For those looking to angle for the best fishing spots in Bay County this year, there are two events that will be of special interest.
Following the April 1 release of the 2019 Michigan Fishing Guide, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hosting two Conversations & Coffee meetings for Saginaw Bay-area fishers.
The two events, one held online and one on-site, are designed to connect the community with local fisheries staff.
"We’ll give a few updates to this year’s rules but this is intended to be a dialog," says Elyse Walter, Communication Specialist for the Michigan DNR, Fisheries Division.
"This is meant to be a two-way discussion so we can find out what the public cares about and they can meet and talk to us in an informal setting."
The Conversations & Coffee webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, from 2 to 3 p.m. The online event is facilitated by Michigan State University Extension and Michigan Sea Grant.
Later that day, community members have the chance to mingle with the Michigan DNR staff in-person at the Bay City State Park Visitor Center, which takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Both events are free to attend.
While Walter says that there are few major changes to this year’s fishing regulations--Michigan’s daily limit for fishing yellow perch has been cut from 50 to 25 perch per day, among them--the true value lies in fishers gaining firsthand fishing tips from local experts and then those experts learning about what's important to area fishers.
"We manage Michigan fisheries on behalf of the residents of this state," Walter says.
"Any time we can meet with people to get feedback and also expand their knowledge of what we do, it makes for better wildlife management as a whole."
Click here to register for the Conversations & Coffee webinar with the Michigan DNR.
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