Indiana Outdoor News March 2011

INDIANA'S CHOICE FOR OUTDOOR NEWS AND INFORMATION • SINCE 1994

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Vol. 2011 • Number 3 Like ION in print? Like us on

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

FIRST ADVENTURE DEER CAMP PAGE 6

FISHING REPORT PAGE 7

TURKEY CALLING PAGE 9

March, 2011

W W W. I N D I A N A O U T D O O R N E W S . N E T

RECORD DEER HARVEST SET IN 2010 INDIANAPOLIS – firearms segment; 26,342 in early archery Indiana hunters established a record for (including urban zones); 17,400 in muzzlethe third straight year by reporting an overall loader; and 1,684 in late archery. There were harvest of 134,004 deer taken during the 2,337 deer taken during the two-day youth 2010 seasons. season.

Reports submitted from 461 check staModern-era records were set in 29 countions across Indiana topped the 2009 total by ties, and another 20 counties showed harvest 1,252 deer, a 1 perincreases from the cent increase, and 2009 season. bettered the 2008 Thirteen counties set total by more than records for the second 4,200 deer. straight year.

“We’re seeing a “Hunters are conhealthy number of tinuing to put up deer throughout much high harvest numbers of the state, and that and see a lot of sucis translating into cess in many northsuccess by our ern counties” Stewart hunters during the said. hunting season” DNR The biggest hardeer biologist Chad vest increases were Stewart said. reported in The 2010 total Montgomery (up 356 was bolstered by a over 2009), Fountain record 80,997 antler(up 289), LaGrange less deer and 53,007 (up 253), Pulaski (up antlered deer, the sec184) and Putnam (up ond-highest antlered 180). The biggest total in the 60-year year-over-year harhistory of regulated vest declines were deer hunting in reported in Harrison Indiana. (down 311), Brown The results came (down 279), Perry despite a slight dip in Indiana has become a destination for out-of-state (down 202), Steuben deer hunting license deer hunters looking to take home a trophy buck. (down 154), and sales. Hunters pur- Donnie Young traveled all the way from Florida Jackson (down 141). chased 268,485 Harvest totals in licenses in 2010 looking for this giant, Starke County 8-pointer, the northeast Indiana compared to 271,951 which he took with a Lightfield Hybred EXP slug corridor of Steuben, in 2009. Resident at 150-yards. Photo by Megan Smith.

Noble and Kosciusko firearms tags again counties ranked first, topped the list (102,626), making up 38 perfourth and second, respectively, for the seccent of the license sales. ond straight year despite Steuben and The deer hunting season began in urban Kosciusko both reporting declines from their deer zones on Sept. 15, followed by a two-day 2009 totals. youth only weekend (Sept. 25-26) and the Hunters bagged 3,948 deer in Steuben, early archery (Oct. 1-Nov. 28), firearms down from 4,102 the year before but still (Nov. 13-28), muzzleloader (Dec. 4-19) and late archery (Dec. 4 to Jan. 2) segments.

Continued on Pg. 4 Hunters harvested 86,241 deer in the

Register now for reserved youth turkey hunts. . . Find out how on page 4!

SPRING STEELHEAD!

Dean Shadley of Rushville prepares to release a nice St. Joseph River steelhead. Indiana steelheaders are hoping this year’s spring run -- which should begin in earnest by midmonth on the St. Joe, Little Calumet River and Trail Creek -- will be an improvement over the dissappointing returns of last summer and fall. Photo by Josh Lantz.

LAKE MICHIGAN STATES KICK OFF CHINOOK SALMON STUDY

FISH WITH CONFIDENCE PAGE 12

anglinoutdoors.com photo

GONE AFIELD PAGE 14

IDNR REPORT -A program aimed at improving the restoration and management of Great Lakes fish communities is coming to Indiana this spring.

The Great Lakes Mass Marking Program will kick into

full swing in mid-March when the Indiana Department of Natural Resources marks nearly 225,000 small chinook salmon scheduled for spring stocking in Lake Michigan. The 2011 marking effort is focusing on chinook salmon to assess natural reproduction levels and provide fishery managers detailed data on survival parameters of each agency’s stockings.

Coded wire tag-mass marking technology has been used effectively in the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Great Lakes for many years, but federal funding has allowed for a basin-wide effort with all federal, state and tribal fish hatcheries participating.

“The mass marking program is very important, and Indiana is committed to use this technology to learn more about where Indiana’s fish are caught and to

compare survival from our three stocking sites,” said Brian Breidert, a DNR fisheries research biologist. “In addition to a fin clip, each fish will receive a micro-tag specifically coded to a stocking location.

“Current estimates indicate

COMPLIMENTS OF:

over 50 percent of the chinook salmon in Lake Michigan are wild fish, and use of mass marking will refine that estimate and lead to a better understanding of chinook

Continued on Pg. 12

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INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ®

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March, 2011 Edition

March, 2011 Edition

INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ®

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Food & flows: The salmon & steelhead situation

JOSHLANTZ Top predators being studied Lake Michigan is a complex system -- made even more so by its connection to the North Atlantic Ocean via the other Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Given the steady parade of invasive species into the lakes over the past several decades, biologists are engaged in a constant battle to protect native species like yellow perch and lake trout, while also maintaining a multi-billion dollar recreational sport fishery with introduced salmon and trout species.

It’s all about the food.

Annual studies completed by the U.S. Geological Survey report that the overall biomass of Lake Michigan forage species has dropped a staggering 95% over the past 20 years. This is largely due to the explosion of invasive zebra and quagga mussels, which filter feed on critical plankton needed by young alewife and other baitfish species. The result is that there is less food available to almost everything that lives in the lake.

Lake Michigan isn’t alone in its forage-base shortfall. It happened to Lake Huron first.

One of the problems at Lake Huron was that fisheries managers severely underestimated the amount of natural reproduction taking place with the lake’s top predator -- the Chinook salmon.

