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By Louie Stout

You gotta love those celebrities.

Whenever a controversial issue comes before us, someone from Hollywood steps forward to voice a position based on naivety and emotion.

Like PETA supporter Kristen Bell, best known as the “Anna” voice in the popular animated film “Frozen,” who came out the other day and issued a plea for Michiganders to vote down the two sportsmen proposals in this week’s election.

Remarkably, some naïve Michigan editorial writers gave the woman that PETA named America’s “Sexiest Vegetarian” a sounding board on their pages the past few weeks.

I guess in some people’s minds that gives her credibility.

Trout and salmon continue to stream up the St. Joseph River, but panfish may be making the most news. According to area baitshop operators, bluegills redear and perch are moving shallower and the anglers finding them are catching good sacks.

“The perch fishing on Wawasee keeps getting better and it’s been good on Tippecanoe, too,” said Jim Housman of the Tackle Box in North Webster. “They’re catching a lot of big redear at Tippy and Waubee as well. The fish are moving into the bays.”

Darrin Schaap of Clear H2o near Edwardsburg says perch fishing is improving on southern Michigan lakes, too, and that everyone who is fishing for bluegills has been doing well.

“It’s time to start stocking up the freezer,” he added. “Crappie fishing is picking up, too.”


If you're not a hunter, pull on an extra layer of clothes, grab your favorite fishing gear and head onto the water.

It may be hunting season, but the fishing is pretty darn good right now.

Of course, the St. Joseph River trout and salmon run is getting the most attention, but panfish, muskie and bass are starting to prowl on inland waters.


There are some early signs that this year’s St. Joseph River fall steelhead run could be a good one.

The “official” numbers, according to underwater video tapings at the South Bend fish ladder, show nearly 1,700 steelhead have wiggled over the ladder through Sept. 9. The most recent count registered 73 making the move from Sept. 2-9, a period when water temperatures were warmer than they are right now.

Recent rains, coupled by a drop in day and night temperatures, should only make it better. Don’t be surprised if a good number of steelhead are piling into the river right now.


We own it!

The Michigan DNR has closed on the purchase of the 2.2. acres on Eagle Lake Road near Edwardsburg north of the channel between Eagle and Juno lakes slated for a new public access development.

Project Manager Paul Yauk said Thursday that he has requested access crews begin stabilizing the site by building a fence along the north side of the property, cutting the vegetation to ground level and establishing signage.

“It’s now public land and we plan to maintain it as requested by the Ontwa zoning board,” Yauk said.