A few of the smaller crappies

We hit the water way later then we wanted to we only had a few hours to fish. When we pulled into the spot we saw that we were not the only ones in the spot. We slowed down a bit to ask how they were doing. They said they had about 20 in the box. So we were hopeful we would get on some fish quick this afternoon.

It didn’t take us long to get one crappie in the boat. It was about 8 or 9 inches long, then nothing. For some time we checked other areas and other structure. We only managed 4 or 5 that made it into the box. The sun was fastly falling now so we began to work our way back to the dock. We stopped off by the boat that we saw fishing the area. We stopped and chatted for a bit asked a few questions. Then the younger of the two guys opens his cooler to show us a fish. The fish was around 12 or 13 inches. After doing a little more digging and asking them about their day we parted ways.

On the way back in I started processing what they told us. By the time we hit our dock I knew what we would have to do to catch fish the next morning. The guys told us a very key bit of info. We they 1^st showed up that day the bit was really good but it slowed after an hour or so. The time frame fit and matched what we saw just the weekend before. They were also fishing a much more natural approach, so a trip on over to the local bait shop was in order before pushing off from the dock.

After a nice dinner with the girlfriend and one of her friends it was back home to do some re-rigging for tomorrow trip.

Some of our 12 inch cookie cutter crappies

The morning met us with some very strong winds and high seas. The old bath tub that is Lake Erie was having a mighty fine fit that morning. But wasn’t too big that couldn’t fish. After the wet boat ride we got to our area and started fishing some new pieces of structure. We quickly saw on my buddies Lowrance that the water temps were too cold in those areas. So we fired up the gas motor and started searching out some warmer temps. The best we could find was a maybe a whole degree different from the spot we started at. But that’s all it took.

Unlike last weekend the fish seemed to be holding very tight to the cover and structure. There was a few time we just let the boat get pushed into the cover by the wind and fish right at our feet’s from the boat.

As the sun rose up higher in the sky the water temps began to also rise. So we started checking some other areas, many times just blindly casting to a bare bank. When we caught a fish, we would stop for a few minutes and cast around that area. Once the spot seemed to go cold we moved on. We continued this checking likely spots as we moved around looking for signs of the “Glory Hole”(sorry gold rush humor). Then we came upon some cover that we have casted to in the past only to pull small gills off of it. I made a long cast to the outer edge as we got close. My bobber and shiner combo instantly started to move across the surface in the classic crappie slide fashion and slowly started to sink. I made a soft sweep hookset and the weight at the other end was good! After a few bumps with some sticks on the way out the crappie was free of the cover and in the boat.

Nothing Like the floor of the boat covered in crappie slim!

I quickly re-baited and set the float and minnow combo back into the outer cover. The bobber quickly repeated the scene that happened just moments before. It was two nice crappies in the 11 to 12 inch range back to back. We quickly set up shop on that location and started methodically picking apart the entire hiding place in the cover. We started with the outer edges then worked into the thicker parts of the cover. The fish just kept coming. It is a good day when you have to yell “NET” when crappie fishing. We quickly filled the livewell full 12 inch crappies.

After about three hours of total fishing that morning we decided to call quiets. The livewell was full of fish and we were running a little low on minnow and jigheads. Losing jigheads is just part of the game when your fish crappies in timber. So it was back to the dock for us. We were all smiles on the way back in. Even Lake Erie was in a good mood, it had laid down for our boat ride back dockside. We snapped some pics and did a quick fish count. I then loaded them up into a cooler in the back of my truck. I was going to have them cleaned down at Mathews. I like to help out the mom and pop shops around me so I give them all some of my business when I can.

The cooler over flowing with crappie goodness!

When I brought the cooler into the shop to get them weighted and cleaned one of the owners yelled back to the young man that does the fish cleaning for them. He face said it all, and his eyes grew when he saw our catch from that day. The owner also told me we were not the only ones that are on some crappies that day, but he said we did have the nicest ones he had seen or heard of.

After few minutes chatting it up I headed home to get the sweet smell of crappie slim off me. Then it was a quick dinner then back to the shop to pick up those fresh sweet crappie filets. It is amazing how come this time of the year so many people miss out on this fall fishing on Lake Erie. I’m not just talking crappies but also Perch, Catfish and Walleye. This time of the year can be really good for all three.

Nothing like net size crappie!

I hope to get out and chase these crappies a few more times before the icy chill of winter sets in on this spot, cause then I will have to wait until we get enough ice to chase them again. So if you’re sitting at home wishing you where fishing but think it’s too cold or to nasty get off your butt put on that rain gear and go fish. Cause just like you and I they have to eat also.lol

The post Cat and Mouse Crappies – Part 2 appeared first on Out In Michigan.

I have been on the hunt for several years for a true dropshot rod for fishing gills and yellow perch on the inland lakes here in Michigan. No matter what brand of rods I had looked at I just couldn’t seem to find what I was looking for. I was trying to find a rod that matched up to a bass dropshot. The rod had to have lots of backbone and taper quickly into the tip section.