The results of a Chinook salmon mass marking study in Lake Huron -- similar to the one being kicked off in Lake Michigan (see cover story) -- were published by Michigan and Ontario biologists in the Nort h American Journal of Fisheries Management in April of last year.

The study collected adult Chinook salmon from open water areas of Lake Huron and revealed that wild (naturally reproduced) Chinook salmon made up between 64% and 82% of all Chinook sampled throughout the lake. Wow. Natural reproduction of Great Lakes salmon is a good thing -- as long as biologists are aware of it and are adjusting their stockings of hatchery raised fish to maintain the best possible predatorprey balance. Well, in Lake Huron’s case the biologists were not aware of it and there were suddenly over twice the optimal number of Chinook salmon swimming around the lake eating precious alewives and smelt. Oops.

Thankfully, Indiana and the rest of the Lake Michigan states saw what was happening in Lake Huron and started adjusting their annual Chinook salmon stockings around the middle of the last decade. I’m thankful that they did and, personally, I believe we dodged a real bullet.

The current Chinook mass marking project in Lake Michigan will start providing data beginning in 2013 which will help our biologists make bet-

ter decisions concerning ongoing trout and salmon stockings. The best things we can do as anglers are turn in the heads of any tagged fish we keep (they will be missing their adipose fin -- the small, fleshy fin on the fish’s back near the tail) and cooperate with creel survey techs at the docks by providing them with information about our catch when asked.

Where are all the steelhead?

As a fishing guide on the Michigan waters of the St. Joseph River system since 1999, I’ve seen both the average size and numbers of returning steelhead dwindle in recent years -- a fact that biologists corroborate.

DNR fisheries biologist Brian Breidert says that his agency is looking into the past two years’ poor steelhead returns.

“During the years between 1996 and 2008 we’ve seen average steelhead returns of around 10,000 fish through the South Bend fish ladder, but our summer and fall returns have been way down over the past two seasons”, says Breidert.

In fact, only around 3,100 steelhead made it through the South Bend ladder in all of 2010. By comparison, 16,000 steelhead came through South Bend in 1999.

So are the fish being caught and and taken out of the system before they get to Indiana? No, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

The first fish ladder upstream of Lake Michigan is at Berrien Springs, MI. About 15,000 steelies per year came through Berrien in 2006-2008. Only 6,500 came through during all of last year, so it seems that the “missing” fish never even entered the river.

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Historically, the highest number of steelhead passing through Berrien Springs was 24,000 fish in 1996.

Stream flows and stream temperatures are critical variables affecting steelhead and salmon runs, and Breidert suspects that low water levels and relatively warm temperatures have played a role in the St. Joe’s recent poor steelhead returns. “We’re looking into flow and temperature data first”, says Breidert. “Then we’ll see what we might be able to do to improve the runs is similar conditions are experienced in the future”.

put there by the State of Indiana.

The rest (about 60,000) are Little Manistee strain stocked by the State of Michigan.

• There are at least four distinct strains of steelhead found in Lake Michigan: Ganaraska, Skamania, Chambers Creek, and Little Manistee.

• Indiana first stocked steelhead (McCloud River Rainbows) into the St. Joseph River way back in 1889 with disappointing results.

Did you know?

• Indiana pioneered the summerrun steelhead fishery on the Great Lakes by importing and stocking the Skamania strain in 1971.

• Around 300,000 steelhead are stocked annually into the St. Joseph River. Most of these fish (around 240,000) are Skamania

• There is a motion activated camera in the Berrien Springs ladder.

Check it out at http://www.michigandnr.com/fishcam/.

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INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ®

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Lake Michigan yields five “Fish of the Year” in 2010 DNR REPORT -If you wanted to catch an Indiana Fish of the Year winner in 2010, Lake Michigan was the place to cast.

It also helped if your name was Kotfer.

Hoosiers pulled five winners out the Indiana portion of the Great Lake during the year-long contest, which recognizes the person who catches the longest fish of each species tracked.

Ron Kotfer caught a 24.0-inch lake trout in the Porter County waters of the lake using a jig and grub. He also caught a 33.0-inch steelhead trout in the Porter County portion of the lake using a J-plug. His 13-yearold son Michael caught a 31.0-inch chinook salmon in the Porter County waters of the lake using a J-plug.

Michael also caught a 7.0-inch green sunfish from a private lake in Fountain County using a jig and plug to earn Fish of the Year for that species.

Steve Fiorio of Dyer and David Kniola of Michigan City landed the other Lake Michigan fish. Fiorio caught a 16.6-inch yellow perch while fishing Lake Michigan in Lake County using a minnow. Kniola caught a 31.5-inch brown trout in the LaPorte County waters of the lake but didn’t report a bait or lure used.

As successful as Ron and Michael Kotfer were, 16-year-old Danny owned bragging rights for the most Fish of the Year with three. Danny Kotfer’s biggest Fish of the Year was a 29.0-inch coho salmon he took from Porter County’s portion of the Little Calumet River using a Blue Fox spinner. He also caught a 12.0-inch rock bass from the same waters using the same type of lure, and a 13.0-inch bullhead from a private lake in Fountain County using a jig and grub.

The longest Fish of the Year was a 48.0-inch blue catfish caught by David Ben Mullen, a Central resident, in the Ohio River, using a skipjack herring as bait.

Other notable fish were caught in smaller waters. Fiorio caught a 47.0-inch muskie from Tippecanoe Lake in Kosciusko County using a Toppy Crappie. Kelly Williams, an Indianapolis man, caught a 42.0inch striped bass in Cecil M. Harden Lake in Parke County, also known as Raccoon Lake, using a bluegill as bait. Patrick Ross of Mishawaka caught a 32.0-inch walleye in the St. Joseph River in Elkhart County using a bass minnow as bait. Mark Nance of Greenfield caught a 26.0inch saugeye out of Huntingburg Lake in Dubois County, using a jig.

There were 56 entries for Fish of the Year; 30 were recognized as winners. River and stream fishing accounted for 12 of the 30 entries.

