Fishing
Summer fishing is on! The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports that the inland lakes across the state are producing panfish, Bass, Walleye, Pike, Bowfin and Carp to name a few. Spawning is done in most waters. The extremely hot weather tends to push fish to deeper waters. The best time to fish shallow is early morning or late evening. Pyle’s Porthole in South Haven reports anglers on Lake Michigan are catching Perch in anywhere from 17 to 35 feet of water, because they are scattered. You still can get a good size catch if you look for them. Lake Trout and Steelhead are being taken in 80 to 120 feet of water. Pier anglers have been getting Steelhead on shrimp, Sheepheads, Bass and Pike. Inland lakes are producing some nice panfish, but Bluegills are off their beds and moved out a little. Winner of the Cat Fishing Tournament at Pyle’s Porthole was Wade Slate from Bloomingdale. He won with a 17.4 pound Catfish he caught in the Allegan River. Ellinee Bait & Tackle reports nice catches of Bluegill and Crappie out of Paw Paw Lake and surrounding local inland lakes. Otherwise fishing has been “spotty” for the bigger fish, depending on the wind and weather. Boat anglers out of St. Joseph were catching a decent number of Steelhead near the piers with orange spoons and crank baits. Pier anglers are also catching Steelhead on shrimp. The Perch fishing continues to be very slow. In Kalamazoo County Gull Lake was producing some Crappie, while Sherman Lake was producing some Perch. In Barry County Thornapple Lake was producing some nice Bluegills and Crappie were caught in 10 to 15 feet of water. A couple of Walleye were taken near Howards Point. Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery at 34270 CR 652 (at the corner of Red Arrow Highway) is in the midst of its summer programming efforts, which means visiting families are in store for a variety of fun and educational opportunities. The Hook, Line & Sinker program offered at Wolf Lake is for kids ages 3 to 16 and is held every Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. Fishing is catch-and-release and all equipment is provided. Children who participate in three Hook, Line & Sinker dates this summer will qualify for special fishing opportunities at Wolf Lake. See visitor center staff for more details. Guided tours of the hatchery are offered Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. On Sunday guided tours are offered at noon and 2 p.m. Come over for the feeding frenzy and watch the hatchery fish get their lunchtime meal every weekday at 12:30 p.m. “Vampires of the Great Lakes” See sea lampreys up close and learn about how they forever changed the Great Lakes on Friday July 1 or on Friday August 5 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, call 269-668-2876 or visit www.michigan.gov/hatcheries.
Hunting
The DNR invites those interested in the management of Michigan’s white-tailed deer population to review and provide input on its draft updated Deer Management Plan. The draft updated plan is available on the DNR’s website at www.michigan.gov/deer. The plan will be available for review through July 8. Comments may be submitted to dnrwildlife@michigan.gov or sent to DNR Wildlife Division, 525 West Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48909. The DNR Conservation Officers are urging motorists to use caution and remember safety when stopping along Upper Peninsula roadways to view and photograph moose or other wildlife. Moose are game species in Michigan though no hunts have been authorized in recent decades. Find out more information about moose at the DNR website. Some safety tips for viewing wildlife follow: If you see vehicles stopped, slow down. Do not stop in the traffic lanes, pull over to view or photograph a moose. Pull all the way off the road onto the shoulder to the right of the fog strip. Do not open car doors, walk or run out into traffic in the excitement of the moment. Do not approach moose, view or photograph from a distance, and when pulling back into traffic, watch for vehicles and pedestrians. Drive slowly away. Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery has hunting programs during the summer as well as fishing ones. Learn how to shoot a bow and arrow at the Arrows Away Archery program offered every Thursday at 5, 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. Participants must arrive on time and the program is open only to those age 8 or older. All equipment is provided. Family scavenger hunts is a self-guided, family-friendly activity that takes you all over the hatchery grounds. This opportunity is available daily, until one hour before closing. There is more than just fish at the hatchery. Join a mammal hike on Friday, July 15 at 11 a.m. and then “Mammal Olympics” that same day at 1 p.m. For more information, call the Hatchery at 269-668-2876. Free ORV safety classes offered at Silver Lake State Park in Mears. Scheduled classes are for July 9 and July 23. In Michigan all riders younger than 16 years of age are required to complete an approved ORV safety course and carry a Michigan ORV safety certificate with them at all times while riding on public lands. Class sizes are limited and pre-registration is required. Please note that children 10 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. To get more information, please contact Silver Lake State Park at 231-873-3083. Additional classes will be offered August 6 and 20 and September 17.
Coloma Rod & Gun Club
The Coloma Rod and Gun Club will hold their CCW Class on July 9. Registration day is July 3 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.
The wetland wildflower show starts a bit later than that of the upland meadow. The cooler, wetter microclimate protects the plants against surprise late spring frosts. But…the show is beginning. Purple fringed orchid is now appearing in our sedge meadow. The small flowers are not flashy so one has to look for them. Each flower looks a tiny, purple butterfly, which seems appropriate because their main pollinators are butterflies. The diurnal hawkmoths and other nocturnal moths (with their equally long proboscises, or tongues) also visit the orchids. The plants are now rare in southernmost Michigan as our wetlands disappear. They cannot be found in commercial nurseries because they are nearly impossible to cultivate out of their “wild” setting. Their seeds remain dormant until one day they aren’t. Botanists have been unable to figure out this timetable. In addition, their seeds do not carry stored food so they must quickly establish their partnership with soil bacteria (mycorrhizal symbiosis). Come hunt for the orchid and perhaps you’ll also the endangered Mitchell’s satyr butterfly.
Owls and vultures adaptations June 30
Meet Sarett’s owl and vulture and learn about their adaptations on June 30 at 3:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults.
Kayaking July 2
Kayak the Kalamazoo on July 2 at 9:00 a.m. Pack drinks, lunch, snacks and bring money for an ice cream stop. The fee is $25. Pre-registration is required. Please call (269) 927-4832 to register for programs.
Comments