Fishing
This past Saturday, May 28 was the opening day of large and smallmouth Bass season on the Great Lakes and all inland waters except Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and the Detroit River which do not open until the third Saturday in June (June 18). The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported that panfish action is picking up daily with the warm weather in the southwest Lower Peninsula. Crappie and Bluegills were on the beds in the shallow lakes and should be on all inland lakes by the weekend. Bass were on the beds also. Ellinee Bait & Tackle by Coloma reported that Bluegill, Crappie and Bass fishing were excellent in the area. They were biting on live bait, such as wax worms, minnows and red worms. Besides Big Paw Paw Lake, a few others in the area that were really producing were Little Paw Paw, Magician and Rush Lake. Pyle’s Porthole in South Haven reported good fishing on Lake Michigan with Lake Trout, Coho and King Salmon being taken in 90 to 160 feet of water. Anglers were using spoons, spin and glows and meat rigs. Pier fishing was very slow with Walleye mostly stopped. The Black River was busy with Bass anglers and catching Catfish. Anglers on the inland lakes in the area are doing real well with both panfish and Bass. Great Bear Lake and Van Auken Lake had a lot of Bluegills and Crappie being taken. Saddle Lake had a lot of Bass caught on it. The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will consider chumming regulations at its June 9 meeting at Jay’s Sporting Goods in Gaylord. The DNR currently does not regulate Chumming in Michigan. Chumming is the practice of luring or attracting fish by tossing organic material or bait into the water. Material commonly used as chum includes fish eggs, corn rice, noodles, oatmeal and maggots. Chumming has become a divisive social issue in recent years as some anglers use fish eggs to attract Steelhead. At the June 9 meeting the commissioners will consider a ban on chumming with organic materials on the Muskegon River (below Croton Dam), the Pere Marquette River (below M-37), and the Big Manistee River (below Tippy Dam). For more information, visit the NRC’s website at www.michigan.gov/nrc. The DNR reminds anglers to monitor their live bait purchases to look for juvenile invasive (Asian) carp. A video is available online to assist anglers and the public in identifying juvenile invasive carp. The video can be viewed on Michigan’s invasive species website at www.michigan.gov/invasivespecies. The DNR outdoor Skills Academy in Cadillac, will offer two opportunities for Michigan anglers – or those who want to be – to improve their fishing skills with Bass and Steelhead clinics in June. Bass Fishing for Beginners will be held June 4, with a cost of $25.00, which includes lunch. The second is Summer Run Steelhad Clinic which will be held on June 25. The cost for this class is $40.00 For more information, contact Ed Shaw at shawe@michigan.gov, or call the Carl T. Johnson Center at 231-779-1321. Learn more about the Outdoor Skills Academy at www.michigan.gov/outdoorskills. The second Free Fishing Weekend of the year will take place June 11-12. Michigan residents and nonresidents can fish without a license on both inland and Great Lakes’ waters. In addition, a number of Free special events will take place throughout the state. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/freefishing or call the state park or recreation area for specific details.
Hunting
The DNR invites you to attend the Mid-Michigan united Sportsmen’s Alliance youth event that is being held Sunday, June 5 from 1-4 p.m. at the Flat River Conservation Club located at 300 S. Greenville Road in Greenville. There will be demos, presentations, exhibits, and hands-on activities to share hunting and trapping opportunities with local youth. Youth attendees will also have an opportunity to practice on their shooting skills on the rifle and archery ranges. For more information, contact Twin Lakes Sport Shop at 989-831-4890 or Joe Velchansky at 616-894-6214. Off-road enthusiasts can take advantage of the first Free ORV Weekend of the year, June 11-12. Michigan residents and nonresidents legally can ride DNR-designated routes and trails, including the state’s five scramble areas, without purchasing an ORV license or trail permit. ORV riders will enjoy riding Michigan’s vast public ORV trail system, which covers 3,800 miles of trails and routes throughout the state. The second Free ORV Weekend will take place August 20-21.
Coloma Rod& Gun Club
The Coloma Rod and Gun Club will hold their CCW Class on June 11. Registration day is June 5 between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the club house. The Class Fee is $100.00 with $50.00 deposit due at sign-up. Class is taught by a certified NRA and RSO Instructor. For more information, call 269-621-3370.
“If it doesn’t make a flower and seeds, how does it make more of itself?” The slender green stalk of the field horsetail had whorls of green leaf-like “branches” but no signs of any flowering parts. The main mode of reproduction for the horsetail family is the development of new plants from buds on the nodes of the prolific and perennial rhizomes. Two types of stems are produced. In the summer, buds that will become fruiting stalks bearing spore-containing cones begin to develop. They will emerge early in the following spring to shed the spores. Buds that will become vegetative shoots (the photosynthesizing part) begin to develop in the fall. They will emerge after the spore cones have died. These stems then die in winter. If the ejected spores find the right habitat and get established, then a new colony of horsetails will begin. Scouring rush (also known as snakegrass) is also a horsetail but it lacks the tiny green “branches.” Like the horsetails, it contains hard silica, which Native Americans used to scrape their eating bowls.
Bus trip June 7
Go on a bus trip with Sarett to visit Gardens and Greenhouses of Chicago on June 7 at 7:30 a.m. The $75 fee includes admission to gardens but does not include lunch or plant purchases. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Please call (269) 927-4832 to register for programs.
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