Rick Schuh, Bill Mecha and I headed out for some walleye fishing on Lake Erie May 21-24 with my boat, Instigator, in tow.

We arrived around noon that Sunday and purchased our license and bait, and then headed for the Lake Erie boat launch at Port Clinton, Ohio.

We crossed over to Kelleys Island and started setting lines. Only a few lines were in the water when the first walleye bit. Over the next six hours, we boated an 18-fish limit of walleye.

The second and third days we started right after breakfast with the same results.

The fourth day was going to be different as 25- to 30-mile per hour winds were predicted by noon. We did manage to boat 11 walleye and a few perch before the winds blew us off the water.

We could have caught 72, which would have been our four-day limit, but we ended up with 65 walleye.

We were certainly happy with those results, and look forward to next year.

Bill Mecha of Maribel caught the biggest one this year at 5 pounds, 3 ounces, 26 inches long.

• Summer camp registration is now open for Camp Tapawingo’s Youth Summer Camp programming.

Visit https://www.camptapawingowi.org/upcoming-camps-1 for more information and to register.

Things kick off with Archery Camp for ages 8-14 running June 9-10.

I will have more in next week’s column about the full summer camp schedule.

• Peninsula State Park has been selected as a 2023 Spotlight Site by the Leave No Trace organization.

To celebrate the designation, representatives from the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Team, Destination Door County and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff will host a series of events June 8-10 to highlight the park and provide information about sustainable practices.

The Spotlight Site designation is a part of Leave No Trace’s initiative to shine a light on communities rising to meet the challenge of record use of outdoor spaces. Sites are nominated for the Spotlight by local land agencies or community groups.

Peninsula State Park is one of 20 sites selected nationwide, each with unique environmental challenges.

“Leave No Trace ethics are an essential aspect of responsible outdoor recreation and a powerful reminder of our role as stewards of our parks like Peninsula State Park,” said Krista Lutzke, DNR natural resources educator, in a news release. “In places like Door County, where natural beauty abounds, maintaining the delicate balance between recreational use and environmental stewardship becomes even more crucial.”

Often called “Wisconsin’s most complete park,” Peninsula State Park offers 8 miles of Door County shoreline, bike trails, a summer theater, an 18-hole golf course and more than 460 campsites. The park’s bluffs are part of the Niagara Escarpment, a line of limestone cliffs that travel from Wisconsin through Ontario, Canada, and end near Niagara Falls in New York.

The DNR encourages people of all ages to attend. Vehicle admission to the park is required for entry.

Here’s more about what’s happening each day:

• June 8: Leave No Trace Spotlight Social is from 4 to 8 p.m. Stop by the Fish Creek Lot in Peninsula Park to meet the Leave No Trace team and state parks leadership. Kick back with yard games and enjoy dinner and drinks from Backbone Food Truck and Sway Brewing Co.
• June 9: There will be a Leave No Trace Pop-Up At Eagle Tower from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit Eagle Tower to ask questions, win prizes, and learn more about Leave No Trace and Door County. Peninsula State Park educator staff will be on hand to share information about the Niagara Escarpment and the endemic species found within this specialized habitat. Naturalist-guided hikes at the Sentinel Trail will be at 1 and 3 p.m. A park naturalist will lead short, guided hikes along the Sentinel Trail, sharing about native tree species and Leave No Trace ethics. And Campfire Safety 101 will be at White Cedar Nature Center at 7 p.m. Join the Leave No Trace team and Warden Courperus for “Campfire with the Warden’” at the White Cedar Nature Center amphitheater. Covered will be campfire safety and the importance of Leave No Trace ethics. Enjoy s’mores while learning about campfire best practices.
• June 10: A National Get Outdoors Day Stewardship Workday will be at Nelson’s Point from 8 a.m. to noon. It has been a few years since Peninsula was able to coordinate a large-scale volunteer event, so it has organized this Leave No Trace Spotlight Stewardship Workday. All interested individuals can join in. By blazing a new trail and helping clean up the park, participants will make a positive difference in the community and help to improve the natural environment and access to new areas. No experience is necessary. All necessary tools and equipment will be provided; volunteers are only asked to bring enthusiasm, comfortable clothes and a reusable water bottle.

That’s it for this week so have fun in the great outdoors.