· Hatchery Open Houses Scheduled
· New Pheasant Habitat Enhancement Program Enrollment Hits Initial Allocation, Additional Acres Requested
· Smallmouth Bass Regulations Change on Lake Sharpe in 2008
· Walleye Anglers on Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case Will Need Patience
· Proper Measurement of Fish Critical to Fish and Fisherman
Contact: Will Sayler (605) 394-4100
or will.sayler@state.sd.us
Hatchery Open Houses Scheduled
PIERRE, S.D.--The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department is near completion of a $10 million fish hatchery renovation project.
“South Dakota’s three fish hatcheries have recently received extensive renovations to ensure that fisheries management needs for hatchery production will be met in the future,” according to Will Sayler, hatchery manager at Cleghorn Spring State Fish Hatchery in Rapid City. “We’re very proud of our new facilities and we’re anxious to show them off to the public.”
The most extensive renovation was completed at Cleghorn Springs State Fish Hatchery in Rapid City in November, where all fish rearing units were reconstructed and a new shop/office complex was built.
Hatchery renovations a Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery, near Waubay, are nearly complete. This project included lining of rearing ponds, updating pumping and filtering systems and modifications to the existing hatchery building.
Renovations at McNenny State Fish Hatchery, west of Spearfish, included completion of a new rearing building and upgrading hatchery offices and infrastructure.
The public is invited to attend open houses and dedication ceremonies scheduled at each hatchery. Department personnel will speak about the significance of the projects and what these renovations mean to South Dakota’s anglers. Refreshments will be served at each event.
The open house at Blue Dog Hatchery will be held from 10 a.m. to noon CDT on Saturday, May 10. Hatchery staff will give tours and explain the specifics of the project. Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery is located one-half mile west and one mile north of Waubay in the northeast corner of South Dakota. Please contact hatchery manager Jerry Broughton at (605) 947-4657 for details.
A dedication and grand opening event will be held at Cleghorn Spring State Fish from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT on Saturday, May 24. Hatchery staff will provide tours and presentations on the interesting history of the hatchery from 1927 through the 1972 Rapid City Flood and the new construction. Will Sayler, hatchery manager, can be reached at (605) 394-4100.
McNenny State Fish hatchery, located 10 miles west of Spearfish, will host an open house on Saturday, June 7, in conjunction with the annual All-American Kids’ Fishing Derby. In addition to the educational fishing stations for the kids’ fishing derby event, information on the improvements and fish culture activities at McNenny will be provided. Activities start at 9 a.m. Please contact hatchery manager Rick Cordes at (605) 642-6920 for more information.
--GFP—
New Pheasant Habitat Enhancement Program Enrollment
Hits Initial Allocation, Additional Acres Requested
PIERRE, S.D.—The S.D. Game Fish and Parks Department, Pheasants Forever and USDA Farm Service Agency have announced that the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement program for pheasants reached its allotted acres in just two weeks. As a result, the state is requesting more acres for the pheasant program.
Under the enhancement program, also known as SAFE, state agencies along with other groups were given the opportunity to submit proposals to FSA for an additional continuous CRP practice (CP-38). The original pheasant proposal was allotted 20,200 acres for pheasant nesting habitat in eastern and central South Dakota and 500 acres to be used for sage grouse habitat in northwestern South Dakota. As of Thursday, April 10, USDA officials in Huron confirmed that all 20,200 acres for pheasant nesting habitat were allocated.
“We knew demand for the new pheasant nesting practice would be high, but we were very surprised how quickly the acres were allocated” said GFP Senior Wildlife Biologist Bill Smith. “Landowners in South Dakota have always been very interested in creating pheasant habitat and SAFE acres gave producers a very important tool to put pheasant habitat on the ground.”
“While SAFE will never replace the 300,000 acres of CRP that expired in 2007, it demonstrates how popular CRP is with the landowners of South Dakota,” said GFP Assistant Wildlife Division Director George Vandel. “Pheasants are very important to South Dakotans and landowners will jump on any opportunity to help them create more habitat for pheasants.”
GFP Habitat Biologist Rocco Murano also credits the quick enrollment of SAFE acres to the promotion and technical assistance provided by FSA, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Conservation Districts, and the seven Pheasants Forever Farm Bill biologists. “Even before sign-up, FSA, NRCS, the Conservation Districts and Pheasants Forever were talking with landowners about this new opportunity and were ready go the same day FSA was approved to hold sign-up,” said Murano.
Even though South Dakota has reached its allocation early, many other landowners are seeking to enroll additional acres. The state FSA office is working with the Washington D.C., office to get an additional allocation of acres. “Given the popularity of the pheasant SAFE, we are very confident that FSA will allocate South Dakota additional acres, so landowners should still contact their local FSA office if they are interested in enrolling in the pheasant SAFE,” said Vandel.
For additional information and application assistance regarding SAFE please contact your local USDA service center or visit http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/PrivateLands/PFBiologists.pdf to find your local Pheasants Forever Farm Bill biologist.
