MADISON - It’s hard to say what’s more impressive over the sweep of Wesley Babcock’s 40 years of bowfishing: the more than 18,000 carp and other fish he’s taken with a bow and arrow, or the eye-popping lunker he hauled in last month from the Castle Rock Flowage.
Babcock, a biology teacher for the Pardeeville School district for 33 years, shot the quillback/river carp sucker hybrid while bowfishing on the Castle Rock Flowage.
He’s been bowfishing since he was in middle school, keeping his dad company on trips to the Rock River. It was pretty low-tech, but lots of fun, back then. “We used to tape a coffee can to our recurve bow and wrap line around it,” Babcock recalls. “The arrow was tied to this string. You could not shoot very far.”
Next, they moved on to a 3-foot circumference hoop they shot through the middle of and wrapped line around. Now they use a bottle reel which allows longer shots and fast retrieval of the line after shots.
“Carp shooting has always been a fun pastime for me,” he says. “I used to only shoot as many as I could bury in our garden for fertilizer, and then had to stop because of no way to dispose of them. This was normally 100 to 200 a year.”
Eight years ago, when the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association began offering a 50-cent bounty on each carp shot with a bow, Babcock and his 14-year-old son, Aaron, started shooting over there every chance they got.
“The first year we shot more than 900,” he says. “The next year, it was 2,700-plus, and the third year, we topped 2,300.”
Aaron died suddenly on August 26, 2004.
The elder Babcock continued to find peace and relaxation in bowfishing, shooting more than 2,000 every summer since. The total is now over 18,000. “I plan to back off after reaching hopefully, 20,000,” he says.
A day he’ll never forget…
Babcock was on the Castle Rock Flowage shooting carp and buffalo when he shot the carp sucker hybrid.
“I saw two fish swim in front of the boat in cloudy water. Thinking they were buffalo, I shot at one,” he says. “It took out a lot of line and got tangled in the boat motor. When I managed to get it in, I was shocked to see it was actually a sucker. I thought it was a quillback, but now find out that it was a quillback/river carpsucker hybrid.”
He knew it was huge for a sucker and started checking. The Bowfishing Association state record was 11 pounds and the official state record for quillbacks was 10 pounds plus change.
John Lyons, a longtime DNR researcher with an encyclopedic knowledge of fish and a mission of updating George Becker’s seminal Fishes of Wisconsin, a compendium of information about fish species in Wisconsin, indeed had never seen a bigger carpsucker. He looked at the frozen fish and sent photos and a small fin clip to a Tulane University expert, who concurred that the fish was the hybrid.
But Lyons said it was far larger than any of the thousands of hybrids he has personally observed. That was pretty exciting.”
“This carpsucker is huge,” Lyons says. “Based on my own field experiences and my quick review of the literature, this may be the largest carpsucker ever recorded anywhere.
“I've handled thousands of carpsuckers of all three species found in Wisconsin and various hybrid combinations from all over the state and elsewhere, and I've never seen one more than about 8-9 pounds. Becker lists the largest carpsucker he was aware of from Wisconsin, a river carpsucker, at just over 10 pounds. Other literature sources from other states list the maximum size of carpsuckers in the range of 9-12 pounds; the angling record is a 12-pound quillback, the largest carpsucker I can find in the literature. So this fish, at 18.17 pounds, shatters all records.”
Babcock hasn’t decided whether he will have the fish mounted or have a replica made. In the meantime, he’s back out there bowfishing.
“I have always enjoyed being outside and observing other things in nature as I hunt or fish. No two days are the same. Seeing things like an eagle stealing a fish from a pelican, an osprey diving into the water and catching a fish, muskies swimming around where I shoot, or having an otter get in the boat and eat a carp while I was away shooting in the canoe,” he says. “I also enjoy the hunting experience without the hassle of owning land. I enjoy the peace and quiet and escape from every day work related stress.”
Advice for new bowfishers
His advice for novice bowfishers is to invest in a bottle reel and good arrows.
