Fishing tournament application deadlines coming up
Submit requests starting April 1 for 2011 events
MADISON – Organizers of certain fishing tournaments planning events for 2011 will want to apply
for a permit starting April 1, 2010.
“If you plan on holding a fishing tournament in 2011, we recommend that you apply in the open
period that starts April 1 and runs through June 30, 2010, to have the best chance of getting your
desired dates and waters,” says Joanna Griffin, tournament coordinator for the Department of
Natural Resources.
All applications received during the open period will be reviewed by Aug. 1, 2010, and in the
unlikely event that another tournament conflicts with an organizer’s choice of dates or waters, DNR
fisheries biologists will discuss options with the tournament organizers, Griffin says.
Permit applications from tournament organizers applying after June 30, 2010, for events in 2011
will be considered on a first-come first-served basis.
Under the state rule that became effective in May 2009, some tournaments in Wisconsin must get
a permit and there is a cap on the maximum amount of tournament fishing allowed on individual
waters.
Tournaments need a permit if any of the following apply:
•The tournament involves 20 or more boats, or 100 or more participants;
•The tournament targets any trout species on waters classified as trout streams;
•The tournament is a catch-hold-release tournament with an off-site weigh-in; or
•The total prize value is $10,000 or greater.
An application fee must accompany all permit applications. Fees vary by type of tournament and
total prize value.
Organizers can still apply for 2010 tournaments
Tournament organizers can still apply for 2010 tournaments, but the DNR must receive completed
applications at least 30 days before the start of the applicant’s tournament. These applications will
be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more details on the fishing tournament rule, to submit an application, or to view a tournament
event calendar, visit the fishing tournaments page of the DNR Web site.
A 2004 law passed in response to growing citizen complaints about tournaments and perceived
problems with crowding at boat ramps, concern over fish that died after being caught during
tournaments, and other factors, instructed DNR to update tournament fishing rules where there
were significant, documented problems.
DNR worked with an advisory group including fishing clubs, lake associations, fishing tournament
organizers and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress to develop the rules.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanna Griffin (608) 264-8953; Jon Hansen (608) 266-
6883.
Deadlines approach for ice fishing shelter removal
MADISON – The first of a number of deadlines for ice anglers to remove ice fishing shelters from
inland and boundary waters is this weekend. All ice fishing shelters must be removed from
Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters by Feb. 20. This earlier date, affecting the Mississippi River
south of the Minnesota-Iowa border, is set to correspond with Iowa regulations.
The deadlines for the other two boundary waters are March 1 for Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary
waters and March 15 for Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters.
The regulations for removing ice shanties from inland Wisconsin waters changed in 2008.
The law now requires ice fishing shelters must be removed daily and when not occupied after the
first Sunday following March 1 for waters south of Highway 64 and after the first Sunday following
March 12 for waters north of Highway 64. For 2010, those dates are:
•Sunday, March 7 for waters south of Highway 64.
•Sunday, March 14 for waters north of Highway 64.
One exception to this rule is that on the Fox river downstream from the DePere dam in Brown
County, ice fishing shelters must always be removed from the ice daily and when not in use.
After these dates for removing ice fishing shelters from a frozen lake or river, an angler may
continue to use a portable shelter but must remove it daily and when it is not occupied or actively
being used.
Failure to remove a shanty or ice fishing shelter by these deadlines could result in a forfeiture of
$263.10. Additional costs may be incurred if the DNR must arrange to have the shanty removed or
if the shanty or ice fishing shelter breaks through the ice and must be recovered and disposed of.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bureau of Law Enforcement - (608) 266-2141
Early trout season opens March 6
MADISON – Trout anglers will find new maps, loosened tackle regulations, and dozens of new trout
waters when the early trout season opens March 6.
The 2010 catch-and-release season begins at 5 a.m. with several changes over recent seasons:
•Anglers are not required to use barbless hooks. Artificial lures and flies are still required.
•Wisconsin's official list of classified trout streams has been updated and contains 58 more
streams that have been classified as trout waters since 2002. Most of those 260 miles are found in
west central and southern Wisconsin counties and will be open for the early season.
•New online maps and interactive maps will make all of the trout waters easier to find and provide
other information to increase anglers’ success.
“It should be a good season,” says Larry Claggett, Department of Natural Resources trout
specialist. “Trout populations have recovered from the floods of 2007 and 2008, we’ve identified
new trout waters for anglers to try, and our new maps should make it easier to get to trout waters
once the snow melts.”
