O
UTDOOR CONNECTION
SEPTEMBER 2015 ESTHERVILLE NEWS Find this publication online at www.esthervillenews.net under ʻSectionsʼ
Hunting season is set to STORIES, ADVICE AND INFORMATION FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
begin
“Remember to enjoy each sunrise, keep your line tight and may your aim be straight!” ESTHERVILLE NEWS
~Jim McDonnell
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
2
PLANS SET FOR
Little Swan Lake RENOVATION
I
owa is dotted with shallow water lakes, but in many cases, they are in incredibly poor shape. Over the years, for a variety of reasons, they have become impaired bodies of water with poor water clarity, lack of aquatic plant life, an over abundance of rough fish (carp), sporadic fisheries, limited wildlife use and produc‐ tion and as a result very STEVE WEISMAN OUTDOOR EDITOR poor recre‐ ational opportunities. Iowa’s Shallow Lake Restoration pro‐ gram (lakes shallower than 10 feet) is designed to bring life back to these shal‐ low water lakes. In northwest Iowa, lakes such as Diamond Lake, Dan Green Slough, Trumbull Lake and Marble and Hottes have either been renovated or are in the process of completion. Once renovated, the lake once again becomes a vibrant “alive” body of water. The water becomes incredibly clear, aquatic vegeta‐ tion returns, rough fish are gone and game fish are re‐introduced. This usually occurs over a 2‐3 year time span.
A good crowd was on hand at the Little Swan Lake open house to learn more about the upcoming Little Swan Lake restoration project.
ity and habitat is greatly degraded. A recent electrofishing survey showed a huge population of carp and bullhead (93 percent) with only a few yellow perch and catfish. I can remember when I moved to Estherville in 1978, a lot of local anglers would go to Little Swan Lake to catch perch and northern pike. However, little to no fishing takes place now. At the same time, back in the late 1970s, Little Swan Lake and the slough to the north were great waterfowl areas. That, too, has changed. Mike Hawkins, DNR Fisheries Biologist, and Chris LaRue, Wildlife Biologist, shared the Little Swan Little Swan Lake Lake Watershed Improvement plan with For the past several years, Little Swan the crowd. Lake, which is located north of Superior, Currently, everything is in the planning has become a pretty much forgotten stage with the hopes that work could about body of water. At last Tuesday’s begin in the summer or fall of 2016. community meeting held at Little Swan Success of the plan revolves around the Lake Winery, over 40 interested people following partners and funding sources: attended an open house to learn more n Iowa DNR, Fisheries and Wildlife about plans to renovate Little Swan Lake. Bureaus, Lake Restoration Program and As with so many other similar shallow water lakes, Little Swan Lake’s water qual‐ the Watershed Improvement Section;
Photo by David Weisman
n Ducks Unlimited; n North American Wetlands Conservation Act; n Dickinson County Water Quality Commission; n Spirit Lake Protective Association; n Iowa Department of Agriculture, Land Stewardship; n Natural Resources Conservation Service; n Local landowners
ing habits disturb sediment, cause water turbidity and destroy the very aquatic veg‐ etation that help improve water clarity. Plus, in addition to eliminating the carp, the drawdown will allow aquatic plant life to become established and also harden the bottom along the outer portions of the lake.
