• Margaret Thatcher

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for April 26, 2013

• IN-Family Learn to Fish workshop May 18

• Muskies showing up in Maumee River

• Fishing Guide & Regulations

• OH anticipates Good Fishing at Lake Erie in 2013

• Ceded Territory bag limits posted at boat landings

• Ontario Wild Turkey season open

• Other Breaking News

Words to Ponder

The world has �never ceased to be dangerous,� but the West has �ceased

to be vigilant.�

Margaret Thatcher

May is Lyme disease awareness month

May is Lyme Disease Awareness month and a good time to re-visit methods of protection to keep yourself, family and pets protected from ticks in the coming spring/summer months.

Some 40,000 cases of Lyme disease are documented in the US alone every year and health experts are predicting 2013 to be another bad year. In fact, researchers have already discovered another disease caused by the same tick that spreads Lyme disease � the deer tick. More: http://new.pitchengine.com/pitches/e975809a-619b-488a-a6da-d3ddc0227d31

Some helpful tick-prevention strategies:

1.) YOUR YARD: Ticks are not out in the middle of your lawn, they live where yards border wooded areas, or anywhere it is shaded and there are leaves with high humidity. Place a layer of wood chips between your grass yard and the woods edge. Ticks are attracted to the wood chips because of the shade and moisture it provides.

2.) TICK CHECKS: Do periodic tick checks (on yourself, children and pets) and carefully remove any found. (Wear light colored clothing so ticks are easier to find.)

3.) OUTDOOR PURSUITS: When on a hike, bike, or walk try to remain in the center of a trail in order to minimize your exposure. Remember - ticks cannot fly, they crawl up. Avoid sitting directly on the ground, woodpiles

or fallen logs - areas where ticks love to live.

4.) PERSONAL PROTECTION: Wear tick repellent clothing. Insect Shield repellent apparel is EPA registered to repel ticks (as well as a variety of other pesky and potentially dangerous insects.) The repellency is odorless, invisible and long-lasting. Insect Shield apparel is available for adults, kids and even your dog!

Insect Shield�s EPA-registered technology converts clothing and gear into effective and convenient insect protection. The repellency is long-lasting and appropriate for use by the entire family with no restrictions for use.

Quick Facts:

�Repellency is in the clothing and gear � not on your skin

�Lasts through 70 launderings

�EPA-registered

�No restrictions for use

�Appropriate for the entire family

�No need to re-apply

�Repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chigger and midges including those that can cause Lyme disease, malaria and other dangerous insect-borne diseases

Video � How Insect Shield Works

http://youtu.be/iSoYLlGu_8g

Great Lakes Water Levels for April 26, 2013

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Wet conditions continued across the Great Lakes basin this week due to heavy rain, wet soil conditions, and continued snow melting in the northern areas. Overall, the basin has received 180% of average precipitation for the month of April, with the Michigan-Huron basin receiving over 200% of average. Temperatures dropped below average on Wednesday and Thursday but are expected to warm up over the weekend. Expect low chances of precipitation over the weekend with above average temperatures heading into next week.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

The water levels of the Great Lakes have risen significantly over the past month. Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are 2 and 7 inches, respectively, lower than their levels of a year ago. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 6, 8, and 3 inches, respectively, lower than at this time last year. Over the next month, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are both forecasted to rise 3 inches. The water levels of lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are expected to rise 1, 2, and 3 inches, respectively, over the next thirty days.

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior�s outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be below average for the month of April. Lake Huron�s outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are

also expected to be below average throughout the month of April. Lake

Erie�s outflow through the Niagara River is predicted to be below average and the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River is expected to be below average in April.

ALERTS

Official records are based on monthly average water levels and not daily water levels. Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are below chart datum. Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels. Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings

OH anticipates Good Fishing at Lake Erie in 2013

COLUMBUS, OH � Lake Erie anglers should enjoy diverse fishing opportunities in 2013, according to the Ohio DNR.

�When you consider the mix of species and sizes that are seasonally available to Ohio anglers, we are optimistic about the fishing prospects this year,� said Jeff Tyson, Lake Erie fisheries program manager for the ODNR Division of Wildlife. �Weather is always a wild card at Lake Erie, but if conditions are similar to those in 2012, anglers should have excellent seasonal opportunities this year to catch walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, white bass and steelhead.�

Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch fisheries are managed through an interagency quota system that involves Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio jurisdictions. Each jurisdiction regulates their catches to comply with quotas and minimize the risk of over-fishing these species. Quotas for the upcoming fishing season are determined through consensus agreement by these jurisdictions through the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which were recently announced for 2013.

The walleye daily bag limit is four, and the yellow perch daily bag limit is 30 per angler in Ohio waters until April 30. The daily bag limit will be six walleye from May 1 through Feb. 28, 2014. From March 1, 2014, through April 30, 2014, the daily walleye bag limit will be four. A 15-inch minimum size limit is in effect during the entire season for walleye. The yellow perch daily bag limit is 30 from May 1 through April 30, 2014, with no minimum size limit.

Walleye

Ohio walleye anglers in 2013 will catch fish mostly from the 2010, 2009, 2007 and 2003 hatches. Walleye from the 2011 hatch continue to show good growth based on 2012 fall surveys and many individuals will be near or over the 15-inch minimum size limit during the 2013 fishing season. Walleye from the moderate 2010 hatch will range from 17-22 inches, while walleye from the 2007 hatch will range from 18-25 inches. The 2003 and 2007 hatches are likely to carry most of the Central Basin fisheries. These walleye will complement the larger 22- to 30-inch fish from the strong 2003 hatch. Large walleye from strong hatches in the mid-1990s will provide �Fish Ohio� opportunities (greater than 28 inches).

