04-12-18 Outdoors

Fishing The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports that across the state spring fishing was starting to pick up until the wind, rain, snow and cold once again put a damper on fishing conditions. No boats were going out on the Great Lakes and very few were fishing the inland lakes and rivers. With the continued cold weather, anglers in the Upper Peninsula were still ice fishing. This week’s slowly rising temperatures should help. If you want to fish southeast Michigan’s Great Lakes areas of St. Clair system and Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan or Lake Superior, but are not sure when or where to go, The DNR Great Lakes Fishing Roadmaps are starting points to provide you with information on many fishing sites and times of the year when great opportunities exist. Whether you are a seasoned angler or new to the sport, these roadmaps can provide great insight into fishing these waters. Captain Kenny Bard of Rampage Fishing Charters out of South Haven reports that anglers going out on Lake Michigan are catching Coho from the beach out to 40 feet of water. Surf casters could do good right now. Pier fishing is slow as anglers start coming back after the rough weather. The water is a little dirty, but they have taken some Coho off the pier. River fishing has slowed with the cooler temperatures for Steelhead, but that should improve by the weekend with the warmer weather forecast. Ellinee Bait & Tackle on Paw Paw Lake near Coloma reports that last week’s cold put the brakes on the spring fishing that had just gotten started. Anglers on the inland lakes that have braved the cooler temperatures the beginning of this week were rewarded with some panfish in deeper waters. Anglers have also been taking some nice catfish. Boats out of New Buffalo were catching Coho when trolling along the beach. Out of St. Joseph, anglers were catching Coho, Brown Trout and the occasional Steelhead last week when the weather would allow boats out on the lake. The St. Joseph River had a few anglers targeting Steelhead, but the bite was slow. Grand Haven boat anglers were catching a few perch south of the piers in 60 to 75 feet of water when using minnows. This is the only report of perch out of Lake Michigan so far. The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow in Cheboygan County is seeking volunteers to join in its effort, in partnership with the DNR Law Enforcement and Fisheries Divisions, to help protect Lake Sturgeon from illegal harvest during the annual spawning run. Hundreds of volunteers are needed to stand guard along the Black River during the spawning season, from mid-April through early June, to report any suspicious activity and deter the unlawful take of this iconic fish. The volunteers stand watch and if suspicious activity occurs, use cell phones provided by Sturgeon for Tomorrow to contact DNR conservation officers who are actively patrolling the area in support of the guarding effort. Aerial surveillance is also deployed to help secure the area. Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should contact Mark and Ann Feldhauser at 906-201-2484 or 906-346-9511. For those traveling from outside the local area there are hotels, restaurants and Onaway State Park which has improved camping and cabin rentals. Volunteers are also encouraged to set up their rustic camps along the banks of the Black River. There is no charge for camping on the state land adjacent to the river.

Hunting With longer daylight hours and warming temperatures causing wildlife to start to move, the DNR advises property owners that now is the time to look around and see if they have items that soon may be attracting bears. The best way to live with bears and not encourage conflict, DNR wildlife communication coordinator Katie Keen said, is to have the ideal situation where a bear walks past your property, not finding a food reward. The easiest thing people can do to avoid problems with bears is to remove bird feeders during the spring and summer months. The seed and especially the suet are attractive to a bear as they are high-calorie and reliable compared to other plentiful and natural food sources. For your safety, never intentionally feed or try to tame bears – it is in your, and the bear’s best interest. Learn more about Michigan’s Black Bears and how to prevent potential problems by visiting www.michigan.gov/bear. Coyotes can be found everywhere – forests, fields, farmlands, backyards, neighborhoods and cities. The may be more visible during breeding season (January through March) and when they are caring for their pups during the spring and summer months. Smaller mammals, like mice and rabbits, are a coyote’s main source of food. They can become comfortable living near people, particularly if there are food sources available like trash-bins, bird feeders and pet food. Never intentionally feed or try to tame coyotes. Take advantage of a coyote’s natural fear of humans and scare them off if you see them. Letters of interest are now being accepted by the DNR for those interested in representing the tourism industry on the Equine Trails Subcommittee. The appointment is for a four-year term. If interested contact the DNR state trail coordinator at DNR-PRD-TRAILS, P.O. Box 30257, Lansing, MI 48909. Coloma Rod & Gun Club The Coloma Rod & Gun Club will hold their monthly CCW Class on Saturday, April 14, 2018. The class is taught by a certified NRA and RSO instructor and the cost of the class is $100. For more information or to be put on the list, please call (269) 621-3370. Watervliet Rod & Gun Club The Watervliet Rod and Gun Club will hold their monthly CCW classes on April 12 and April 15, 2018. They will have a lawyer explaining the law pertaining to concealed carry during class.

Spring means the arrival of many migratory birds and one species that can be seen while driving around or hiking locally is the eastern meadowlark. The robin-sized species can commonly be found singing from fence posts and power lines in pastures, grasslands and agricultural areas from mid-March to mid-November. Eastern meadowlarks have yellow under parts and brown mottled upper parts that help them blend in to vegetation from above. White outer tail feathers help the birds distract predators. If one comes too close to the nest, the female will burst out of the grass with a flash of color distracting the predator. Once lured far away from the nest, the female will fold her white feathers in and disappear back into the grass. These birds mainly eat arthropods like insects and spiders but will also eat grubs, worms and seeds. Western meadowlarks can also be found in southwest Michigan but are rare. They can be easily distinguished from eastern meadowlarks by their song, since their appearance is so similar. The eastern meadowlark flute-like song is more varied than the western’s. Learn about and look for the American woodcock, a bird with an interesting mating display with a Sarett Naturalist this Saturday at 8:30 p.m. for $3/adult. Please call to register at 269-927-4832. Join a Sarett Naturalist for a walk through Sarett’s trails to see and learn about early wildflowers for $3 on Saturday, April 21 at 2:00 p.m.