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.