Alaska Fisheries Board

Archive for the ‘Fishing’ Category

Despite their strange appearance, eelpout have become an increasingly popular fish in the Bemidiji area. Ice conditions are good and temperatures are just above freezing during the day and much colder at night. Any melted areas on the lake refreeze overnight. This year, the eelpout season will officially end in Minnesota on February 29th, giving anglers an extra day.

The eelpout fish has its own festival this coming weekend, beginning today and running through Sunday. Headquartered in City Park in Walker, this is one of the few fish based festivals that is not entirely about the fish. For many people, this festival is more about the social events.

So how do you catch more eelpout? You need to know more about this unusual fish. Eelpout are freshwater cod that live in the deeper areas of lakes during the summer in an effort to avoid the heat. They only come to the surface during the colder winter months. In Laker Superior, Eelpout have been found at depths of more than 1000 feet. Apparently, there is nothing too deep for the eelpout.

Basically, you will not find eelpout during the summer months at all. Like bears, they almost seem to hibernate in the dark crevices of a lake. They are the ultimate cold water species among fish.

In addition, eelpout eggs are always extremely large because of the fact that they have to sit at the bottom of the lake for so long before hatching. Embryos naturally have a lot of food in the eggs so that they can grow and survive within the egg for long periods of time. However, even deep in the lake, these eggs do tend to be eaten before they hatch due to the high calorie content. Therefore, fishermen often find these brownish green eggs in other species of fish that they catch later in the season.

If you want to catch an eelpout, the best thing to use is live bait. Some fisherman have effectively used liquid scents, rattle baits, and lures that glow, because as an alternative to live bait, these items do attract many eelpout by making up for their rather limited sight.

If you would like to participate in the Eelpout festival, it is held on Walker Bay in Leech Lake every year. It can be a good choice for the kids, providing live entertainment. This festival could easily be a family affair.

It’s not that this kind of incident is that common. Actually, shark attacks are rare occurrences, and most of the time, the shark simply mistakes you for something else like a sea turtle. However, we scare every time we hear about a shark coming into contact with a human.

In this case, two commercial fisherman based in Hawaii thought that they had caught a 300 pound Marlin, which would have been a very profitable catch. However, they weren’t as lucky as they thought. The struggling Marlin left its own scent in the water, attracting a great white shark, who had a much easier time taking in a trapped Marlin.

The great white shark, or at least what was believed to be a great white, circled their boat for an hour off the coast of Hawaii, before they were able to return to shore. Addison Toki and Dominick Gaballo did experience some excitement to be fair, stating Talk about jaws, this is the real deal right here!

Great white sharks, especially around something like a boat, is a rare sight around Hawaii period, especially this time of year. Seeing them is rare, and one actually circling the boat is even more rare. This particular shark took a bite of the propeller, and many veteran fisherman consider this a once in a lifetime experience, if you ever experience it at all.

Obviously, this is a scary concept, especially if the shark decides to take more than a test bite. However, generally speaking, this is not as dangerous as you might think.

A fishing tournament used to raise money for MS, Perchin for MS allows everyone to be a winner, and of course your time and money goes to a good cause. You pay in teams, $40 per team, and half of this entry fee goes to the Multiple Sclerosis walk under your name of course. The other half goes toward paying for applicable prizes.

Held for the first time on Lake Simcoe, the first official Perchin for MS was a huge success. Next year, they are hoping to see an even bigger turnout as the word gets out. It’s definitely a worthy cause, and you can help people in need. How can you really go wrong with that?

The first year got 78 teams from Ontario and the United States, and $4000 was raised for MS awareness and research. According to an avid angler and conservation officer who happens to suffer from MS, “I started this event because I wanted to promote education and awareness around MS and I thought what better way to do than through a fishing derby.”

This man, Poirier, knows the limitations of MS, and he knows all too well the need for supportive family and friends around you. He continues, “the goal of the event was also to raise a bit of money for MS, and I am pleased to announce that thanks to some generous monetary donations we raised almost $4000 that will go directly to the MS Society of Canada.”

Most of the anglers involved were from the GTA, but others came from Owen Sound and Niagara as well as Muskoka, Halliburton, and Ottowa. There were even a fair number from the US who were eager to participate and test their skills. Some were recreational ice fishers, and many from the US were actually competitive.

Whether you are an amateur or more of a professional mind, this anglers society wants you. They want your involvement, your help, and most of all, your money obviously. Companies are getting involved, far exceeding anybody’s expectations, and more people are coming together all the time.

Guatemala is no Alaska, the fishing is something else entirely, but Guatemala is an up and coming area for fishing, and it’s still CHEAP! That’s a big draw. You can pay half the amount, get all the alcohol you can drink if you drink on fishing boats, and get a full set of fishing in with great availability. Guatemala’s fishing remains largely untapped, meaning the fish are more prevalent.

