More women fishing than ever before. Just ask WGN’s Dina Bair and Alyssa Donovan
WINTHROP HARBOR, Ill. — What began as a way in the 1960s to reduce the alewives that inundated beaches and lakefronts on Lake Michigan, has now grown into a world class salmon fishery.
That translates into good times for the pros and the enthusiasts, as well with more and more women joining the angling ranks these days.
WGN Midday Anchor Patrick Elwood took a trip recently to Northpoint Marina in Winthrop Harbor on the Bama Breeze — and along for the ride: WGN’s Dina Bair and Alyssa Donovan.
And within only a few minutes of setting up the poles, score one for the home team. Bravely stepping up to boat that fish was Bair, her first big lake trolling to fish experience.
While there are no actual statistics to cite, those familiar with this way of life believe more women are enjoying to fish than ever before.
As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats — and nobody knows that better than Rob Wendel. He’s the owner of Lake Michigan Angler.
“What we have on Lake Michigan is really one of the best salmon fisheries in the world,” Wendel told Elwood.
His is a small business based in Winthrop Harbor that supplies gear and service to anglers and much of which is made in the midwest.
He says his customers include more women than ever before.
“I’ve see a lot of women in that. Charter captains that are women now, just all parts of fishing in general,” Wendel said.
The Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery, outside of Peoria, is run by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Becky Redman is a fish biologist for the IDNR.
“We are clipping salmon that will be stocked into Lake Michigan. This is part of a multi-specie stocking program that Illinois and surrounding states to Lake Michigan all cooperate in. This fish will go in in the spring,” Redman told Elwood.
Clipping helps to identify the age and numbers of salmon in the lake, which is a big part of management and conservation efforts.
Some clipping is done by machine, but a lot of is done by hand. Volunteers from Salmon Unlimited Illinois, a passionate group of like-minded, enthusiasts, drawn together to share the love of the sport and to help in the conservation and management effort.
All of this stocking started in the 1960’s when the alewife population had inundated the big lake, and with regular die-offs, the stink was unbearable and beaches unusable.
It was then that salmon from the great northwest was brought in to help manage the population, and that sportfishing sector was born
So what happens at this hatchery and others throughout the region helps to reel in the dollars.
According to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, more than $7-billion is spent annually on the sport and recreational fishing sector.
Back aboard the Bama Breeze, first mate Gerard Urbanazo immigrated here from the Philippines when he was just an adolescent.
“I started at a pretty young age when I was in the Philippines, so basically I’d fish with a pole trying to catch Tilapia in the rice fields,” Urbanazo told Elwood.
After college with his first check, came his first boat.
“I was still living with my parents. I said I’m gonna buy a boat, and I did. I bought my first boat, came out and we had no clue how to fish. We just started trolling,” Urbanazo said.
For Captain Josh, he goes to great lengths and depths to please his customers and while nautrally he is paid for his time and expertise, this actually is his weekend gig. Monday to Friday he works another job while married with a 3-year-old.
And for first timers Dina and Alyssa, they are hooked! Their day of adventure has brought priceless memories of a lifetime.
For more information, check out:
YouTube: Lake Michigan Angler, Facebook: LakeMichiganAngler, Website: lakemichiganangler.com
Facebook: Bama Breeze Sport Fishing
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