If the snow covering much of Wisconsin as of mid-February hangs around, access to some
streams will be more difficult for the opener. But the cold, snowy winter is good for the trout,
replenishing the groundwater that feeds the streams with the cold, clean water the trout need.
An estimated 230,000 anglers fish for trout, based on sales of inland license stamps, with a smaller
proportion fishing the early season, Claggett says. Across both the early season and the regular
inland season, trout anglers caught an estimated 1.6 million trout in 2006-07, according to results
from a mail survey of anglers during that calendar year.
Regulations:
The season opens 5 a.m. on March 6 and runs until midnight April 25, when there is a week “rest”
before the regular season opens. The early season is catch-and-release. Only artificial lures and
flies are allowed, but new this year, barbless hooks are not required.
Most trout streams are open to early fishing with the exception of most Lake Superior tributaries
and most streams in northeast Wisconsin; check the current trout fishing Regulations pamphlet for
specific waters.
New trout waters identified:
Wisconsin's official list of classified trout streams has been updated and is available online through
the DNR Web site.
The county lists are available as well as printable maps in either black and white or color. The
county-level maps make finding precise access points a whole lot easier. The online offerings also
take anglers to interactive maps where users can customize the maps with whatever information
you want, including type of ground cover and the location of structures, which could come in handy
for knocking on doors to ask permission to cross private property and access remote stretch of
water.
Crawford County has 12 of the 58 newly identified streams, followed by Barron County with ten and
Monroe County with eight.
Dave Vetrano, longtime fisheries biologist for the area including Monroe, Crawford, La Crosse and
Vernon counties, says the new round of upgrades brings the miles of trout water in those counties
to more than 1,000, up from the 654 miles of trout water listed in the 1980 version of the Wisconsin
Trout Streams book.
Improved habitat leads to increased natural reproduction:
Improved land use is probably the biggest reason for the increase in trout waters, Vetrano says.
“Better land use -- more hillside vegetation and better cropping practices -- allows more rain water
and snowmelt to seep into the groundwater. These increase flows result in colder summertime
temperatures and warmer wintertime temperatures. This gives the wild trout we stock a much
better chance they will begin to reproduce on their own.”
The resulting stable water temperatures and good genetics, combined with the habitat DNR and
partners are restoring through funding provided by revenues from sales of Inland Trout Stamps,
are close to making all area streams thrive without any stocking.
“Last year, because of more naturally reproducing waters showing up in our surveys, we dropped
our stocking quotas by 60,000 fish,” Vetrano says, noting that only wild strain fish, not domestic,
are stocked. “Our goal is to not have to stock any trout in our streams and we think it's achievable.”
Vetrano says that anglers will find some nice trout in area streams this March. “We've had two
good years of natural reproduction, coupled with an abundant forage base, increased stream flows
and good growth rates,” he says.
“Last fall we saw several fish over 24 inches show up in our surveys. If we get a normal thaw this
spring we should see another recharge of the aquifer and continued good stream flows. 2010
should be another excellent year for anglers fishing our coulee streams.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Claggett (608) 267-9658
Minnow harvest ban, other VHS fish disease rules in effect on Lake Superior
MADISON – News that traces of vhs fish disease have been found in low levels in fish from some
parts of Lake Superior won’t change state VHS rules but underscores the need for anglers,
boaters and bait harvesters to follow those rules, state fisheries officials say.
Key among those rules is a ban on harvesting minnows from Lake Superior and tributaries up to
the first dam impassable by fish, and requirements that no live fish moved away from a lake or river.
“VHS is a very serious fish disease with the potential to kill a lot of fish,” says Mike Staggs,
Wisconsin’s fisheries director.”Cornell’s findings really highlight the need for everybody to continue
taking the steps to prevent spreading this VHS to our inland lakes and rivers.”
Cornell University researchers on Jan. 27, 2010, announced that they had found genetic material
of the virus in low levels in fish from four of seven areas tested in Lake Superior, including the
Duluth-Superior Harbor. VHS, which stands for viral hemorrhagic septicemia, is not a human health
risk but can infect dozens of native fish species and can cause them to bleed to death.
Wisconsin included Lake Superior and its connecting waters in rules originally passed in 2007 and
made permanent in 2008 in its definition of waters infected by VHS. Lake Superior is connected to
waters which already had the virus at the time.
Bait harvest is prohibited in infected waters, in addition to the other statewide rules. “Infected
waters” are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the Winnebago System and the Mississippi River, and
all of their connecting waters up to the first dam impassable to fish. A listing of all affected waters
can be found online.