In‐lake management now and in the future
By providing a proper in‐lake manage‐ ment system, the DNR will be able to con‐ First off, the dam on the northeast side trol the movement of water in and out of of the lake is failing, and the lake has lost Little Swan Lake. Infrastructure placed near the lake outlet will allow managers 12‐14 inches of water because of this fail‐ ure. So, a new dam will be constructed. To to control both water and common carp movement with the goal of keeping the do this, obviously, water levels must be unwanted rough fish out of the lake. A lowered. Drawing down the lake will second fish barrier will be installed down‐ induce a fishery renovation (killing all of the carp in the system). This is very crucial, stream of Christopherson Slough (north) to stop common carp from reinfesting the because the common carp, which is an entire watershed. exotic/invasive fish introduced into the At the same time, if a drawdown is Midwest waters in the 1880s, is extremely prolific and greatly impacts shallow lakes and wetlands. Unfortunately, their feed‐ Turn to SWAN LAKE, Page 3
The plan
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
3
WARBLER CREATES STIR AT BIRDHAVEN BY WENDELL HANSEN
Pacific Northwest and nests in the
BIRDHAVEN
T
Photo by Joe Jungers
409 Central Ave. Estherville, IA 712-362-3745
Hummers on the move As a side note, the Hummingbird migration is under way. You can make your own Hummingbird nectar. Combine one part plain white table sugar and four parts water, bring to a boil and let it cool. Do not add any food coloring. Your feeder has all of the coloring it needs to bring the bird in. Once it has cooled, fill your feeders. At Birdhaven, I never completely fill my feeders up. Most of the time the nectar will spoil long before the birds can use it all. Unused nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. With clear nectar, you will be able to tell when it has gone bad. When the nectar starts to get milky or cloudy it needs to be replaced. Wash the feeders with water and mild soap, rinse well, refill the feeder and hang it back up. Kick back, relax and enjoy the Hummingbird wars. As always, get up, get out and enjoy nature. You never know what you may find....it just may be a very rare bird.
SWAN LAKE, Continued from Page 2 deemed necessary in the future, this structure will be there for that option. In that way, the DNR will be able to better control fisheries populations and promote natural and diverse aquatic plant life that will help ensure much better water quality. The drawdown will probably last 1‐2 years, depending on how quickly aquatic plants become well established. It also depends on what Mother Nature dishes out in large rain‐ falls, etc. Since Little Swan Lake has a watershed of nearly 11,000 acres, refilling the lake should go rather quickly. Native fishes including yellow perch and northern pike
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The bottom line It’s taken decades for Little Swan Lake to get to this point. Unfortunately, it will not fix itself. It needs manage‐ ment intervention to improve water quality and bring the lake back to the shallow water jewel it once was. I think that Scott Benjamin, owner of Little Swan Lake Winery located on the south side of Little Swan Lake, said it best. “If we don’t do this, what do we have? We will still have a lake that nobody ever comes to. This plan will help restore Little Swan Lake to what it once was!”
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coniferous forests from Alaska to Oregon. It winters in a narrow strip along the Pacific Coast and in Mexico and Central America. I needed more help identifying this particular bird. I posted the video on the Iowa Birding’s Facebook site. Within 30 minutes, I had my answer. It was indeed a Townsend's Warbler! Not only did I have my new Warbler, on top of that it was rare! There had been just four reports of them in the state of Iowa, the last one being reported in 1991. I had no idea how rare it was until I started to get requests on where the bird was spot‐ ted. Everyone wanted to know “how do we get there and is the bird still around”. Lee Schoenwe, one of our local bird experts, was the first to show up. Right behind him was Ed Thelen, the other Iowa Great Lakes bird expert. I was surprised to see both of them. The first thing Lee told me was that word travels fast in the bird world. I
think that was an understatement. In no time there were birders from all over the state showing up with binoc‐ ulars and cameras. It took just a short while before the Townsend's Warbler relocated just a short way down the street from Birdhaven, hanging out with Black‐ throated Green Warblers and Black‐ capped Chickadees in the pine trees that line our street. I have to admit that I was just a little jealous of Joe Jungers and his camera. Joe was kind enough to send me a few photos of the Townsend's Warbler. This is one of them. The other two can be seen on the Bird Haven Facebook page along with the video.
