By Jack Spaulding Patoka Lake is hosting a kayak lesson for beginners on April 30 at 12:30 p.m. at the Patoka Lake Nature Center. The talk will cover the basics of operating a kayak, what gear is needed, and the best places to paddle on the lake. Several different styles of kayaks and paddles will be available to try. The event is open to kayakers age 12 and older. The cost is $5 per person. All equipment including life jackets will be provided. Advance registration is required. The entrance fee of $7 per vehicle for Indiana residents or $9 for out-of-state visitors applies. To register, or for more information regarding the program or other interpretive events please call the Nature Center at 812-685-2447. Patoka Lake (on.IN.gov/patokalake) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513. Renew your fishing license Spring is finally here, which for many people means it is time to fish. Before heading out, remember the 2021-2022 fishing licenses expired on March 31. To renew yours for the 2022-2023 fishing season or purchase one for the first time, visit on.IN.gov/INhuntfish or a local retailer. Your participation helps the Division of Fish & Wildlife increase access, creates healthier habitats, and provides more rewarding experiences for anglers across the state. Standby turkey hunt draws If you were not successful drawing a reserved hunt spot for the 2022 spring turkey season, there are still opportunities to get out and hunt on Indiana’s public lands. One of the options is standby draws. Here’s how they work: Fish & Wildlife areas (FWAs) often allocate spring turkey hunting opportunities through a reserved hunt draw. Hunters drawn for a reserved hunt must claim their spots daily by a certain time each morning, or their hunting opportunity will be included in the standby draw. Non-reserved hunters who hold a valid turkey hunting license and game bird stamp may sign up for standby draws each morning for a chance at one of the unclaimed spots. Remember, the spots may only be claimed in person, and there is no guarantee there will be openings available. Hunters interested in participating in turkey hunt standby draws should contact the property they wish to hunt for more information regarding draw times and procedures. New DNR survey for lake users Users of Big Lake (Noble County), Bryant Creek Lake (Monroe County) and Prairie Pond (Pike County) can share their opinions on their experience with DNR via a new online survey. The survey is for all users of the lakes, not just anglers. The survey takes less than one minute to complete. It asks questions about a user’s day at the lake and their satisfaction regarding access, cleanliness and fishing opportunities. Signs displaying a QR code have been placed near the access sites at each lake. Users access the survey by opening the camera app on their mobile phone and holding it over the QR code for a few seconds until the survey notification pops up. When it does, they can tap on the notification to open the survey. Help control aquatic invasive species As you prepare your boat or recreational equipment to get back on the water this spring, remember to look for aquatic hitchhikers. Zebra mussels, aquatic plants like Eurasian watermilfoil or starry stonewort, and many other invasive species continue to be a threat to Indiana’s waters by degrading fish habitat and negatively affecting recreational boating and fishing. The most common locations where plants, mussels, and animals hitch a ride include: • Transom well near the drain plug • Axle of the trailer • Lower unit and propeller on the boat motor • The rollers and bunks guiding the boat onto the trailer • Anchor and lines • Bait bucket and live well Boat owners are asked to drain water from bait buckets, live wells and boats before leaving the boat landing; leave drain plugs out while travelling on land; clean and dry anything coming in contact with water; and dispose of unwanted bait in the trash. Clifty Falls garlic mustard eradication Help Celebrate National Volunteer Week with us at Clifty Falls State Park on April 23 by volunteering at our Garlic Mustard Pull. Bring your work gloves and meet at 2 p.m. at the Nature Center to help us remove the pesky invasive plant from our park. Discover how to identify the plant and how it’s hurting our ecosystem. Then, you can help us pull as many plants as we can. To discover other ways you can get involved, see on.IN.gov/INStateParksVolunteer. Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net. Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download. |
