Welcome to the third edition of Fish Bites! This e-newsletter is made specifically for students, parents and teachers. Expect to receive Fish Bites about four times each year and have your friends sign-up too!
Check out all of the winter fishing programs at the DNR Visitor Centers and State Parks! From ice fishing to fishing pole building workshops – different programs at every location so check out one close to you.
Almost every fish species you can catch in Michigan in the summer, you can also catch in the winter by ice fishing!
Fish have gills that pull in the oxygen they need to survive -- kind-of like how our lungs pull in oxygen for us.
Fish don’t blink because they do not have eyelids (except for sharks!) and so they may not close their eyes to sleep like us, but they definitely have resting periods that are similar to our sleep.
The salmon's ability to smell is far superior to the smelling sense of a dog!
Winter Environmental Stewardship
Take snacks to keep your energy up while ice fishing, but make sure you don’t leave any kind of trash behind out on the ice – and if you see any trash left by someone else – pick it up and dispose of it into a garbage bag at the lake or at home. The fish and other wildlife species will thank you for it! Remember to recycle any materials that you can.
Our homes use a lot of energy in the winter to keep us warm. Remember to turn off lights in rooms you aren’t using and quickly open and close doors to the outside to prevent heat from escaping your home. Energy Stewardship!
A long, hot shower or full bath of warm water may feel especially good in the winter, but think about all the water you are wasting. Winter is the perfect time to get in the habit of saving water! Play this game to learn about water savings! Water Stewardship! (MiWaterStewardship.org)
Bluegills are members of the sunfish family and are native to Michigan and the Great Lakes region. This fish enjoys a well-deserved popularity with anglers. Many a young angler boasts the delicious bluegill as a first catch, while seasoned anglers using light tackle find it is a valiant fighter.
Bluegills favor warm waters (64 to 70 degrees F) so they can be found in many of Michigan’s inland lakes with plenty of cover such as weed beds, submerged logs, or drop-offs. They usually stay in relatively shallow water, but as temperatures rise in the summer, large bluegills will head for deeper water. This fish also provides good winter sport since it remains active all winter long and is an ice fishing favorite.
The average adult bluegill is 6 to 8 inches long and some reach 10 inches or more. If you catch a 10 inch bluegill make sure you submit an entry for a Master Angler award and you will receive a very cool patch. For more information on how and where to catch bluegill see our Michigan Fish and How to Catch Them and Better Fishing Waters.