“They will get frustrated with losing fish and poor shot accuracy with inferior equipment. Also, don't worry about getting a fancy bow. Any used bow with a lower draw weight (45 pounds or less) will work. You will hopefully be shooting a lot of times and often must shoot quickly, so a bow that is easy to pull back works better.”
One more thing, he says, “Make sure you have arrows equipped with ‘slides’ to prevent dangerous line tangles on the bowstring when you shoot. Never tie the line directly to the arrow. I used to do that and almost lost an eye when a loop formed on my bowstring and the arrow snapped back, missing my eye by about an inch. I've used slides ever since.”
Showing posts with label World Record Fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Record Fish. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
7 state fishing records fall in first five months of 2010
MADISON – State fishing records are falling fast -- literally with a “thunk” -- as anglers have been hauling in a boatload of true lunkers.
By June 1, seven new state fish records had been confirmed in 2010 in the “alternate methods" category. The fish ranged from 4 pounds to more than 200 pounds, and the longest stretched more than seven feet long. Six of the seven were taken with a bow and arrow, one with a spear, and one new record was only on the books for a month before it was eclipsed.
A monster fish – a quillback-river carpsucker hybrid – has also been harvested in recent weeks from Wisconsin waters but didn’t qualify for a record because the state no longer accepts records for hybrid fish.
“Bowfishing seems to be growing in popularity and our record books are starting to reflect that trend,” says Karl Scheidegger, the DNR fish biologist who coordinates the state record fish program.
“More people are learning about the alternate methods category and seem to be targeting those records.”
Bowfishing involves using specialized archery equipment to target carp, drum, burbot and the like during an open season that coincides with the statewide spearing seasons. The Guide to Wisconsin Spearing, Netting, and Bait Harvest Regulations 2010-2011 can be found on the fishing regulations page of the DNR website.
The parade of record fish, and the people who landed them, are listed with the most recent first (following links exit DNR to WiscFish website, a collaborative effort by the Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant):
•Taylor Hanson of New Lisbon shot a 4-pound, 1.6 ounce, 29-inch short nose gar from the Wisconsin River in Grant County on May 29.
•Lance Lyga of Independence shot a 3-pound, 8 ounce, 19-inch long spotted sucker, from the Mississippi River in Trempealeau County on May 22.
•Nathaniel Fritsch of Ettrick shot a 28-pound, 13.3 ounce, 35-inch long sheepshead, from the Mississippi River in Trempealeau County on May 17.
•Kyle Lakey of Trempealeau shot a 29-pound, 10.9 ounce, 33.15-inch smallmouth buffalo, from the Trempealeau River in Trempealeau County on April 18.
•Crae Wilke of Hortonville shot a 10-pound, 15 ounce, 26.6-inch silver red horse from the Weyauwega Mill Pond on March 23.
•David Kropp of Sauk City shot a 13-pound, 28 1/4 inch smallmouth buffalo on March 6, 2010, while bowfishing on the Wisconsin River in Sauk County. He held this record for a month before Kyle Lakey bettered it.
•Ron Grishaber of Appleton speared a 212-pound, 3.2-ounce lake sturgeon that stretched 84.25 inches long on Feb. 13, 2010, opening day of the Lake Winnebago lake sturgeon spearing seasons.
Wesley Babcock of Pardeeville hauled in an 18-pound, 2.7 ounce, 29-inch quillback-river carpsucker hybrid from the Castle Rock Flowage, a fish that nearly doubles the weight of the state record quill back and carp sucker records. He received an “Exceptional Catch” certificate from DNR for his efforts.
What to do if you think you’ve caught a record fish?
If you think you or someone else has caught a fish that may be a state record, here's what you need to do:
•Don't clean the fish
•Freeze the fish if possible or keep it cool, preferably on ice
•Get the fish weighed as soon as possible on a certified scale (usually found in grocery, hardware stores, etc.) and witnessed by an observer
•Contact a fisheries biologist at the nearest DNR Service Center to get the fish species positively identified and to find out whether the fish is actually a state record.
