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03-21-2005, 10:12 AM
Article published Thursday, March 17, 2005
New wildlife area opening April 16 near Montpelier
The St. Joseph River State Wildlife Area in Williams County, the state's newest, is set to open for hunting and fishing beginning April 16, the Ohio Division of Wildlife said yesterday.
The area, nearly 196 acres, is located in Superior Township on County Road J, southwest of Montpelier on the river for which it was named. It includes 70 and 35-acre quarry lakes and two water-filled gravel pits of an acre each.
"Lakes on the property have some quality fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and some yellow perch," said Larry Goedde, fish-management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2.
The lakes are to be named later. The wildlife division plans to stock catchable-size rainbow trout in the 70-acre lake on April 28, and later this year it intends to plant fingerling walleye there as well. It will take about two years for the fingerlings to reach keeper size.
Goedde said the walleye stocking is experimental and repeat stockings will depend on the success of the first-year fish and the results of a forage-base survey.
Special harvest regulations will be posted to all the lakes when they open for fishing to help maintain high-quality fishing. These include an 18-inch minimum keeper-length for largemouth, a daily bluegill creel limit of 10, and a daily crappie limit of 10. The trout limit will be five, as it is elsewhere inland statewide. All other fish limits will be subject to statewide regulations.
At present, Goedde noted, the area has no boat ramps and parking areas are unimproved. But anglers can put in boats with motors to 10 horsepower if they can launch without a ramp. A ramp is planned on the 70-acre lake, along with parking improvements.
About a quarter-mile of the St. Joe also flows through the area, with fishing subject to statewide regulations. The area also will be open to hunting in accord with statewide rules.
In October the wildlife division bought the area at auction for $700,000 from an individual who in turn had purchased it from StoneCo, which developed and mined stone from the quarries. The purchase price was considered a bargain, given the cost of constructing equivalent fishing lakes.
•
Fishing report-Western Lake Erie currently is in transition to open water, with some areas still somewhat limited by ice and slush, said Travis Hartman, a state fisheries biologist at Sandusky.
Based on weather projections, expect the first boatloads of jig-and-minnow anglers to be heading out next week onto the reef areas and bays.
On the Maumee and Sandusky rivers, the table is set for an marked increase in walleye action, with both streams in good shape but water temperatures still on the cool side in the high 30s. Anglers can expect improving fishing conditions each day under the forecast of moderating weather.
The prime area on the Sandusky River for wading anglers is between the bridges in downtown Fremont. On the Maumee the current best bets seem to be Buttonwood Public Access above Perrysburg on the Wood County side, and Blue Grass Island and the end of Jerome Road in the Side Cut Metropark environs on the Maumee side.
Maumee anglers are taking just one or two fish typically, and those mostly are younger males, or jacks, said Gary Lowry at Maumee Valley Bait and Tackle. Chris Martin at River Lures in Grand Rapids said he has seen some large crappies taken from the slow current below the Grand Rapids Dam.
DATEBOOK
Tomorrow-Muskrat feed and yellow perch dinner, 4 to 8 p.m., American Legion Post 114, 221 Park St., Oak Harbor; tickets at the door, call Brad Jess, 419-346-5964.
Tomorrow-Annual lasagna fund-raising dinner, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, 4:30 to 7 p.m., at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Ottawa and Toussaint streets, Oak Harbor; call BSBO 419-898-4070.
Saturday-Auto tour of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 14000 West State Rt. 2, Oak Harbor; call 419-898-0014.
Saturday-Spring migration bird hikes, 9 to 11 a.m., nature center, Van Buren State Park, State Rt. 613 east of I-75 north of Findlay; call 419-832-7662.
Sunday-Wild turkey-hunting seminar, 2:30 p.m., Dick's Sporting Goods, Spring Meadows Shopping Center, Airport Highway, Holland; sponsored by Maumee Valley and other area chapters, National Wild Turkey Federation; Sunday-Audubon bird census, 8 a.m., White Star Park wetlands, Sandusky County Road 65 east of Gibsonburg, call the Sandusky County Park District 419-334-4495 or 1-888-200-5577.
Sunday-Annual spring turkey shoot, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ottawa Lake Sportsmen's Club, 9480 Memorial Hwy., Ottawa Lake, Mich., public welcome, call Dave Price 734-856-1806.
Sunday-Bowshoots: Lenawee County Conservation League, register 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1404 Sutton Rd., Adrian, Mich., 30 3-D targets, call Allan Andrews 517-431-2909; also, Monroe Rod and Gun Club, register 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6280 Lighthouse Rd., Monroe, Mich., 30 3-D targets, call Don Grodi 734-269-2847; also, Tomahawk Archers, register 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2085 Erie Rd., Temperance, Mich., first leg Southern Michigan Crown jewel, 30 3-D targets, call Gil Kollarik 419 691-5130.
March 22-Dundee Chapter, Whitetails Unlimited, Old Mill Banquet Hall, 245 Toledo St., Dundee, Mich., social hour 5:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m., call Scott Heck 734-216-5601 or 734-529-3555.
