Iowa DNR News
Radio Walleyes
by Joe Wilkinson
Prowling the edge of the wing
dam, we went just a few minutes without success. Then, one
appeared. A quick dip in the water and Caleb Schnitzler pulled
nearly five-pound walleye on board. This one would be going
right back in the water shortly; along with the three bigger
ones that followed on the Mississippi River, upstream from
Sabula, in Jackson County.
First, though, each had a short
date on the on-board operating table. After each thick, bronze
fish was anesthetized, measured and weighed; a careful belly
incision was made. As Schnitzler held it steady, Department of
Natural Resources fisheries technician Dennis Weiss slid a
slender radio transmitter into place. Another smaller puncture,
an inch or so behind the incision, allowed an 18-inch antenna to
trail behind the fish. About the size of a 20-gauge shotgun
shell, the transmitter disappeared as Weiss quickly tied three
sutures to close the wound. After a few minutes, each walleye
'came to' and was slid back into the water.
From here, they're marked
fish-electronically speaking. For the next two to three years,
research workers at the DNR's Bellevue fisheries station will
track the lunkers; across winter ice and through summer heat.
"We want to find out what kind of habitat these fish utilize in
the winter," explained Weiss. "It's normally deep water areas,
behind certain wing dams. We want to protect those areas."
The wide Mississippi might
spread for many miles, but quality habitat is hard to come by in
a harsh winter. Perhaps the bigger concern, though, comes as ice
breaks up in April and walleyes move into shallows. "We've
documented two main spawning grounds in this pool. We want to
make sure the fish continue to spawn in those sites, to protect
them," said Weiss. Each half-mile stretch lies on an outside
bend, letting the current scour away sediment. Left behind is
the sand/gravel substrate and strong water flow walleyes need
for spawning.
This radio tracking has been
underway since the early 1980s. For the last 10 years or so,
crews have planted transmitters in 15 to 20 more big walleyes.
Over the years, the equipment has become more sophisticated. The
transmitters are smaller but stronger. The equipment-such as
hovercraft in the winter-is more adaptable to the river.
However, the aim is the same. Learn more about walleyes, and the
environs they require. "All the walleyes on the Mississippi
River are naturally reproducing walleyes. We're not stocking
them from our hatcheries," noted Weiss. "We have to ensure we
continue to have good numbers of brood fish."
With the mix of fish, wildlife
and human involvement, it's critical that those high priority
areas are identified. Barge fleeting areas, a river terminal or
some other development are better suited away from the fragile
spawning areas, for instance. Reduced bag limits and a slot
limit on walleyes place some of the burden on anglers, too.
"We're going to have better walleye fishing with good spawning
success with these fish," said Weiss. "They need specific
spawning areas and specific wintering areas."
Wing Dam Walleyes
Though fisheries workers Dennis
Weiss and Caleb Schnitzler were turning their 'catch' loose
after the onboard transmitter work, it's worth it to notice
where those big ones came from. While a dozen boats bobbed just
below the tailwaters in late fall-and with those tailwaters off
limits beginning December 1 on several pools-the DNR crew headed
downstream for the big walleyes they needed to carry the
transmitters for two or three years.
With a south wind blowing
upstream, Weiss guided the boat along the telltale calm, then
ripple which indicated a wing dam just below. "We find a lot of
big ones on the upstream side of the wing dam," hinted Weiss.
"Below the dam its too deep for our electroshocking. On the top,
though, that water gets 'squeezed' in effect. There might be
eight feet of water pushing downstream, but that wingdam only
lets about three feet of water over...and with it, the gizzard
shad and minnows walleyes are after."
Fort Dodge Man Injured
Hunting Deer
Posted: December 5, 2005
DES MOINES - Richard Anderson,
Jr., 40, of Fort Dodge, was hunting deer two miles east of Fort
Dodge Monday morning, when he attempted to go through some thick
brush and his gun discharged, striking him in the foot with a
deer slug. The slug stuck him in the left foot, at the joint
where the foot meets the middle toe.
Anderson is being treated at
Trinity Regional Hospital in Fort Dodge. He was hunting deer
alone at the time.
This is the fourth non-fatal
injury during the 2005 shotgun deer season, and one fatality.
Brighton Hunter
Injured by Self Inflicted Wound
Posted: December 4, 2005
FAIRFIELD - A Brighton man was
injured Sunday morning when he was struck by a slug fired from
his own shotgun.
Dan Schicher, 47, of Brighton,
was hunting north of Fairfield in Jefferson County when his gun
jammed. While in the process of trying to clear the jam, the
shotgun fired striking him in the thigh. He was taken to
Jefferson County Memorial Hospital in Fairfield.
For more information, contact
Kevin Baskins at 515-249-2814.
Deer Hunter Killed in
Johnson County Incident
Posted: December 4, 2005
OXFORD - A hunter was killed
Sunday morning while hunting deer west of Oxford near the
Johnson-Iowa County line.
Scott Knebel, 31, of North
Liberty, was in a group of four hunters in dense cover. The
hunter and a companion were driving deer when he was struck in
the torso by a shotgun slug fired from another person in his
group at approximately 9 a.m. Sunday.
The incident remains under
investigation.
For more information, contact
Kevin Baskins at 515-249-2814.
Two Hunters Injured in
Separate Incidents in Fayette County
Posted: December 3, 2005
WEST UNION - Two hunters were
injured in separate incidents Saturday in Fayette County.
Timothy Lammers, 39, of
Hazleton, was injured by a self-inflicted wound to his leg by a
handgun Saturday morning.
Lammers was with a group of
hunters Saturday morning at a farm east of the Volga River State
Recreation Area when he was showing a handgun to friends and the
gun fired. He was taken to a hospital in West Union and then was
transferred to Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo.
Jeff Koester, 43, of Eldorado,
was injured when he and a group of four other hunters were
dragging two deer and one of the people in the group slipped,
resulting in a shotgun firing and hitting Koester in the upper
thigh Saturday morning. He was also taken to a hospital in West
Union and transferred to Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo.
Both incidents remain under
investigation by the DNR.
For more information, contact
Kevin Baskins at 515-249-2814.