--GFP--
Smallmouth Bass Regulations Change on Lake Sharpe in 2008
PIERRE, S.D.—Anglers who fish on Lake Sharpe should be aware that the slot-size limit for smallmouth bass has changed for 2008. The 2008 Lake Sharpe smallmouth bass protected slot will require all fish greater than 14 inches but less than 18 inches in length to be released. Harvest of one 18-inch or longer smallmouth bass and any smallmouth bass less than 14 inches--up to your daily limit--can be taken from Lake Sharpe.
A protected, slot-size restriction of 12 to 18 inches was imposed on Lake Sharpe, a Missouri River Reservoir, in 2003 in an effort to improve the quality of the smallmouth bass fishery. This restriction required bass greater than 12 inches but less than18 inches in length to be immediately returned to the water. One 18-inch or longer smallmouth bass and any smallmouth bass smaller than 12 inches--up to your daily limit--could be taken from Lake Sharpe.
The 2007 season marked the end of the five-year experimental period for the regulation. After review of information collected during that time, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department opted to increase the bottom end of the slot size from greater than 12 inches to greater than 14 inches.
Creel surveys have indicated that harvest of smallmouth bass below 12 inches in length is not occurring at high enough levels. “Harvest of smaller bass needs to occur for the regulation to accomplish the objective of increasing the number of large smallmouth bass in Lake Sharpe,” said GFP Senior Fisheries Biologist Geno Adams. “Angler input was involved in the regulation adjustment. The new regulation should allow increased opportunity for anglers to harvest smallmouth bass while still protecting larger bass.”
For more details and information, refer to the department’s 2008 Fishing Handbook, available from retail license agents, GFP offices and in PDF format on the department’s Web site at www.sdgfp.info.
--GFP--
Walleye Anglers on Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case Will Need Patience
PIERRE, S.D.—By the very nature of their sport, anglers are patient. That characteristic will serve them well in 2008 on Lakes Sharpe and Francis Case where walleye populations are plentiful but many of the fish have yet to reach a harvestable size.
The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department’s Missouri River fisheries staff says walleye populations in Lake Francis Case and Lake Sharpe generally share similar characteristics with that trend continuing throughout the upcoming year. Large year classes of walleye were produced in 2005 and 2006 in both lakes. The 2005 year class should begin to enter the sport fish harvest in 2008.
Creel survey data from Lake Francis Case indicates that catch rates were up in 2006 and 2007, while the harvest rate declined over the same period. Anglers were catching the 2005 and 2006 year classes, but were unable to harvest those fish due to their small size.
Anglers will again see substantial numbers of walleye just under the 15-inch minimum during 2008. With the variable nature of walleye reproduction and recruitment—the
number of fish added to the population each year--in Missouri River reservoirs, these large year classes will provide a major contribution to angler catch over the next few years.
“Anglers should expect to sort through sub-legal walleye on Lake Francis Case and Lake Sharpe again during 2008.” said GFP Senior Fisheries Biologist Geno Adams. “Patience will be needed to find walleye of legal length to harvest in some instances, however, anglers should note that these year classes will provide much of the angling opportunity in upcoming years.”
Also, biologists suggest keeping white bass, channel catfish or other species instead of walleye to help spread harvest out during periods of lower reproduction.
--GFP--
Proper Measurement of Fish Critical to Fish and Fisherman
PIERRE, S.D.—The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department’s 2008 Fishing Handbook defines length of a fish as “the total length of a fish in inches, as measured in a straight line along a flat surface, from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail.” Sometimes the instrument used to measure a fish is just as important as how the fish is measured.
There are many commercially-made devices on the market today that allow anglers to measure their catch; however, not all are created equal. It has been found that the material with which the device was constructed can impact accuracy of its measurements. Some stick-on-rulers are known to shrink when exposed to various outdoor elements. The accuracy of these measuring devices can be compromised leading to illegal harvest of fish.
To avoid unnecessary citations and protect the fisheries resources of South Dakota, Game, Fish and Parks conservation officers and fisheries biologists suggest choosing measuring devices made of metal. To further reduce uncertainty, check with your local conservation officer directly, and ask what specific measuring device the officer uses. A commercially-made ruler can cost from $5 to $25. However, all are cheaper than a citation for a short fish.
“When we are doing compliance checks for length limits we use a flat metal ruler and if the anglers are using the same type of measuring device there should be no question on the actual length of the fish,” according to GFP Conservation Officer John Murphy of Pierre.
Harvest regulations are designed to spread harvest out and maximize opportunity for anglers using fisheries resources in South Dakota. The effects of those regulations are negated when anglers fail to comply.
Anglers are noted for using high-quality equipment while they’re fishing. They can help conserve South Dakota’s resources and avoid citations by making sure that the device they use to measure the fish that they catch is of a high quality, too.
--GFP—