OUTDOORS WITH BOB by Bob Wilberscheid

     Ice fishing on Lake Winnebago continues to be pretty much a broken record. One angler gets a couple of bites, while another catches a half of pail full of white bass. A few perch and saugers are being caught as well, but walleyes have been elusive for the vast majority of fishermen. Again, most folks think the very large shad population is at least partially to blame.

     I and two buddies took a road trip to Shawano Lake last week. The 6,000 acre lake was littered with shanties and the ice thickness was about 20-inches, similar to Bago. We fished primarily with tip-ups and wound up with roughly 20 flags, landing eight or nine relatively small northerns and three largemouth bass. Jigging produced only a few gills. Anglers can keep five northerns a day and there is no size limit. We kept two fish in the 20-inch range that were fairly hefty. If want a little action on tip-ups, this might be worth the 90 minutes drive north.

     The recent death of the 39-year-old man from Van Dyne who was hauling reef rocks for Walleyes for Tomorrow (WFT) was very tragic. Mike Arrowood, chair of  WFT who was on the site, said “It’s the most helpless feeling you’ve ever had in your entire life.”

     Arrowood later said later that he was unsure if WFT would haul rocks again. He said, “For all the good it does, is it worth it?”

     WFT has been building both fishing reefs and spawning reefs for many years. The work the organization has done has greatly enhanced the fishing and sauger spawning on Lake Winnebago. I have been on sites when rocks were being hauled and safety has always been a priority. The driver of another truck that was hauling rocks reportedly had an inflatable life vest on that probably saved him. Anytime something like this happens, procedures are reviewed and new guide lines implemented. That will probably be the case with WFT’s reef construction efforts.

     The Sherwood Lion’s Club is presently selling tickets for its 2^nd annual Sturgeon Derby. You can pick one up at many establishments around Lake Winnebago anytime before the deadline of Feb. 12^th.

     Last year, the total prize pay out was $8,556.00, which included prizes for the first and second place fish and a youth winner. Two lucky ticket holders also won 5% of the total ticket sales which amounted to $700 each. Since no record breaking fish was speared, there is a carryover of $2,139 for this year’s derby.

     The club donated $3,565 to Lions’ charities, $1,426 to Sturgeon for Tomorrow and an additional amount to Calumet county Ice Rescue.

    For more details, you can go to www.thielrealestate.com. The tickets are $10 and spearers must have their DNR customer number on the ticket. Prizes will be awarded on March 20^th at Waverly Beach.

     The DNR is recommending a bear harvest quota of 5,235 and an overall permit level of 8,910 for the 2010 bear season. Unit A would receive 3,470 permits, Unit B 1,440, Unit C 2,430 and Unit D 1,570. The permit level would be a 22% increase over 2009 and 91% higher than 2008. The agency feels the recommended harvest level will result in slight population declines in all bear management units.

     Rep. Chris Danou, (D)-Trempealeau was the chief sponsor of AB 652 which would allow for a special gun hunt for Wisconsin soldiers who missed the regular deer season because they were overseas. Apparently, the program would connect returning soldiers with landowners who crops are being damaged by deer.

     Originally the legislation would have had a season running only between Feb. 4^th and Feb. 17^th, but lawmakers expanded the season so veterans would be able to hunt between now and September when it’s convenient for them and participating landowners.

     Diane Schauer, Calumet County’s Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator has a new website. It’s www.calumetinvasivespecies.com.

     New Holstein’s Outdoors, Inc. will be conducting hunter safety classes beginning on Tuesday, March 2^nd. The classes are open to anyone, and if you want to sign-up, contact Wayne Winter at 920-898-5263.

     Until next time, keep your hooks sharp, your feet warm and your powder dry!