•Obtain and complete a record fish application, downloadable from the DNR websit or available from a DNR service center.
•If possible, take a photo of you holding your prize catch and e-mail it to [Karl.Scheidegger@wisconsin.gov] or send a print to his attention at the DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management, Box 7921, Madison, Wis., 53707.
By June 1, seven new state fish records had been confirmed in 2010 in the “alternate methods" category. The fish ranged from 4 pounds to more than 200 pounds, and the longest stretched more than seven feet long. Six of the seven were taken with a bow and arrow, one with a spear, and one new record was only on the books for a month before it was eclipsed.
A monster fish – a quillback-river carpsucker hybrid – has also been harvested in recent weeks from Wisconsin waters but didn’t qualify for a record because the state no longer accepts records for hybrid fish.
“Bowfishing seems to be growing in popularity and our record books are starting to reflect that trend,” says Karl Scheidegger, the DNR fish biologist who coordinates the state record fish program.
“More people are learning about the alternate methods category and seem to be targeting those records.”
Bowfishing involves using specialized archery equipment to target carp, drum, burbot and the like during an open season that coincides with the statewide spearing seasons. The Guide to Wisconsin Spearing, Netting, and Bait Harvest Regulations 2010-2011 can be found on the fishing regulations page of the DNR website.
The parade of record fish, and the people who landed them, are listed with the most recent first (following links exit DNR to WiscFish website, a collaborative effort by the Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant):
•Taylor Hanson of New Lisbon shot a 4-pound, 1.6 ounce, 29-inch short nose gar from the Wisconsin River in Grant County on May 29.
•Lance Lyga of Independence shot a 3-pound, 8 ounce, 19-inch long spotted sucker, from the Mississippi River in Trempealeau County on May 22.
•Nathaniel Fritsch of Ettrick shot a 28-pound, 13.3 ounce, 35-inch long sheepshead, from the Mississippi River in Trempealeau County on May 17.
•Kyle Lakey of Trempealeau shot a 29-pound, 10.9 ounce, 33.15-inch smallmouth buffalo, from the Trempealeau River in Trempealeau County on April 18.
•Crae Wilke of Hortonville shot a 10-pound, 15 ounce, 26.6-inch silver red horse from the Weyauwega Mill Pond on March 23.
•David Kropp of Sauk City shot a 13-pound, 28 1/4 inch smallmouth buffalo on March 6, 2010, while bowfishing on the Wisconsin River in Sauk County. He held this record for a month before Kyle Lakey bettered it.
•Ron Grishaber of Appleton speared a 212-pound, 3.2-ounce lake sturgeon that stretched 84.25 inches long on Feb. 13, 2010, opening day of the Lake Winnebago lake sturgeon spearing seasons.
Wesley Babcock of Pardeeville hauled in an 18-pound, 2.7 ounce, 29-inch quillback-river carpsucker hybrid from the Castle Rock Flowage, a fish that nearly doubles the weight of the state record quill back and carp sucker records. He received an “Exceptional Catch” certificate from DNR for his efforts.
What to do if you think you’ve caught a record fish?
If you think you or someone else has caught a fish that may be a state record, here's what you need to do:
•Don't clean the fish
•Freeze the fish if possible or keep it cool, preferably on ice
•Get the fish weighed as soon as possible on a certified scale (usually found in grocery, hardware stores, etc.) and witnessed by an observer
•Contact a fisheries biologist at the nearest DNR Service Center to get the fish species positively identified and to find out whether the fish is actually a state record.
•Obtain and complete a record fish application, downloadable from the DNR websit or available from a DNR service center.
