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03-08-2005, 10:01 PM
Article published Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Few walleye taken over the weekend just a tease
It's not time yet to call your buddies in Cincinnati or wherever and tell them to get on up to "the river" here, but the first walleye of the spring spawning runs were taken from the Maumee River over the weekend.
Most of these early-running fish are jacks, or younger males, said Gary Lowry at Maumee Valley Bait and Tackle in Maumee. He had two anglers each bring in a fish over the weekend, a two-pound jack and a five-pound female.
Lowry was quick to caution that only a handful of walleyes seem to be present right now. "But I expect a push of fish in the next few days," he said. Water temperature yesterday was a fairly balmy 41 degrees, which is "in the zone" for the runs.
The Maumee yesterday was running at 582 feet and had risen a foot since Sunday from snow runoff and thawing. As a result, Lowry noted, wading to the popular Blue Grass Island at Side Cut Metropark is not safe. Normal spring flow is 579 feet above sea level, as measured at the gauge on the I-475 bridge.
With the high flows, the fishing access sites below Side Cut are the most likely suspects to try, including the foot of White Street and Tow Path on the Maumee side and Fort Meigs and Orleans Park on the Perrysburg side.
The state's Buttonwood access site above Perrysburg also may be a possibility, Lowry noted, adding that overall not much fishing action was reported. A few suckers are being taken, and a few northern pike reported around Grand Rapids Dam.
Chris Martin, of River Lures at Grand Rapids, said that anglers coming into his shop over the weekend were going out for crappies and pike, but none reported back with any catches.
Larry Goedde, fish management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2 at Findlay, said that Bob Hesterman, state wildlife officer for Henry County, reported good angler success recently for buffalo carp at North Turkeyfoot Creek above the dam.
Hesterman photographed a pair of anglers with 41 buffalo. An earlier trip by the pair netted 75 buffalo, Hesterman reported.
On the Sandusky River at downtown Fremont, fishing activity was virtually nonexistent, said Bernie Whitt at Anglers Supply there. Whitt noted, however, that stream conditions look good for the walleye run on the Sandusky.
"I'd say that by the next warmup we should be full of fish."
●
The recovery of the bald eagle in Ohio is the scheduled feature topic at the annual Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference, set for tomorrow at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus.
The daylong conference, open to the public, also will address the use of reclaimed mine lands by grassland bird species, ant colonies, and the impact of bullfrogs on other amphibians, among other lectures.
Representatives from conservation and natural resources organizations, including the Ohio Bluebird Society, county metroparks and the Ohio Biological Survey will have displays as well. For details and registration call 1-800-WILDLIFE, or visit the state Web site, www.ohiodnr.com.
●
Bassmaster University is coming to the Marriott Hotel, at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Saturday and Sunday, with a lineup of bass fishing professionals as instructors.
This year's classroom team of pros includes Mike Iaconelli, of Voorhees, N.J.; Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas; David Fritts, Lexington, N.C.; Ken Cook, Meers, Okla.; Mike Auten, Benton, Ky.; and Joe Thomas, Milford, Ohio.
Sessions begin with registration Saturday at 7 a.m. and classes at 8 a.m., concluding at 3:30 p.m. Sunday sessions are set for 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For enrollment fees and other information call Bassmaster University at 1-866-732-BASS.
DATEBOOK
Today through Thursday - Toledo Trap and Skeet Club, 2 to 9 p.m. daily, 3150 State Rt. 295, Berkey; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call the club, 419-829-5101.
Tonight - Public trapshoot, 6 to 10, Dundee Sportsmen's Club, 2300 Plank Rd., Dundee, Mich., repeats Thursday 9 a.m. to noon and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.; call the club 734-529-3581.
Tonight - Native American traditions, 7 p.m., Side Cut Metropark, Lamb Center, speaker Joyce Mahaney, sponsored by Friends of Side Cut; also, Saturday, program on early bird migration, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Side Cut, Riverview Area; also, nature shoot on winter birds, 9 a.m., Secor Metropark, Nature Center, call for reservations 419-829-6866; also, Sunday, native plant gardening, 2 to 3 p.m., Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, Buehner Center, call for reservations 419-535-3058.
Tomorrow - Bird census, 8 a.m., Creek Bend Farm, Fremont, call the Sandusky County Park District 419-334-4495 or 1-888-200-5577.
Tomorrow - Ohio Wildlife Council, 7 p.m., Ohio Wildlife District 1 headquarters, 1500 Dublin Rd., Columbus, hunting and trapping proposals review; also, Thursday, state fish and wildlife hearing on proposals, District 1, 9 a.m.; call 1-800-WILDLIFE.
Friday - Annual hunting heritage dinner, Maumee Valley Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation, 5:30 p.m., new location at Holland Gardens, 6530 Angola Road east of McCord Road, Holland; for tickets and details call Jeff Wright 419-832-1461 or Skip Markland 419-385-5058.
Sunday - Wild turkey hunting clinic, 1 to 7 p.m., Ohio Wildflife District 2, 952 Lima Ave., Findlay; register by calling 419-429-8347.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Pollick is The Blade's outdoor writer
» E-mail him at spollick@theblade.com
» Read more Steve Pollick columns at www.toledoblade.com/pollick
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050308/COLUMNIST22/503080313
Few walleye taken over the weekend just a tease
It's not time yet to call your buddies in Cincinnati or wherever and tell them to get on up to "the river" here, but the first walleye of the spring spawning runs were taken from the Maumee River over the weekend.
