Lake Mattamuskeet Carp Removal

Common Carp | credit: U.S. Army

A $1 million federal grant will go towards the removal of large numbers of common carp from Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina.

Located within Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, the lake is also home to more popular freshwater fish including largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, and striped bass.

Invasive carp, like those in Lake Mattamuskeet, compete with native fish for the natural resources and destroy the natural aquatic habitat.

Carp can degrade water quality by muddying the waters and uprooting aquatic plants. Their destruction also negatively impacts migratory wintering waterfowl that feed on the plants.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has partnered with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to remove the carp.

Several years ago, barriers were installed at the lake's four tide gates to keep adult carp from entering the lake. Now, the ones still in the lake must go.

The Service awarded WSB the contract to clear approximately 1 million pounds of carp from Lake Mattamuskeet.

During a similar large-scale carp removal effort in the 1940s and 1950s, large haul seines, baited traps, and pound nets were used successfully.

Another approach, known as the modified unified method, utilizes large seines and herding methods to move carp into nets successfully. Once netted, carp are extracted from the lake. WSB will utilize a combination of these removal methods. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment will improve the natural environment of the 40,000-acre Lake Mattamuskeet and four outlet canals, according to USFWS.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Vermont Northeast Kingdom Lake Trout

Lake Trout

Vermont's Northeast Kingdom region is known for its trophy class lake trout. In 2023, a 25.6 pound lake trout was landed from Echo Lake in Charleston.

Although Lake Champlain gets most of the attention for lake trout fishing in Vermont, many of the inland lakes in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom are real sleepers for big fish, according to Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) fisheries biologist Shawn Good, who administers the state’s Record Fish Program. 

"In fact, if you’re talking exclusively about trophy sized Lake Trout, the Northeast Kingdom is where you want to be," said VFWD fisheries biologist Jud Kratzer.  All 69 Lake Trout exceeding 20 pounds that have been entered in the Record Fish Program over the years have come from Kingdom waters.  And 530-acre Echo Lake has produced four of them, with the largest being just shy of 30 pounds. That’s remarkable for a lake of that size."

The Northeast Kingdom (NEK) includes over 2,000 square miles of Vermont and is home to some of the state’s most scenic locations.

Bordered by Canada and northern New Hampshire, the Kingdom is known for its fishing, outdoor recreation, and natural resources.

For more information on fishing in Vermont can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website (vtfishandwildlife.com).

Kansas State Record Redear Sunfish

Redear Sunfish Illustration | credit: USFWS

Great Bend resident, Jason Cavender was the last angler to set a Kansas state record for the 2023 fishing season.

Cavender landed a 1.725 pound redear sunfish while fishing at Cheyenne Bottoms Sportsman’s Club in Great Bend. 

The record-breaking sunfish measured a whopping 12 inches in girth and 12.125 inches long.

Cavender’s catch beats out the previous redear sunfish record set in 1995 by Larry Fox of Scott City. Fox caught a 1.69 pound redear from Finney Wildlife Area that measured 11.75 inches long.

The redear sunfish is the largest species of sunfish in North America. Also known as shellcracker and other nicknames, redears can attain weights of 5 pounds or more.

For more on fishing in Kansas, visit ksoutdoors.com

Lake Erie Fishing

Lake Trout

Lake Erie is one of North America's top freshwater fishing destinations. Anglers fish for an array of species in the main lake and its many tributaries.

Lake Erie Facts

Lake Erie sustains populations of yellow perch, walleye, lake trout, steelhead, brown trout, coho salmon, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill sunfish, musky, northern pike, and other species.

Lake Erie is the shallowest of the five Great Lakes. The lake is bordered by Ontario Canada and the American states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

With a surface area of 9,900 square miles and more than 850 miles of shoreline, the lake is a fishermen's paradise.

Wind and weather conditions on Lake Erie can create a seiche, an oscillating wave which can be several feet high. Seiches can cause water levels to fluctuate, especially around Buffalo, NY.

Yellow Perch

The yellow perch is Lake Erie's most popular panfish. Lake Erie anglers catch yellow perch with live baits as well as artificial lures. Peak fishing for yellow perch usually occurs during spring spawning runs. In the fall, anglers target yellow perch as the move down creeks and into Lake Erie. During the winter season, Lake Erie fishermen catch yellow perch by ice fishing.

Lake Trout

The lake trout is one of the most popular gamefish in Lake Erie. The largest member of the char family, lake trout can weigh 60 pounds or more.

Lake Erie Ice Fishing

Yellow Perch

Lake Erie is one of the most popular ice fishing destinations in the Northeast. The yellow perch is by far the most sought-after fish by Lake Erie ice fishermen.

Ice fishing enthusiasts also catch walleye, musky, pike, lake trout, crappie, bluegill, and other species.

The most basic form of ice fishing on Lake Erie consists of bottom fishing with small baits or slowly jigging small lures.

In addition to hand-held rods, some anglers fish unattended rigs, known as "tip-ups". These simple devices are designed to hook fish and provide the angler with some indication when a strike occurs.

Although simple fishing strategies remain popular on the lake, a number of complex ice fishing techniques have gained popularity in recent years. For electronics enthusiasts, there are fishfinder units (sonar), underwater video cameras, GPS devices, and other equipment.

Commercial Fisheries

In recent decades, the Lake Erie has sustained a variety of commercial fisheries in both Canadian and American waters. Walleye and yellow perch are typically the most important species for American fishermen. Important Canadian fisheries include walleye, yellow perch, white bass, smelt, and lake whitefish.