Under VHS statewide rules:
•Minnow harvesting of any kind is not allowed on any VHS affected waters (including Lake Superior
and tributaries).
•All anglers and boaters statewide are required to drain all water from the fishing and boating
equipment when leaving the lake or entering the state (except drinking water and a small amount
of water to move minnows as described below).
•All anglers statewide may not move live fish or fish eggs away from any water with the exception of
minnows purchased from a registered Wisconsin bait dealer and used under certain condition.
Such leftover minnows can be used again on the same water, or they can be used elsewhere if the
angler did not add lake or river water or other fish to their bait container.
•Use of dead fish for bait is not allowed except on the waters from which they were taken or if they
were preserved by a method that does not require freezing or refrigeration.
VHS found in Lake Superior fish
Michigan, Wisconsin not planning regulation changes in Lake Superior based on findings of
Cornell University
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources today said the recent finding by a Cornell University research team of traces
of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus (VHS) in fish inhabiting Lake Superior would not lead to any
immediate regulation changes for anglers or boaters.
Cornell University reported in a press release today that they had found trace amounts of VHS
virus in organ samples taken from a small number of healthy fish in four sites in Lake Superior.
The news release [exit DNR] is available on Cornell University's Web site.
“We appreciate the efforts of Cornell University to help better understand this disease, but we also
want to caution anglers and others who enjoy Lake Superior that this does not mean there has
been a widespread outbreak of VHS in those waters,” said Michigan DNRE Director Rebecca
Humphries. “What this study does indicate is that VHS has been observed in four locations in Lake
Superior, but it is not everywhere. Based on this limited finding, Michigan is not planning to make
any changes in its regulations at this time.”
Wisconsin DNR Secretary Matt Frank said that Wisconsin’s strong VHS protections were already
set with Lake Superior in mind. “We’re disappointed with Cornell’s finding, but not surprised. The
good news is that our VHS rules for boaters and anglers stay the same and will continue to protect
our inland waters. We included Lake Superior when we originally passed regulations in 2007
because it’s directly connected to waters that already had the virus present. We appreciate the
efforts of Wisconsin boaters and anglers who comply.”
The Cornell University-led research team spent several days in June collecting and sampling
healthy fish in Lake Superior. Nearly 900 fish were collected from the lake, and a new screening
tool used by the team found a preliminary positive result for VHS in a small number of fish collected
from four points in the Lake Superior basin – Paradise/Whitefish Point, Chippewa County,
Michigan; Skanee in Huron Bay in Baraga County, Michigan; Superior Bay near Duluth, Minnesota;
and St. Louis Bay, also near Duluth. The only location that had a VHS sample confirmed as
positive was at Paradise/Whitefish Point where VHS was confirmed in one sample from a yellow
perch. Not all of the samples from this site, however, were confirmed to have VHS.
Humphries said the finding is not surprising, adding that finding a VHS-positive fish at the east end
of the Lake Superior basin is where biologists have long thought a positive would be found first --
near the St. Mary’s River, which connects the basin to Lake Huron, a VHS-affected lake.
“VHS remains a threat to all the Great Lakes, and we will increase our efforts to slow the spread
through public awareness of the simple things boaters and anglers can do to help,” Humphries
said.
Frank said that the result underscores the importance of anglers and boaters taking required and
appropriate steps to stop the further spread of VHS within Lake Superior itself, and to inland
waters. “VHS has not gone away - whether you are boating or fishing in Wisconsin or Michigan,
you should drain all water from your bilge, live well or bait bucket, and never take live fish away
from any water,” said Frank.
Humphries and Frank said their agencies will continue collecting and testing fish for VHS in Lake
Superior. Both states have been collecting samples of fish from Lake Superior for the last 3 years,
and neither state has yet found any fish positive for VHS using rigorous, confirmatory testing
procedures.
Anglers and boaters who recreate on Lake Superior can help both the Michigan DNRE and
Wisconsin DNR by reporting any significant fish kills they encounter on Lake Superior to the
agencies. Also, anglers and boaters should drain their livewells and bilge as they exit a lake. Boats
should regularly be cleaned and disinfected after use, as well as any boating and fishing
equipment.
Both states prohibit release of unused minnows back into the water. Unused bait should be
disposed of on land or in a trash can. Also, both states prohibit the transfer of live fish from one
lake to another without appropriate permits. Wisconsin has additional rules relating to the
movement of live fish and the use and possession of live minnows.