Most of these early-running fish are jacks, or younger males, said Gary Lowry at Maumee Valley Bait and Tackle in Maumee. He had two anglers each bring in a fish over the weekend, a two-pound jack and a five-pound female.
Lowry was quick to caution that only a handful of walleyes seem to be present right now. "But I expect a push of fish in the next few days," he said. Water temperature yesterday was a fairly balmy 41 degrees, which is "in the zone" for the runs.
The Maumee yesterday was running at 582 feet and had risen a foot since Sunday from snow runoff and thawing. As a result, Lowry noted, wading to the popular Blue Grass Island at Side Cut Metropark is not safe. Normal spring flow is 579 feet above sea level, as measured at the gauge on the I-475 bridge.
With the high flows, the fishing access sites below Side Cut are the most likely suspects to try, including the foot of White Street and Tow Path on the Maumee side and Fort Meigs and Orleans Park on the Perrysburg side.
The state's Buttonwood access site above Perrysburg also may be a possibility, Lowry noted, adding that overall not much fishing action was reported. A few suckers are being taken, and a few northern pike reported around Grand Rapids Dam.
Chris Martin, of River Lures at Grand Rapids, said that anglers coming into his shop over the weekend were going out for crappies and pike, but none reported back with any catches.
Larry Goedde, fish management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2 at Findlay, said that Bob Hesterman, state wildlife officer for Henry County, reported good angler success recently for buffalo carp at North Turkeyfoot Creek above the dam.
Hesterman photographed a pair of anglers with 41 buffalo. An earlier trip by the pair netted 75 buffalo, Hesterman reported.
On the Sandusky River at downtown Fremont, fishing activity was virtually nonexistent, said Bernie Whitt at Anglers Supply there. Whitt noted, however, that stream conditions look good for the walleye run on the Sandusky.
"I'd say that by the next warmup we should be full of fish."
●
The recovery of the bald eagle in Ohio is the scheduled feature topic at the annual Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference, set for tomorrow at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus.
The daylong conference, open to the public, also will address the use of reclaimed mine lands by grassland bird species, ant colonies, and the impact of bullfrogs on other amphibians, among other lectures.
Representatives from conservation and natural resources organizations, including the Ohio Bluebird Society, county metroparks and the Ohio Biological Survey will have displays as well. For details and registration call 1-800-WILDLIFE, or visit the state Web site, www.ohiodnr.com.
●
Bassmaster University is coming to the Marriott Hotel, at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Saturday and Sunday, with a lineup of bass fishing professionals as instructors.
This year's classroom team of pros includes Mike Iaconelli, of Voorhees, N.J.; Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas; David Fritts, Lexington, N.C.; Ken Cook, Meers, Okla.; Mike Auten, Benton, Ky.; and Joe Thomas, Milford, Ohio.
Sessions begin with registration Saturday at 7 a.m. and classes at 8 a.m., concluding at 3:30 p.m. Sunday sessions are set for 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For enrollment fees and other information call Bassmaster University at 1-866-732-BASS.
DATEBOOK
Today through Thursday - Toledo Trap and Skeet Club, 2 to 9 p.m. daily, 3150 State Rt. 295, Berkey; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call the club, 419-829-5101.
Tonight - Public trapshoot, 6 to 10, Dundee Sportsmen's Club, 2300 Plank Rd., Dundee, Mich., repeats Thursday 9 a.m. to noon and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.; call the club 734-529-3581.
Tonight - Native American traditions, 7 p.m., Side Cut Metropark, Lamb Center, speaker Joyce Mahaney, sponsored by Friends of Side Cut; also, Saturday, program on early bird migration, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Side Cut, Riverview Area; also, nature shoot on winter birds, 9 a.m., Secor Metropark, Nature Center, call for reservations 419-829-6866; also, Sunday, native plant gardening, 2 to 3 p.m., Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, Buehner Center, call for reservations 419-535-3058.
Tomorrow - Bird census, 8 a.m., Creek Bend Farm, Fremont, call the Sandusky County Park District 419-334-4495 or 1-888-200-5577.
Tomorrow - Ohio Wildlife Council, 7 p.m., Ohio Wildlife District 1 headquarters, 1500 Dublin Rd., Columbus, hunting and trapping proposals review; also, Thursday, state fish and wildlife hearing on proposals, District 1, 9 a.m.; call 1-800-WILDLIFE.
Friday - Annual hunting heritage dinner, Maumee Valley Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation, 5:30 p.m., new location at Holland Gardens, 6530 Angola Road east of McCord Road, Holland; for tickets and details call Jeff Wright 419-832-1461 or Skip Markland 419-385-5058.
Sunday - Wild turkey hunting clinic, 1 to 7 p.m., Ohio Wildflife District 2, 952 Lima Ave., Findlay; register by calling 419-429-8347.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Pollick is The Blade's outdoor writer
» E-mail him at spollick@theblade.com
» Read more Steve Pollick columns at www.toledoblade.com/pollick
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050308/COLUMNIST22/503080313