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By Louie Stout
Assistant District Biologist Avery Feldmeier
Northwest Indiana’s fish management team is growing with the addition of two new district biologists.
District 1, previously led by Tom Bacula who has been promoted to District Research Biologist, now includes District Biologist Courtney Weldon, who will join the team in the coming days, and Assistant District Biologist Avery Feldmeier, pictured here, who began working the district April 1.
Feldmeier is a 2022 graduate of Lake Superior College with a degree in fisheries and wildlife management. He has since worked in Ohio as a Lake Erie Research Biologist and in Florida where he did ecological research on sea turtles.
The 23-year-old Hudsonville, Mich. native, who lives in LaPorte, Ind., is an avid waterfowl and deer hunter as well as bass and walleye angler.
“I grew up fishing the lakes around my Michigan home so I’m familiar with natural likes like we have here,” he said.
His role will be to help with lake surveys, data entry and oversee summer help. Bacula said Feldmeier will handle communication between the DNR and angler clubs and fishing community in the district.
He already has assisted in the muskie brood stock collection at Webster Lake and a spring survey on Lake of the Woods.
He also will be assessing fish at the Indiana Federation bass tournament weigh-in at Pine and Stone Lakes this weekend.
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IDNR Report
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a drowning that occurred yesterday in Indiana’s Little Turkey Lake located in southwestern Steuben County.
At 4:14 p.m., Steuben County Communications received a 911 call advising that a fisherman was in distress in the water.
Upon arrival, responders learned that Thomas Frazie, 76, of Waterloo, was fishing in a boat when, for unknown reasons, he fell in. His fishing partner got the unconscious angler back in the boat; however, lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and Frazie was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy was performed today at the Northeast Indiana Forensics Center in Fort Wayne, and the preliminary cause of death was ruled an accidental drowning.
Conservation officers were assisted at the scene by the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, Ashley Police Department, Indiana State Police, Ashley Fire Department, Steuben County Emergency Medical Services, and Parkview Samaritan Transport.
Conservation officers remind the public to always wear a life jacket when on or near any body of water.
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Skeet Reese Report
IDNR Report
Interested anglers and members of the public are invited to an open meeting April 25 in Columbia City to learn and ask questions about a largemouth bass management project planned for Tri-Lakes.
The chain of lakes is located north of Columbia City and consists of Round, Cedar and Little Cedar.
The multi-year project aims to increase the number of sizable largemouth bass in Tri-Lakes through a series of largemouth bass relocations. The system has an abundance of slow-growing bass between 8-13.5 inches and the plan calls to remove some them to another lake. Biologists believe the project will allow those bass remaining in Tri-Lakes to grow faster with less competition and create more of a balance in the fishery.
The meeting will be held at the Thorncreek Township Fire Department, 821 E 500 N. From 7-8:30 p.m. ET, DNR fisheries biologists will introduce the project, explain its goals, share data and anticipated results, and then answer questions.
“Local anglers have wanted us to improve the size of largemouth bass at Tri-Lakes for several years,” said Tyler Delauder, the district’s fisheries biologist. “We hope this project will allow us to do that.”
To learn more about the project, see wildlife.IN.gov/fishing/largemouth-bass. To learn more about the open meeting, see events.IN.gov/event/tri-lakes-open-meeting.
If you can’t attend the meeting and would like additional information, email D3Fish@dnr.IN.gov.
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IDNR Report
As a result of an investigation conducted by Indiana Conservation Officers, Ryan Jinkerson, 46, of Lowell, and Randy Kirk, 34, of Winfield, face multiple charges of and related to poaching deer.
The two Lake County men were charged with illegal taking of deer, hunting with the aid of a motorized conveyance, providing false information to a deer check station, failing to check in deer, hunting deer without a license, hunting without consent of landowner, hunting deer by the aid of bait, unlawful taking of a federally protected species, unlawfully placing surveillance cameras on private property, and hindering a conservation officer, all of which are misdemeanors.
The investigation stemmed from information provided via TIP (Turn in a Poacher), a hotline for reporting such crimes, received late last year.
Both suspects surrendered themselves after conservation officers filed charges and issued arrest warrants. Each subsequently posted $750 bond.
All suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Conservation officers remind the public that wildlife belongs to all Hoosiers. If you see illegal activity or want to report possible illegal activity, contact TIP at 1-800-TIP-IDNR (800-847-4367) or tip.IN.gov. Doing so will help conserve wildlife for future generations.
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IDNR Report
Accessibility Information Now Available
Want to enjoy Indiana’s outdoors but are concerned about what areas might present barriers?
A new one-stop feature of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website highlights work that has been purposeful in reducing challenges to allow guests to experience all that DNR properties offer.
Just go to on.IN.gov/dnr-accessibility and select the activity you would like and which properties interest you or those of your family or friends.
Once there, you’ll find maps, photos, and details about some of the destinations that feature accommodations for hunting and fishing, trail chairs, wheelchair accessible trails, paved trails, beach mats, and the like.
While this list is expansive, it is not a comprehensive list of accessible activities. If there is a property that appeals to your interests, we recommend calling the property office for more information.
“This is one of the many things we are doing to welcome all to DNR properties so they can enjoy the many benefits of Indiana’s great outdoors,” said DNR director Dan Bortner.
Make sure to bookmark the link for quick access and share it with anyone you think could benefit.