Eight came from inland lakes, and five came from private ponds. To view other Fish of the Year honorees and their information, see www.fishing.IN.gov/files/fw-Fish_of_the_Year_Winners_2010.pdf Two Hoosier anglers caught state-record fish in 2010.

Jonathan VanHook of Rockville caught a 39.08-pound striped bass in Cecil M. Harden Lake in Parke County, using a live bluegill as bait.

His striper surpassed the previous state record, caught in the Ohio River in 1993, by almost 4 pounds.

Lindsey Fleshood of Wabash established the first state record for a shortnose gar in 2010. Her fish weighed 1.58 pounds and measured Jonathan VanHook of Rockville 24.25 inches. She caught the fish in the Wabash River in Wabash holds the state-record striped bass County using a live creek chub as bait. She also caught the white bass he caught May 25, 2010 at Cecil M. and grass carp Fish of the Year.

Harden Lake.

Record Deer Harvest -- Continued From Cover enough to make Steuben the top harvest county in Indiana for the sixth straight year. Hunters reported 3,578 deer in Kosciusko, followed by Switzerland (3,400), Noble (3,323), and Franklin (3,054).

The male to female ratio of the overall harvest was 50:50 for the third straight year. Male deer (antlered deer and button bucks) made up 50 percent of the total harvest.

The complete report of the 2010 season is online at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2717.h tm along with reports from 2000 through 2009.

Compiling deer harvest records is a thorough process that begins in October when check stations are supplied with report forms, metal tags and envelopes for submitting carbon copies of

hunter-reported deer.

“The deer check process takes a while to unfold, but it has been done the same way for years, allowing us to look back and compare this year’s data with previous years, which is extremely valuable,” Stewart said. “It may be frustrating not to receive updates throughout the year, but that is the trade-off we make by using the current system.”

Some check stations submit reports on a weekly basis as requested; a few wait until the end of the season to return the information at one time. Sometimes, DNR personnel visit individual check stations to retrieve harvest records that have not been turned in.

The DNR makes every attempt to collect harvest records from each check station in order

¤

to accurately compile and analyze data before announcing a total deer harvest figure.

As check station reports are received at the DNR Bloomington field office, staff begins to enter data. The volume increases dramatically once the firearms season begins. Additional staff from other locations is called upon to assist in entering everything from tag numbers assigned to reported deer to the sex of the deer, equipment used by the hunter, and the county where the deer was taken.

The information is merged into one data base in early to midFebruary. The pink carbon copies are sorted by county and stored in Bloomington for three years. The data base is then checked for accurate spelling and to ensure there are no duplicate tag entries.

March, 2011 Edition

Youth turkey hunt opportunities at state FWAs DNR REPORT -Hunters under age 18 will have a chance to hunt 22 DNR properties for the reserved turkey hunts during the special youth wild turkey hunting season on April 23-24.

The youth hunts will be at Atterbury, Chinook, Crosley, Deer Creek, Fairbanks Landing, Glendale, Goose Pond, Hillenbrand, Hovey Lake, Jasper-Pulaski, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, Minnehaha, Pigeon River, J.E. Roush, Sugar Ridge, Tri-County, Willow Slough and Winamac fish and wildlife areas, as well as at Mississinewa and Salamonie lakes.

A youth hunter may be drawn for either or both hunt days, depending on the number of applicants. Youth hunters, or an adult representing them, must register in person at the property they wish to hunt from March 21–April 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time. The drawing will be held April 4. All applicants will be notified of drawing results by mail.

Those wanting to sign up for Chinook, Deer Creek, Fairbanks Landing, or Hillenbrand hunts may do so at Minnehaha FWA. A limit will be placed on the number of youth hunters allowed to hunt a property each day, to provide quality hunts. Each property will hold local early registrations and drawings at the property for the half-day hunts.

Hunts will run one-half hour before sunrise until noon at properties in the Central Time Zone, and one-half hour before sunrise until 1 p.m. on properties in the Eastern Time Zone.

Applicants may sign up for only one property and must possess a valid 2011 Youth Hunting and Trapping License, Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting, or Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting and Fishing License. An Apprentice Youth Hunt/Trap license may also be used.

Youth hunters who are selected for the hunt may check in at any time each day until the end of legal hunting hours for that property.

Properties that do not fill their quotas during early registration may fill remaining spots during regular office hours until the youth season opens, using a drawing each morning of the hunt, or first-come, first-served each morning of the hunt. Properties will not have a daily “no-show” drawing because there is no set time that selected youth hunters must check in during the morning hunts. Hunters interested in possible unfilled quotas at a property should contact that property for more information before showing up on the opening morning of the youth season.

During youth wild turkey season, youth hunters can only take a bearded or male wild turkey and must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age.

The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow. The adult accompanying the youth hunter must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field. The adult does not need to possess a turkey hunting license unless the youth is using an apprentice license. A youth hunter may take only one bearded or male wild turkey during both the special youth season and regular spring season combined. The youth must be properly licensed to take a wild turkey and comply with all tagging and check-in requirements.

You can purchase a license at IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov. For wild turkey hunting regulations, safety and tips go to dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/2343.htm . For additional information, go to dnr.IN.gov/fishwild.

® Volume 2011 • Number 3 Publisher: Brian E. Smith Assistant Publisher: Mark C. Smith Editor-in-Chief: Joshua D. Lantz Sportsmen’s Rights Editor: Rick Story Field Editor: John Martino, Central Indiana Field Photographer: Bill Konway Graphic Design: graphics@ION4U.net Office Manager: Shannon E. Smith Advertising Sales: (877) 251-2112 E-Mail: contact@ION4U.net Web Site: www.IndianaOutdoorNews.net Business & Publication Office: Mailing Address: P.O. Box 69, Granger, Indiana 46530 Phone: (877) 251-2112 • Fax: (800) 496-8075 INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS® is the official publication of Raghorn Incorporated, and is published monthly at the address listed above. For home delivery and subscription rates, look for the subscription card in this publication. Editorial contributions may be submitted to the above address. No material can be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope.

