• World Retreats from Energy Alarmism

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for October 17, 2008

• DNR Fishing Reports

• DNR, County fishing Reports

• DNR fishing Report

• MN DNR Fishing Report Lake Superior

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World Retreats from Energy Alarmism

While Washington Squabbles, Rest of the World Steps back from Global Warming Extremism

Washington, D.C., October 15, 2008� Last night, voters in Canada decisively rejected a tax on energy use aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon tax had been the centerpiece of Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion's election campaign. His party suffered a serious reverse at the polls, losing a quarter of its seats. Analysts agree the pledge was a significant factor in the Liberals� failure to take advantage of the economic crisis. The last thing the Canadian people wanted was extra costs to their families in troubled times.

In Europe, the Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski today vowed to block European Union attempts to impose a new measures aimed at reducing emissions next month. Sikorski

told an EU summit meeting that, � Poland is ready to veto if there are attempts to force us to accept the climate-change packet in the next months.� A statement from the leaders of several Eastern European countries said, �The vast majority of the EU's greenhouse gas emission reductions have been achieved by less affluent member states at a very high social and economic cost, and it should be recognized.�

Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Iain Murray comments, �Once again, Washington insiders need to pay attention to what�s happening beyond our borders. The world has realized that the greenhouse gas reductions championed by Al Gore and his fellow travelers come at a very high price, at both the national and household level. If we need to do anything to manage the risk that global warming might become a problem, we need to think of other ways of doing it.�

U.S. Could Derive 20% of Transport Fuel From Waste

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN (ENS) - Researchers at Purdue University are proposing a new "flexible" approach to producing alternative fuels, hydrogen and electricity from municipal solid wastes, agricultural wastes, forest residues and sewage sludge. They say the new approach could supply up to 20 percent of transportation fuels in the United States annually. The method offers a potential solution to problems that might be created by increasing production of ethanol with conventional methods, which use corn grain as a feedstock.

Boosting ethanol production with conventional methods would require additional crops and heavy fertilizer use, increasing runoff into waterways and threatening ecosystems. But the new concept, which Purdue researchers call a flexible carbon-to-liquid fuel process, would require no additional crops and use primarily wastes as the feedstock, said Fu Zhao, a Purdue assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

"This technique is more flexible than conventional methods because we can process a wider range of very different feedstocks and, at the same time, we can generate a wider range of end products - not just gasoline and diesel but ethanol and hydrogen," he said. "Or we could generate electricity directly from the gas produced."

The method also would be immune to the market fluctuations of corn and other crops and less affected by disturbances such as feedstock supply shocks and market demand changes, the Purdue scientist says. The method also could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50  compared with burning petroleum-derived gasoline, he says.

Findings were detailed in a paper presented on September 29 during the 6th Global Conference on Sustainable Product Development and Life Cycle Engineering in Busan, Korea.

The system first requires processing carbon-containing waste, such as paper, wood, plastic and rubber, into small pieces with a diameter of a few millimeters, or thousandths of a meter. The pieces would then be fed into a "gasifier," where the materials would be turned into a gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and other hydrocarbons.

This gas would be further processed to get rid of everything but the hydrogen and carbon monoxide, referred to as synthesis gas or syngas. The gas could then be used to directly run a turbine to generate electricity, or it could be converted into gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation. The technique could be used to produce ethanol, jet fuel and other biofuels from the solid wastes. Data indicate enough wastes are generated in the United States to support large production facilities using the system.

A report prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy found that an estimated 1.3 billion tons of biomass - including agricultural and municipal wastes - are generated annually across the country.

The analysis suggests that it is possible to replace 15 percent to 20 percent of transportation fuels consumed daily in the United States with liquids derived from this flexible process. These estimates are based on the present consumption level, which is about 390 million gallons per day, said Fu Zhao.

Firearms and Ammunition Industry Responds to Minnesota DNR Preliminary Ammunition Study

NEWTOWN, Conn. � Yesterday, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released the preliminary results of study of a small sampling of traditional hunting bullets and other types of projectiles used by hunters to look at whether they fragment upon impact and, if so, how far fragments might travel from the wound channel. The DNR was quick to point out that its report was "preliminary," had not been peer-reviewed and required further analysis. In response to the report, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) � the trade association for the firearms industry � released the following statement:

The preliminary report found varying results among bullet types, but noted that in some instances fragments were detected "further from the wound channel than many hunters might assume." The DNR did not, however, conclude that hunters should not use traditional ammunition. Nor did they conclude that the use of traditional hunting ammunition presents a human health risk to hunters. The DNR noted that its goal was to provide hunters with science-based information on which they can make informed choices and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture encouraged hunters to continue to donate venison to the state�s venison donation program.