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his month’s article was going to be about fall migration basics and would have been all about “When, Where and Why” the fall migration starts and what to look for. All that changed on August 22. Here at Birdhaven, I am always chas‐ ing birds around the yard with my small camera. Every year I try to add a new warbler to my list. On the 22nd, as I was in search of a new warbler, when I saw a flash of yel‐ low as a bird dropped down into the small stream running between the ponds. I knew it was not the Yellow Warbler. In just that brief moment, I saw there was just too much black or gray mixed in with that flash of yellow. As I was trying to sneak up on the down side of the stream, the first bird to fly out was a young female American Redstart. Right behind her was a bird that had a lot of yellow with shades of black and gray and a white under belly. Both birds went straight into heavy cover. As I was trying to pick out the American Redstart in the heavy cover, a third bird came out and landed just above me and started preening. This was the bird I was looking for. I took two fast shots with the Canon SX160. Both shots came out blurred, so I switched over to the video setting. As I was filming the video I could tell this was a new warbler, and it would be easy to identify. I was very wrong! Two hours and four bird books later, I came up with a Townsend's Warbler. I just knew there was no way that was right! The Townsend's Warbler is a bird of the
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
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4
ANDERSON RECEIVES ACE CORY CONSERVATION AWARD BY STEVE WEISMAN
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OUTDOOR EDITOR
S
teve Anderson, currently District Superintendent of the Great Lakes Sanitary System, recently received the Ace Cory Conservation Award at the annual Okoboji Protective Association’s annual meeting. “I am extremely honored to receive this award, because I know how pas‐ sionate Ace Cory was about conser‐ vation and about our lakes area. I had the privilege of working with Ace early in my career, and hopefully my efforts in water quality around the lakes carries on what Ace started,” said Anderson. “As a kid growing up, I never thought about water quality. I thought you could go swimming any‐ where, and we didn’t worry about what was in the water. Today that has changed. I want my kids to be able to enjoy the lakes just as I did. However, we know that there are issues and it is up to us to protect these lakes so future generations can enjoy them. Plus, the economy of the lakes area relies on the water quality of our lakes. Ace always used to say, Greg Drees (L) introduces Steve Anderson as the 2015 Ace Cory Conservation award winner at the Okoboji Protective Associationʼs annual ‘If the lakes aren’t clean, cash regis‐ meeting held during the Clean Water Concert activities. ter won’t ring’,” added Anderson.
About the award
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His passion for the Iowa Great Lakes area brought him back, and he has spent the past 16 years working to improve the environment and pro‐ tect the natural resources in Dickinson County. Early in his career, Anderson met Ace Cory, who was one of the lead‐ ers in the late 1990s to seek a steady stream of money to fund clean water projects in Dickinson County. Anderson was part of the group that helped establish the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission in 2001. In that same year, Anderson became the coordinator of the Clean Water Alliance, bringing the organiza‐ tion to prominence by spearheading Anderson and the award Low Impact Development (LID) proj‐ Anderson, who grew up in ects throughout the region and rais‐ Estherville, has always loved and ing public awareness of the impor‐ cared about the outdoors. This led to tance of conservation practices with‐ a degree in Environmental in the Iowa Great Lakes watershed. Management and minors in Then from 2008‐2011, Anderson took Chemistry and Biology from South the position as Urban Conservationist Dakota State University in 1999. for northwest Iowa. Greg Drees, who Anderson is the 10the recipient of the Ace Cory Conservation Award, which has been bestowed annually since 2006 by the Okoboji Protective Association to an individual whose work in the Iowa Great Lakes area, voluntary or professional, reflects the principles of the late Ace Cory, one of the region’s pioneer environmental‐ ists. Cory was one of the leaders in the late 1990’s to seek a steady stream of money to fund clean water projects in Dickinson County. He was instru‐ mental in the formation of the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission, the first and only organ‐ ization of its kind in Iowa.
