> Fall test netting to determine walleye population status is a normal part of managing a fishery like the one on Mille Lacs Lake. But many fish are sacrificed when otoliths (ear bones) are collected to determine age and other individual attributes of the fish.

> …although it’s unavoidable for some fish to die, they need not be wasted. They’re donating the fish to a variety of nonprofits that are grateful to get them. COs seized the opportunity last week to make use of those fish to provide a meal for residents of Aicota Health Care Center and Aitkin Health Services in Aitkin.

> “We’re trying to do a positive thing for the people we serve. Usually we’re in the position of telling people what they can’t do, so it’s enjoyable to do something like this on the positive side.”

> …provides convenient access to the Seneca River and Onondaga Lake.

> …clients sit on the back of the boat and shoot the carp with [bow] arrows when they jump out of the water.

> “It sounds hard, but when you have thousands of fish jumping all day, you actually get good at it. Most of your shots are anywhere from 1′ to 10′, so you get close shots at them.”

> Division of Wildlife Resources director Mike Fowlks issued the emergency change to the [regs] to protect bluegill populations.

> Steinaker Reservoir was drained for dam repairs in 2018, and Pelican Lake was treated with rotenone in Oct 2018. To date, around 700 adult bluegill have been restocked into Steinaker Reservoir and about 2,700 [in] Pelican Lake.

> Given this species’ schooling nature and how much anglers love to harvest panfish, we feel the need to protect these young fish until more bluegill have grown to a catchable size and are able to reproduce.

> “…features and industry first sliding head rail…allows the bait to sink vertically at incredible speeds, and with one twitch of the rod, the lure transitions to a horizontal presentation.

> “For ice fishing or open water…can be vertical-jigged or cast out and worked back. The unbreakable polycarbonate lip gives the lure an erratic darting action and the feathered tail draws fish in.”

> Cheater rig for river walleyes, Biggest male walleyes ever, Inline vs spinning reels

> Loosen and tighten your wheel lugs annually or semiannually. This is a good safety measure to make sure the wheels are properly tightened, and it lets you “break free” any corrosive buildup so you can loosen wheels later without much trouble.

> When the lugs are off, spray the threads with a corrosion-inhibiting spray to prevent the lugs from seemingly welding themselves onto the bolt after you put them back on. Don’t forget to do the same process to your spare wheel if it’s also mounted on threaded bolts.

> Most trailer wiring systems use a trailer ball as a ground connection, and it’s prone to rust. Use a wire brush on a drill to clean both the trailer ball on your vehicle and up inside the coupler on the end of the trailer tongue to ensure a clean contact. Adding a little bit of grease on both parts afterwards is messy, but necessary, and will reduce the number of times you’ll have to repeat the process in the future.

> The trailer electrical plug that connects into your vehicle’s hitch can also give you problems, and most of the time you can blame it on poor (or blocked) connection points. If you’re not getting a solid connection, spray a few light squirts of electrical contact spray on the male and female parts and spread the liquid around with a Q-tip.

> After the lights are working again, slide a plastic sandwich bag over the trailer connection and secure it with a rubber band whenever the trailer isn’t being used. It should severely reduce the number of times you have to deal with dirty connection fittings.