You do have to be careful about other predators. For example, while you might want to learn to respond properly to a bear when in Alaska, but when in Guatemala, you might want to worry a little more about alligators and crocodiles. These creatures can get into the thousands when it comes to weight, and there are villagers who believe that feeding them on a regular basis will keep them from eating people, dogs, or farm animals.

Unfortunately, this just keeps the land based creatures coming back and associating humans with foods. Actually, there’s not much you can do except for try to move in different directions a lot, as crocodiles and alligators have a harder time changing directions like that. However, if you try freezing like you would with a bear, you are going to become alligator/crocodile bait.

However, the fishing is something to be rivaled. If you make the commitment to go down and stay safe, Guatemala offers a variety of fish such as marlin, dorado, and many other species. The best part is that there are plenty of big companies and boats willing to give you a real deal that includes accommodations that really aren’t too bad for what you’re paying.

Even if you stay in lower accommodations or even the boat to save a little money, the reality is that it’s all about the fishing. If you are looking for the real bang for your buck, Guatemala is without question the place to go right now.

For years, ice fishing was one of those things on my bucket list that I had never actually done, but wanted to do at least once. Yes, I don’t necessarily like the idea of sitting on the ice freezing, thick or not, cutting holes in the ice and hoping to catch very warm blooded fish. However, it’s a unique experience that even experienced fishermen don’t necessarily try.

However, as little as some may know about it, one of the most important tools you can have in any ice fishing expedition is a fish finder. It makes your job easier, and you’re more likely to actually catch a fish while you’re sitting out there freezing.

The Types

There are actually two types of fish finders. One is a traditional flasher and the other is more modern and found in boating expeditions. The flasher is a simple depth and fish finder that gives you the bottom echo and depth of the area as well as echos from solid masses in the water, which you hope includes fish and the depth they happen to be at.

The modern fish finder on the other hand shows everything including the structure of the masses and fish, helping you to get a better idea of what you are actually looking at. These modern fish finders are becoming more and more popular, and it can run all day on one simple battery, which is fantastic.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Fish Finder

• Battery life – How long will it last? Do you need extra batteries just in case? How long are you actually planning on staying out?
• Zoom – Can it zoom into particular sections of the water? Is the zoom adjustable?
• Can it give readings before drilling?
• Is there a warranty?

Growing up in a fishing family, I learned early on how to create my own fishing gear. Yes, I used the snoopy fishing pole, but I never saw anybody in my family pay for a single fly or a single lure. Everything was homemade from scratch, and it literally saved us hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the past 30 years or more.

However, not everybody knows how to do it or can consider the cost difference. The fact is that if you want to tie your own flies, your best investment is if you are actually a dedicated fisherman and you actually want to take the time. There is equipment to buy in the beginning to stabilize your flies as you run the string around and around to get it right. You have to learn the best techniques to get better looking flies that are more attractive to the fish, and chances are, it won’t be perfect your first time around.

Over time though, not only could you save money on flies and gear, you could actually end up making money by selling to fly shops and online if you know how to do a good job. You make more money if you can find cheap deals on feathers, foam, and other important materials, but that’s for the more serious without question.

The simplest floaters can be something as simple as a twig tied to your line, though some prefer corks or certain types of foam. You could make a floater from a corn cob that you bring as part of your lunch.

While flies have become more of an art for some, there are tutorials online on how exactly to tie your own flies, and some have even started to build their own fishing rods. However, how far you go with all of this depends entirely on you and how invested you are in a regular fishing experience.

In the spirit of the moment and in light of Steve Jobs’ passing, we figured it would be the right time to go over some of the best fishing apps that can help you to find the right spots, know your fish, and be better at fishing on the iPhone. Some are games, some are more informational, and all tend to be made for amateurs and experienced fishermen alike.

Orvis Fly Fishing

Orvis is one of the bigger and older fishing companies, they know what they are doing when it comes to fishing. It gives you animated videos of everything from knots to basic fly casts to common casting mistakes. You have to pay $24.99 for it, but there’s a fair enough chance that it might actually be worth it. However, you do get a $10 gift certificate.

Animated Fishing Knots

It gives you exactly what the name suggests: animated pictures of fishing knots, how to tie them, etc. It’s basic information, and it only costs you $0.99. For what it provides, a lot of fisherman and amateurs believe that it is worth every single penny.

Flick Fishing

It’s a way of fishing on your phone. It gives you 7 fishing locations, 9 baits and tackle, 12 tournaments, and dozens of fish, both common and unique. This sells for just $0.99 on your iPhone or iTunes, and considering the fact that there have been something like 2.5 million downloads, makers have done something right.

