As Michigan's trout season casts off, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has hooked anglers up with a trove of tips and reminders to ensure both a bountiful and environmentally responsible fishing experience.
According to WWJ Newsradio, before you wade into the waters, it's critical to check out the updated regulations. An app from the Michigan DNR can spoon-feed you these rules even when your phone's as dead as the proverbial doornail, and hard copies are up for grabs wherever fishing licenses are sold, or for the old-school among us, on the michigan.gov/dnrregs website.
For those gearing up, Michigan's Department of Natural Resources also provides advice on combating invasive species like didymo and New Zealand mudsnails; unwanted hitchhikers that can attach to your gear and disrupt local underwater ecosystems. Since their discovery in state waters beginning in 2015, didymo — known as rock snot — and the microscopically minute mudsnails have become unwelcome visitors in several prized Michigan streams.
The DNR insists on a strict regimen for decontaminating gear to prevent these uninvited guests from spreading. Anglers are to clean, drain, and dry their equipment, with an extra spritz of chemical disinfectants like Formula 409 or a bleach solution, as specified on the DNR website. Bear in mind, these potent potions are to be used a good distance from the water, lest we introduce chemicals into our cherished streams; after all, the fish are picky about their water quality, too.
If you're looking to make a splash in the fishing community, reporting new sightings of these invasive species could be your next big thing. You can report didymo sightings through the Eyes in the Field online tool, and if the New Zealand mudsnail pops into your view, snap a pic and contact Lucas Nathan at the DNR or Bill Keiper at the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Options abound for reporting these findings, including utilizing the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network online reporting tool or their smartphone app.
Despite these nuisances, the Department of Natural Resources remains upbeat, heralding the season in a statement: "Make the trip more memorable by inviting a friend or loved one to take in a new experience or maybe to relive glory days." Here's to hoping that the only tales of woe you'll have this season will be about the one that got away, not the one you unwittingly introduced to a new habitat. For all your licensed angling needs, you can fish for information at Michigan.gov/Fishing.