Photo by Steve Weisman
presented Anderson with the award at the OPA’s annual meeting noted, “As the urban conservationist for the NW Iowa region, he brought his knowledge of natural resource pro‐ tection to the city sectors, lending his expertise to projects that reduced sediment, phosphorous and nitrate deposits into water bodies.” In 2012, Anderson became District Superintendent for the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District where, as Drees added during the presentation, “ Steve works diligently to keep the half‐century old entity relevant into the 21st century and beyond. “
Sacket thanks community With the 2015 Clean Water Concert now in the books, Barry Sackett, President of the OPA, reflected on the day. “The community came out to celebrate the beauty of West Lake Okoboji.” Sackett also thanked the area media for all of their support and also the volunteers that worked so hard to make the event a success.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
5
Protecting the bulrush beds on Anglers Bay BY STEVE WEISMAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
N
ot long ago, I wrote a story about trees and prairies and why trees are sometimes looked upon as invasive on tracts of restored tallgrass prairies. There is truly a place for trees and also a place where trees should not be allowed to grow. I relied on the expertise of Doug Harr, former head of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Diversity Program and current President of the Iowa Audubon Society to help explain the situation. Harr’s initial statement is this, and it certainly makes sense. “Trees do belong in some places, and they certainly don’t belong in others.” He talked about frag‐ mentation. “It is our responsibility to restore grasslands invaded by trees back to as pure a grassland/prairie as possible, and also to plant trees in areas of historic woodlands that have been cleared. Then the native wildlife and bird populations of each different habi‐ tat type are much more likely to thrive. It's a message we simply have to get out to all Iowans.” John H. Wills, Dickinson County Clean Water Alliance Coordinator, concurs with Harr. “While seeing trees removed may be unsettling at first, extensive sci‐ entific research and data support the long‐term benefits to restoration of a natural habitat that once covered hun‐ dreds of thousands of acres in Iowa, but is not extremely rare.”
The concern for the bulrush beds Wills went on to explain that there is great concern for one of the rarest nat‐ ural habitats in Dickinson County: the bulrush beds in Anglers Bay on Big Spirit. Remember the efforts in 2008 to save and protect the bulrush beds from being destroyed by human develop‐ ment? It was a great success, and I thought that was that. It might be hard to believe, but the fragile bulrush beds are under attack again, this time by invasive trees and shrubs located on the shoreline. As a fisherman I have fished these bulrushes for nearly 40 years, and this kind of caught me off guard. I thought the shoreline was pretty much just the nor‐ mal shoreline. Nope! We’re talking about an invasion of non‐traditional trees and shrubs into an area that was once a bur oak savannah. According to Wills, “The savannah was
removed to restore an important and almost forgotten historical habitat that once bordered most of Iowa’s natural lakes while, at the same time, protect‐ ing another of Iowa’s most fragile and endangered systems: the bulrush beds.” At the same time, prescribed burns or fires would be used to reduce many of the invasive species that have invaded the historic bur oak savanna ecosystem. This would be effective because the bur oak savanna system has the ability to tolerate fire, which the invasive trees and shrubs do not. Yes, some trees and shrubs will be destroyed. However, their destruction will mean the survival of a shoreline ecosystem that dates back hundreds of years. Iowans worked so hard to save This photo shows how far the bulrushes have receded from the shoreline. If this the bulrush beds from human destruc‐ continues, we will lose this fragile system. Selective tree thinning and re-estab- tion in 2008. I’d hate to see all that effort be for lishing the bur oak savanna system would help protect the bulrush beds. Photo submitted nothing and a few decades from now historically here in the Iowa Great Lakes beds and for the restoration of the bur be saying, “Boy, I sure wish we would have” or “those bulrush beds were real‐ oak savannah. The weedy and invasive and throughout the area; these grass‐ ly something, weren’t they?” lands were dominated by large bur oak trees and shrubs will be selectively trees that once grew with little compe‐ tition from neighboring trees.” As simple as it may seem, this savan‐ nah was a very complex system. Wills says, “This complex network of sun and shade patches created by an over story of primarily open‐grown oak trees led to an amazing diversity of grasses, sedges and flowering plants.” In their own way, this oak savannah protected the shoreline and the bul‐ rushes. Wills explains the problem. “The existing invasive trees that currently crowd the shoreline of Spirit Lake are shading and slowly causing the bulrush bed to recede from the shoreline.” There is also a second problem. “In addition, the invasive trees cause the shoreline to become unstable and could potentially cause a failure of the shore‐ line.”