•If possible, take a photo of you holding your prize catch and e-mail it to [Karl.Scheidegger@wisconsin.gov] or send a print to his attention at the DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management, Box 7921, Madison, Wis., 53707.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Milwaukee Area Great for Angling
One of the great things about the Milwaukee area is its access to fantastic fishing. While many waters are crowded, due to being within the highest density of fishing license holders in Wisconsin, there are other waters having less pressure than some of the famous “up north” waters. Activity is low on Pickerel, Army, Lulu, Booth, and countless others. The trick is learning the secret to gaining access. Every species the “up north” angler seeks inhabits some lake or river near Milwaukee, and more. By bordering Lake Michigan, Milwaukee and neighboring counties bring even more species to anglers’ boats. Salmon and trout, some of which are really char, are added to the livewells.
In the Milwaukee area waters, you can fish for anything from the #1 Wisconsin panfish, the bluegill, to Lake Michigan’s powerful and fast Chinook salmon and hard fighting steelhead, otherwise called rainbow trout, and to the mighty musky, the state’s gamefish.
Nagawicka, in Waukesha County, is the most fished per acre lake in our state. It produces good pike, dandy walleye, and plenty of panfish, including bluegills, crappies and yellow perch. There are no boat liveries (rentals), yet plenty of anglers launch in the park on the east side of the lake.
2,493 acre Pewaukee, just east of Nagawicka, is home for numerous fine muskies. Traditionally anglers only fished in the daytime for these large predators, but night fishing is beginning to produce muskies, plus walleyes and bass. Many years ago, Joe Ehrhardt caught a 50# musky during gun deer hunting week. He was planning on panfishing in the Madison area, and he and his partner changed their minds. The fish would’ve officially weighed over 50#, but Ehrhardt didn’t realize he had a line class, world record fish. So, on the next day, the fish was officially weighed. It had lost some weight due to evaporation, but it was still just a shade under 50#.
Other near to Milwaukee counties offering great fishing include the small lakes and ponds of Ozaukee County. These waters feature panfish and largemouth bass. Some of these small waters have stocked walleyes.
Washington County has both small and large lakes, plus smallmouth action in the Milwaukee River. Big Cedar serves nice bass and occasional large northern pike. I’ve enjoyed many hours catching bluegills on live bait and Dick Smith Panfish Grubs, largemouth bass on black Mr. Twister spinnerbaits, and pike on trolled crankbaits such as Shad Raps. Not only is trolling excellent in the summer, especially where you find inside turns having healthy, outside edge aquatic plants, but it makes hot, humid and windless summer days more bearable.
South of Milwaukee, Racine County’s waters present panfish, pike and largemouth bass. Wind Lake, for example, also has walleye on its angling menu. The Racine Quarry is stocked with trout, and the Root River, which runs alongside this deep, manmade pond, is excellent for river run fish from Lake Michigan.
Kenosha County offers lakes similar to those in Racine County, and the Pike River is home to river run fish. Yes, Milwaukeeans, it is okay to go south to catch fish. Why not? It’s closer, and gas is no longer a bargain.
We’ll have plenty to discuss regarding the diverse Milwaukee area fishery. The seasons change fish locations and depths. Sun angle does that too. Temperatures move fish around in the lakes, and ice is another factor. We will look at moonlight, high and low pressure systems, rising and falling barometers, and all kinds of other things related to fishing. With my 34 years in area instructional fishing clubs, my experience fishing some tournaments and fisherees, and my 33 years as a published outdoor writer, we can draw on this vast collection of information, and both you and I will learn and relearn all about fishing in the Milwaukee area.Now, go and make sure your hooks are sharp. It’s time to go fishing.
In the Milwaukee area waters, you can fish for anything from the #1 Wisconsin panfish, the bluegill, to Lake Michigan’s powerful and fast Chinook salmon and hard fighting steelhead, otherwise called rainbow trout, and to the mighty musky, the state’s gamefish.
Nagawicka, in Waukesha County, is the most fished per acre lake in our state. It produces good pike, dandy walleye, and plenty of panfish, including bluegills, crappies and yellow perch. There are no boat liveries (rentals), yet plenty of anglers launch in the park on the east side of the lake.