Beginning next week, Steve Pollick's regular Thursday column will not appear. Instead a special seasonal Pollick feature, Follow the Fish, will appear on Fridays. The regular outdoors columns will continue on Sundays and Tuesdays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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=/20050317/COLUMNIST22/503170375
New wildlife area opening April 16 near Montpelier
The St. Joseph River State Wildlife Area in Williams County, the state's newest, is set to open for hunting and fishing beginning April 16, the Ohio Division of Wildlife said yesterday.
The area, nearly 196 acres, is located in Superior Township on County Road J, southwest of Montpelier on the river for which it was named. It includes 70 and 35-acre quarry lakes and two water-filled gravel pits of an acre each.
"Lakes on the property have some quality fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and some yellow perch," said Larry Goedde, fish-management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2.
The lakes are to be named later. The wildlife division plans to stock catchable-size rainbow trout in the 70-acre lake on April 28, and later this year it intends to plant fingerling walleye there as well. It will take about two years for the fingerlings to reach keeper size.
Goedde said the walleye stocking is experimental and repeat stockings will depend on the success of the first-year fish and the results of a forage-base survey.
Special harvest regulations will be posted to all the lakes when they open for fishing to help maintain high-quality fishing. These include an 18-inch minimum keeper-length for largemouth, a daily bluegill creel limit of 10, and a daily crappie limit of 10. The trout limit will be five, as it is elsewhere inland statewide. All other fish limits will be subject to statewide regulations.
At present, Goedde noted, the area has no boat ramps and parking areas are unimproved. But anglers can put in boats with motors to 10 horsepower if they can launch without a ramp. A ramp is planned on the 70-acre lake, along with parking improvements.
About a quarter-mile of the St. Joe also flows through the area, with fishing subject to statewide regulations. The area also will be open to hunting in accord with statewide rules.
In October the wildlife division bought the area at auction for $700,000 from an individual who in turn had purchased it from StoneCo, which developed and mined stone from the quarries. The purchase price was considered a bargain, given the cost of constructing equivalent fishing lakes.
•
Fishing report-Western Lake Erie currently is in transition to open water, with some areas still somewhat limited by ice and slush, said Travis Hartman, a state fisheries biologist at Sandusky.
Based on weather projections, expect the first boatloads of jig-and-minnow anglers to be heading out next week onto the reef areas and bays.
On the Maumee and Sandusky rivers, the table is set for an marked increase in walleye action, with both streams in good shape but water temperatures still on the cool side in the high 30s. Anglers can expect improving fishing conditions each day under the forecast of moderating weather.
The prime area on the Sandusky River for wading anglers is between the bridges in downtown Fremont. On the Maumee the current best bets seem to be Buttonwood Public Access above Perrysburg on the Wood County side, and Blue Grass Island and the end of Jerome Road in the Side Cut Metropark environs on the Maumee side.
Maumee anglers are taking just one or two fish typically, and those mostly are younger males, or jacks, said Gary Lowry at Maumee Valley Bait and Tackle. Chris Martin at River Lures in Grand Rapids said he has seen some large crappies taken from the slow current below the Grand Rapids Dam.
DATEBOOK
Tomorrow-Muskrat feed and yellow perch dinner, 4 to 8 p.m., American Legion Post 114, 221 Park St., Oak Harbor; tickets at the door, call Brad Jess, 419-346-5964.
Tomorrow-Annual lasagna fund-raising dinner, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, 4:30 to 7 p.m., at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Ottawa and Toussaint streets, Oak Harbor; call BSBO 419-898-4070.
Saturday-Auto tour of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 14000 West State Rt. 2, Oak Harbor; call 419-898-0014.
Saturday-Spring migration bird hikes, 9 to 11 a.m., nature center, Van Buren State Park, State Rt. 613 east of I-75 north of Findlay; call 419-832-7662.
Sunday-Wild turkey-hunting seminar, 2:30 p.m., Dick's Sporting Goods, Spring Meadows Shopping Center, Airport Highway, Holland; sponsored by Maumee Valley and other area chapters, National Wild Turkey Federation; Sunday-Audubon bird census, 8 a.m., White Star Park wetlands, Sandusky County Road 65 east of Gibsonburg, call the Sandusky County Park District 419-334-4495 or 1-888-200-5577.
Sunday-Annual spring turkey shoot, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ottawa Lake Sportsmen's Club, 9480 Memorial Hwy., Ottawa Lake, Mich., public welcome, call Dave Price 734-856-1806.
Sunday-Bowshoots: Lenawee County Conservation League, register 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1404 Sutton Rd., Adrian, Mich., 30 3-D targets, call Allan Andrews 517-431-2909; also, Monroe Rod and Gun Club, register 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6280 Lighthouse Rd., Monroe, Mich., 30 3-D targets, call Don Grodi 734-269-2847; also, Tomahawk Archers, register 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2085 Erie Rd., Temperance, Mich., first leg Southern Michigan Crown jewel, 30 3-D targets, call Gil Kollarik 419 691-5130.
March 22-Dundee Chapter, Whitetails Unlimited, Old Mill Banquet Hall, 245 Toledo St., Dundee, Mich., social hour 5:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m., call Scott Heck 734-216-5601 or 734-529-3555.
Beginning next week, Steve Pollick's regular Thursday column will not appear. Instead a special seasonal Pollick feature, Follow the Fish, will appear on Fridays. The regular outdoors columns will continue on Sundays and Tuesdays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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=/20050317/COLUMNIST22/503170375