For more than a century, hundreds of millions of Americans have safely consumed big game, including whitetail deer, harvested using traditional hunting ammunition and there has never been a case of anyone suffering adverse health effects from consuming the meat. Put simply, there is no credible, peer-reviewed scientific evidence that using traditional hunting ammunition creates a human health risk.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is

currently conducting a study of hunters and others that have consumed game to determine whether they have an elevated level of lead in their blood that can be attributed to the ammunition used to harvest the game. Preliminary indications of the CDC study released last month by the North Dakota Department of Health (DOH), which is participating in the study, show that none of those tested had unsafe blood lead levels. In fact, according to the North Dakota DOH's press release, the readings were far below the level considered elevated for a child (10 micrograms per deciliter); let alone the level for an adult (25 micrograms per deciliter).

Both the CDC and Minnesota DNR studies were done in response to reports of lead fragments having been found in a few packages of venison sampled at food pantries in North Dakota and a few other upper Mid-Western states. As a result, some states overreacted to the unscientific reports in an over abundance of caution and ordered that all venison at food pantries be destroyed, a clear overreaction not based on sound science.

The Iowa Department of Public Health has conducted an extensive panel of blood-lead testing for more than 15 years. Iowa was among the states that did not over react and order venison destroyed. The IDPH maintained at the time "that if lead in venison were a serious health risk, it would likely have surfaced within extensive blood lead testing since 1992 with 500,000 youth under 6 and 25,000 adults having been screened."

Based on widely divergent results of venison testing done in other states, it seems that the lead found in venison is most likely attributable to processing-related issues. This said, the NSSF has still always supported efforts to better educate hunters on how to safely and properly field dress game in order to further reduce the possibility of any lead exposure.

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Oct. 17, 2008

Weather Conditions: 

Cooler temperatures arrived in the Great Lakes basin this week on the heels of a weak low pressure center.  Much of the basin saw rain on Wednesday as this storm system pushed through.  The upcoming weekend looks pleasant with temperatures in the mid 50s to near 60 degrees.  Similar conditions are expected into next week.

Lake Level Conditions: 

Currently, every one of the Great Lakes are above their levels of a year ago, ranging from 3 to 9" higher than what they were at this time last year.  All of the Great Lakes are in their periods of seasonal decline and are predicted to drop over the next 30 days.  Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are predicted to drop 2 inches, while Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are projected to drop 4 to 5 inches.  Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Ontario are forecasted to remain above their levels of a year ago over the next several months, while Lake Erie is projected to remain at around last year's level. 

Current Outflows/Channel Conditions: 

In September, the outflows through the St. Mary's, St. Clair, Detroit, and Niagara Rivers were below average while the

outflow from the St. Lawrence River was above average.

Alerts:  

Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels.  Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings.

Wisconsin DNR fishing Report

October 13, 2008

Almost the entire state has received rainfall in the last week, ranging from half an inch to more than an inch. Northern Wisconsin received a hard frost last weekend, with some areas temperatures down into the upper 20s with ice forming on some puddles Friday night.

The drop in temperatures caused some northern lakes to turn over. As water temperature drops near the surface, colder water sinks, mixing up nutrients in the lake bottom. This resulted in some lakes having heavy blooms of blue green algae.

The weather also disrupted fishing activity. The most consistent fishing continued to be for musky and some fair to good action has been experienced. Live suckers have gotten more productive in the last week, though large crank baits and stick baits have gotten some decent action on the warmer days. Walleye fishing has continued to be fairly erratic. The cooler water temperatures have more fish moving up into the shallows and in/around the dying weed beds. Panfish action has been fair to good, with some nice crappie still being found in shallow water near cover and any weed edges.

The rain this week drew more salmon up tributaries of Lake Michigan. Action was good on the Menominee, Peshtigo, Little, Twin and Kewaunee rivers, but had slowed on the Oconto, Manitowoc and Branch rivers. Trolling success on Lake Michigan was low over the weekend due to some unfavorable fishing and lake conditions, but those who ventured out still had some success fishing shallow in 20 to 50 feet of water. A few nice chinook and salmon were caught and a couple of lucky anglers also landed several brown trout. Green Bay musky anglers have been having some luck near the mouth of the Fox River and north along the west shore to the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area. Limits of perch were reported off Oconto on the west shore and out from the Bayshore ramp, near Chaudoir�s dock, and Riley�s and Little Sturgeon Bay on the east. In the southeast, some Chinooks and browns have been caught on the Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Root rivers.

The Mississippi River has been holding at or just below the 7 foot mark at Prairie du Chien. Fishing action was fair to good, with bluegills still biting. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing has been good on most days. Walleye and sauger action was spotty and northern pike action was slow.

NY DNR, County Fishing Reports

October 13, 2008

Niagara County

Good numbers of salmon and trout are being reported by anglers at 18 Mile Creek, especially below Burt Dam. A good mix of king salmon, steelhead and brown trout have made their way up through the creek system, fair game for anglers using skein, egg sacks and egg imitations. Fishing your offering under a float is one of the more popular approaches to use. In addition to the area below the dam, casters are still working the harbor and piers with spoons and spinners. Egg sacks will also catch fish. Trolling or casting with stickbaits is another option.