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March, 2011 Edition

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INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ®

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March, 2011 Edition

First Hunt a True Adventure

LOUIESTOUT I saw a quote the other day that said “the essence of pleasure is spontaneity.”

Gary Aker, Sr. and other Marshall County businessmen and hunters experienced that firsthand last fall when they hatched a spur-of-the moment plan to give teenagers their first hunting experience.

Not just any teens, mind you, but kids who likely would never have been afforded that opportunity.

And, as much as the kids enjoyed the experience, Aker and other sportsmen who helped out were equally gratified.

It all began during a casual conversation Aker had with DNR Conservation Officer Ken Dowdle. The officer told the owner of Culver Marina that he had just given a Hunter Safety Class to a group of kids that were never going to get a chance to go hunting.

“The kids were interested but didn't have any family members to take them,” recalled Aker. “I told Ken there were plenty of places to hunt and lots of deer

around Marshall County. I said, 'Let's see what we can do about that'.”

He made a few phone calls and Marshall County's “First Adventure Deer Camp” was born, a fabulous idea that should provide a blueprint for other communities to duplicate.

Dowdle recruited 15 kids some from his Hunter Safety classes and some from the Marshall County Boys and Girls Club - all of whom had a desire to hunt but came from families who didn't have an interest.

“They were boys and girls of single moms, kids who lived with grandparents, or simply had parents who didn't hunt,” Aker said.

He had no problem rounding up help from local landowners, businessmen and hunters. Robinson Outdoors of Minnesota and Cabela's of Hammond each pitched in hunting clothing for the youths and the event was scheduled during Indiana's free youth hunting weekend in late November.

Marshall County landowners and businessmen stepped up last fall and provided these youngsters with their first ever hunting experience.

Cabela’s and Robinson Outdoors provided hunting clothing for the oneday hunt in which nearly every youth killed a doe. (Photo provided).

“We brought the kids in on Friday for a hunter safety refresher course,” Aker explained. “Most had never shot a gun, so we taught them how to handle firearms safely and let them shoot at deer targets. They had a blast.”

The next morning, 14 kids ages 12-15 were paired with experienced hunters and sent to the field. One teenage girl came down with pneumonia before the event and couldn't participate.

At the end of the hunting experience, 13 of the 14 youths killed a deer, all does. Most of the hunts were recorded on video given to the kids and a banquet was held that night. The deer were processed and each participant got to take home the meat of his of her first deer.

The agreement was to limit the youngsters to shooting does

as means of reducing the antlerless herd. Besides, the kids didn't care. They just wanted to take their first deer.

“The residual effect was that it was a fantastic way for us to manage the deer on our lands,” Aker explained. “But above all, it was rewarding to see the smiles on those kids' faces and to know we provided an opportunity that they would have never experienced.”

Plans are already underway for the 2011 camp for Marshall County youths. Aker said the only requirements will be that the youths pass a Hunter Safety Course beforehand and not have any previous hunting experience or immediate family members with hunting experience.

“We have a way of checking that out,” he explained. “Our

intent is to provide kids their first hunt that otherwise won't have that opportunity.”

The Culver businessman says the concept will work anywhere and encourages other Michiana sportsmen to develop similar programs in their communities. If you'd like some ideas about how to make that happen, give him a call at Culver Marina, (574) 8423375.

6 Span Update Elkhart County engineers have set the official opening date for new 6 Span Public Access on the St. Joseph River as Aug. 5.

A county official said that was the date of completion for the contractor, but noted that the facility could open earlier if completed ahead of schedule.

The new access will offer public restrooms a paved ramp and parking for several tow vehicles and trailers.

It's located adjacent to the former site that was removed during the widening and new construction of the 6 Span Bridge east of Elkhart. The former entrance off CR 17 has been closed. The new entrance will be On Ind. 120 just east of the McDonalds.

In 2010, county commissioners had discussed leveling a fee for residents launching boats at the site, but no decision on those fees has been announced.

March, 2011 Edition

INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ®

self some perch. When the ice goes off, use big jigs and plastic for the muskies.

JIMBIDDLE I think we are over the hurdle. I can see the ground again and robins are shivering in the trees. If we get anymore hefty snowfalls they should melt off pretty quick with the warming temperatures.

I got a little spoiled with that nice spell we had in February. It’s been a rather tough month here at my place as my wife, Darlene, fell on the ice and broke her right arm last month. Now I guess you could say I’m her left arm man! I for one am glad to see the ice go for awhile.

It appears our ice fishing days are coming to an end. Ice off usually means a spell of good fishing and the words from my contacts seem to verify that idea.

North Central Indiana Todd Sautter at Ye Old Tackle Box in North Webster says to fish the channels for crappies as the ice goesout. Fish the shallow flats on Wawasee with minnows or bee moths to get your-

Northwest Indiana Penny Boisvert at Greenwood Bait Shop in English Lake reports that they are now open for the season! Currently action is pretty good in the Kankakee River for Northern pike and walleye. Try your luck at the point in English Lake using large minnows and jigs.

Mike Waller of A.L. Bait & Tackle in North Judson tells me that Bass Lake is the place to go for some good walleye action.

Use golden roaches to hook the big ones. Mike says the local farm ponds are producing some good bluegills and crappies too.

Saint Joseph River Dick Parker from Parker’s Central Bait & Tackle in Mishawaka says as the ice goes the steelhead will come. Dick says if you fish the bayous with a spoon you should catch some northern pike.

Smallmouth bass fishing should also pick up in the river this month. To get yourself a smallmouth, fish a Senko wacky style slowly.

West Central Indiana Terry Raines from Twin Lakes Fish & Game in Monticello says walleye fishing should really pick up as the ice

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goes off. Walleye seem to go for deer hair jigs tipped with a good sized bass minnow. The wiper action is just starting and should get better. Any swim style bait in the 4-5 inch size should take them. White bass are hot below the Oakdale dam and bass activity is picking up. Now’s the time to set yourself a troutline for catfish.