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Protecting the bulrush beds What to do? Wills says, “We have a great potential to help with the effort to restore the rare and native habitat called bur oak savannah. However, that project would require the removal of existing invasive trees that outcompete and shade out young oaks and native prairie understory.” Wills continues, “Tree thinning and rid‐ ding the invasive trees on Anglers Bay would be beneficial for the bulrush
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
6
HUNTING SEASONS SET TO BEGIN W
here did the time go? I’m still in my summer fishing mode, and here we are today (Thursday, September 1), with the opening of the dove sea‐ son. I don’t know what happened this year. Maybe it’s my age, but this crept up on me way too quickly! The trou‐ ble is I don’t shift STEVE WEISMAN gears as quickly OUTDOOR EDITOR as I used to. I can remember my father‐in‐law saying the same thing when he was in his late 60s. I was in my mid‐40s, and I thought to myself, “That will never happen to me!” However, as I reached my 50s, I realized Father Time has a way of “making” those things happen. Now, I am just thankful for every day and being able to still do many outdoor activities (although at a slower pace) and the hope for a tomor‐ row! More than ever, the closing thoughts of Jim McDonnell, the Fishing Professor, who used to write a column for me on this very page comes to mind, “Remember to enjoy each sunrise, keep your line tight and may your aim be straight!”
Dove season Iowa has had a dove season since 2011, so hunters who have dove hunted in the past probably have their spots and strategies established. However, for those new to hunting doves, it would be a good idea to put some miles on and do a little pre‐hunt scouting. On public hunt‐ ing areas, check for the sunflower food plots. They are dynamite dove attractors. Once you find a group of doves, watch their movements from roost, to food to water and back to roost. That will pro‐ vide you with a pattern so you can deter‐ mine what areas are available for con‐ cealment. Shooting hours are one‐half hour before sunrise to sunset with a daily limit of 15 birds. Remember that public wildlife areas are designated as nontoxic shot only! Of course, there are also many privately owned lands that have perfect habitat for dove hunting. If you are lucky enough to know a landowner that gives you per‐ mission to hunt private land, be sure to
take advantage of the opportunity. If not, don’t be afraid to scout out some areas and then stop in and visit with the landowner. It’s worth a try.
Early teal season Are you ready for this one? The early teal season starts this week‐ end‐that’s right the Saturday of Labor Day weekend! This will be the second of a three‐year experimental TEAL‐ONLY 16‐day season, September 5‐20. Primary reason for the special early teal season is that teal, especially blue winged teal migrate so early that hunters in the Hawkeye state, along with the other production states of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, rarely got a chance to harvest any of these birds during the regular duck hunt‐ ing season. As a result, these four states were given the option of participating in this special experimental three‐year TEAL‐ONLY sea‐ son.
Looking back at 2014 Going back to the first year, for these production states to be part of early this season, each state was required to col‐ lect data on hunter performance and har‐ vest. First off, each state had to get the word out to potential duck hunters and explain the experimental status, data col‐ lection procedures and provide duck identification tools. This last one was going to be the tricky one. Could the DNR help hunters identify teal, especially when there would be other ducks using the same sloughs and waters. One of the first regulations enacted was to move the morning shooting hour to sunrise instead of ½ hour before. Although this ½ is a key shooting time during the regular season, it is much more difficult to identify ducks during this low light period. Orrin Jones, Iowa DNR Waterfowl Research Biologist head‐ quartered in Clear Lake, says, “The half hour does make a difference. If hunters can have the sun to their back, it helps make waterfowl identification much easi‐ er. We also believe that by moving the shooting time back to sunrise, we reduce the risk to wood ducks, because they normally begin flying well before sun‐ rise.” States conducted hunter performance surveys of hunting parties hunting during the
that these percentages are all within the acceptable range of hunter performance. Jones believes that Iowa hunters worked hard at making correct duck identification. “One thing we observed was that hunter duck identification improved as the season progressed. Most of the issues that did occur were primarily on the first weekend.”