If the winds cooperate, lake trolling is still a good way to catch salmon and trout. For staging fish, use J-plugs or spoons inside of 100 foot depths. If you want to head to deeper waters, the 250 to 350 ft depths are still prime for steelhead and a mix of immature salmon with spoons or fly-flasher combinations according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker. Over in Wilson, bass are still hitting in the creeks as reported by Terry Swann. Large numbers of gizzard shad are in the creeks, also bringing in pike and trout.

Niagara salmon fishing has picked back up again thanks to a little turbidity to the water and cooling temperatures. Water temperatures were around the 60-degree mark going into the weekend. Local guides were reporting three to six fish per day, with 10 to 12 hits the normal opportunity earlier in the week. But when the sun came out and there were some clear, blue skies, fishing became a bit tougher for salmon in Devil's Hole.

Oak Orchard 

Oct now, and it definitely feels like trout and salmon time... Most all anglers enjoying good fishing for salmon, fishing pressure pretty heavy thanks to pleasant warm weather so far thru this holiday weekend. Crowds are thinning some now with the close of the long weekend. Still some cool nights with salmon migrations underway and fish pretty well spread thru the whole of the river. Warm days forecast thru this weekend may stall some of the upstream salmon movement from lower river sections, but the nights remain cool, so overall the fishing should remain pretty good with trib water temps staying cool. Anglers reported lots of migrating fish Sat and there are still fish staging a while downstream like in the Bridges area. There are good concentrations in the fast water gravel stretches and each day there are a few more reports of browns or steelhead being caught. Some trout hook-ups are incidental for salmon fishermen, although the careful drifter targeting trout can expect some opportunities in a day's effort. Getting thru the skads of salmon is the hard part.

Salmon River

It looks like this should be another banner season for steelhead fishing this year.  The Salmon River also continues to produce decent action for king salmon. There has been a good number of brown trout around as well. Water levels have receded so try floating the upper river. There are plenty of salmon on the gravel spawning. The holes are still holding fish as well.

Lake Ontario and Tributaries

Eighteen Mile Creek, Oak Orchard Creek and the Genesee River are good bets for Chinook salmon (king salmon) this weekend. Lake Ontario surface water temperatures hover around 60F.

Fresh king salmon and trout are moving into the larger Ontario tributaries on a daily basis. In Eighteen Mile Creek, king salmon are everywhere with best catches in the stretch directly below Burt Dam. The bite has slowed as the sun climbs, so on sunny days its best to fish early or late in the day. Egg sacs or skein fished under a float and drifted egg imitations have been tops for king salmon with a few steelhead and brown trout mixed in. The same offerings have taken mostly salmon and a few browns near the Waterport Dam on Oak Orchard Creek. From a short distance below these dams out to the lake, these creeks are deeper, slower moving and are bordered mostly by private property. Anchoring a small boat or drifting along the creek channel are other ways to target trout and salmon in these creeks. Water is low and clear in Johnson, Marsh and Sandy Creeks, but salmon hook-ups have been reported in all three. The Genesee River is in good fishing shape and plenty of king salmon have already migrated into the river. Pier anglers from Fort Niagara to Rochester report good trout and salmon action. Drifted skein, casted spoons (Little Cleo, K.O. Wobbler, Daredevle, Krocodile, etc.), Blue Fox Vibrex spinners and jointed fire tiger Rapalas have all drawn strikes.

Eighteen Mile Creek anglers be advised that 30,000 fall fingerling Coho salmon were recently stocked in Olcott Harbor. These delicate 5-6 inch fish will soon occupy the entire stream and readily hit smaller baits. Please carefully release these sub-legal fish so they may return in a few years as strong adults.

Trollers are still picking up mature king salmon and brown trout between 50-70 feet of water (fow) near tributary mouths. Spoons, J-Plugs and jointed Rapalas are all taking mature king salmon. Some anglers are heading out to 250-350 fow for 2-3 year old king salmon (10-15 lbs) and steelhead. Spoons or flasher and fly combos are best between 60-90 feet down for kings and in the top 60 feet for steelhead.

The bite has been good for a variety of warmwater species in

both Wilson and Olcott Harbors. Yellow perch and bluegill catches are good on live minnows and worms in areas where northern pike and salmon are not present. Northern pike and bass catches are decent on lures and live bait. Wilson Harbor anglers also report good brown trout action.

