Fishing

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fishing report for the week states that Salmon are staging in some areas and are just starting to move up into some of the rivers.  Those fishing the rivers are reminded that snagging is illegal.  Bass and Pike fishing has picked up across the state with the cooler temperatures.  This will be our last report from Pyle’s Porthole in South Haven as they have closed their business.  We want to thank Adam and Kathy Pyle for their weekly reports that gave us a clue on fishing in Lake Michigan.  Pyle’s Porthole reports that the Coho are biting straight out from the piers to a depth of 100 feet.  Perch fishing is very good in 8 to 15 feet of water.  River and pier anglers are catching King Salmon as they move into the river.  Inland lakes have been quiet as the water temperatures are quite warm.  Ellinee Bait & Tackle in Coloma reported slow fishing on Paw Paw Lake and surrounding smaller lakes.  Bass fishing is the most available action for anglers to target.   Boat anglers going out of St. Joseph are catching decent numbers of Lake Trout and a few Chinook salmon, but catch rates were inconsistent.  Most fish were taken on spoons in 90 to 100 feet of water.  Perch fishing was a little slow with a few catches taken in 40 feet of water.  Pier fishing was also slow.  The DNR fishing tip for this week is to make you aware that Lake Gogebic in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties is a great place to fish for Walleye.  This water body has no shortage of Walleyes and the lake typically has double the statewide average of fish per acre.  Yellow Perch, Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike are also plentiful and make for attractive fishing on Lake Gogebic.  That gives anglers plenty of opportunities to catch plenty of fish.  The preferred fishing method for Walleye on Lake Gogebic is trolling crankbaits through all depths of the water column.  The Walleye feeding window stays open longer in the fall as the water temperatures drop and food options dwindle, so stay mobile and the fish will be hot on your tail.  The DNR announced that so far in 2016, no bighead and silver carp environmental DNA (eDNA) has been found in Michigan waters.  Of the 2016 samples collected and analyzed, the DNR is still waiting for results from the third and final round of sampling in the St. Joseph, Grand, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Macatawa, Galien and Black rivers.  The final results are expected soon, but all other samples analyzed have come back negative at this point.  Results from eDNA testing conducted by the USSFWS and its partner agencies throughout the Great Lakes basin can be viewed at fws.gov/midwest/fisheries/eDNA.

Hunting

The Michigan DNR invites young hunters to take part in the free DNR Youth Field Day at Maple River State Game Area in Gratiot County on Saturday, September 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Participants can learn about waterfowl habitat, hunting ducks in Michigan, duck-calling, cleaning and cooking waterfowl, firearm safety and more.  There will also be demonstrations, including decoy technique, shooting and retriever demos.  For more information, visit grandriverchaptermdha.org.  The DNR and the Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival committee will host the 69th annual festival on September 17 and 18 at the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in Brownstown Township.  Activities begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday and run through 5 p.m. on Sunday.  A variety of activities to capture anyone’s interest will be spread over the two days.  There are duck calling and goose calling contests, decoy and bird carvers, arts and crafts, a live auction and more.  They will have the Lake Erie Championship Layout Shoot, along with hip-boot races for men, women and youth.  Hunters can buy, sell or swap goods with outdoorsmen from around the Midwest and check out more than 100 exhibitor booths.  For more information, visit www.ptemouilleewaterfowlfestival.org or contact Festival Executive Director Bob Whitwam at 734-587-3221.

Coloma Rod & Gun Club

The Coloma Rod and Gun Club will hold their monthly CCW Class on September 10.  Class registration is held on Sunday, September 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The class is taught by a certified NRA and RSO instructor and the cost of the class is $100.00.  For more information or to be put on the list, call 269-621-3370.

Watervliet Rod &Gun Club

The Watervliet Rod and Gun Club will hold their monthly CCW class on September 15 and 18.  Registration is Tuesday, September 13 between 6 and 7 p.m.  The cost of the class is $100.00.  Classes have a Michigan lawyer explaining the law pertaining to concealed carry.  Please call for more information or to be put on the list at 269-468-3837 or 269-470-9191.

 Our bat-in-residence made an appearance for a photo-op recently. His droppings clued us into his presence long ago. Although he has not allowed a close enough examination to say for sure, this is probably a Little Brown Bat. They are more common around here. His body is probably about 3 inches, as opposed to the Big Brown Bat which measures a whopping 4 ½ inches! He should weigh between 7 and 9 grams (equal to ¼ ounce), less than a sheet of paper. After awakening from hibernation, females form nursing colonies to raise their young. Since our bat has been a solitary resident for four years, most likely it is a male. Little brown bats primarily eat aquatic insects (although not many mosquitoes) so his residence near our front yard ponds must make him very happy. The amount of droppings indicates he is doing a dandy job of finding food. In his picture, he is peeking out upside down. One of his ears is at the bottom with a leg close by.

Barn Party

Do not forget to reserve your spot for Sarett’s Barn Party on September 11 beginning at 4:00 p.m. A catered dinner, homemade appetizers and desserts, as well as a silent auction are included in the $50 price. This is our most important fundraiser…and a lot fun!! Please call (269) 927-4832 to reserve a spot.