2,493 acre Pewaukee, just east of Nagawicka, is home for numerous fine muskies. Traditionally anglers only fished in the daytime for these large predators, but night fishing is beginning to produce muskies, plus walleyes and bass. Many years ago, Joe Ehrhardt caught a 50# musky during gun deer hunting week. He was planning on panfishing in the Madison area, and he and his partner changed their minds. The fish would’ve officially weighed over 50#, but Ehrhardt didn’t realize he had a line class, world record fish. So, on the next day, the fish was officially weighed. It had lost some weight due to evaporation, but it was still just a shade under 50#.
Other near to Milwaukee counties offering great fishing include the small lakes and ponds of Ozaukee County. These waters feature panfish and largemouth bass. Some of these small waters have stocked walleyes.
Washington County has both small and large lakes, plus smallmouth action in the Milwaukee River. Big Cedar serves nice bass and occasional large northern pike. I’ve enjoyed many hours catching bluegills on live bait and Dick Smith Panfish Grubs, largemouth bass on black Mr. Twister spinnerbaits, and pike on trolled crankbaits such as Shad Raps. Not only is trolling excellent in the summer, especially where you find inside turns having healthy, outside edge aquatic plants, but it makes hot, humid and windless summer days more bearable.
South of Milwaukee, Racine County’s waters present panfish, pike and largemouth bass. Wind Lake, for example, also has walleye on its angling menu. The Racine Quarry is stocked with trout, and the Root River, which runs alongside this deep, manmade pond, is excellent for river run fish from Lake Michigan.
Kenosha County offers lakes similar to those in Racine County, and the Pike River is home to river run fish. Yes, Milwaukeeans, it is okay to go south to catch fish. Why not? It’s closer, and gas is no longer a bargain.
We’ll have plenty to discuss regarding the diverse Milwaukee area fishery. The seasons change fish locations and depths. Sun angle does that too. Temperatures move fish around in the lakes, and ice is another factor. We will look at moonlight, high and low pressure systems, rising and falling barometers, and all kinds of other things related to fishing. With my 34 years in area instructional fishing clubs, my experience fishing some tournaments and fisherees, and my 33 years as a published outdoor writer, we can draw on this vast collection of information, and both you and I will learn and relearn all about fishing in the Milwaukee area.Now, go and make sure your hooks are sharp. It’s time to go fishing.
Photos courtesy of the Wisconsin Fishing Club, Ltd., www.wisconsinfishingclub.com/ Joe Ehrhardt’s near 50#, line class musky from Pewaukee Lake.
Webmeister Note: This article was written by Larry Van Veghel. You can see more of what he has to say at: Milwaukee Fishing Examiner
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Monster Swims Among Us - DNR crew nets record yellow bass in Lake Mendota
FITCHBURG – A potential world record yellow bass is alive and well and swimming in Lake Mendota.
DNR’s South Central Region fisheries crew here netted and released the 16.7 inch, three pound fish on Tuesday, April 14, reports fisheries technician Scott Harpold, Fitchburg.
Crews were conducting a comprehensive fishery survey using fyke nets on Lake Mendota where they collected and released the fish on the north end of the lake near Governor Nelson State Park.
“Yellow bass are a unique fish and it was pretty neat,” said Mr. Harpold.
Although present in Lake Mendota and the Yahara Chain-of-Lakes, Mr. Harpold noted that yellow bass are more abundant in nearby Lake Kegonsa.
The fish would better the existing state record – 14.4 inches, 2.2 pounds caught in 1972 from another Yahara Lake, Monona – and, according to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, it would better the existing all tackle world record by one-half pound.
DNR’s South Central Region fisheries crew here netted and released the 16.7 inch, three pound fish on Tuesday, April 14, reports fisheries technician Scott Harpold, Fitchburg.
Crews were conducting a comprehensive fishery survey using fyke nets on Lake Mendota where they collected and released the fish on the north end of the lake near Governor Nelson State Park.