Lower Niagara River

The king salmon catch has been fair for boat anglers as the river is still a couple degrees north of ideal temperature. Charter boats drifting Devils Hole are working hard for an average of 3-5 salmon per trip. King salmon catches have been good on egg sacs, Spoons and Vibrex spinners for shore anglers at Whirlpool State Park. Use extreme caution when fishing Whirlpool and Devil's Hole as slippery rocks and strong currents make these areas very dangerous. Action at the Power Vista fishing platform has been poor, probably due to the turbine being off. This is a good time shore anglers to try Artpark as steelhead are starting to move through. Egg sacs, skein or Vibrex spinners are a good bet. The bass bite has cooled a little, but crayfish and shiners will still fetch a few smallmouth bass in the lower section and out on the Niagara Bar. Catches of the "threatened" lake sturgeon have recently been reported. Please remember that it is illegal to possess sturgeon and they should immediately be released or unhooked while still in water.

Honeoye Lake

The black crappie bite has been decent in 14-15 fow on fathead minnows or jigs tipped with wax worms. Using a slip bobber is key as crappie are suspended in the water column. Anglers are also picking up perch in these depths on fatheads fished closer to the bottom. A couple anglers report walleye success in 16-17 fow on bass shiners and jigs with nightcrawlers.

Hemlock and Canadice Lakes

Shore anglers are catching trout with minnows and worms in both lakes. The brown trout bite is good in Canadice Lake and Hemlock anglers are catching brown trout and a few rainbow trout.

Canandaiqua Lake

Anglers report good yellow perch catches at various points around the lake. Fathead minnows or jigs tipped with spikes or wax worms have been the ticket in 20-30 fow.

Lake Erie and Tributaries

Cattaraugus Creek is in great fishing condition going into the weekend, smaller tributaries are low and clear. Lake Erie surface water temperatures hover around 63F.

Current Cattaraugus Creek water flow (275 cfs) and clarity are ideal and steelhead action should be good through the weekend. The bulk of steelhead are from Versailles Road down through the lower reservation to the creek mouth. Anglers who wish to fish reservation lands must have a fishing license issued by the Seneca Nation. Some fish have pushed through Gowanda into Zoar Valley. Waders are doing well drifting egg sacs and egg imitations or by swinging streamer and bugger patterns. Casted spoons and spinners continue to produce from the Cattaraugus Creek breakwall. The medium tributaries such as Eighteen Mile, Canadaway and Chautauqua Creeks are running low and clear, but have decent numbers of steelhead in them. Fishing these streams will be best near dawn and dusk. Move stealthily and work larger holes and undercut banks with small baits and light lines.

Good yellow perch catches remain off Cattaraugus Creek between 60-70 feet of water (fow). Anglers also report decent perch action between Sturgeon Point and Evangola State Park in 60-63 fow. Live minnows or salted emerald shiners are the baits of choice. Be sure to call ahead as many bait shops are running low on shiners.

Feeding smallmouth bass are moving a little tighter to shore as lake temperatures slowly drop. Action has been good from Sturgeon Point to Buffalo between 10-40 fow with the best bite in 20-25 fow. Good bets for bass include Evans Bar, Meyers Reef, Seneca Shoal, Woodlawn Bar and near the Round House. Shiners, crayfish, tubes or Berkley Gulp plastics combined with a drop shot rig will produce. Fall conditions can be rough, but sheltered areas such as harbors and inside breakwalls offer good late season bass action.

Oswego River

Chinook and Coho salmon are in the Lake Ontario tributaries. Good baits are egg sacks, streamers and egg imitating plastics and flies. Carry a variety of colors, bright gaudy colors and more subtle natural colors, as salmon can often be color selective. Fishing can vary greatly from one section of river to the next, so if you're not catching or seeing fish, keep moving looking for fish. Fishing brightly colored streamers around spawning salmon can often produce some very solid strikes from the male salmon. There are often multiple males around a spawning female and they can become quite aggressive as they compete to spawn with her. Steelhead and brown trout will often be found downstream of spawning salmon feeding on the free floating eggs.

The river flow is running around 1,450 cfs (cubic feet per second) as of 10/10/08. There are Chinook salmon being caught in the river along with a few brown trout and steelhead on egg sacks, and egg imitating plastics and flies.

Ohio DNR Fishing Reports

October 14, 2008

COLUMBUS, OH - For many Ohioans, the fall season provides an abundance of new outdoor activities. From fall foliage walks and hunting Ohio's excellent deer herd to enjoying harvest season festivals, there are a wide variety of options available in the Buckeye State this fall.

One activity not to be missed is the tremendous fall fishing opportunities that are available across the state. The fish are feeding enthusiastically from Lake Erie to the Ohio River as they begin storing up fat reserves in preparation for winter, and this can make for some very successful fishing trips, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

RAINBOW TROUT

Thousands of rainbow trout, raised in Ohio's state fish hatcheries, are released into local fishing holes and neighborhood lakes throughout Ohio in the fall. This annual stocking provides excellent opportunities for anglers to continue fishing into the cooler months- and it's fun for the whole family.

