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Strong winds hamper fishing efforts at Great Lakes ports
Strong winds have hampered fishing efforts at many ports along the Great Lakes , especially on the east side of the state, as the fish seem to be scattered, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report.
Natural fish kills on rise, DNR says
With the recent increase in temperatures, fishing across most areas of Michigan has been slow, the state Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday.
Hueckstaedt leaps into walleye lead in Keweenaw Youth Angling Classic
HOUGHTON - As the Summer Long Keweenaw Youth Angling Classic completes its first full month of competition, young anglers continue to pound area waters as they move into contention in the KYAC standings.
Warmth, dryness slow state's fishing
With the recent increase in temperatures, fishing for all species across most areas of the state has been slow, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report.
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It kind of got me going to fish one of these Bassmaster tournaments as a back boater [amateur] just to see.''
Gofron and Brauer, bass-fishing legend and first pro fisherman to grace a Wheaties box, earned the gold medal in the inaugural Freshwater Doubles in Madison, Wis. last July.
It gave Gofron, 40, the itch.
One guy, Lindner, has won both bass and walleye tournaments at the highest level. He is the greatest American fisherman of our era. I caught up with Lindner chasing snook in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Thursday.
Is it still possible? Yes, you still have the opportunities,'' Lindner said. In Mike's case, all of the talent is there. The passion is so strong. That is a key part of it. That is the part that separates the good anglers from the great anglers. He is an incredible competitor. The raw talent is all there.''
Lindner, who grew up on the Northwest Side, knows how tough it is.
In 26 Bassmaster tournaments from 1970-78, he won two invitationals (Virginia in 1977 and Tennessee in 1974), reached the BASS Masters Classic three times and finished in the top 10 five times.
About the same time, Lindner fished the forerunners of today's walleye circuits. He won some Burger Brothers tournaments and the inaugural Silverliner Walleye Tournament on the St. Croix River. In 1989, Lindner and his brother Ron founded In-Fisherman's Professional Walleye Trail, walleye's major league.
The rules of the road [are] not that much different,'' Lindner said. The basic skills needed in the thinking process is the same.''
That could be to Gofron's advantage. Consistency is his trademark.
Gofron has a record 28 top-10 PWT finishes. He's a three-time PWT champion (tied for fourth all-time), second on the all-time PWT earnings list ($433,668), and won PWT's 2001 championship and 1999 Angler of the Year. He took fifth in the inaugural RCL Championship on Green Bay in October 2001.
Mike's challenge is I don't think he has a lot of experience for bass on reservoirs,'' Lindner said. Shad is the main bait. Where he grew up, it was crawfish, bluegill, crappies and shiners. Bass react differently [in reservoirs]. It might take him at least a season to start to adjust to what the fish are doing.''
Antioch's Greg Dickson, who fished 10 Bassmaster events (35th in the 1996 Texas Invitational) and took Gofron prefishing in Alabama, thought he could do it.
Oh, yeah, absolutely,'' Dickson said. He has a tremendous sense of what's going on. He's second all-time [in PWT earnings]. That's a pretty tall forest he walks in. He will have to work hard at it. He will have to associate with the right people."
Dickson thought Gofron might actually have an advantage with reservoirs.
My opinion is he will enlighten others,'' Dickson said. He has fished reservoirs. He understands things [first] from deep water. He understands from deep water backward. Bass fishermen think shallow [to] deep. He almost has a reverse psychology here.''
Bowman can be contacted at . Bowman's Outdoor Line'' is heard on Outdoors with Mike Norris'' (3-4 . Thursdays, 1280-AM).
first cast
"The 'great leak in the Great Lakes' is potentially the most serious threat to water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron."
Tim Eder, director of water resources for the National Wildlife Federation, in support of legislation proposed by Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.)
field notes
BRAIDWOOD YO-YO: With temperatures in the teens Wednesday morning, it was a brutal opener for Braidwood Lake. Fog swirled around Lacy Walton (right) as he baited rods. "I thought I would take a day of leave and do a little fishing," the Chicago man stationed at Great Lakes said. The weather limited anglers to the hundreds, compared with the thousands that came on weekend openers during the 1990s. Catfishing was good, but bass were tough. Now comes word the lake will be opening at 6 . again, but it will remain closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
SPENCE CLASSES: Game-fish season in Wisconsin closes at midnight tonight. In Illinois (muskie-fishing capital of the world?), muskie fishing is already under way in lakes such as Kinkaid and Spring and soon will be at Shelbyville. That's why the muskie classes by Spence Petros can be so important. The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame member holds his muskie classes at the Palatine American Legion Post 90 on Tuesdays from March 15 to April 5. At the last one, Jim Saric comes in with marked maps. Call (815) 455-7770 or go to .com.
SPRINGFIELD UPDATE: The latest is the Illinois Department of Natural Resources might be getting 23 critical hires, plus six for the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, as well as the 50 spots already proposed in Gov. Blagojevich's budget.
out and about
HUNTER SAFETY CLASSES
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Glen Ridge, (847) 526-8704.
Thursday and Saturday: Gurnee, (847) 856-1229; Yorkville, (630) 553-7078.
Friday and Saturday: Schaumburg, (847) 891-5588.
Saturday and next Sunday: Lemont, (630) 257-6787.
Next Sunday and March 20: Sugar Grove, (630) 466-9711.
FISHING CLASS
Saturday: Kankakee River Fishing Class, Ed and Matt Mullady, Mokena Park District, (815) 932-7285.
FUND-RAISERS
Saturday: Indoor Fishing Flea Market, 8 .-2 ., Rolling Meadows High School, sponsored by Chicagoland Muskie Hunters and the RMHS Choral Boosters, (847) 870-7685.
Saturday: Larry Conn, "Let's Talk Fishing," 1-5 ., The Edge, Midlothian.
March 23: Annual banquet, Windy City chapter of Ducks Unlimited, Hanging Gardens Banquet Hall, River Grove, (847) 455-3304.
LEARNING
Tuesday: "The Last Wilderness: Why the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Matters," 6:30 ., International House, 1414 E. 59th St., Chicago, free, (773) 702-5063.
ILLINOIS PERMITS
Wednesday: Random daily draws for remaining spring wild-turkey- hunting permits begin.
SHOWTIME
Friday-March 20: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Midwest Exposition Center, West Allis, Wis., (800) 472-2070, / sportsshow.
DALE'S MAILBAG
Q: "Should we expect to see him again, or do they migrate in some way?" Albert Cianci
A: The Batavia man was wondering about a possible sighting of a great gray owl in northwest Illinois. It is thought Illinois' first confirmed sighting of the world's largest owl will come in early March. Please contact me () if you think you have a great-gray sighting. I will pass viable ones for confirmation to knowledgeable people. A great gray has a wing span of 60 inches, a white bowtie under its face and yellow eyes. My guess is a fisherman or hiker along the Fox, Kishwaukee, Rock or Apple rivers would be most likely to spot natural history in the making.
Numbers game 10
Top "secret" national-park destinations, selected by the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees: Gates of the Arctic (Alaska), Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Arizona), Grand Teton (Wyoming), Fort Bowie National Historic Site (Arizona), Crater Lake (Oregon), Theodore Roosevelt (North Dakota), Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida), Yosemite (California), Lincoln Memorial (Washington, .) and Zion (Utah).
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