Central Indiana Ed McCalla at the Bait Barn in Indianapolis tells me the crappie and bluegill action is really picking up. There is some great action reported at the White River retention pond near Frey Electronics off of 96th Steet.

There is some good smallmouth bass action in this pond too -especially near the weedline. The White River in that area is another great spot. Remember to put the big ones back!

East Central Indiana Ed Gipson from Peacepipe Bait & Tackle at Andrews expects catfish, crappie and bluegill to provide the best action in March. Fish the bottom for a big cat. The walleyes are hitting on night crawlers and twister tailsbelow the dams at Salamonie and Missisinewa.

Southwest Indiana Barbara Shedd at the Fishin Shedd in Bloomington reports

good largemouth bass action nearthe Fourwinds Resort and Marina. Crappie fishing will be good this month. Barb expects the walleye action to take off any time now.

Lake Michigan Ed Avenatti at Mik-Lurch Tackle in Hammond tells me that March means Coho salmon. The best action seems to be around the Port of Indiana, Burns Ditch and near the Gary Light & Power discharge. You can take them with night crawlers, spoons or a jig head with a white twister body and squid. Perch action is good

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in the Calumet River using minnows. Steelhead action should be starting in Salt and Trail Creek. The steelhead go for spawn or shrimp under a bobber.

It sounds like March should be a great month for fishing, so grab your tackle box and any other gear you need and head out for the waters and shores. If things get tough, don’t forget to hold your mouth just right and spit on your worm. Hey, good luck and remember what OL JB always says, “a watched line never twitches.” I’ll see you next month.

From a boat or from the breakwaters and piers, March is the month to fish inshore areas of Indiana’s Lake Michigan coastline. ION Editor Josh Lantz caught this big brown trout fly fishing the color change at the mouth of Burns Ditch. Ryan Groceman photo.

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Hunting for Native American artifacts has been going on since settlers first scratched the New World with a plow. Even today in areas where heavy populations have existed over the past 4,000 years, many artifacts can still be found on the surface in the spring after farmers plow their fields.

While collecting artifacts that are lying on the surface is legal in Indiana, digging for them is not.

Still, the thrill of finding a nice arrowhead, spear, or pottery shard is too much for some collectors and they dig in violation of the law.

Another breed of digger is the meth-head. Knowing that collectors will pay cash for artifacts, these druggies will do anything to get their next fix. From breaking into homes to digging in ancient burial mounds, nothing is sacred or off limits in their clouded minds.

Indiana has many Indian mounds. These mounds range in size from 20 to 300 feet in diameter. While some were trash piles and others were to show importance of those residing on it, others were due to ancient burial customs.

Archeologists believe that funeral structures were built to house the dead, then burned and buried. A new structure would then be built on top of the mound of dirt. Other scientists believe some of the mounds were made to track celestial movements and the coming of the seasons.

The true reasons may never be known.

Mounds State Park near

INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ®

Anderson and Angel Mounds State Historic Site near Evansville are just two of the hundreds of mounds that dot the Ohio River Valley. Other lesser known sites are on private land where they are subject to abuse and destruction by the unknowing or the uncaring.

Indiana Conservation Officer (ICO) Gary Pennington received a complaint from a land owner that robbers were sneaking in at night and digging in an archeological site on his property near Glendale Fish and Wildlife area.

“It was a burial mound out in the middle of a corn field,” Gary said.

“The subjects came in on a lane to the southeast end of the grove of trees that sit in the middle of this field, and would hide their vehicle.” The young trees covered the mound.

Gary visited the site and found where they had been digging. “There was a large hole, about six by eight feet and waist deep.”

Gary contacted another ICO from Gibson County, Duane Englert. “I told Duane they were digging at night and were turning

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The Mound Diggers ALANGARBERS their lights off every time a vehicle went down the road.” The two ICOs decided to sneak in on the diggers, but figuring out when the suspects would visit next could be difficult.

The weather had been unseasonably hot, adding to the allure of digging during the cooler nighttime hours. Watching the forecast, Gary decided to wait until the weather was supposed to turned cooler on the next Friday night. “I told Duane to be up here. Since it was going to be cooler, it would be a perfect night

for digging.”

On his previous visit, Gary had planned a few routes to take through the trees from the opposite direction of the suspects, so they would remain hidden until the last moment. “We got there that Friday night just before midnight, Gary said. “We went in without any lights, like we often do, so the suspects won’t see us.”

Their preplanning paid off and they snuck in undetected. “We could observe their lights as we approached and they had no idea that we were there, Gary said. “They were talking amongst themselves as they were in the hole digging.” Gary and Duane got even closer. “We listened to them for a good while,” Gary said. “They were talking about artifacts and what they were after.” There were three or four suspects in their thirties and forties. The two ICOs listened for several more minutes, then turned on their lights and went in on the suspects.

“The guys were literally down in the hole, holding their shovels,” Gary said. “We ended up taking them to jail that night.

www.zolmantire.com

March, 2011 Edition

We seized their digging tools and items that they had recovered that evening.”

“We made an artifact case on them because in Indiana it is illegal to do any type of digging. If you see something exposed on the surface, you can remove it, but if it’s covered in any way, shape, or form, you can’t,” Gary explained. “You can’t go out there with leaf blowers, rakes, or similar tools to uncover artifacts.”

Like many other aspects of the theft of our natural resources, a big problem is the black market for illegally taken artifacts. “If the artifacts are in good shape, they can bring large amounts of money,” Gary said. “We have meth-heads that are going out looking for artifacts, because if they find a decent point, they can sell it or trade it for methamphetamines. A lot of these people don’t hold jobs and all they want is that money to buy meth. If they’re not making the meth themselves, they’re trying anyway they can to buy some. It’s a shame they stoop down to that level, but that’s what drugs do to you.”

Stealing arrowheads, stone implements, and pottery to sell for drugs gives new meaning to the term “potheads”.

The author invites active or retired Indiana Conservation Officers to contact him at agarb84@bpl.coop to share their own true stories from behind the badge.