Data collection this year (year two) Since hunter performance during the first year was well within the criteria established by the USFWS for both non‐ target attempt rates and non‐target kill, A flock of bluewing teal on the move Photo by Lowell Washburn Iowa will now move into its second year. The states will continue their education efforts to inform hunters of the addition‐ September teal season. According to Iowa DNR officials, moving the morning al regulations and help improve their species identification skills. Since 2014 shooting time to sunrise had a positive was the first time many hunters had the impact on fewer non‐teal shot. Other information collected during the opportunity to participate in a hunter performance surveys was species September teal season, officials believe that it is reasonable to expect that targeted, number of birds in each flock, hunter performance will improve as whether the flock was shot at, and the number of birds hit. From these observa‐ hunters gain experience with the season. tions, a non‐target attempt rate was esti‐ Given these first‐year results, it is likely that desired sample sizes and perform‐ mated based on non‐target duck flocks observed during legal shooting hours and ance criteria will be attained during the second year of this experiment. determined by the observers to be in range; the non‐target attempt rate is the Let’s get ready ratio of flocks shot at one or more times Jones notes that water conditions to the total number of non‐target flocks. appear similar to 2014. However, scout‐ The non‐target kill rate was estimated as ing will be important for this early teal the ratio of non‐target ducks that fell season. Most of the migrating blue‐ directly or sailed after being shot at to winged teal relate to shallow water, mud the total number of ducks (teal plus non‐ flats and smaller wetlands, especially target ducks) that fell directly or sailed those with heavy vegetation. A quick inch after being shot. of rain can create a shallow water teal mecca, which if they are on the move, Results of the surveys will entice migrating teal. September 2014 was the first year of They love the seeds and gorge on them what is intended to be a 3‐year experi‐ to prepare for their next push south. ment. The first year’s experimental Even the slightest cooler weather will effort was highly successful. A total of 88 trained observers conduct‐ create a move, and teal will move out of ed hunter performance surveys (resulting and into an area overnight. So, hunters might find nothing in the area for a few in 160 hunting parties observed (72 par‐ days, and suddenly on a given morning ties in Iowa, 44 parties in Michigan, and the air will be filled with flocks of low fly‐ 44 parties in Wisconsin). ing, slipping, sliding teal. Unlike mallards, Across the three states, a total of 699 teal will zip in and out, often times non‐target flocks came within range of buzzing hunters right over the cover hunting parties during legal shooting from behind! Nothing ever seems to be hours. A total of 44 flocks were shot at resulting in a non‐target attempt rate of an in‐your‐face incoming shot. Just when you think you have the bead on them, 6.3 percent. A total of 368 ducks were observed killed (birds that fell directly or they will dip down, bank to the left or right or climb straight up. Very seldom is glided before falling), 18 of which were there a simple straight on shot. Of species other than teal, resulting in a non‐target kill rate of 4.9 percent. The U. course, that’s what makes the season so S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) finds inviting!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
7
Tips for Stand-Up Paddleboarding you paddle or what board you have, falling off a pad‐ dle board is much more likely than tipping a canoe or kayak because of the Essential Equipment It is imperative that a per‐ inherent higher center of gravity and reduced stabili‐ son participating in any sport have the proper gear ty of standing up. Because and safety equipment. For of this, quick‐drying clothes and shoes are recommend‐ Ask the Experts SUP, this obviously ed to keep you comfort‐ Once you have the board includes a board, paddle you want, you need to and life jacket, but a board able and protect your feet from debris. learn how to use it safely leash, quick‐dry clothing Flat is Fun and efficiently. The best and waterproof shoes are way to do this is to take also recommended. The Particularly for novice Try Before You Buy lessons. Class and individ‐ board leash is