Iowa’s statewide fishing report on Oct. 31, 2024
A look at the Iowa fishing report from across the state on Oct. 31, 2024.
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November 1, 2024
Elusive fishers make a strong recovery in New York
The fisher may be a diminutive predator, but don’t let the size fool you.
Even with a fairly elaborate trail camera setup around my area of upstate New York, I never get tired of following all the deer, turkeys, and other game animals that make their way past the motion-sensitive lenses. I always get a little excited when a new animal is captured, especially black bears now that I live in Ulster County. That excitement was immediately multiplied when I began to come across clips of the predatory fisher, one of the region’s most interesting and elusive inhabitants.
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Tips for tracking down big muskies in the late fall
Cooling waters in fall trigger muskies to feed so they can bulk up for the approaching winter. For avid muskie fishermen, there may be no better time to seek a giant fish.
To be more successful, two Northwoods guides who consistently put their clients onto huge muskies encourage anglers to be stealthy and precise in their presentations. Both guides primarily rely on live-bait fishing, namely quick-strike-rigged suckers, as their method of choice.
“There’s very little boat traffic and I love the peace and quiet on the lakes. We have the opportunity to catch the biggest fish of the year,” said Rob Manthei, who guides in the Vilas/Oneida county region of northern Wisconsin.
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Relationships mattered for retired Minnesota DNR fish manager Jack Lauer
Looking back on his almost 40-year career with the Minnesota DNR, most recently the past 16 years as southern region fisheries manager, Jack Lauer says he viewed the job as more than that of simply a government employee.
“We have really good resources. So, my job wasn’t to be the bureaucrat, but was to be a person who helped preserve what we have in Minnesota,” Lauer said.
Lauer, who recently retired, said he didn’t see his role as the regional manager as one that operated in a vacuum apart from local agencies.
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Invasive flathead catfish are impacting the food chain in Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River
Flathead catfish – native to the Mississippi River basin – were first detected in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in 2002, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
In the two decades since then, the invasive species has spread throughout the river basin. The impact of the large predator on the waterway’s food webs and ecology was unknown, but now a research team is beginning to understand what Susquehanna flatheads are eating and how their presence is affecting native aquatic species in the river.
Ron Schara: A hunter’s six stages… which stage are you in?
The young Minnesota deer hunter explained: ‘’I saw the doe come out and I raised my gun. But then her two fawns came out. I’m not shooting her.’
The kid is under 14 years old, so what do you think? Poor decision? Hunting is shooting? Soft heart? Get over it, kid. Sympathy has no place in the woods; shoot the SOB! Good decision? Your decision was fine, kid. Compassion as a hunter is always admirable.
I’m on the kid’s side. And I’m also, as an aging hunter, in the sixth stage of a hunter’s life.
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WI Daily Update: An odd 2024 duck season
It has been an odd duck season, with ducks here
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Steve Sarley: A fishing guy who likes to flap his gums? Say it isn’t so!
Here in northern Illinois, we are the home of many fine bait and tackle shops. It’s a tough business.
Fishermen can be difficult customers. Ask any bait shop owner about the complaints they hear. The minnows die too quickly. A lure isn’t available in all 50 of the colors the manufacturer makes it in, only 48. The shop isn’t open enough hours to suit the angler, only 14 of the day’s 24.
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Deer-removal permits due to crop damage net limited harvests in Minnesota
Recently, in southern Minnesota’s Deer Permit Area 274, a farmer killed five more deer than allowed on his out-of-season deer-removal permit and did not report it to the DNR’s area wildlife office.
As a result, he received a petty misdemeanor citation for violating the permit, and that will weigh against him if he ever applies for a permit to shoot deer causing crop damage in the future.
“That’s the first time we’ve ever had a report of that, and I don’t like to hear that, either, obviously. That’s not what this program is about,” said Dave Trauba, interim DNR Wildlife Section manager.
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