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By Louie Stout
Conservation Officers with Poacher's Evidence
No one likes a poacher – certainly not conscientious sportsmen and definitely not conservation officers.
That’s why northern Indiana Conservation Officer Dustin Whitehead dogged a case for three years that resulted in arrest of two men, one of whom did prison time for multiple charges, including illegal taking and possession of 16 deer, illegal possession of a stolen firearm and resisting arrest.
But Whitehead didn’t stumble upon this case. He got it from a tipster who called Indiana’s Turn in a Poacher (TIP) hotline. The informant – who received a $2,000 reward from the TIP program - reported information over the phone that one of the suspects was spotlighting deer at night.
“I’ve been on the force for 11 years and gotten quite a few convictions from cases that come through our TIP program,” Whitehead said. “It’s rare that we go down a road at night and see unlawful taking of deer. The odds aren’t in our favor, and that’s why this program is so important.”
This case was unique in that it required extra patience and good police work that ultimately led to conviction of the repeat offender.
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By Louie Stout
As most Michiana sportsmen know, you’re going to be paying more for an Indiana license next season.
And in some cases, a lot more.
(If you missed the announcement, click here )
Let’s be honest. The Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), stewards of hunting and fishing, needs the money. The last license fee increase came 16 years ago.
It has operated in the red for the past few years, which caused rollbacks in some programs and a hiring freeze. Several vacancies remain in northern Indiana, where many district biologists have worked without assistants for several months. That limits the amount of research one man can do and any new projects he can take on.
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By Louie Stout
Since Michiana ice fishing remains on hold, winter fishing options are limited to late-season panfishing and steelhead angling.
Darrin Schaap of Clear H2o Tackle said diehard anglers are catching some crappies on minnows and walleye fishermen are getting a few nice walleyes from the St. Joseph River in Indiana and Michigan on soft plastics, jerkbaits and minnows.
Steelhead angling in the streams, especially the lower St. Joe, has been decent, he added.
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By Louie Stout
Andrew Lemle with two of his big smallmouth bass
Catching 7-pound smallmouth isn’t anything new to Andrew Lemle.
However, catching a five-fish limit of big smallmouth weighing 36.90 pounds was the thrill of a lifetime.
Lemle caught those fish Nov. 18 on a northern Michigan lake. They weighed 6.87, 7.29, 7.73, 7.45 and 7.53.
And they all came off of one rock!
Andrew Lemle weighs 36.90 limit of smallmouth bass
Lemle lives on Lake Charlevoix, but don’t assume that’s where he caught them. He’s not saying, other than it’s a big lake.
“I fish a lot of different lakes up here and I’ve caught some other 7s on this one, but, for whatever the reason, the big fish moved up and wanted to bite that day,” he said. “My previous best up here was a 33-pound limit and I’ve had some 31s, but this was incredible.