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Early Season Turkey Calling

T.R.MICHELS When I hear the first sounds of the turkeys in the spring, just before daylight, I tree yelp softly to get their attention. If there are hens roosted nearby they may respond with their own tree yelps. The toms often gobble. If you aren't fully awake yet the sound of an early morning gobble can really get your heart pumping.

From here on it's a matter of experience and personal tactics. I try to imitate all the sounds that are normally heard. In the morning the tom expects to hear the sounds a hen or flock makes on the roost; the tree yelp, pit and cluck. When the birds fly down they yelp or do the flying cackle.

If the tom is close enough he expects to hear flapping wings. I use all these sounds to convince the tom there is a hen or flock in the area, and to get him to come my way.

My first call is a tree yelp,

and if I get a gobble I yelp a little not the bird will "hang up" and get a reluctant tom to come. If louder. I may or may not get a not come in. Maybe he is with a you have limited experience, this response. Either way I have to hen. Maybe he is detouring is the time to experiment, fail and make a decision to do something. around some obstacle. Maybe he learn.

I usually wait until I hear the is spooky or alerted. Perhaps he When a tom hangs up I first turkeys moving, then I use the just doesn't want to come. This is use a loud assembly yelp or lost flying cackle and slap my decoy when I try something different or yelp. I’m trying to imitate a hen bag or my hat against my leg to get aggressive. This is the time looking for other hens. These simulate the sound of a hen turkey when experience makes all the calls work well on most toms and flying down. The combination of difference and the game really jakes, because it means there are these sounds usually gets the begins. There is no set routine to hens nearby. If that doesn't work attention of the tom I use a series of loud and gets him fired up hen clucks, imitating enough to gobble, and a bird trying to get often to come in. another bird to show If the tom doesn't itself. If that doesn't answer, or is reluctant work I use the fast to come, I make the cluck or cutting, the sounds of birds feeding sound of a bird telling on the ground. I start the other bird that if out slow and easy with they are going to get soft yelps, purrs, together the other whines and clucks. I bird will have to do rustle the leaves to the walking. This call simulate the sounds of is very effective on birds scratching and reluctant dominant feeding. If I get a toms. It does not response I keep doing work well, however, it, letting the tom set on subdominant toms the tempo of the calland jakes because it ing. When he gobbles, may scare them.

I wait awhile then gobWhen I use the fast ble back. As long as he cutt I make sure the keeps answering and call is loud and insisseems to be coming tent, telling the other my way I keep it up. bird "come on over My motto is, "If it here." If the tom still ain't broke, don't fix ION reader, Jeff Armstrong, with a nice Jasper County tom he won't come in I use it." the deep cluck or yelp fooled on last season’s opening day. Photo provided.

More times than of a jake along with

the hen’s cluck to get the tom to think there is a young male with "his" hen. Often the tom will come in to establish dominance, ready to fight the jake for the hen.

If these calls fail, I resort to the fighting purr of two birds.

This call appeals to a turkey's curiosity. It wants to know which birds are fighting and why.

Just like teenage boys after school in the parking lot, they just have to go and watch.

Turkeys watch to see if a dominant bird is defeated, leaving room for them to move up in the hierarchy and gain dominance.

The fighting purr works especially well on dominant toms because they want to know which birds in "their" area are fighting, and why. The fight may be over a receptive hen and the tom wants to have the chance to breed.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized outdoor writer and speaker, who has been researching big game for several years. For a catalog of books and other hunting aids contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E m a i l : trmichels@yahoo.com W e b s i t e : www.trmichels.com

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Chinook -- Continued From Cover

Confidence Fishing’s Overlooked Component

BILLTAKACS There are many variables in fishing that contribute to an angler's success or failure on any given trip. Almost all of these variables cannot be controlled by the angler - current and past weather conditions, water clarity and temperature, population dynamics, fishing pressure and the list goes on. But there is one factor that a fisherman can control and one which is talked about very little in fishing circles, and that is confidence.

Confidence plays an important role in fishing and is largely overlooked or unrecognized by many anglers.

Looking up the word “confidence” in the dictionary provided several definitions. The one that really caught my eye was “positiveness.” In today's vernacular “positiveness” could be interpreted as a “positive mental attitude.”

The faith or belief that you will catch fish under any conditions certainly fuels the success of today's tournament pros. I'm sure there is not a professional bass, walleye or muskie fisherman out there who does not believe that

he or she cannot win any event that they enter. If they thought otherwise, they might as well just keep their entry money and stay home!

For most of us confidence comes from successful past experiences. Luck could play a role in any tournament win, but you can not rely on luck for consistent success. Fishing knowledge and successful past experiences breed confidence.

Fishing knowledge comes from time on the water and other avenues of education. Today's anglers are very fortunate in that they can learn about fishing from many sources - other anglers, books, magazines such as Indiana Outdoor News, fishing TV shows such as Angling the Great Lakes, videos, DVDs and seminars. Any and all of these can speed up the learning process and indirectly add to your confidence level.

Confidence in one's ability to catch fish under any conditions on any given day is not enough.

Your confidence extends to what you're using and the way you're fishing. Therefore, confidence in the equipment you use, built upon reliability, also plays an impor-

Fishing knowledge and successful past experiences promote confidence. Confidence helps us catch more fish. Photo by author.

tant part.

Rods, reels, line and your choice of bait or lures are all built upon past successful experiences.

For example, if you have a particular lure or color that you rely on or a method of presentation, you will probably catch fish while using it.

Some might say that you are successful with a particular lure or technique because you are using it a greater portion of your time on the water, but it goes beyond this.

If you have confidence in a method or lure you will fish harder and more attentively. Your level of concentration will naturally be higher when using that bait or method of presentation. If you fish harder and pay more attention, you will catch more fish!

So be aware of the confidence factor next time you plan a trip or are out on the water, because it plays an important part in your fishing success and is an area that most of us can certainly improve upon!

population trends.”