STEELEHEAD

Steelhead start cruising the Lake Erie shoreline shortly after Labor Day, with rainfall and cooler temperatures triggering an increase in the upstream migrations. The Division of Wildlife annually stocks five Lake Erie tributary streams (Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin and Grand rivers, and Conneaut Creek) with steelhead.

These fish eventually migrate into Lake Erie and spend the summer in the cooler part of the lake before returning to streams during the fall through the spring. Stream-caught steelhead trout average 25 inches in length, weigh five to six pounds, and have usually spent two to three summers out in the lake. There are a good number of trophy fish available that are over 30 inches long and weigh more than 10 pounds.

BASS, CRAPPIE, AND SUNFISH

Fishing inland reservoirs for bass, crappie, or sunfish also can be very productive. Late-season crappie are likely to be found near good cover such as fallen trees, artificial structure, or other stick-ups near sloping points, outside bends of creek channels, or steep shorelines adjacent to creek channels. Moving offshore a bit and checking drop-offs near these areas can pay off, too. A less traditional area that also is worth a try is the spillway where moving water may attract and concentrate crappie. Spillways often can be easy to fish from shore and they can be surprisingly productive.

Bass feed heavily this time of year on the baitfish that are abundant in the reservoirs. This can lead to some frenzied fishing action! Anglers should target shallow bays and structure that are adjacent to deeper waters. But the easiest way to find feeding bass is to look for schools of baitfish breaking the surface when a bass is feeding on them. Cast a

top-water plug or a twister tail into the commotion and it should lead to success.

Sunfish that have been shallow year round will obviously be deeper this time of year, but the bite can be just as good. Just like other fish, sunfish need to bulk up their fat reserves for the long winter ahead, so modifying your summer tactics to fish deeper water should lead to successful days.

YELLOW PERCH

If you want to catch some yellow perch, a drive to Lake Erie will not disappoint, but perch anglers can also fish upground reservoirs with excellent results. Most of these reservoirs are located in northwest Ohio and the best ones for yellow perch include: Findlay Reservoir No. 1 (Hancock County), Metzger and Ferguson reservoirs (Allen County), Wauseon Reservoir No. 2 (Fulton County), Shelby Reservoir No. 3 (Richland County), Upper Sandusky Reservoir No. 2 (Wyandot County), and Willard Reservoir (Huron County).

WALLEYE AND SAUGEYE

Movement is the key for catching trophy walleye or saugeye that can be found in waterways across Ohio. Some late fall November walleye anglers find that fishing for walleye when they're on the move is highly effective. Best baits for walleye are floating jigs tipped with white, yellow or fluorescent colored plastic tails. Saugeye become highly active this time of year as well. With lakes being drawn down for flood control, saugeye school up near areas where the flow is funneled down, such as bridge abutments. Vertical jigging or casting with twister tails or crankbaits works well to catch these female walleye/male-sauger hybrids.

Check out these quick tips for excellent autumn fishing or visit www.wildohio.com, click on "Fishing" for more details about choosing the right bait, places to fish, fish ID, and even how to fillet and cook the fish. Recipes are available at www.wildohiocookbook.com.  

Anglers age 16 and older are required to have a valid fishing license to take fish, frogs or turtles from Ohio waters. Fishing licenses are available at bait and tackle stores, outdoor outfitters, major department stores, and at wildohio.com. An Ohio fishing license is one of the best recreational bargains available, costing state residents only $19 a year. Fishing licenses do not expire until February 28, 2009, anglers can enjoy the "hard water" season as well!

Ohio residents born on or before December 31, 1937 can obtain a free fishing license at any license vendor. Residents age 66 and older born on or after January 1, 1938 are eligible to obtain a reduced-cost senior fishing license for $10. A one-day fishing license is also available for $11, an amount that can be applied toward the cost of an annual license.

For more information on places to fish, go to www.wildohio.com  and click on fishing.

MN DNR Fishing Report Lake Superior

September 30, 2008

Lower Shore-Duluth to Two Harbors

Fishing pressure was heavy at McQuade Public Access and at Two Harbors and light at other Lower Shore stations.  Anglers had good success catching lake trout about 5 to 6 miles out from the Duluth Entry in 100 to 150 feet of water.  Lake trout fishing was also good out of Knife River and in front of the breakwall at Two Harbors.  Anglers had good luck catching salmon out of McQuade Public Access, Knife River Marina and out from the breakwall at Two Harbors.  Most of the salmon were caught in 30 to 50 feet of water.  Surface water temperatures ranged between the mid-50s to mid-60s F.

