Reader Poll
Local Weather for Chilton
60°
16°
°F | °C
Partly Cloudy
Humidity: 75%
Wind: S at 9 mph
Mon
57 |
75
13 |
23
Tue
46 |
64
7 |
17
Wed
48 |
66
8 |
18
Thu
54 |
65
12 |
18
Outdoors Headlines
| Outdoors with Bob: Travel on Winnebago should be good |
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 10 February 2010 16:32 |
|
If the snow predicted for earlier this week doesn’t get too heavy, movement around Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes for sturgeon spearing should be fairly easy. Most “experts” are looking at a short season, with the possibility of someone getting a record fish. While there is a shortage of wardens in the area, local Warden Mike Disher said that the DNR will be bringing in additional field wardens for the opening weekend and probably for a few days into the first week. With that in mind, be sure to consult the regulations and avoid a citation. You can’t fish with a hook and line while spearing. In fact, other fishing gear must be outside the shanty. Whatever is placed in the water must be removed or retrieved when requested to do so. Decoys can be any length or design, provided they don’t have hooks or lights of any kind. You can stay in your shanty after spearing ends at 12:30 pm, but no spear is allowed in the shanty. You can have more than one person in your shanty, but unless they have a license to spear they can’t be inside alone with a spear. Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) has been found at four sites in Lake Superior. The virus which can be lethal to at least 25 species of fish was originally found in 2007 and has been found previously in Lake Winnebago, Lake Michigan and the connected waters of Green Bay. The discovery of the virus in Lake Superior came about as the result of research by Cornell University. Roughly 900 fish were collected back in June with a new tool that indicated trace amounts of the virus found in a small number of fish near Duluth as well as waters off Baraga and Chippewa counties in northern Michigan. DNR Secretary Matt Frank stated he was disappointed but not surprised by the findings. He said, “The good news is that our VHS rules for boaters and anglers stay the same and will continue to protect our inland waters.” Meanwhile, earlier this week an Asian carp “summit” was scheduled at the White House. Governors from states affected by the invasive were supposed to look at concerns generated by the lawsuit that attempted to get Illinois to shutdown The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal that connects the Mississippi River basin and the Great Lakes. The three governors scheduled are Democrats and the lawsuit is being brought by primarily Republican lawyers. This should not be a partisan issue and the fact that they are meeting rather than making a decision while Rome is burning is not a good sign. The idea of creating a hunting opportunity for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has now become a program. According to Chief DNR Warden Randy Stark, returning vets will be connected with AG damage permit holders so they can hunt on AG damage permits. To expedite the process for returning soldiers who would like to hunt on an AG tag, the returning soldiers should contact the DNR Call Center at 608-266-2621, locally, or 1-888-936-7463. Vets will be asked for their name, phone numbers, e-mail address and the counties they are interested in hunting. That information will be forwarded to a DNR Specialist via e-mail and she will contact the soldier when a tag is available. Budget constraints will be affecting the DNR significantly in 2010. The fisheries staff will reduce its warm water habitat work by 42%; special studies by 45%; publications by 24% and public outreach activities by 50%. Stocking will also be affected. Cohos will be down 5%, steelhead 37%, brown trout on Lake Michigan, 80% fewer fingerlings. There will be no walleyes or spotted muskies put into Green Bay and no Chinooks will be placed in Lake Superior. Evidently, there are some deer left in Calumet County. Warden Disher reported counting 89 whitetails last week along the Lakeshore Drive between Faro Springs and EE near Calumet County Park. While the country is in a depression, a new survey by Southwick Associates estimated that 700,000 sportsmen and women will hunt outside the U.S. during the next two years. Canada and Africa were the top two destinations, followed by Mexico, South America, Europe and Australia. Until next time, keep your hooks sharp, your feet warm and your powder dry! Written By Bob Wilberscheid 
Share Link: 
|