Commercial harvest of whitefish allowed to increase
MADISON – Commercial fishermen can increase their harvest of whitefish from Lake Michigan
under changes approved Dec. 14, 2009, by the state Natural Resources Board.
The approved increase in commercial harvest would allow commercial fishermen to catch 410,001
more pounds more of whitefish, a 16.6 percent increase. The total allowable annual harvest would
increase from 2,470,000 pounds to 2,880,001 pounds. The increase, the first since 1999, would
be split equally among the three commercial fishing zones in the lake.
The proposed rules now have to undergo Legislative committee review before they can be
published and take effect.
“Since the sea lamprey was brought under control, whitefish populations have done well,” he said.
The population appears to be stable or growing, and it is the only commercial species that’s held
up well in lake Michigan over time, particularly as invasive species have significantly changed the
ecosystem and the food fish have available to them.
Horns said that the DNR is conservative in setting harvest numbers and that the modeling shows
the whitefish population is able to accommodate the increase in commercial harvest. And the
department is changing its angler surveys, or “creel” surveys, to get more precise estimates of
sport angler harvest.
DNR fisheries staff will continue to monitor whitefish to understand why the fish, though abundant,
are growing to a catchable size more slowly, and to measure the take of recreational anglers.
The final approved changes differ from a proposal the Department of Natural Resources took out
to public hearings earlier this fall that would not have divided the increase equally among three
zones, but would have used the same proportions used in the past to allocate the overall
commercial whitefish harvest, according to Bill Horns, the Department of Natural Resources fish
biologist who led work on the rule quota change.
More information about the commercial whitefish harvest quota can be found in this background
memo provided to Natural Resources Board members. http://dnr.wi.
gov/org/nrboard/2009/December/12-09-3B1.pdf.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Horns, (608) 266-8782
"Water guards” will be working ice fishing season to help prevent spread of deadly fish
disease
MADISON – Wisconsin’s “Water Guards,” will be working the hard water season to help ensure that
anglers know about and are following rules to prevent the spread of VHS fish disease and aquatic
invasive species.
This specialized group within the Department of Natural Resources conservation warden service
focuses on education and enforcement of VHS and aquatic invasive species rules and laws. As
their second open water season draws to a close, they’re turning to the ice fishing season.
“For the first time, through careful planning, we’ve been able to stretch our budget to allow Water
Guards to work later in the year,” says Wisconsin’s Chief Warden Randy Stark.
“VHS is most active during the cold water season and our ice fishermen move around, particularly
over the holidays,” Stark says. “It’s important to keep up our education and enforcement efforts
during this time of year. We must continue to contain the threat to Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers and
fishing.”
Wisconsin’s regular field wardens, stationed in local communities around the state, also will be
looking for violations of VHS and aquatic invasive species, he says.
According to Greg Stacey, a Water Guard based in Fitchburg and the coordinator of their winter
efforts, “we want to concentrate our efforts on where we can get the biggest bang for the biggest
buck, so we’ll be working major ice fishing tournaments across the state,” he says. “The rest of the
time, we’ll be out there on the ice, talking to individual anglers, reminding them of the rules, and
writing citations where we see violations.”
The VHS virus is most active in water temperatures below 60 degrees, and the disease can spread
fish to fish, or through water contaminated with VHS.
“In the winter, it’s primarily about the water and the fish,” Stacey says. “We need to stop people
from moving both of them around.” Specifically:
•Don’t move live fish away from the water. Keep the fish you want to take home on the ice until you
leave at the end of the day, or carry them away in a dry bucket.
•Drain all water from your equipment. That includes all buckets and containers of fish. When you’re
leaving the ice, you may carry up to 2 gallons of water in which to keep your minnows.
•Follow bait rules. Buy the bait from Wisconsin bait dealers. If you take minnows home after a day
fishing and you’ve added lake water to their container, you can return with them only to that water
body the next day.
•Preserve bait correctly if you catch your own. If you use smelt or other dead bait, preserve it in a
way that does not require freezing or refrigeration. Watch the video Preserving Your Bait on the
DNR Web site for more information.
Following these rules will protect Wisconsin lakes and rivers and anglers’ pocketbooks: a citation
for carrying live fish away from a water runs $343.50, while the penalty for failing to drain the water
from fishing equipment is $243, Stacey says.
“VHS is still found in Wisconsin waters, so we need everybody to keep up the good work,” Stacey
says. “Together, we can keep the disease from spreading and can continue to keep our lakes and
rivers healthy.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Stark (608) 266-1115; Greg Stacey (608) 669-6599
Copyright© 2006 - 2010 BobberStop.com
Submit requests starting April 1 for 2011 events
MADISON – Organizers of certain fishing tournaments planning events for 2011 will want to apply
for a permit starting April 1, 2010.
