GOSHEN — If results from the recent Michiana Walleye Association (MWA) tournament were an indication of how the St. Joseph River has responded to stocking efforts, the answer is “very well!”    

Thirteen teams competed on the stretch between Twin Branch and Elkhart during the eight-hour event. They caught 70 legal walleyes measuring 15 inches or bigger, not to mention more than 250 sub-legal walleyes.     

That’s pretty darn impressive when you consider that state stocking efforts have fallen off the past decade and walleye fishing had been on the downswing.

That’s why the local walleye club stepped up the past few years and helped pick up the slack. The club annually conducts fundraisers to help buy walleyes from a private hatchery to supplement the DNR’s stocking.

Every nickel the club raises goes back into the river.

And that’s what made last week’s tournament so rewarding.     

“The numbers were very impressive and the fish were extremely healthy,” said MWA spokesman Ed Szymczak. “We hope other anglers will help us conserve this fishery and carefully return most of the fish they catch.”

The club practices catch-and-release during tournaments, which means its fish swim away after weigh-ins.

Last week’s tournament didn’t produce any giants, but the number of keeper fish caught was impressive.

Shawn Kintigh (Goshen) and Doug Burkhead (Osceola) took the top prize ($248) with five fish weighing 9.09 pounds. They caught their fish on jigs with curly tail grubs while working them up and down the breaks in the 7- to 16-foot depths.    

Barry Ukele (Mishawaka) and Don Shelton (Berrien Center, Mich.) were second with 7.99 pounds caught on crawlers rigged on gold hooks and split shot along a 12-foot break leading into deeper water.     

Third place went to Carl Schnaible (Mishawaka) and Robert Stutzman (Mishawaka) with 7.90 pounds caught in 8 feet of water on jigs and crawlers near the bottom. Steven Szymczak (Osceola) and Jordan Felton (Osceola) won big fish honors ($240) with a 2.40-pound walleye caught in 13 feet while dragging a jig and crawler.



Size limit takes effect    

Indiana has announced that its new bass size limit on rivers and streams will go into effect Thursday, May 25.

Beginning that day, no bass measuring between 12 to 15 inches may be kept and only two over 15 inches may be kept per angler. Bass less than 12 inches may be kept. That goes for both largemouth and smallmouth.

The daily bag limit remains five fish per person.    

The regulation was proposed last fall and went through a public hearing process to which there were few objections. It’s designed to provide additional protection to larger bass.    

The recent announcement comes as a surprise since officials speculated in April that it would be after Memorial weekend and probably June before the regulation became law.    

So if you’re on a local river or stream during the holidays, be careful what you box.



Deer reg official    

It’s official now.     

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission has approved an indefinite extension to the “one-buck rule” for deer hunting.    

The decision removes the expiration date on a 10-year-old regulation that limits a hunter to taking no more than one antlered deer during the regular archery, firearms and muzzleloader hunting seasons.    

It’s been immensely popular with deer hunters and a factor that many believe has resulted in bigger and more trophy bucks being taken the past few years.    

The DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife says that limiting deer hunters to only one buck per year is not needed biologically, but that it is something the hunters wanted and doesn’t hurt the herd.     

The Commission also gave preliminary approval to amendments that include clarifying requirements for chasing wild animals with dogs during the hunting season, removing restrictions and handgun license requirements when chasing raccoons, adding the late season for taking lesser snow geese and Ross’s geese, adding the use of bowfishing equipment and crossbows for taking Asian carp and other specified fish on rivers and streams, and removing application deadlines and other changes to the special disability permit for hunters.

Want more changes?    

The Indiana DNR is open to any other fishing, hunting and trapping regulations sportsmen want to propose, and you don’t have to attend a meeting to give your input.

From now through June 1, you can use an online form to contribute ideas and suggestions as well as provide input on issues the DNR has identified for consideration.

The online form is at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild. Click on the “Got INput?” box near the middle of the page.     

“This is an opportunity for people to let us know what changes they would like us to consider,” said Gregg McCollam, assistant director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, in a press release. “This process also allows us to get much needed feedback on issues that the division is in interested in moving forward.”

You also can provide written comments to: DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife, Attn: Proposed Regulatory Changes, 402 W. Washington St., Room W 273, Indianapolis, 46204.     

After compiling the input, DFW staff will evaluate the comments and suggestions and come back in mid-summer with a second round of feedback, both online and at open house meetings, before proposing rules to the Natural Resources Commission.



Contact Goshen News outdoor writer Louie Stout at stoutoutdoors@comcast.net.