Upper Shore-Twin Points to Hovland:

Fishing pressure was moderate at Grand Marais and light to moderate at other Upper Shore Stations.  Lake trout fishing continued to be good to very good along the Upper Shore.  Increasing numbers of large lake trout in the 5 to 12 pound range were caught in nearshore areas, especially in the Tofte-Taconite Harbor area and at Grand Marais.   Fishing for Chinook salmon was good, especially at Grand Marais. Our clerk observed Chinook salmon from 19 to 25 inches. Our clerk observed small numbers of pink salmon in the Cascade River.  Another angler sent in reports of seeing low numbers of pink salmon in some of the other Upper Shore tributaries

as well. Our creel clerk did not see, or get reports of Chinook salmon coming into tributaries. However, we have heard that others have seen a few Chinook salmon in some of rivers.  Water temperatures have been in the mid 50s F during the past week.

Lower Shore-Duluth to Two Harbors: 

Fishing pressure was heavy at McQuade Public Access and Two Harbors and light to moderate at other Lower Shore Stations.  With good weather for much of the past week, anglers got out on the lake and fishing for both salmon and lake trout was very good on the Lower Shore.  The sites where anglers had the best success were on the flats about a mile and a half out from the mouth of the Lester River, in the area in front of McQuade Public Access, and in Two Harbors about a half-mile off the breakwall.  While most of the lake trout were caught in 80 to 120 feet of water, some were caught near shore in 10 feet of water and others were caught as deep as 200 feet. Lake trout ranged in size from 21 to 33 inches, and most weighed from 3 to 5 pounds.  Our clerk also observed several lake trout between 10 and 20 pounds.  Most of the salmon were Chinook salmon and were caught between 35 and 50 feet of water.  They ranged from 19 to 24".  Surface water temperature averaged about 50 degrees F during this period. 

Ohio DNR Fishing Reports October 14, 2008

COLUMBUS, OH - For many Ohioans, the fall season provides an abundance of new outdoor activities. From fall foliage walks and hunting Ohio's excellent deer herd to enjoying harvest season festivals, there are a wide variety of options available in the Buckeye State this fall.

One activity not to be missed is the tremendous fall fishing opportunities that are available across the state. The fish are feeding enthusiastically from Lake Erie to the Ohio River as they begin storing up fat reserves in preparation for winter, and this can make for some very successful fishing trips, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

RAINBOW TROUT

Thousands of rainbow trout, raised in Ohio's state fish hatcheries, are released into local fishing holes and neighborhood lakes throughout Ohio in the fall. This annual stocking provides excellent opportunities for anglers to continue fishing into the cooler months- and it's fun for the whole family.

STEELEHEAD

Steelhead start cruising the Lake Erie shoreline shortly after Labor Day, with rainfall and cooler temperatures triggering an increase in the upstream migrations. The Division of Wildlife annually stocks five Lake Erie tributary streams (Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin and Grand rivers, and Conneaut Creek) with steelhead.

These fish eventually migrate into Lake Erie and spend the summer in the cooler part of the lake before returning to streams during the fall through the spring. Stream-caught steelhead trout average 25 inches in length, weigh five to six pounds, and have usually spent two to three summers out in the lake. There are a good number of trophy fish available that are over 30 inches long and weigh more than 10 pounds.

BASS, CRAPPIE, AND SUNFISH

Fishing inland reservoirs for bass, crappie, or sunfish also can be very productive. Late-season crappie are likely to be found near good cover such as fallen trees, artificial structure, or other stick-ups near sloping points, outside bends of creek channels, or steep shorelines adjacent to creek channels. Moving offshore a bit and checking drop-offs near these areas can pay off, too. A less traditional area that also is worth a try is the spillway where moving water may attract and concentrate crappie. Spillways often can be easy to fish from shore and they can be surprisingly productive.

Bass feed heavily this time of year on the baitfish that are abundant in the reservoirs. This can lead to some frenzied fishing action! Anglers should target shallow bays and structure that are adjacent to deeper waters. But the easiest way to find feeding bass is to look for schools of baitfish breaking the surface when a bass is feeding on them. Cast a top-water plug or a twister tail into the commotion and it

should lead to success.

Sunfish that have been shallow year round will obviously be deeper this time of year, but the bite can be just as good. Just like other fish, sunfish need to bulk up their fat reserves for the long winter ahead, so modifying your summer tactics to fish deeper water should lead to successful days.

YELLOW PERCH

If you want to catch some yellow perch, a drive to Lake Erie will not disappoint, but perch anglers can also fish upground reservoirs with excellent results. Most of these reservoirs are located in northwest Ohio and the best ones for yellow perch include: Findlay Reservoir No. 1 (Hancock County), Metzger and Ferguson reservoirs (Allen County), Wauseon Reservoir No. 2 (Fulton County), Shelby Reservoir No. 3 (Richland County), Upper Sandusky Reservoir No. 2 (Wyandot County), and Willard Reservoir (Huron County).