“If you plan on holding a fishing tournament in 2011, we recommend that you apply in the open
period that starts April 1 and runs through June 30, 2010, to have the best chance of getting your
desired dates and waters,” says Joanna Griffin, tournament coordinator for the Department of
Natural Resources.
All applications received during the open period will be reviewed by Aug. 1, 2010, and in the
unlikely event that another tournament conflicts with an organizer’s choice of dates or waters, DNR
fisheries biologists will discuss options with the tournament organizers, Griffin says.
Permit applications from tournament organizers applying after June 30, 2010, for events in 2011
will be considered on a first-come first-served basis.
Under the state rule that became effective in May 2009, some tournaments in Wisconsin must get
a permit and there is a cap on the maximum amount of tournament fishing allowed on individual
waters.
Tournaments need a permit if any of the following apply:
•The tournament involves 20 or more boats, or 100 or more participants;
•The tournament targets any trout species on waters classified as trout streams;
•The tournament is a catch-hold-release tournament with an off-site weigh-in; or
•The total prize value is $10,000 or greater.
An application fee must accompany all permit applications. Fees vary by type of tournament and
total prize value.
Organizers can still apply for 2010 tournaments
Tournament organizers can still apply for 2010 tournaments, but the DNR must receive completed
applications at least 30 days before the start of the applicant’s tournament. These applications will
be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more details on the fishing tournament rule, to submit an application, or to view a tournament
event calendar, visit the fishing tournaments page of the DNR Web site.
A 2004 law passed in response to growing citizen complaints about tournaments and perceived
problems with crowding at boat ramps, concern over fish that died after being caught during
tournaments, and other factors, instructed DNR to update tournament fishing rules where there
were significant, documented problems.
DNR worked with an advisory group including fishing clubs, lake associations, fishing tournament
organizers and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress to develop the rules.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanna Griffin (608) 264-8953; Jon Hansen (608) 266-
6883.
Deadlines approach for ice fishing shelter removal
MADISON – The first of a number of deadlines for ice anglers to remove ice fishing shelters from
inland and boundary waters is this weekend. All ice fishing shelters must be removed from
Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters by Feb. 20. This earlier date, affecting the Mississippi River
south of the Minnesota-Iowa border, is set to correspond with Iowa regulations.
The deadlines for the other two boundary waters are March 1 for Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary
waters and March 15 for Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters.
The regulations for removing ice shanties from inland Wisconsin waters changed in 2008.
The law now requires ice fishing shelters must be removed daily and when not occupied after the
first Sunday following March 1 for waters south of Highway 64 and after the first Sunday following
March 12 for waters north of Highway 64. For 2010, those dates are:
•Sunday, March 7 for waters south of Highway 64.
•Sunday, March 14 for waters north of Highway 64.
One exception to this rule is that on the Fox river downstream from the DePere dam in Brown
County, ice fishing shelters must always be removed from the ice daily and when not in use.
After these dates for removing ice fishing shelters from a frozen lake or river, an angler may
continue to use a portable shelter but must remove it daily and when it is not occupied or actively
being used.
Failure to remove a shanty or ice fishing shelter by these deadlines could result in a forfeiture of
$263.10. Additional costs may be incurred if the DNR must arrange to have the shanty removed or
if the shanty or ice fishing shelter breaks through the ice and must be recovered and disposed of.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bureau of Law Enforcement - (608) 266-2141
Early trout season opens March 6
MADISON – Trout anglers will find new maps, loosened tackle regulations, and dozens of new trout
waters when the early trout season opens March 6.
The 2010 catch-and-release season begins at 5 a.m. with several changes over recent seasons:
•Anglers are not required to use barbless hooks. Artificial lures and flies are still required.
•Wisconsin's official list of classified trout streams has been updated and contains 58 more
streams that have been classified as trout waters since 2002. Most of those 260 miles are found in
west central and southern Wisconsin counties and will be open for the early season.
•New online maps and interactive maps will make all of the trout waters easier to find and provide
other information to increase anglers’ success.
“It should be a good season,” says Larry Claggett, Department of Natural Resources trout
specialist. “Trout populations have recovered from the floods of 2007 and 2008, we’ve identified
new trout waters for anglers to try, and our new maps should make it easier to get to trout waters
once the snow melts.”
