2018 Spring Hearings

The annual Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings just occurred, and the results of the vote on the advisory questions is now available.

You can read about the process in an easy to understand flowchart that is available here, but the important part of a resolution is that it can start a revision in a specified regulation.

Some items of local note.

Item #1 was supported. Item 1 is a proposal to change the traditional season for bass fishing. The season would still prevent catch and keep between early March and early May, but would implement a catch and release season during the traditionally closed period.

Item #2 was also supported. Item 2 would establish alternate size and bag limits for permitted, catch-and-release bass fishing tournaments.

Items #6 and #7 were passed and are also of local note. Item 6 proposes an increase in minimum length for walleye, sauger and hybrids on Koshkonong Lake and the Rock River, and item 7 would close the spring season in the same waters: "Season closure for walleye, sauger and hybrids during standard closed season on Koshkonong Lake and the Rock River."

Item 28 passed and is also of interest: "Establish a statewide 12-inch size limit and a three-fish bag limit per day on largemouth bass."

Item 30, a proposal to increase bag limits for channel catfish on Beaver Dam Lake in Dodge County was also passed. "Increase daily bag from 10 to 25 on channel catfish on Beaver Dam Lake, Dodge County."

 Stay tuned. Changes to size and bag limits for LM Bass, as well as new structures for tournament fishing appear to be on the way.

Trout Stocking 2018

You might not know it by the weather or the conditions on the lakes, but we are getting closer to opening day.

The WDNR has started the annual process of stocking lakes with trout. Locally the usual lakes are getting fish:

FOWLER LAKE:  RAINBOW TROUT 1,523
LOWER GENESEE:  LAKE BROOK TROUT 1,000   RAINBOW TROUT YEARLING 1,523 LOWER NASHOTAH LAKE:  BROWN TROUT  1,900  RAINBOW TROUT  1,523
OTTAWA LAKE:  RAINBOW TROUT  1,015

Lots of other ponds and creeks in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Dodge Counties are getting fish again this year. You can check out the press release here or go directly to the complete list of stocking here.

Its getting closer.

Talk to you soon.