Twelve fish habitat conservation projects in streams and lakes across the state will share close to $1.8 million in Fisheries Habitat Grants administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
In a perfect world, every lake is full of biting fish and hosts a nicely pitched boat ramp with nobody waiting in line. But we all know perfect is just a fantasy. With more boats on the water and an increasing knowledge base among anglers, lakes are often crowded and the fish less than willing. Now, more than ever, you need a secret honey hole.
Anglers seeking panfish and trout will find the new Daiwa QC750 is a good fit. Perfect for ice fishing, too, the QC750 offers anglers a dependable small reel on a budget.
BASS Report
The venue that was home to one of the most successful and well-received Classics of all-time will once again be the host for professional bass fishing’s biggest celebration in 2023.
B.A.S.S. officials announced yesterday that the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will be held in Knoxville, Tenn., March 24-26 with competition on the Tennessee River lakes of Fort Loudoun and Tellico. Daily weigh-ins will be held at Thompson-Boling Arena — the palatial 20,000-seat venue on the University of Tennessee campus — and the annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will take place at the Knoxville Convention Center and the adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall.
The Visit Knoxville Sports Commission will once again serve as host.
“Our first Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville produced record-breaking fan attendance and was one of the best Classics we’ve ever had,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “The Bassmaster Classic is the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing. It’s not just a great competition; it is a true celebration of the competitors, the fans and the sport as a whole.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be headed back to Knoxville.”
With daily takeoffs from Volunteer Landing, located downtown at the head of the beautiful Tennessee River, the 2019 Classic drew a record crowd of 153,809 spectators and generated an economic impact of $32.2 million for Knoxville and East Tennessee, according to a report released by the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission.
By Louie Stout
Lake Manitou in Rochester, Ind. - once one of northern Indiana’s best bass lakes - continues to show recovery from the massive chemical treatments it received over a 10-year period.
The treatments, which began in 2006, were required after an infestation of hydrilla, a fast-spreading invasive plant, was discovered in the lake.
Manitou was the only lake in Indiana that contained the plant, so the boat ramps were closed and fish managers applied heavy doses of chemicals to eliminate the plant at its roots.
Although the chemicals used were designed to specifically eradicate the hydrilla, other plants throughout the lake were knocked back.
District fish biologist Tom Bacula said the recovery is slow, but he was encouraged when he saw multiple year bass classes while surveying the lake early last May and again in June.
The water temperature was 60 degrees in May and most of the bass turned up during four hours of electro-fishing were in the channels.
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