Outdoor News Daily

Many New Jersey anglers don’t realize it, but we live in one of the best locations in the United States to fish for carp. Carp fishing is very popular in many places throughout the world, but for the most part these freshwater giants aren’t sought after by many people in the U.S. Only in recent years has fishing for carp begun to gain popularity in this country, and as carp anglers grow in numbers and discover untapped fisheries more and more reports of great catches begin to surface.

In recent years the tidal freshwaters of New Jersey have produced fish of gargantuan proportions. The combination of abundant food sources and the sheer size of these rivers, particularly the Passaic, Hudson, Raritan, and Delaware, allow carp to grow into true giants. Multiple 40-pound specimens captured over the past few years have put New Jersey on the map in the carp fishing world.
Read the rest of this entry »

Fishery managers have announced 2012 summer and fall salmon fishing seasons on the Columbia River.

The seasons are based on results of this year’s Pacific Fishery Management Councils (PFMC) process including a series of public meetings, referred to as North of Falcon, in which fishery managers from several jurisdictions convene to plan salmon fisheries on the Columbia River and parts of the ocean off the Oregon and Washington coasts.

This year’s projected return of summer chinook is expected to be 91,000 fish with the retention season currently scheduled to run from June 16 through July 1.

“There’s a chance the season may be extended once we get a good look at what the actual return is,” according to Steve Williams, ODFW deputy Fish Division administrator. “Until then, we’re planning a conservative fishery to stay within the available quota.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Visitors to national wildlife refuges are concerned about the impact of climate change on Americas fish, wildlife and plants as well as the habitat that supports them, a new survey just released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows. The survey also shows strong support for efforts to help native species adapt to changing climate conditions, such as those now being implemented by the Service and its partners.

Seventy-one percent of the more than 10,000 visitors to national wildlife refuges who took part in the survey conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2010 and 2011 believe that climate change poses a serious threat to wildlife and wildlife habitat. About 74 percent of the same respondents agree that addressing climate change effects on wildlife and wildlife habitats will benefit future generations.
Read the rest of this entry »

Arcadia: May 11. Elevation normal, water 75 and semi clear. Channel catfish fair to good on cut bait just off bottom from the banks mornings and evenings. Crappie good on jigs at 5-10 ft. at the south side dock and piers in the mornings. All other fishing fair. Report submitted by Linnie Mason, gate attendant.

Arcadia: May 13. Channel catfish excellent early morning. Crappie fair to good at 4-10 ft. Report submitted by Chance Whiteley, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.

Hefner: May 14. Elevation normal and rising, water 70-76 and clear to murky. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and soft plastic baits at 4-8 ft. along the weeds and rocky shorelines. Smallmouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits at 4-8 ft. along weed beds and rocky shorelines. White bass excellent on shad baits, spinnerbaits, Gay Blades and grubs at 2-6 ft. along windy shorelines. Striped bass hybrids excellent on shad baits, Gay Blades and grubs at 2-8 ft. along windy shorelines. Channel catfish good on punchbait, cut bait and worms at 3-10 ft. along rocky shorelines. Blue catfish good on punchbait, cut bait and worms at 6-15 ft. along rocky shorelines. Crappie fair on jigs, grubs and rooster tails at 6-15 ft. along the dam. Walleye excellent on shad baits, spinnerbaits, Gay Blades and grubs at 2-10 ft. along windy shorelines. Sunfish and bluegill good on worms. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
Read the rest of this entry »