• Starboard Choice Marine
  • Moore Boats


Bass University is coming to Kokomo, Ind. in conjunction with the annual Wild Indiana Expo Jan. 14-15 at the city’s Events and Convention Center.

Considered the most comprehensive bass fishing program in the country, Bass University provides 12 different seminars in a classroom environment. The Kokomo instructors include pros Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli, Mike McClelland, Seth Feider, Bill Lowan and Bryan Thrift. Cost of the two-day class is $200 and you can register online at www.thebassuniversity.com.

Admission to the Wild Indiana Show is $5. The show is open from 9-6 on Saturday and 9-5 Sunday. More than 75 exhibitors will be on hand and there will be free seminars of various topics throughout the show, including seminars from VanDam on Saturday afternoon and Iaconelli Sunday afternoon. The Kokomo Event and Convention Center is located on Ind. 931 on the north end of Kokomo.


(Provided by IDNR)

Deer licenses for the 2016-17 deer seasons are now available for purchase.

Information on license types and fees is at wildlife.IN.gov/2380.htm .

A new online license system requires users to set up an account to purchase licenses. Allow additional time to set up your account and enter your information if you haven't done so already.

All adults must set up an account to purchase a license in their own name. Youth licenses (under age 18) can be purchased from an adult's account as an ìassociation.î You must be at least 13 to create your own account.


(Provided by IDNR)

Still scratching your head over what’s legal and what isn’t in Indiana’s new deer rifle regulations?

Here are three questions that will guide you to the correct answers:

  1. Does the rifle have a barrel at least 16 inches long?
  2. Is the rifle chambered to fire a cartridge with a case length of at least 1.16 inches?
  3. Does that cartridge fire a bullet that is either .243 inches or .308 inches in diameter (or their metric equivalents, 6mm and 7.62mm, respectively)?

If the answer is yes to all three, then it’s legal under HEA 1231, a law passed earlier this year by the State Legislature.

If the answer is “no” to any of those three questions, it does not meet the HEA 1231 standards for new rifle options.


(Provided by IDNR)

Due to an editing error, dates in the 2016-17 DNR Hunting/Trapping Regulations Guide during which new rifle options for deer hunting in the deer reduction zone season are incorrect.

Legal rifle cartridges, including the new rifle options, can be used in deer reduction zones only from Nov. 12 through Jan. 31, 2017, and only where local ordinances allow the use of firearms.

The deer reduction zone season opened Sept. 15. Until Nov. 12, equipment choices are limited to archery and crossbows.

For more on the deer reduction zone season, see www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/8534.htm.


Funding will improve Trail Creek fish habitat.Funding will improve Trail Creek fish habitat.

The LaPorte County Parks Department received a $64,000 grant from the Indiana DNR to be used for bank stabilization and fish habitat enhancement of a 600 foot section of Trail Creek at Creek Ridge County Park.

A section of stream bank recently washed out causing a section of trail to be closed and boardwalk removed. This grant will address the failed bank and implement six sites of habitat improvements such as j-hooks and cross vanes. The work must be completed by September 1, 2018.

LaPorte County Parks Superintendent Jeremy Sobecki states “Our hope is to reduce the continued erosion of the hillside, improve fishing and hiking access and fish habitat. Once completed sedimentation will be reduced, fishing improved and access to the stream will be much safer for our visitors.”