highly useful paddlers, it’s best to start any local retail‐ ual lessons are taught by on lakes or other relatively on a relatively small, flat ers will schedule multiple agencies and still water. This strap teth‐ body of water like Gray’s demo events retailers throughout the ers your board to your Lake or Lake Ahquabi. This where the public can try state, but all professional ankle or waist, making it experience will help you out assorted paddle board‐ instruction will help you easier to retrieve and get gain confidence and get ing equipment and get stay safe and avoid frustra‐ back on your board when the hang of paddle board‐ basic instruction before tion by working smarter, you fall off. Board straps ing with minimal difficulty purchasing a board of their not harder. If you know a are not for use on rivers and risk. Some lakes, like own. Since boards come in group that already has due to the hazards of cur‐ Ahquabi, even have paddle all shapes and sizes and access to a few boards and rent and debris. Robertson boards available for visitors each handles differently, wants to try SUP, Todd says no matter what water to rent. Check with the Editor’s Note: Every year there seems to be some‐ thing new on the water. This year it is the stand‐up pad‐ dling board (SUP). Just check out the bays of our Iowa Great Lakes, and you will see what I mean. They’ve taken the Iowa Great Lakes by storm. The Iowa DNR has compiled a list of tips and tricks from SUP instructor Todd Robertson on how to get your own adventure started.
this is a great opportunity to make sure you get the best equipment for your skills, goals, and body type. Since the end of summer is approaching, look for end‐ of‐season sales on boards and other gear to use next year.
Robertson can be contact‐ ed for group lessons at todd.robertson@dnr.iowa. gov.
M
Avoid water with blue-green algae Editorʼs note:. The following is a release from the Iowa DNR advising people to avoid water with blue-green algae. If concerned about the safety of your local lakes and streams, contact your local DNR office. ES MOINES – With some Iowa waters showing signs of blue-green algae blooms, people and pets should avoid contact with water that has a poor appearance. The appearance can be a pea-green or blue-green color, but also a reddish-brown. It may appear with scum, foam or as a thick mat on the water surface. Blue-green algae can grow quickly and become very abundant in warm, shallow, undisturbed surface water that receives a lot of sunlight. “We recommend that if you are in an area where itʼs visibly showing masses of algae or a blue-green paint color, you should avoid contact with the water and keep pets away from it,” said Mary Skopec who coordinates the beach monitoring program for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Skopec said blue-green algae can release mycrosystins in the water that can make people and pets ill. “We donʼt want to scare people, as this is a naturally occurring event. It happens every year in our lakes and rivers,” Skopec said.
D
“We just want people to be aware that if the mycrocystins are present, it can cause problems for people or pets.” The main risk to humans from microcystin is skin irritations and rashes, but if the water is swallowed or airborne droplets are inhaled during swimming, bathing or showering, symptoms could be worse. Those would include headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, seizures, liver injury and respiratory problems. People can take the following precautions to prevent health-related problems due to harmful algal blooms: n Don't swim, water ski or boat in areas where the water is discolored or if there is foam, scum or mats of algae on the water. n If you come in contact with water that might have a harmful algal bloom, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible. n Don't let pets or livestock swim in or drink from areas where water is discolored, of if there is foam, scum or mats of algae on the water. n Don't let pets (especially dogs) lick the algae off their fur after swimming in scummy water. n Don't irrigate lawns or golf courses with pond water that looks scummy or has a bad odor. n Don't drink the water. Boiling the water will not make it safe to drink.
appropriate manager for hours and available equip‐ ment at different locations. Avoid larger bodies of water like Lake Red Rock or any river until you have significant experience and have been taught how to paddle on rougher water.
of telling someone your float plan could save your life in an emergency situa‐ tion.
