ounces—quite a margin, all things considered. When you figure Geldrich’s fish outweighed the old record by 55 percent, that’s pretty significant, whether you’re dealing with ounces or pounds. Native to Montana's deep lakes, pygmy whitefish live near the bottom Little Bitterroot, Ashley, and Flathead. They feed on tiny zooplankton, bottom insects, and mysis shrimp.

GRCA building new water gauge at York January 20, 2010 / www.grandriver.ca The Grand River Conservation Authority has started work on a new water monitoring gauge in York to provide better information on water flows and quality in the Southern Grand. The new, automated station is being built on the riverbank just downstream from the York Bridge, which is located midway between Caledonia and Cayuga. It will replace a smaller, less sophisticated station on the side of the bridge. Construction and installation of equipment is expected to be complete in about a month. Total cost of the project is about $160,000 which is divided between the GRCA, which is paying two-thirds of the cost, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The station will look like a small garden shed. It will house equipment that will automatically measure water levels and water quality information around the clock, every day of the year. The information will be relayed back to the GRCA head office in Cambridge every minute. Flow information will be used to monitor water levels and issue flood warnings to riverside communities stretching from Six Nations to Port Maitland. The equipment in the station will also measure several elements of water quality including temperature, oxygen content, pH levels and conductivity. That information can be used to spot rapid changes in water quality, such as those that might follow a spill. The data is also used to develop understanding of long-term changes in water quality in the river, which helps the GRCA, municipalities and other agencies develop programs to protect water quality and aquatic life. It will also provide information on the impact of the Grand River on Lake Erie. The GRCA has seven other similar stations throughout the watershed. Data from the stations is automatically posted to the GRCA website in the River Data section. The location of the old station on the bridge posed safety issues for GRCA staff who found it difficult to access it for repairs during the winter when snow was piled along the sides of the bridge deck. For information on the Flood Warning system see the Flood Warning System page. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Further information: Dave Schultz, GRCA Manager of Communications Phone: (519) 621-2763, Ext. 2273 Fax: (519) 621-4844 E-mail: [email protected]

Time to clean up acts When it comes to sewage, many places aren’t as pretty as they seem February 18 2010 GREG WESTON / www.torontosun.com While Olympic ads are pitching Canada to the world as a land of vast beauty and pristine waters, a damning internal government report describes a country that’s full of crap. Literally. Hard to imagine in the 21st century, but a federal environmental study has found almost 400 cities and towns across the country are flushing their raw sewage directly into lakes, rivers and the ocean. The issue isn’t just about tourists holding their nose on the Halifax waterfront as they watch what the sewage industry calls “floatables” drift merrily by. The water communities are using as an open sewer is what they — and hundreds of others — use for drinking, bathing and food preparation. On both coasts, Canada’s stewardship of the oceans, fish stocks and protection of marine life includes huge sewer pipes spewing the output of a few million city toilets. And that’s just the worst 399 offenders. The federal environment ministry has also identified another 550 sewage systems across the country — including 106 in Ontario and 46 in Alberta — that will ultimately have to be fixed or replaced. The alarming federal study of municipal sewage dumping is part of a federal campaign to force cities and towns to clean up their act. ‘Not acceptable’ Environment Minister Jim Prentice recently announced new federal regulations are in the works, adding the obvious: “It is not acceptable that we continue discharging untreated waste water into our waterways.” The regulations would give the worst polluters 10 years to fix their sewage problems, and others up to 30 years. While Prentice’s plan seems more of a nudge than a crackdown, the feds are clearly hoping municipalities will simply be shamed into action. For decades, cities and towns have quietly flushed away their sewage treatment problems, opting instead to spend tax dollars on hockey rinks and other more politically sexy projects. Even among all the mega-billions being handed out during the federal government’s great infrastructure giveaway, the amounts being invested in sewage treatment are a drop in the toilet. By far the largest number of offending municipalities are in Newfoundland and Quebec. The federal study also lists three in Ontario — Owen Sound, Cornwall and Brockville, although the latter is currently constructing a state-of-the-art fix. There are two in Alberta, although no one at Environment Canada could say which ones. Manitoba, New Brunswick and P.E.I. have no facilities requiring emergency attention. Quebec has 33 sewage disasters in progress with Quebec City, Montreal, Laval and Longueuil all pumping raw sewage into the St. Lawrence. On the West Coast Finally, there’s “supernatural B.C.,” host of the Olympics, home to some of the most acute environmental smugness on the planet, and site of eight of the most polluting wastewater systems in the country. Picture-perfect Victoria is hoping to stop flushing its toilets into the sea by 2016. Sweet. How bad are the worst 399? Apparently they are even more polluting than the nation’s capital, and Ottawa’s record is truly disgusting. In one incident, the city released over 700 million litres of raw sewage into the Ottawa River just in one nine-day period. Ottawa isn’t even on the list of the country's worst offenders. It’s time the poop hits the fan and not the nearest river.

Absolutely there's an early morning bite, especially with fish that don't feed through the night. If your not connecting till later in the morning you're likely starting out in the wrong spot.

Quebec is a little far for me to drive to so I'll just wait till the end of March when Dave comes out to the Stelco Fishing Club Awards night. And if that sounds busy I understand he has to be on the east coast the next day.... Busy, busy, BUSY !

I might be able to help you with that.