“Yellow bass are a unique fish and it was pretty neat,” said Mr. Harpold.
Although present in Lake Mendota and the Yahara Chain-of-Lakes, Mr. Harpold noted that yellow bass are more abundant in nearby Lake Kegonsa.
The fish would better the existing state record – 14.4 inches, 2.2 pounds caught in 1972 from another Yahara Lake, Monona – and, according to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, it would better the existing all tackle world record by one-half pound.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Chippewa system giving up world class fish
HAYWARD – The Chippewa River and its namesake flowage are regaining their reputation for record-setting musky.
Two fish pulled from the storied system in 2008 set new fly fishing catch and release musky world records: the 51.25-inch musky Brad Bohen caught and released on a 36-pound tippet on Oct. 16, 2008; the 40-inch musky Bill Flader caught on 14-pound tippet from the river, according to Emmett Brown, executive director of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward.
Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Supervisor Dave Neuswanger reported that a genetics study done in 2006 netted 52 fish greater than 40 inches in length, including very hefty females over 50 inches long. “Those fish have only grown larger in the intervening years,” Neuswanger says. “Musky fishing is improving steadily throughout the Upper Chippewa Basin as our native strain is allowed to reach its inherent potential.”
More than half a century ago, Louis Spray’s capture of a 69-pound, 11-ounce musky from the Chippewa Flowage, followed by three other world record fish from the Hayward area, set off a fishing frenzy that led to the near collapse of the area fishery by the 1970s.
Since then, higher minimum length limits and a strong catch-and-release ethic, particularly among the most skilled musky anglers, have brought the big ones back. An article on these efforts can be found in the December 2002 Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine.
Neuswanger says that the DNR has no way of knowing the origin of Bohen's fish. It could have grown up in the Chippewa Flowage before migrating through the Winter Dam and into the Chippewa River downstream.
“Some muskellunge live their entire lives in the rivers, while others become large in forage-rich flowages before escaping into the rivers,” he says. “River fishing is often overlooked by musky anglers, and so that's where many of the biggest fish live. It is quite a thrill (and even a little scary) to see a 50-inch muskellunge following your lure in clear water only a foot deep!”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Neuswanger (715) 634-9658
Weekly News Article Published: January 20, 2009 by the Central Office
Two fish pulled from the storied system in 2008 set new fly fishing catch and release musky world records: the 51.25-inch musky Brad Bohen caught and released on a 36-pound tippet on Oct. 16, 2008; the 40-inch musky Bill Flader caught on 14-pound tippet from the river, according to Emmett Brown, executive director of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward.
Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Supervisor Dave Neuswanger reported that a genetics study done in 2006 netted 52 fish greater than 40 inches in length, including very hefty females over 50 inches long. “Those fish have only grown larger in the intervening years,” Neuswanger says. “Musky fishing is improving steadily throughout the Upper Chippewa Basin as our native strain is allowed to reach its inherent potential.”
More than half a century ago, Louis Spray’s capture of a 69-pound, 11-ounce musky from the Chippewa Flowage, followed by three other world record fish from the Hayward area, set off a fishing frenzy that led to the near collapse of the area fishery by the 1970s.
Since then, higher minimum length limits and a strong catch-and-release ethic, particularly among the most skilled musky anglers, have brought the big ones back. An article on these efforts can be found in the December 2002 Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine.
Neuswanger says that the DNR has no way of knowing the origin of Bohen's fish. It could have grown up in the Chippewa Flowage before migrating through the Winter Dam and into the Chippewa River downstream.
“Some muskellunge live their entire lives in the rivers, while others become large in forage-rich flowages before escaping into the rivers,” he says. “River fishing is often overlooked by musky anglers, and so that's where many of the biggest fish live. It is quite a thrill (and even a little scary) to see a 50-inch muskellunge following your lure in clear water only a foot deep!”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Neuswanger (715) 634-9658
Weekly News Article Published: January 20, 2009 by the Central Office
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