Yellow Perch

Expect good perch fishing in 2013, with the largest fish in the eastern areas of the Central Basin. Perch anglers should encounter fish ranging from 7- to 13-inches from the 2011 through 2007 hatches in this year�s fishery, with major contributions from the 2007 and 2008 year classes. Fish from the large 2003 year class are still present, particularly in the central basin, and will provide some of this year�s trophy perch opportunities.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass fishing in 2013 is expected to be fair. Bass catch rates in 2012 were the highest observed since the mid-1990s. Smallmouth bass caught should be excellent size (14 to 22 inches, weighing up to 6 pounds). Bass fishing is best in areas with good bottom structure, which is the available habitat across much of the entire Ohio near shore area. All black bass (smallmouth and largemouth) must be immediately released from May 1-June 28. Beginning June 29, the daily bag limit for bass is five, with a 14-inch minimum length limit.

Steelhead

Steelhead anglers should enjoy another year of great fishing in 2013 in Ohio�s Lake Erie open waters and in tributaries. Peak summer steelhead action on Lake Erie can be found offshore from June through August between Vermilion and Conneaut, with catches measuring 17 to 29 inches. Most Lake Erie anglers troll for steelhead in deep waters using spoons with dipsy divers or downriggers until fish move close to shore in the fall. The daily bag limit remains at five fish per angler from May 16-Aug. 31, and two fish per angler between Sept. 1 and May 15, 2014. A 12-inch minimum size limit is in effect throughout the year.

White Bass

White bass continue to provide excellent seasonal fishing opportunities in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers and in the open lake. The 2013 catch will be dominated by fish from the 2010 and 2011 year classes. Fish from 2005 could be as large as 16 inches. Anglers should focus on major Western Basin tributaries during May and June and near shore areas of the open lake during the summer. There is no white bass daily bag limit or size limit.

Other Species

Largemouth bass fishing efforts and catch rates have increased significantly. Bays, harbors and main lake shorelines offer excellent fishing for panfish, as well as largemouth bass. Anglers may also catch an occasional northern pike or muskellunge in vegetated areas.

Anglers are reminded that fishing conditions on Lake Erie can change hourly and adjustments are often necessary to improve success. Anglers should take into account factors such as water temperature, cloud cover, water clarity, boat traffic, wave action, structure, currents and the amount of baitfish in the area. Anglers are also reminded to carefully monitor Lake Erie weather and to seek safe harbor before storms approach.

Updated Lake Erie fishing reports are available at wildohio.com or by calling 888-HOOKFISH (888-466-5347). Information is available from ODNR Division of Wildlife staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the Fairport Harbor station (440-352-4199) for the Central Basin and at the Sandusky station (419-625-8062) for the Western Basin.

Information on the ODNR Division of Wildlife�s Lake Erie research and management programs, fisheries resources, fishing reports, and maps and links to other Lake Erie Web resources are available at www.wildohio.com.

Ceded Territory bag limits posted at boat landings

Also available online

MADISON � Preliminary bag limits announced earlier this year for walleye caught in the Ceded Territory will not be printed in volume by the state and distributed but will be posted at public boat landings and available for download from the web, state fisheries officials say.

DNR will, however, print and distribute in volume the final bag limits set after tribal spearing has occurred and sport fish bags are updated. Those finalized limits would be in effect for the rest of the 2013-14 game fishing season, which ends March 2, 2014, according to Mike Staggs, Wisconsin�s Fish Chief.

preliminary bag limits posted at public boat landings,� he says. �And those who want a personal printed copy for their tackle box are encouraged to wait until its closer to the May 4 opening day and then download and print off a copy from our website or go to a DNR service center and ask for a copy.�

The preliminary bag limits, and all fishing regulations, can be found by searching the DNR website, for �fishing regulations� and clicking on the link for Ceded territory walleye bag limits - initial - 2013-14 [PDF]

For more info: The Call Center is available seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 888-WDNRINFo (888-936-7463). Open a chat session available 7AM - 9:45PM.

Ontario Wild Turkey season open

The last week of April is what tens of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts have been waiting for: the traditional start of wild turkey hunting in much of southern Ontario. This year the season opens Thursday, April 25 and runs until Friday, May 31, including Sundays in those municipalities that

support Sunday gun hunting. For more information about natural resources regulations and enforcement, visit www.ocoa.ca, or contact your local Conservation Officer. To view the Ontario 2013 Hunting Regulations Summary, visit www.ontario.ca/hunting.

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COMMENTARY: Fish eDNA suggests Asian carp closing in on Great Lakes
With continued vigilance � and the combined efforts of local, state and federal partners � researchers are optimistic it will be possible to keep Asian carp from becoming established in the Great Lakes

Federal Judge Seeks To Thwart Obama's Hypocritical Use Of 'State Secrets' Provision

The Federal government keeps a classified �no-fly� list of Americans and citizens of other Nations that it bars from traveling by air, allegedly to avoid a repeat of 9/11. To date, a �state secrets� law has meant that only the Executive branch can grant access to the list�but a Federal judge is challenging.