If the snow covering much of Wisconsin as of mid-February hangs around, access to some
streams will be more difficult for the opener. But the cold, snowy winter is good for the trout,
replenishing the groundwater that feeds the streams with the cold, clean water the trout need.
An estimated 230,000 anglers fish for trout, based on sales of inland license stamps, with a smaller
proportion fishing the early season, Claggett says. Across both the early season and the regular
inland season, trout anglers caught an estimated 1.6 million trout in 2006-07, according to results
from a mail survey of anglers during that calendar year.
Regulations:
The season opens 5 a.m. on March 6 and runs until midnight April 25, when there is a week “rest”
before the regular season opens. The early season is catch-and-release. Only artificial lures and
flies are allowed, but new this year, barbless hooks are not required.
Most trout streams are open to early fishing with the exception of most Lake Superior tributaries
and most streams in northeast Wisconsin; check the current trout fishing Regulations pamphlet for
specific waters.
New trout waters identified:
Wisconsin's official list of classified trout streams has been updated and is available online through
the DNR Web site.
The county lists are available as well as printable maps in either black and white or color. The
county-level maps make finding precise access points a whole lot easier. The online offerings also
take anglers to interactive maps where users can customize the maps with whatever information
you want, including type of ground cover and the location of structures, which could come in handy
for knocking on doors to ask permission to cross private property and access remote stretch of
water.
Crawford County has 12 of the 58 newly identified streams, followed by Barron County with ten and
Monroe County with eight.
Dave Vetrano, longtime fisheries biologist for the area including Monroe, Crawford, La Crosse and
Vernon counties, says the new round of upgrades brings the miles of trout water in those counties
to more than 1,000, up from the 654 miles of trout water listed in the 1980 version of the Wisconsin
Trout Streams book.
Improved habitat leads to increased natural reproduction:
Improved land use is probably the biggest reason for the increase in trout waters, Vetrano says.
“Better land use -- more hillside vegetation and better cropping practices -- allows more rain water
and snowmelt to seep into the groundwater. These increase flows result in colder summertime
temperatures and warmer wintertime temperatures. This gives the wild trout we stock a much
better chance they will begin to reproduce on their own.”
The resulting stable water temperatures and good genetics, combined with the habitat DNR and
partners are restoring through funding provided by revenues from sales of Inland Trout Stamps,
are close to making all area streams thrive without any stocking.
“Last year, because of more naturally reproducing waters showing up in our surveys, we dropped
our stocking quotas by 60,000 fish,” Vetrano says, noting that only wild strain fish, not domestic,
are stocked. “Our goal is to not have to stock any trout in our streams and we think it's achievable.”
Vetrano says that anglers will find some nice trout in area streams this March. “We've had two
good years of natural reproduction, coupled with an abundant forage base, increased stream flows
and good growth rates,” he says.
“Last fall we saw several fish over 24 inches show up in our surveys. If we get a normal thaw this
spring we should see another recharge of the aquifer and continued good stream flows. 2010
should be another excellent year for anglers fishing our coulee streams.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Claggett (608) 267-9658
Minnow harvest ban, other VHS fish disease rules in effect on Lake Superior
MADISON – News that traces of vhs fish disease have been found in low levels in fish from some
parts of Lake Superior won’t change state VHS rules but underscores the need for anglers,
boaters and bait harvesters to follow those rules, state fisheries officials say.
Key among those rules is a ban on harvesting minnows from Lake Superior and tributaries up to
the first dam impassable by fish, and requirements that no live fish moved away from a lake or river.
“VHS is a very serious fish disease with the potential to kill a lot of fish,” says Mike Staggs,
Wisconsin’s fisheries director.”Cornell’s findings really highlight the need for everybody to continue
taking the steps to prevent spreading this VHS to our inland lakes and rivers.”
Cornell University researchers on Jan. 27, 2010, announced that they had found genetic material
of the virus in low levels in fish from four of seven areas tested in Lake Superior, including the
Duluth-Superior Harbor. VHS, which stands for viral hemorrhagic septicemia, is not a human health
risk but can infect dozens of native fish species and can cause them to bleed to death.
Wisconsin included Lake Superior and its connecting waters in rules originally passed in 2007 and
made permanent in 2008 in its definition of waters infected by VHS. Lake Superior is connected to
waters which already had the virus at the time.
Bait harvest is prohibited in infected waters, in addition to the other statewide rules. “Infected
waters” are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the Winnebago System and the Mississippi River, and
all of their connecting waters up to the first dam impassable to fish. A listing of all affected waters
can be found online.
