Wildlife Department works to improve fishing across the state

            Oklahoma anglers enjoy some of the best inland fishing in the nation and fisheries biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) are working hard to make sure the fishing remains top notch.

            The state is home to thousands of acres of lakes and reservoirs, however, many of them are beginning to show their age. When the lakes were first impounded, trees and brush provided excellent cover for fish. As the decades passed, the flooded vegetation decayed leaving fewer places for fish to hide and fewer places for anglers to catch them.

            Fisheries biologists across the state are working on innovative ways to provide man-made habitat in these man-made lakes. For instance, at Lake Carl Blackwell near Stillwater, biologists are performing a simple experiment to determine the best type of habitat to use under a popular fishing dock where local anglers target crappie.

            “Under one side of the dock we will place the traditional oak and cedar brush and under the other side of the dock we’re sinking a string of structures made out of plastic pipe and flower pots – we call them magnum fish magnets,” said Bill Wentroth, northwest region fisheries biologist.

            “Then through a voluntary survey we will ask fisherman which side of the dock is most productive. The natural brush works well but it has to be replaced every few years. We hope these new habitat structures will be just as effective and we know they will last for a very long time. As a bonus, they should be much easier to fish around since lures are less likely to snag on the small plastic pipe compared to a big oak tree.”

            At Lake Eufaula in eastcentral Oklahoma, Wildlife Department personnel recently partnered with several local FFA chapters to make hundreds of concrete and pipe contraptions called “spider blocks.”

            “We placed the spider blocks at several different areas of the lake, but we tried to focus on the areas with good bank access that were known as crappie hot spots,” said Garland Wright, central region fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department.

            Fisheries biologists are certainly not focused solely on lakes. Biologists are continuing work on stream habitat projects – such as the Evening Hole Restoration Project – one of the most ambitious stream restoration project ever undertaken in the country. Following two years of research and development, biologists have now begun the huge task of renovating the area known as the Evening Hole located on the Lower Mountain Fork River.  The project also includes the re-creation of an ancient stream channel that will connect to the main river channel and offer almost a half-mile of new trout fishing opportunities.  To learn more about the project log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com/hottopics.htm.

            Many of these fisheries habitat projects are funded through the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program. Fishing tackle, as well as boat trolling motors, firearms, bows and arrows and other outdoor related equipment are subject to special federal excise taxes which help fund conservation efforts around the country. Additionally, federal fuel taxes attributed to motorboats are directed towards conservation.

            The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration programs are tremendous examples of true a partnership between private industries, state governments, the federal government and hunters, anglers and boaters. The federal government collects these taxes from manufacturers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers and disburses the funds to the state fish and wildlife agencies like the ODWC.

            Hunters, anglers, shooters and boaters ultimately pay these taxes through the purchase of products. These same groups benefit from the funds as states must spend the money on sport fish and wildlife habitat restoration/development, populations management, user access and facilities and education.

            The funds are used by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for a wide range of important activities, including the purchase and maintenance of wildlife management areas, construction of fish hatcheries, research laboratories and user facilities, surveying and managing fish and wildlife populations, training volunteer instructors and educating young hunters and anglers in safe firearms handling, water safety, fish and wildlife resources and ethics afield.

            For more information about the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.

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