Saturday is the first day of the general fishing season in Door and Kewaunee Counties. Door County DNR Conservation Warden Chris Kratcha enjoys the time of year which signals warm weather and better fishing. With the excitement does come precautions. Fishermen will have to be mindful of aquatic invasive species. One species to be on the lookout for at Lake Michigan is the round goby, which Kratcha emphasizes they are not allowed to use for bait. Fishermen can also help prevent invasive species spread by draining their buckets of water upon completion of fishing. Another measure is to clean boats and to look for certain plants hanging from the boat. 

Disposing fish properly is another point of emphasis. Kratcha finds it important not to leave fish where others may fish, or by the shorewall. Two fish anglers will be seeking are the steelhead and brown trout. Many of the trout have come inland for their spawning run and made their way back out to Lake Michigan. Kratcha notes at this time of the year people may not need to venture too far out on the water for their trout fix. 

Kratcha says spoons and crank baits are typical for trout fishers. If fishing with a small boat, Kratcha urges extra caution and awareness of weather. As the general fishing season opener will be the first time all year that some people are on their boats, Kratcha says it’s important to check fire extinguishers, life jackets, flotation devices, and distress signals.