Under VHS statewide rules:
•Minnow harvesting of any kind is not allowed on any VHS affected waters (including Lake Superior
and tributaries).
•All anglers and boaters statewide are required to drain all water from the fishing and boating
equipment when leaving the lake or entering the state (except drinking water and a small amount
of water to move minnows as described below).
•All anglers statewide may not move live fish or fish eggs away from any water with the exception of
minnows purchased from a registered Wisconsin bait dealer and used under certain condition.
Such leftover minnows can be used again on the same water, or they can be used elsewhere if the
angler did not add lake or river water or other fish to their bait container.
•Use of dead fish for bait is not allowed except on the waters from which they were taken or if they
were preserved by a method that does not require freezing or refrigeration.
VHS found in Lake Superior fish
Michigan, Wisconsin not planning regulation changes in Lake Superior based on findings of
Cornell University
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources today said the recent finding by a Cornell University research team of traces
of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus (VHS) in fish inhabiting Lake Superior would not lead to any
immediate regulation changes for anglers or boaters.
Cornell University reported in a press release today that they had found trace amounts of VHS
virus in organ samples taken from a small number of healthy fish in four sites in Lake Superior.
The news release [exit DNR] is available on Cornell University's Web site.
“We appreciate the efforts of Cornell University to help better understand this disease, but we also
want to caution anglers and others who enjoy Lake Superior that this does not mean there has
been a widespread outbreak of VHS in those waters,” said Michigan DNRE Director Rebecca
Humphries. “What this study does indicate is that VHS has been observed in four locations in Lake
Superior, but it is not everywhere. Based on this limited finding, Michigan is not planning to make
any changes in its regulations at this time.”
Wisconsin DNR Secretary Matt Frank said that Wisconsin’s strong VHS protections were already
set with Lake Superior in mind. “We’re disappointed with Cornell’s finding, but not surprised. The
good news is that our VHS rules for boaters and anglers stay the same and will continue to protect
our inland waters. We included Lake Superior when we originally passed regulations in 2007
because it’s directly connected to waters that already had the virus present. We appreciate the
efforts of Wisconsin boaters and anglers who comply.”
The Cornell University-led research team spent several days in June collecting and sampling
healthy fish in Lake Superior. Nearly 900 fish were collected from the lake, and a new screening
tool used by the team found a preliminary positive result for VHS in a small number of fish collected
from four points in the Lake Superior basin – Paradise/Whitefish Point, Chippewa County,
Michigan; Skanee in Huron Bay in Baraga County, Michigan; Superior Bay near Duluth, Minnesota;
and St. Louis Bay, also near Duluth. The only location that had a VHS sample confirmed as
positive was at Paradise/Whitefish Point where VHS was confirmed in one sample from a yellow
perch. Not all of the samples from this site, however, were confirmed to have VHS.
Humphries said the finding is not surprising, adding that finding a VHS-positive fish at the east end
of the Lake Superior basin is where biologists have long thought a positive would be found first --
near the St. Mary’s River, which connects the basin to Lake Huron, a VHS-affected lake.
“VHS remains a threat to all the Great Lakes, and we will increase our efforts to slow the spread
through public awareness of the simple things boaters and anglers can do to help,” Humphries
said.
Frank said that the result underscores the importance of anglers and boaters taking required and
appropriate steps to stop the further spread of VHS within Lake Superior itself, and to inland
waters. “VHS has not gone away - whether you are boating or fishing in Wisconsin or Michigan,
you should drain all water from your bilge, live well or bait bucket, and never take live fish away
from any water,” said Frank.
Humphries and Frank said their agencies will continue collecting and testing fish for VHS in Lake
Superior. Both states have been collecting samples of fish from Lake Superior for the last 3 years,
and neither state has yet found any fish positive for VHS using rigorous, confirmatory testing
procedures.
Anglers and boaters who recreate on Lake Superior can help both the Michigan DNRE and
Wisconsin DNR by reporting any significant fish kills they encounter on Lake Superior to the
agencies. Also, anglers and boaters should drain their livewells and bilge as they exit a lake. Boats
should regularly be cleaned and disinfected after use, as well as any boating and fishing
equipment.
Both states prohibit release of unused minnows back into the water. Unused bait should be
disposed of on land or in a trash can. Also, both states prohibit the transfer of live fish from one
lake to another without appropriate permits. Wisconsin has additional rules relating to the
movement of live fish and the use and possession of live minnows.
