Summer 2018

From the Helm . . .

Another season is here. Most of our captains are doing well around the state. Talking with many captains from Lakes Huron, Erie and Michigan fishing is very good to red-hot. The walleye bite is limit catches on Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay and salmon catches for Central and Southern Lake Michigan on most days is very good to excellent…. Seems if the fishing is slow on a certain day the weather has played a factor in the catch, from reports from captains. Salmon are being reported caught by captains as far north as Leland. On Lake Huron, Atlantic Salmon are showing up in the catch by our captains up and down the Lake Huron shoreline. Some of those fish are starting to show some size. Let us hope this fishery continues to expand. These are a terrific gamefish for our customers.

MCBA has closely followed the commercial fishing statue being updated by our state legislature, MUCC and other sport fishing groups. Our point man from MCBA, Past President Captain Terry Walsh has been involved with the updated changes to the revised statue from day one and kept me informed on progress of implementing this new statue. Myself, VP Captain Bill Winowiecki and past President Captain Terry Walsh were to attend a legislative hearing at the Capital Building in Lansing .We were to voice our opinions on the updated changes to the proposed new statue. Of particular importance to our membership is the bi-catch of walleye on Lake Huron and Lake Trout in Northern Lake Michigan.
Unfortunately, at the last minute this meeting was canceled for reasons not given to us and other sport fishing groups.

On June 11, 2018, an oversight committee meeting in Alpena, MI was held over the issue of cormorant control, or I should say lack of control, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service

There are to be more meetings on this topic this year. Fish and Wildlife Service reported their findings on sport fish depredations by cormorants would be ready by November 2018. From my perspective the US Fish and Wildlife Service has been slow to react regarding cormorant control.
In closing, I hope everyone has a great season with plenty of customers and fish in their coolers. I myself have checked daily the Northern Lake Michigan buoy water temperatures. I am looking for those offshore thermo bars to form in late June and the great Steelhead fishing that those thermo breaks provide.

Have a great summer…
Captain Eric Andersen – President MCBA