The hatchery-raised chinook will be about 3 inches long when tagged and close to 4 inches long when they are released in March.

Biologists will use a specially designed trailer to count, measure, remove the adipose fin, and inject each fish’s snout with a small coded wire. These tags cannot be seen with the naked eye but the clipped adipose fin will tell biologists and anglers that a tag is present, indicating a hatchery stocked fish.

Beginning in 2012, biologists will collect information and chinook salmon heads during creel surveys and fishing tournaments. They will focus on fish with the missing adipose fin.

Trout and other salmon species will be tagged in future years so biologists will have the ability to answer questions regarding those species as well.

This months answers From Puzzle on Page 17

March, 2011 Edition

OUTDOOR EVENTS FORT WAYNE -Regardless of your favored outdoor interest or pursuit, your adventure begins March 18-20 at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. Yes, it is time for the second annual Outdoor Sports, Lake and Cabin Show. Children 12 and under are free, and admission is good for all three days of the show. Can you believe it? So bring the entire family. I did last year and they are still talking about it.

I like hunting and fishing, and since you are reading Indiana Outdoor News, I’ll bet you do too.

Show co-organizer Bob Rosen tells me there will be even more for us hunters and anglers to see and do at this year’s show.

“We’ve got a greatly expanded exhibitor list including some of the best hunting and fishing guides from right here in Indiana and around the world”, says Rosen. Those hunting and fishing guides and outfitters will be chatting with folks and booking trips on the floor, but many will also be offering informative and entertaining seminars. “Northern Indiana muskie guide Vince Weirick will be talking about our incredible muskie fishery here in Indiana and how to downsize your lures and tackle to catch more fish”, Rosen says. “And turkey hunting and mushroom hunting are right around the corner too, so National Wild Turkey Federation’s Tim Beaumont will be giving a variety of turkey hunting seminars to improve your odds of bagging a bird this spring while mushroom expert Alex Babich will share his wealth

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Your Adventure Begins!

By Lance Davidson of experience and expertise in locating those tasty morels”, Rosen continues.

I should add that Bob told me that fishermen will also find a wide variety of fishing tackle, lures, clothing and gear for sale right on the show floor at incredible show-only prices.

Finally, whether you are looking at the possibility of buying or leasing some land for hunting, or just want to put in some food plots or stock some fish in the pond on land you already own, you’ll find an incredible array of folks who can help you at this year’s event.

While hunting and fishing are my main interests, I can bring my entire family to the show without worrying about whether or not my wife and kids will find anything that interest them. It’s a no-brainer. My kids loved the 3D moving target archery range, indoor beach and rock climbing wall, so I was glad to see these attractions will be returning this year along with a whole lot more.

I hear that an arcade trailer is an addition to this year’s show. My wife? She loved the fact that we got a great deal on our spring family vacation to Sanibel Island in Florida. Of course, the discounted package we bought even included a fishing trip on Pine Island Sound. She also loved all of the cabin and cottage living exhibitors -- especially all of the great deals on handcrafted furniture and decor items. I may just get that cabin someday yet!

“If you have even a passing interest in the outdoors or the outdoor lifestyle, this is a show

you do not want to miss,” said David Marquart, director of operations for Coliseum Productions.

“Our show is a total-lifestyle event that focuses on the things people love to do, as well as the 'where' and 'how' people want to live.”

An anticipated 13,000 outdoor enthusiasts will find more than 125 exhibitors, attractions, seminars and clinics featured in the following feature areas: • • • • • •

Vacation and Travel Hunting and Fishing Log Cabin and Cottage Living RVs and Motor Sports Boating and Water Sports Biking, Hiking and Fitness

Be sure to go to www.outdoorsportslakecabinshow. c o m and print off your V.I.P. coupon in advance. This will save you an extra $3 on admission.

Remember, when you purchase your ticket it will get you into all three days of the show. The website is also where you can register for your V.I.P. name badge. Once you pick it up at the V.I.P. booth at the show, you will be eligible for the prize drawings that will take place every hour. Coliseum Productions is giving away over $10,000 worth of prizes ranging from hunting and fishing gear, guided trips and vacations, to spas, concert tickets and gift certificates to Gander Mountain and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

For more information on the Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin Show, log on www.outdoorsportslakecabinshow.com. I’ll see you there!

www.PIONEERLOGHOMESMIDWEST.com You may never build a log “cabin” like the one shown above by Pioneer Log Homes Midwest, but log home and cabin builders of all types will be on hand to answer your questions and get you started! Pioneer Log Homes Midwest will even have an actual small cabin under construction for folks to view right on the floor! www.GOFISHN.com/JOSHLANTZ

Like to fish or hunt? Josh Lantz from World Class Fly Fishing will share tips for beginners and experts alike on fly fishing for largemouth bass and steelhead during his informative seminars. A variety of fishing and hunting guides from Indiana and around the world will be at the show. You should be there too!

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Caleb Schoonveld took this nice buck at his Uncle Mike’s place in Newton County. It's a true 10 pointer but has 2 sticker points which make it a 12. Great buck, Caleb!

13-year-old Gage Riddle of Niles, MI took his first deer with his bow while hunting with his dad this past season.

Mac Young traveled all the way from Florida to hunt Indiana whitetails and scored big with this dandy Starke County ten-pointer.

ION reader, Bob Manning took this awesome 9pointer with a split brow tine with his bow.

John Roach of Iowa had a great hunt with his Indiana buddies again this year, taking this nice ten-pointer in the process! You guessed it. . . a Lightfield EXP slug did the job at inside 40 yards.

Blake Phelps of Monticello took his first turkey during last year’s youth season. Blake’s tom had a 10” beard, 20mm spurs and weighed 21 lbs.

Gone Afield monthly photo contest. . .

It’s EASY! It’s FUN! Fill out this form and send it in with your favorite outdoor photograph.

A winner will be randomly selected each month to win a great outdoor prize!

