Download a photo of a bluegill fish.
GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Fishing in Otter Tail County to learn about the Quality Bluegill Initiative, road salt impacts on our waters and strange Minnesota native plants will be featured in the next Prairie Sportsman. “Bluegills and Salty Waters” will air on Pioneer PBS Sunday, February 7 at 7:30 p.m. For air dates and times on other Minnesota PBS stations, visit prairiesportsman.org.
Host Bret Amundson is fishing Otter Tail County lakes with Garett Svir, Slab Seeker Fishing owner. Svir supports the DNR’s proposed Quality Bluegill Initiative, which would impose reduced bluegill bag limits in 26 counties to increase fish size. Large male bluegills are important to the population because they chase small males from spawning beds and the larger fish pass on their genetics. Garett self-imposes a 9-inch length limit to preserve bigger fish. Otter Tail County is known as one of the top places in the country to catch trophy bluegills.
Next we learn how road salt is threatening our water ecosystems, as fish eggs and other aquatic life are sensitive to chloride that is seeping into lakes and streams. Minnesota PCA’s Brooke Asleson says it only takes a teaspoon of chloride in five gallons of water to have negative impacts, and the salt cannot be removed from our waterways. Beside road and sidewalk salts, chloride is in softened water, fertilizers and dust suppressants. Asleson recommends measures that highway departments, businesses and individuals can take to reduce chloride use.
The final segment, “Weird and Wild,” features strange Minnesota native plants such as prickly pear and ball cactus in the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. Ball cactus are protected as they are extremely rare and found only on granite outcrops in Big Stone County. Other unusual Minnesota species featured, with photographs by Sparky Stensaas, include mistletoe, jewelweed, Indian pipe and the insect-eating pitcher plant.
About Prairie Sportsman
Prairie Sportsman celebrates our love of the outdoors to hunt, fish and recreate, provided by our vast resources of lakes, rivers, trails and grasslands, and to promote environmental stewardship.
Prairie Sportsman’s team includes Cindy Dorn, producer/writer; Bret Amundson, host/editor; and Dylan Curfman, editor/videographer. The 2021 season is made possible by funding from SafeBasements of Minnesota, Live Wide Open, Western Minnesota Prairie Waters and members of Pioneer PBS.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit www.pioneer.org.