Commercial harvest of whitefish allowed to increase
MADISON – Commercial fishermen can increase their harvest of whitefish from Lake Michigan
under changes approved Dec. 14, 2009, by the state Natural Resources Board.
The approved increase in commercial harvest would allow commercial fishermen to catch 410,001
more pounds more of whitefish, a 16.6 percent increase. The total allowable annual harvest would
increase from 2,470,000 pounds to 2,880,001 pounds. The increase, the first since 1999, would
be split equally among the three commercial fishing zones in the lake.
The proposed rules now have to undergo Legislative committee review before they can be
published and take effect.
“Since the sea lamprey was brought under control, whitefish populations have done well,” he said.
The population appears to be stable or growing, and it is the only commercial species that’s held
up well in lake Michigan over time, particularly as invasive species have significantly changed the
ecosystem and the food fish have available to them.
Horns said that the DNR is conservative in setting harvest numbers and that the modeling shows
the whitefish population is able to accommodate the increase in commercial harvest. And the
department is changing its angler surveys, or “creel” surveys, to get more precise estimates of
sport angler harvest.
DNR fisheries staff will continue to monitor whitefish to understand why the fish, though abundant,
are growing to a catchable size more slowly, and to measure the take of recreational anglers.
The final approved changes differ from a proposal the Department of Natural Resources took out
to public hearings earlier this fall that would not have divided the increase equally among three
zones, but would have used the same proportions used in the past to allocate the overall
commercial whitefish harvest, according to Bill Horns, the Department of Natural Resources fish
biologist who led work on the rule quota change.
More information about the commercial whitefish harvest quota can be found in this background
memo provided to Natural Resources Board members. http://dnr.wi.
gov/org/nrboard/2009/December/12-09-3B1.pdf.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Horns, (608) 266-8782
"Water guards” will be working ice fishing season to help prevent spread of deadly fish
disease
MADISON – Wisconsin’s “Water Guards,” will be working the hard water season to help ensure that
anglers know about and are following rules to prevent the spread of VHS fish disease and aquatic
invasive species.
This specialized group within the Department of Natural Resources conservation warden service
focuses on education and enforcement of VHS and aquatic invasive species rules and laws. As
their second open water season draws to a close, they’re turning to the ice fishing season.
“For the first time, through careful planning, we’ve been able to stretch our budget to allow Water
Guards to work later in the year,” says Wisconsin’s Chief Warden Randy Stark.
“VHS is most active during the cold water season and our ice fishermen move around, particularly
over the holidays,” Stark says. “It’s important to keep up our education and enforcement efforts
during this time of year. We must continue to contain the threat to Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers and
fishing.”
Wisconsin’s regular field wardens, stationed in local communities around the state, also will be
looking for violations of VHS and aquatic invasive species, he says.
According to Greg Stacey, a Water Guard based in Fitchburg and the coordinator of their winter
efforts, “we want to concentrate our efforts on where we can get the biggest bang for the biggest
buck, so we’ll be working major ice fishing tournaments across the state,” he says. “The rest of the
time, we’ll be out there on the ice, talking to individual anglers, reminding them of the rules, and
writing citations where we see violations.”
The VHS virus is most active in water temperatures below 60 degrees, and the disease can spread
fish to fish, or through water contaminated with VHS.
“In the winter, it’s primarily about the water and the fish,” Stacey says. “We need to stop people
from moving both of them around.” Specifically:
•Don’t move live fish away from the water. Keep the fish you want to take home on the ice until you
leave at the end of the day, or carry them away in a dry bucket.
•Drain all water from your equipment. That includes all buckets and containers of fish. When you’re
leaving the ice, you may carry up to 2 gallons of water in which to keep your minnows.
•Follow bait rules. Buy the bait from Wisconsin bait dealers. If you take minnows home after a day
fishing and you’ve added lake water to their container, you can return with them only to that water
body the next day.
•Preserve bait correctly if you catch your own. If you use smelt or other dead bait, preserve it in a
way that does not require freezing or refrigeration. Watch the video Preserving Your Bait on the
DNR Web site for more information.
Following these rules will protect Wisconsin lakes and rivers and anglers’ pocketbooks: a citation
for carrying live fish away from a water runs $343.50, while the penalty for failing to drain the water
from fishing equipment is $243, Stacey says.
“VHS is still found in Wisconsin waters, so we need everybody to keep up the good work,” Stacey
says. “Together, we can keep the disease from spreading and can continue to keep our lakes and
rivers healthy.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Stark (608) 266-1115; Greg Stacey (608) 669-6599
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