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By Louie Stout
Coho Creating Good Early Run on St. Joseph River
For years we’ve talked about Skamania steelhead running into the St. Joseph River this time of year.
This year is no exception. The fall run is underway and anglers are catching quite a few fish from the Twin Branch Dam down to the mouth of Lake Michigan.
And while your neighbor may have been telling you about catching some nice “steelhead” from the river the past week or so, it’s likely that many of those fish he’s catching actually are coho.
The confusion is understandable. It wasn’t until the past couple of years that the fall fishery in South Bend was limited to steelhead.
But that’s definitely changed with solid stocking efforts of coho the past three years and a change in stocking schedules that are sending bigger and more numbers of coho into Hoosier waters this fall.
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By Louie Stout
Phil Duracz of Chesterton with a monster 41-inch, 19-pound northern pike
Fishing can be so unpredictable, regardless of your skill level.
In fact, the saying “beginner’s luck” may have been created by an angler.
But that’s Ok. That’s what makes fishing so darn cool. You’re not trying to hit a 95 mph fastball, shoot a basketball over a 7 footer, or run a football past 300-pound men.
You’re simply trying to tempt a fish with the brain the size of a pea to bite your hook and you never know when or what might happen.
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By Louie Stout
Deer Prospects Similar for Bow Opener
Deer hunters on both sides of the state line can expect to see deer numbers similar to last year when the archery season opens Oct. 1.
Biologists from Indiana and Michigan said fawn production was good last spring, there have been no indication of disease issues in the area and the mast and apple production has been good.
“We are going in with good numbers,” said Ken Kesson, wildlife biologist at Crane Pond Game Area in Jones, Mich. “It’s been a fairly normal summer and as of right now, we don’t have any concerns in southwest Michigan.”
The disease issue is important in Michiana given the history of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) virus that struck the herd a few years ago and caused a lot of mortality. In addition, the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) that has appeared in central Michigan has not found its way into Michiana counties.
In Indiana, state deer biologist Joe Caudill said all indicators point to a positive fall season.
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By Louie Stout
A Good Example of Why Catch-and-Release Works
It was an overcast mid-morning when Chuck White, his dad (Chuck), and his wife (Kathy) launched their 16-foot Alumacraft boat into the St. Joseph River downstream from the South Bend dam.
“Dad started taking me there when I was 14 years old,” said White, now 43. “We always do well and enjoy fishing that stretch because it’s so quiet and you don’t see too many other anglers.”
That Wednesday morning was no exception.
The trio caught and released more than 30 smallmouth bass and four northern pike during a four-hour outing.