Tri-State Outdoor News

Rend Lake in south-central Illinois has a wide-variery of camping spots, and plenty of fun things to do while exploring the area.

Besides camping, there is fishing, boating, hunting, shooting sports, hiking, bicycling, swimming, golf, and many interesting places to visit, including shops and eateries.

If you are looking for a new place to camp, Rend Lake ought be near the top of your list. It is close to anyplace in the Tri-State area, and has 1,100 campsites ranging from full-hookups to remote primitive sites. It’s a place you can always find a level campsite, usually in the shade or on the lake shore. More »

It’s HOT, and with the increase in temperatures (especially in the southern reaches of the Tri-State Outdoor News,) it can make it hard to want to get out there and fish. Also, many species of fish have changed their patterns and can be more difficult to catch now than they were a month or two ago when they were up on the beds spawning.

Even though they can be a little tougher, fish can still be caught during the dog days of summer – sometimes in impressive numbers. You may just need to tweak your presentations and locations you fish in order to get on them. More »

Lazy days spent fishing a farm pond are some of the best times afield. Many old timers got their start this way, while today’s kids often follow suit and catch their first fish from a pond. Stock your tackle box with a few wellworn favorites and you can also catch farm pond fish this summer.

“I always try to keep a good supply of some type of plastic worms,” said Andy Mowrey, an avid farm pond angler and stream restoration biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “I also like the good oldfashioned topwaters like Hula Poppers and Jitterbugs. Also, I keep some kind of jig-and-pig or crankbait; something that moves faster than a plastic lure.” More »

Early summer is a confusing time to fish for largemouth bass. Common sense dictates bass would inhale anything resembling food after the rigors of spawning in late May and early June. It seems a Carolina-rigged lizard or spinner bait tossed into places where the fishing was good earlier in the year would be crunched by a hungry, ornery largemouth at this time of year.

However, many anglers may fish long hours just to catch a few 12-inch bass to show for it.

“I have trouble with postspawn fishing because it’s transitional,” said Jeff Ross, assistant director of fisheries for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “The spawn takes a lot out of them. Shallow water fishing declines after the spawn. You may still catch little ones, but the big females are transitioning to their summer habitat.” More »

Bass are the most popular fish in America. More people claim to fish for bass than all other species combined. Even though we all know that we are fishing for anything that will bite, we like to call ourselves bass fisherman.

Just this week I was fishing with my kids and they decided they wanted to throw surface baits for bass. We tied on everything from Jitterbugs to Hula Poppers to some non-descript rubber frogs.

The kids, despite getting plenty of hits, could not seem to land a fish. So I decided to ease the anguish of missing the big ones by baiting up a hook with a tiny red worm and tossing it into the lily pads. Quickly the bobber was gone, but instead of a little bluegill, I found myself fighting a really nice bass. The fish turned out to be a 16- incher and the silly look on my face told my kids I had no idea why it hit the worm or how I landed it on that tiny little hook. More »

Bedford, IN—The U.S. Forest Service–Hoosier National Forest, received $1.09 million funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for roads maintenance and decommissioning and associated watershed restoration that were first announced by U. S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on June 2, 2009. This project is among the 106 projects, funded at more than $228 million, located on Forest Service land in 31 states.

In his announcement earlier this month, Vilsack stated, “These road maintenance projects will provide for public health and safety, resource protection, and access to lands in the National Forests.” More »

All dates, times and programs subject to change; check fair program for updates.

Multiple-Day Events

9 a.m.–Noon Youth DNR Fishin’ Pond (except Aug. 7, 8, and 17-21)

10 a.m. Snakes Alive Talk, DNR Amphitheater, every day

7 p.m. Architectural Fairground Trolley Tour, from DNR Building, 8/7 and 13

4:30 p.m. Live Raptor Show, DNR Amphitheater (except 8/10-14, 17-19, and 23)

4:30 p.m. Indiana’s Birds of Prey, DNR Amphitheater (8/10, 14, 17) More »

For the last three years, the free DNR Fishin’ Pond has been a highlight of the State Fair, and the DNR needs volunteers to keep the tradition going this year, Aug. 7-23, in Indianapolis.

Volunteers not only make this feature enjoyable and educational, they receive a free ticket to the fair, good for the entire day of their four-hour shift.

No experience is needed. Optional training, which is highly recommended for new volunteers, is offered twice in July and will serve as a chance for early ticket pick-up. All volunteers also receive a T-shirt to wear during their shift. More »

Deer hunters in need of a place to hunt, and farmers/landowners in need of crop damage relief now have a way to contact each other using a tool developed by the Department of Natural Resources.

To participate, deer hunters may submit an online application, July 1 through Aug. 30, at http://www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild to hunt private land in Indiana. Hunters submit for up to two counties they would like to hunt. Farmers/landowners then select individuals to interview for rights to hunt.

The program does not alter normal DNR deer hunting regulations. Hunters must adhere to all bag limits, county antlerless deer quotas and license fees. Farmers/landowners determine whether hunters may harvest antlerless deer or deer of either sex. More »

The 2009-2010 DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide is now available on the DNR Web site, dnr.IN.gov.

Within the next week or two, the guide will be available, free of charge, at most DNR properties, various sporting goods stores, hunting license vendors and other locations around the state.

The 44-page publication’s cover shows a hunter participating in a deer reduction hunt last winter at Tippecanoe River State Park. More »