WALLEYE AND SAUGEYE

Movement is the key for catching trophy walleye or saugeye that can be found in waterways across Ohio. Some late fall November walleye anglers find that fishing for walleye when they're on the move is highly effective. Best baits for walleye are floating jigs tipped with white, yellow or fluorescent colored plastic tails. Saugeye become highly active this time of year as well. With lakes being drawn down for flood control, saugeye school up near areas where the flow is funneled down, such as bridge abutments. Vertical jigging or casting with twister tails or crankbaits works well to catch these female walleye/male-sauger hybrids.

Check out these quick tips for excellent autumn fishing or visit www.wildohio.com, click on "Fishing" for more details about choosing the right bait, places to fish, fish ID, and even how to fillet and cook the fish. Recipes are available at www.wildohiocookbook.com.  

Anglers age 16 and older are required to have a valid fishing license to take fish, frogs or turtles from Ohio waters. Fishing licenses are available at bait and tackle stores, outdoor outfitters, major department stores, and at wildohio.com. An Ohio fishing license is one of the best recreational bargains available, costing state residents only $19 a year. Fishing licenses do not expire until February 28, 2009, anglers can enjoy the "hard water" season as well!

Ohio residents born on or before December 31, 1937 can obtain a free fishing license at any license vendor. Residents age 66 and older born on or after January 1, 1938 are eligible to obtain a reduced-cost senior fishing license for $10. A one-day fishing license is also available for $11, an amount that can be applied toward the cost of an annual license.

For more information on places to fish, go to www.wildohio.com  and click on fishing.

Ohio's Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Season Underway

547 birds harvested during first five days of season; tops last year's number

COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters harvested 547 wild turkeys during the first five days of Ohio's fall wild turkey hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The season opened on October 11 and will run through November 30.

Last year, hunters killed 504 birds in the same time period. The top 10 counties for wild turkeys killed to date are: Ashtabula - 39, Noble and Tuscarawas - 21, Harrison and Washington - 20, Coshocton - 19, Columbiana and Holmes - 18, and Jackson and Trumbull - 17.

Wild turkeys can be hunted in 46 counties during the fall season with the addition of nine additional counties: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne.  Also new this year, shotguns have been added to the list of legal implements that can be used throughout the season.  More than 19,000 hunters pursued

wild turkeys in Ohio last fall.

Fall wild turkey hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset.  The bag limit is one turkey of either sex per hunter, per season. A fall turkey permit is required in addition to a current Ohio hunting license. All turkeys killed must be taken to an official turkey check station by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest.

The Division of Wildlife reminds hunters that turkey season will partially overlap the Early Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season (October 20-25) on three state-owned areas: Wildcat Hollow in Perry and Morgan counties, Salt Fork Wildlife Area in Guernsey County and Shawnee State Forest in Scioto County. Turkey hunting will not be allowed on these areas during the muzzleloader deer hunting season.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.gov.

Pheasants to be released at 29 public hunting areas

COLUMBUS, OH - More than 15,000 ring-necked pheasants will be released on 29 public hunting areas across the state this fall, as part of a seasonal effort by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife to enhance hunting opportunities for this popular game bird.

Ring-necked pheasants will be released on the evenings of October 24 and 31 (both Fridays) in anticipation of the following weekends' small-game season for youth hunters.

Releases will also take place on the evenings of November 6 and 14. The final release of the fall is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, November 26 to increase pheasant hunting opportunities during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Pheasant hunting season opens statewide on Friday, November 7 and remains open through January 11, 2009, with a daily bag limit of two rooster (male) birds. Hunting hours are sunrise to sunset.

The fish that have moved in area tribs are in a holding pattern

with little movement south of Route 5. A good number of fish

have been coming in during the early morning hours and at sunset allowing fair to good steelhead fishing along the wall at Walnut Creek, from the Elk Creek Access north to the Lake, and along the shorelines at Trout and Godfrey runs. Wind and waves have kept the water levels of the tribs fairly good near the mouths. Catches along the wall at Walnut Creek were good this past weekend with fish in the 7 to 10 pound range. Nighttime temperatures have been getting cooler and with some much needed precipitation, we should see additional steelhead movement. Forecasts for the week are calling for up to a 50 percent chance of rain and night time temperatures dipping into the 40's.

Perch fishing is still good to excellent north of Walnut Creek. Walleye fishing, although still fair, has begun to fall off as is typical this time of year.

Current Lake Erie water temperature is 66 degrees off Toledo, 68 degrees off Cleveland, and 67 degrees off the Port of Erie. Current West County trib conditions as of this writing are extremely low and very clear with very little flow.

Wisconsin DNR fishing Report October 13, 2008

Almost the entire state has received rainfall in the last week, ranging from half an inch to more than an inch. Northern Wisconsin received a hard frost last weekend, with some areas temperatures down into the upper 20s with ice forming on some puddles Friday night.

The drop in temperatures caused some northern lakes to turn over. As water temperature drops near the surface, colder water sinks, mixing up nutrients in the lake bottom. This resulted in some lakes having heavy blooms of blue green algae.