Navionics 5.0

Considered to be the world’s best-selling marine chart, this sells for $14.99 on your iPad, iPhone, or iTunes account. It gives you a very basic navigation chart in your phone, and you can download new charts as you go if you want.

Maybe you haven’t thought about it before, but there are quite a few bears in Alaska, and we don’t always know what it is that we have done to offend them. We don’t always know what an animal is thinking, and while bear attacks are actually quite rare, people don’t always know what they have done to set them off. By nature, bears can be somewhat unpredictable. If there are multiple bear attacks associated with one bear, park rangers will typically deal with it, but there are a few things that you can do to help yourself.

1. DO NOT feed the bears
This may seem like common sense to some. We feed squirrels and other small, cute animals. However, some leave food for bears, thinking that they are helping. This is not a good idea. Just like with small animals, it makes them dependent, and it makes them expect food when they see or smell humans. You are helping everyone when you avoid doing this.

2. Hang Your Food In Trees
Whether you are actually at the camp or away, bears will try to steal things like fish. The best thing to do to prevent this problem is to hang your food in taller trees. Yes, it can be a little bit inconvenient for you, but it’s worth it when you think about that versus being attacked by a bear again for your food.

3. DO NOT Approach a Mother Bear
Whether you are simply trying to get a picture or you stumble upon them, a mother bear with small cubs can perceive your presence as an immediate threat, and she will charge. The best thing that you can possibly do is to avoid the problem.

4. Leave Your Fish Behind
As you might want to do if a mugger attacks you, just give up your fish. I know you have worked hard and spent hours looking for that fish, but if it’s the fish or your life and health….I don’t think of that as much of a choice.

5. DO NOT RUN, Stand Still
Yes, it seems like our first instinct to run like hell, but any bear, even the smaller ones, will outrun you and will take you down. If you stand still, arms at your side because it can be hard to hold them up for extended periods of time, the bear may push you a little bit, but it will perceive you to be more like a tree than a human threat. If you try to shoot a bear, chances are you don’t have the bullets to take it down. Your best bet is to stand still and allow the bear its time to feel you out and eventually leave you alone.

The North Pacific Fisher Management Council who is supposed to be the watchdog for the oceanic resources of the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea have taken a mafia-style family approach to running their domain of the Alaskan Fisheries. This group of individuals is not related by blood, and many of them don’t even live in the state of Alaska, but somehow, they’ve come together to dole our the rights to harvest more than $2 billion in U.S. fishery resources.

Who Gets the Money?

Just as the majority of modern-day ruling powers, the Management Council reserves the rights to please any party they wish and this preferential power has come into question as of late, particularly this summer as this group shake hands under tables in order manipulate where this money goes.

To begin, we can tell you where this money is NOT going…the Management Council currently wants to take 1.4 million pounds of halibut away from local, ma and pop-owned establishments and hand it over to charter fishing businesses in Southcentral Alaska by giving it to commercial fisherman. Without keeping the local charter fishing companies in mind, the Management Council has the ability to bankrupt these small communities who are truly the heart of the Alaska Fisheries and have been for centuries.

The “Family’s” Reasoning

Before we jump to conclusions, let’s hear the mobsters out. According to recent research, the biomass of Halibut is steadily declining in the waters off Alaska. Due to the decreasing environment and therefore decreasing number of fish, the larger commercial fishing companies have been regulated on the amount of fish they’re allowed to catch in the area, while the smaller charter companies have actually been able to catch more.

This doesn’t account for the fact that the price of halibut has soared since the mid 90′s. In 1995, a pound of halibut was selling dockside for $2 a pound and today sells for nearly $6-7 per pound. Overall, the commercial fisherman are getting to work less, catch fewer fish, and making a lot more money.

Conclusion

Apparently, the “council family” has grown tired of the entire issue which leads us to believe that they’ll be reaching a decision soon. The question now lies, will this mafia-family of Fishery Management take the local plight into consideration when coming to their own conclusion, or will the commercial fisherman who produce more at a lower cost ultimately win reign of the Alaskan halibut coast?

Arne Fuglvog, U.S. Senates Lisa Murkowski’s top fisheries advisor was a recent candidate to become head of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Now, Fuglvog is pleading guilty to $100,000 worth of illegal fishing.

Fuglvog was a commercial fisherman for many years and has been the top fisheries advisor for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council since 2006. This illegal fishing charge will cost him $150,000 in fines and restitution along with 10 months in prison.

In 2005, Fuglvog took 63,000 pounds of sablefish, which is nearly twice what he was allowed to catch. Then he falsified the records to suggest that half of the fish had been caught in the central gulf instead of the Gulf of Alaska as they were.

Fuglvog has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Lacey Act which was set in place to fight trafficking in illegally taken wildlife, fish and plants.