It’s apparently on the Internet, but it isn’t true. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is not proposing to ban the use of live bait on Fort Peck Reservoir and the Missouri River.
A misunderstanding this week led some to the false conclusion that FWP is seeking to ban time-honored fish temptations like live worms, leeches, and minnows from Montana tackle boxes. And that caught the attention of some Montana anglers.
“It certainly has the office phones ringing, but it’s not something under consideration,” said Ron Aasheim, FWP spokesman in Helena.
Aasheim explained that a forthcoming proposal from the Montana Department of Agriculture has likely been misinterpreted by some. The MDA proposal, set for release in April, is expected to designate two multi-county "invasive species management areas" where the water weed Eurasian watermilfoil is growing. One area includes the upper Missouri River and its tributaries above Three Forks, and the other is on Fort Peck Reservoir and the lower reaches of the Missouri River.
NEWPORT – The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife wants to remind ocean anglers of two important regulation changes that begin April 1 and continue through the end of September.
Sport fishing for bottomfish offshore of the 30-fathom line (as defined by waypoints) is closed beginning April 1. In previous years the fishery was closed outside the 40-fathom line on April 1.
“The change is to reduce catch-and-release mortality of yelloweye rockfish,” said Lynn Mattes, ODFW sport groundfish project leader. “In recent years the bottomfish fishery has had to move from inside 40 fathoms to inside of 20 fathoms during the middle of the summer. By starting at 30 fathoms on April 1, hopefully impacts to yelloweye rockfish will be reduced enough that we can delay or even eliminate the 20 fathom restriction later in the season.”
Anglers may occasionally catch, but cannot keep, yelloweye rockfish while fishing for other species. Yelloweye rockfish, along with canary rockfish, are considered overfished by NOAA Fisheries and a certain percentage of those caught and released must be reported as mortality. Yelloweye rockfish generally live in deeper waters so bringing the fishery inside 30 fathoms is intended to decrease the catch rate of this species, while still allowing anglers to fish for other bottomfish such as black rockfish and lingcod. Additionally, yelloweye rockfish caught and released from shallower than 30 fathoms have a lower mortality rate, so savings are twofold.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is informing anglers of the recent changes for summer flounder and black sea bass regulations for 2012 fishing season.
The recreational summer flounder regulations for 2012 are as follows:
* minimum size limit of 17.5-inches
* bag limit of 5-fish per person per day
* open season from May 5 through September 28.
The recreational black sea bass regulations for 2012 are:
* minimum size limit of 12.5-inches
* bag limit of 25-fish per person per day
* open season from May 19 through October 14 and November 1 through December 31.
Please note that the black sea bass season regulations will likely change again. Anglers should check the division's website for future changes . The division will also notify subscribers to the NJ Marine Fishing E-mail List about changes pertaining to these or other marine species - see http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/lstsub.htm for information on the list and how to subscribe.
OLYMPIA - Fishery managers have approved a morning razor clam dig at several ocean beaches April 7-9 after marine toxin tests confirmed that the clams on those beaches are safe to eat.
Three beaches - Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch - will be open for morning razor clam digging all three days. Mocrocks will be open for two days, April 7-8, and Copalis will be open April 7 for one day only.
No digging will be allowed any day after noon at any of those beaches.
Most diggers will need a valid 2012-13 fishing license to participate in the upcoming opening, since all 2011-12 licenses expire at the end of the day March 31. The exception is young people under age 15, who may fish for free.
"We strongly advise diggers to obtain a new license before they leave home," said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "It can be very frustrating to be stuck in line waiting to buy a license at low tide."
Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov ), by phone (1-866-246-9453) and from sporting goods stores and other retail license dealers around the state.
AUSTIN –The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopted new rules designed to prevent further spread of exotic aquatic species into Texas waterways as part of the 2012-12 Statewide Fishing Proclamation.
The changes require anglers and boaters to take action to prevent the spread of zebra mussels, and silver and bighead carp. The new regulations prohibit the transport of live, non-game fishes from the Red River below Lake Texoma downstream to the Arkansas border, Big Cypress Bayou downstream of Ferrell’s Bridge Dam on Lake O’ the Pines (including the Texas waters of Caddo Lake), and the Sulphur River downstream of the Lake Wright Patman dam. Collection and use of nongame fishes for bait on those water bodies would still be legal.
DOVER (March 30, 2012) – Delaware’s spring 2012 upstate trout season will open at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, April 7, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife announced today. Six designated trout streams in northern New Castle County – White Clay Creek, Christina Creek, Pike Creek, Beaver Run, Wilson Run and Mill Creek – will be stocked and ready with thousands of rainbow and brown trout, including some trophy-sized fish. Trout stocking will continue on a regular weekly basis through the first week in May.
Increase your angling odds for only $6.50 per year
PRATT — If you had the opportunity to pay just $6.50 a year to increase your odds of catching fish on rod and reel — possibly by 30 percent or more — would you take it? Many anglers would, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) offers just that opportunity with the three-pole permit. The permit is especially attractive to those who fish from the bank for channel catfish and other species using live or prepared bait and a tight line or bobber — or both.
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (March 15, 2012) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is hosting a Kayak Fish and Float workshop on April 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center in Fayetteville.
The inaugural workshop will include fishing how-to seminars and demonstrations of popular fishing kayaks. Mark Patterson, of the N.C. Kayak Fishing Association, along with Capt. Jerry Dilsaver, will present workshops throughout the day on the following topics:
• Kayak Safety and Rigging,
• Inshore Kayak Fishing,
• Kayak Fishing for Mackerel,
• Kayak Fishing for Bass, and
• Kayak Basics for Panfish.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife needs volunteers to teach children about fishing at the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center.
Experience is helpful but not required to become a fishing education instructor. However, enthusiasm, energy and the desire to teach children proper fishing techniques and ethics are a must!
Classes run Monday through Friday from April through October and instructors can volunteer at times which suit their schedules. Interested applicants must be a Wildlife Conservation Corps (WCC) volunteer. Download a WCC application form from our website at: www.njfishandwildlife.com/wcchome.htm.
A training session for interested applicants will be held at the Pequest Trout Hatchery on Wednesday, April 11 from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Jessica Griglak at Jessica.Griglak@dep.state.nj.us or by phone at 908-637-4125.
Early spring walleye spawning attracts fisheries biologists as well as anglers
PRATT — Historically, walleye were rare in Kansas, native to a few streams and rivers in the far eastern parts of a state with essentially no natural lakes. In the mid-20th century, however, lakes and reservoirs were built throughout the state, and the Kansas Fish and Game Commission (now the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, or KDWPT) began aggressively stocking walleye. Today, the walleye is an abundant prized sportfish and considered by many to be among the tastiest of all freshwater species in the Sunflower State.
But the fishery can’t be maintained without help. In late March and early April, walleye migrate to rocky shallows in Kansas reservoirs to spawn. KDWPT fisheries biologists take advantage of the spawn to harvest walleye eggs, which are then taken to agency hatcheries where increased hatching success means more fish for anglers in years to come.
This year, three reservoirs have provided KDWPT with walleye eggs. Egg-taking began on March 18 at Cedar Bluff Reservoir, March 20 at Hillsdale Reservoir, and March 23 at Milford Reservoir. Nets were placed to catch spawning females that provide eggs both walleye and saugeye hatching programs. Fall test netting revealed large populations of big walleye in these three lakes.