The weather also disrupted fishing activity. The most consistent fishing continued to be for musky and some fair to good action has been experienced. Live suckers have gotten more productive in the last week, though large crank baits and stick baits have gotten some decent action on the warmer days. Walleye fishing has continued to be fairly erratic. The cooler water temperatures have more fish moving up into the shallows and in/around the dying weed beds. Panfish action has been fair to good, with some nice crappie still being found in shallow water near cover and any weed edges.

The rain this week drew more salmon up tributaries of Lake Michigan. Action was good on the Menominee, Peshtigo, Little, Twin and Kewaunee rivers, but had slowed on the Oconto, Manitowoc and Branch rivers. Trolling success on Lake Michigan was low over the weekend due to some unfavorable fishing and lake conditions, but those who ventured out still had some success fishing shallow in 20 to 50 feet of water. A few nice chinook and salmon were caught and a couple of lucky anglers also landed several brown trout. Green Bay musky anglers have been having some luck near the mouth of the Fox River and north along the west shore to the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area. Limits of perch were reported off Oconto on the west shore and out from the Bayshore ramp, near Chaudoir�s dock, and Riley�s and Little Sturgeon Bay on the east. In the southeast, some Chinooks and browns have been caught on the Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Root rivers.

The Mississippi River has been holding at or just below the 7 foot mark at Prairie du Chien. Fishing action was fair to good, with bluegills still biting. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing has been good on most days. Walleye and sauger action was spotty and northern pike action was slow.

Commercial Fisher settles state suit over fisheries violations for $27,500

MADISON � Wholesale fish dealer Susie Q Fish Co., Inc., and its President, licensed commercial fisherman Michael J. LeClair, have agreed to pay $27,500 to the State Conservation Fund to settle state claims brought under Wisconsin's conservation laws.

Wisconsin law sets annual harvest limits for commercial fisheries, including whitefish, and it allocates that harvest limit among commercial fishers by setting annual catch quotas for each licensed fisher.  The State's complaint charged that Michael LeClair under-reported his whitefish catch, and that he caught more fish than were allowed by his quota.  It charged that LeClair sold or transferred the over-quota fish to Susie Q, which possessed and sold them. The judgment resolves claims against both LeClair and Susie Q.

 DNR Fishery Biologists determine the safe annual "Total Allowable Harvest" (quota) for each commercial species on Lake Michigan based on the scientific analysis of biological data including fish stock assessments, monitoring

information, and the daily catch reports required of each

commercial fisher. Conservation Wardens then closely monitor the commercial fishing industry to ensure compliance with individual harvest quotas and reporting requirements. The long term stability of Great Lakes fish stocks and the continued meeting of the DNR's legislative mandate to maintain a viable commercial fishery depend upon all commercial fishers complying with their individual quota allocations and accurately reporting their daily fishing activity to the DNR.

 "Accurate record keeping is an essential regulatory requirement for assuring a sustainable resource and a level competitive playing field," Van Hollen said.  "We cannot let commercial fishers exceed their harvest quota, and we cannot condone exceedances masked by under-reporting.  DNR and DOJ take these violations seriously."

 Wisconsin Assistant Attorneys General Diane Milligan and Mary Batt represented the State.   The parties' settlement was approved by Manitowoc County Circuit Court Judge Darryl Deets.

Hunting outlook outstanding for 2008 deer hunting season

MADISON � The first of the major 2008 gun deer seasons opens Oct 16 with a four-day antlerless only hunt. All signs point to a healthy and abundant whitetail deer herd and the Department of Natural Resources wishes hunters a satisfying and safe hunt.

Even after a pretty tough winter in parts of the state and a harvest of more than 520,000 deer in the 2007-08 seasons, the deer herd is still a good deal larger than established population goals in much of Wisconsin. Wildlife biologists estimate that the herd numbers between 1.5 and 1.7 million animals going into the fall 2007-08 seasons.

Managing Wisconsin�s deer herd is a long term commitment, according to Keith Warnke, DNR deer and bear ecologist. With herd control and earn-a-buck (EAB) season structures and 

strong hunter commitment to herd management through hunting, Warnke says, the state is making progress toward population goals. Large antlerless deer harvests will always be needed, however, even with populations near goal, to stay at desired levels.

The Oct. 16 to 19 antlerless hunt will be held in deer management units across Wisconsin that are listed as Earn-a-Buck and CWD management, and in most units listed as Herd Control (See map for details). All hunters except waterfowl hunters are required to wear blaze orange clothing in any area that is open to gun deer hunting.

A complete review of preseason forecasts, unit descriptions, season dates, successful hunting tips, deer impacts on the ecosystem, Earn-a-Buck qualification and directions for hunters wanting to check their EAB status go to the deer hunting page of the DNR Web site.