Getting Twisty
If you want to spice up your paddle boarding experience, consider taking an SUP yoga class. While Make a Plan this can be a very tricky When you have enough mix for paddlers who have experience and confidence trouble balancing, many to take SUP trips alone, people find it rewarding make sure you still have a and enjoy the direct con‐ plan and share it someone nection with nature while before you hit the water. meditating. Different They should know where organizations and busi‐ you’re going and how long nesses offer these classes you plan to be gone so on different schedules and they can check in with you bases, so contact your local or take appropriate actions SUP source to ask about if you’re not back on their available options. schedule. While everyone For more adventurous should learn to paddle ideas, check out our Iowa safely, avoid injury, and Paddling and Take it bring basic emergency Outside boards on gear, the simple prep step Pinterest.
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8
STILL LOTS OF TIME FOR FISHING Different waters productive at different times BY BOB JENSEN FISHING THE MIDWEST FISHING TEAM
Labor Day indicates to many people that the end of summer is near, and to some that means it’s time to put the boat and their rods and reels into storage. Anglers who quit fishing in early September are missing out on two months of some of the best fishing of the year. Keep the following ideas in mind and you’ll discover that fishing in the fall will add a lot of time to your fishing season. Keep in mind that different bodies of water will be productive in the fall at dif‐ ferent times. A shallow lake with dark water will often be better earlier in the fall, while larger, deeper lakes with clear water will turn on a little later in the year. Small shallow lakes cool off earlier, so the fish in those lakes are reminded by Mother Nature that autumn is coming and they need to fatten up. This reminder comes later to fish in the larger, deeper lakes. Rivers will continue to provide great open water fishing after the lakes in the area have frozen over. As the water cools off, slower presentations will become more productive. Crankbaits can be good for walleyes and smallmouth bass early in the fall, but a jig and minnow or jig and soft‐bait will get better as the water cools off. A Fire‐ball jig tipped with a big redtail minnow is an outstanding presentation, but a long‐shanked jig tipped with an Impulse Smelt Minnow will be just as pro‐ ductive in the fall much of the time. The same thing holds true with largemouth bass. They will aggressively eat a spinnerbait or buzzbait early in the autumn, but as the water cools, largemouth will be more frequently caught on a Jungle Jig tipped with a piece of soft‐bait with a subtle action. Another presentation that we’ve been employing a lot in the fall is a dropshot rig. I fondly remember my introduction to dropshotting. It was October a good number of years ago. My friend Barry Day and I were on West Lake Okoboji in northwest Iowa. Barry was in on the early days of dropshotting and was going to show me how it’s done. As we were putting the boat in, a boatload of anglers were leaving the lake. They suggested we forget about fishing: They’d been throwing spinnerbaits for several hours and action was sparse. Barry assured me that we’d get bit. Barry was right. In the next four or five hours we caught a bunch of smallmouth and large‐ mouth, a few walleyes, a couple of pike, and a variety of panfish, all on dropshot rigs. Just remember that in the fall, slower presentations will often be better. Be sure to try an Impulse Leech on a dropshot rig. Also remember that much of the time, larger, bulkier baits will be better in the fall, especially if you’re looking for big fish. Not always, but often. Autumn weather can be chilly. I always have my Cabela’s Guidewear in the insulated version in the boat this time of year. Guidewear will help you stay com‐ fortable in conditions that could be uncomfortable, and that makes your time on the water much more enjoyable. Autumn provides lots of outdoor opportunities and what to do can be a tough call. Just remember that the fish are hungry when you’re making your outdoor decision in the next couple of months. That reminder can make your decision a little easier.
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Bob Jensen holds a nice chunky bass. Many species of fish like to get caught in the fall.