Entry Information: Person submitting the photo: Name(s) of person(s) pictured: Other information describing the photo: If I’m selected as this month’s random winner, please send my prize to:

Send your photos to: Gone Afield P.O. Box 69 Granger, IN 46530 E-mail submissions welcome at: www.contact@ION4U.net.

If mailing photos, please include a SASE if you’d like us to return them to you Think spring! Diane Pranske caught this awesome striper last summer on Raccoon Lake near Rockville.

CONTEST RULES: Raghorn, Inc. shall retain the right to publish or not publish any images submitted in any of it’s media outlets. Winners chosen at random. Prizes are subject to change and contest may cease without notice.

March, 2011 Edition

Tune Your Friction Pan Call Like a Fine Instrument with the NEW TUNER STRIKERS From Hunter's S p e c i a l t i e s. Tom turkeys are all different. The calls that fire up one bird may not even interest another.

Hunter's Specialties® new Tuner Peg Packs feature adjustable strikers that allow hunters to tune their pan calls to get just the right sound that will bring in a gobbler. Tuner Strikers come in a variety of materials and are adjustable in length, allowing

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for quick and easy changes in tone and pitch with any pan type friction call. Tuner Peg Packs come in three versions; one featuring the Master mahogany rod with carbon tip and Hickory striker, one with the Wire Stik carbon peg with wire tip and Power Stik strikers and the third one contains both Carbon and Rosewood strikers. Tuner Peg Packs sell for a suggested retail price of $19.99.

HUMMINBIRD 788ci HD DI COMBO Humminbird has pointed its Side Imaging technology in a new direction: straight down. Now you can see the detail of what is happening below your boat.

Timber,

Page 1 5 brush, bridge pilings, rocks and any other structure will pop with stunning detail as you patrol the water. Take a peek; you'll like what you see. The 788ci HD DI Combo features a Best-In Class High Definition 640V x 640H 5" display, DualBeam PLUS™ and Down Imaging™ sonar with 4000 Watts PTP power output, GPS Chartplotting and advanced Fishing System capabilities. In addition, it includes dual card slots for maps and saving waypoints, as well as three programmable preset buttons to save your favorite views. Maximize your angling experience with the Humminbird 788ci HD DI fishfinder GPS system. Retail price is around $800.

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A Marketplace for the Outdoor Enthusiast!

World Class Fly Fishing with Josh Lantz

Crossword Answers on page 12!

TROPHY BASS • STEELHEAD • SALMON

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Trophy largemouth bass trips are done from a well-equipped 19’ center console. All forms of light tackle are welcome. Full or half-day trips.

Equipment provided! Want to learn to fly fish?

I’ll teach you. Book now for best Spring dates.

WWW.GOFISHN.COM/JOSHLANTZ 219-728-8996

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A New Mega Salmon?

The Last Thought MIKESCHOONVELD Twenty-some years ago Dr. Howard Tanner, one of the pioneers involved with putting salmon in the Great Lakes, embarked on another quest. His plan was to zap the zygotes of chinook salmon in a hatchery to imbue them with a second set of chromosomes. The result would be or perhaps “would have been” is a better term, Great Lakes chinooks growing to 40, 50, maybe 100 pounds.

The thesis was these altered fish, called triploid, would never become sexually mature. So instead of growing eggs or sperm in their 4th summer of life, storming the pier heads in September and then heading up the stream or river to spawn and die, they’d just continue swimming around the lakes, slurping up alewives growing bigger and bigger and....no one knows how the story would have ended.

Tanner’s triploid chinook program turned into a bust. A few ended up in Lake Michigan, a

few ended up on the lines of anglers, but none of them as 5 or 6 or 8 year old mega-kings.

The plan failed because the number of salmon, especially the alewife-eating king salmon in Lakes Michigan and Huron, were already doing a stalwart job of gobbling up the available alewives. Too good, some say, and when the amount of food diminished in the lakes, the fish became stressed and an epidemic of bacterial kidney disease swept through the salmon population.

The triploid program came to an abrupt end. Most of the TKings in the lake probably died from BKD which explains why no 60 or 70 pounders ever showed up. More importantly, if dwindling food supplies for Great Lakes salmon was a problem, stocking additional triploids would have added to the problem.

When you go to a restaurant or shop at a market for farm-raised salmon, there’s a 99% chance the slab of salmon on display is Atlantic salmon, not coho, king or another of the Pacific species.

For some reason, Atlantics were easier to adapt to the aquaculture industry.

Now, there’s word scientists working for the fish farming industry are trying to legalize growing genetically altered Atlantic salmon which will grow faster and or larger. The decision about whether to allow these

GMOs (genetically modified organisms) to be marketed for human consumption is being mulled over by the Food and Drug Administration.

Making an Atlantic salmon a triploid wouldn’t do the job the fish farmers want. Triploids don’t grow faster, just larger–and the aquaculturalists aren’t necessarily after a larger fish. What the eggheads are doing to the salmon eggs at AquaBounty Technologies is actually genetic engineering. They are adding a growth hormone gene from a Chinook salmon to the DNA of the Atlantic salmon, as well as another gene from a fish called the ocean pout, which makes the fish grow in cold water. The genetically engineered salmon grow twice as fast as a normal salmon.

If the FDA gives it’s approval, this will be the first GMO animal available for human consumption. Most of us already eat plenty of GMO grains and vegetables. Therein lies the rub.

When soybeans, corn and other crops were genetically altered to make them resistant to certain herbicides, insects and diseases, the FDA determined no special label was required alerting consumers the product contained a genetically altered ingredient unless the ingredient was different in its nutritional properties from its non-GMO counterpart.

What’s good for the sprout is good for the fish, argues the fishfarming industry. But the FDA appears to be looking for a way around their policy and either ban GMO fish or at least make producers add an advisory label to each package.

Me? I’ll continue to get my salmon from the Great Lakes.

But I don’t believe gene science is all evil. The time may come when a little snip here and there in the DNA of Great Lakes fish will make the difference in boom or bust.

Can genetic engineering lead to better fish for the table or bigger ones in the lake?

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