For years I just couldn’t find what I wanted, I even entertained custom rods but could never find a blank to match what I was looking for. Fast forward to about a month ago; I was looking at ice fishing products doing some research for some up coming articles. I was on K and E’s websites looking at jigs when something caught my eye. It was a new ice rod combo they were offering. That combo promoted me to look at their other rods not just the hardwater products.

The rod is made of a composite construction, the top 1/3^rd is made out of fiberglass which then leads into the back 2/3^rd which is made of graphite. The rod has a split rear grip which lowers the overall weight of the rod and it shows off it blank through construction. The reel seat was kinda oversized for a panfish rod, but it held the reel tightly. I am not sure on the brand of guides this rod has but they have ceramic inserts which handled the braided line I was using well. The openwater series of these Whip’R Rods comes in 7 lengths from 4ft to 8ft long. I was fishing the 6ft 6 inch model. Many of the rods are 2pc construction.

Quality

The quality of this rod is what you would except for a rod in this price point. It is well made and should give the budget minded angler many years of fishing.

Reliability

This was as reliable as one would except from a fishing rod it never broke the guides where straight the expoy on the threading that holds the guides on looks to be done well. The cork on the handle of the model I used had very little filler in it so that means the must have used a fairly high quality cork. The reels seat on my rod has no slop to it and held the reel tightly.

Price/Value

This rod retails for $29.99 to $38.99 which puts it in just about every fisherman’s price range. Currently in today rod market this is rod is fairly unique. So there really isn’t anything I could compare it to just yet.

Referability

I would recommended this rod to my fellow panfisherman that are on the hunt for a dropshot panfish rod. It is one that is worth a look by just about every panfish angler.

The post Whip’R Panfish Rod appeared first on Out In Michigan.

Spring fishing continues and catch rates will improve once the weather stabilizes. Steelhead fishing continues to build as we move further into spring.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

12.5 lb limit from Ohio waters

Lake Erie: – The daily possession limit for walleye in the Michigan waters of Lake Erie will be as follows: April 1 through April 30, 2011 the limit will be five (5) walleye. Beginning May 1, 2011 through April 30, 2012 the limit will be six (6) walleye. Rain did decrease water clarity but increased water temperatures. Crappie, perch and bluegills were in the Metro Park Marina however it closes to fishing on April 15th. A few walleye were caught by those trolling in Brest Bay, but the better action was near Turtle Island when using jigs and blade baits.

Huron River: Steelhead are being caught along the entire river including up near the Flat Rock Dam. Most are using jigs and wax worms or flies, but a few were using spawn. No word on crappie yet. Reminder: Walleye season is closed.

Detroit River: Had fair to good walleye fishing for those using a jig and minnow, but those using stinger hooks caught more fish. Perch are still being caught however the number is starting to wind down. Try the mouth, border waters or the back bays.

Clinton River: Is producing steelhead and suckers.

Lexington: Boat anglers have caught good numbers of coho, chinook, steelhead, brown trout and lake trout when trolling body baits in 5 to 15 feet of water just north of the harbor. Pier anglers are taking a few perch and the occasional lake trout.

Port Sanilac: Boats are getting out but the bite was still slow.

Saginaw Bay: Had excellent perch fishing off Pine River and Palmer Roads. The bite was good one day but shut down the next. Boats were fishing around the commercial nets and taking 50 to 60 fish per boat on the good days. Perch were caught at Sebewaing, be ready to sort out the small ones. Pier anglers at Caseville caught perch, walleye, brown trout or lake trout. Nothing at Port Austin as Bird Creek was still high and turbid. Suckers are starting to run in most of the rivers in the Thumb area.

Saginaw River: Is producing some perch in the lower river.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Boats are likely still going out however we have no report for this week.

Grand Haven: Pier anglers caught brown trout, steelhead and the occasional coho on spawn. Catch rates are good one day and slow the next. Boat anglers trolling the shoreline caught steelhead and brown trout on gold and black stick baits. Some are trying for perch off the State Park however water temperatures are still pretty cold.

Grand River at Lansing: Steelhead can be found over at the Moore’s Park Dam. Try crawlers, spawn bags or spinners. Those casting spoons at the point where the Grand meet the Red Cedar caught steelhead. Prairie Creek in Ionia is producing good numbers of steelhead. Catfish action has started to pick up at the North Lansing Dam and the Moore’s Park Dam.

Muskegon: Pier anglers are still trying for steelhead and brown trout however catch rates were slow. Boats fishing north of the State Park had no luck.

Whitehall: Pier anglers using spawn bags caught some steelhead and brown trout. A couple walleye were caught in the big lake.

White Lake: A few perch were caught along the west side near Indian Bay and the old post office. Some nice bluegills were caught off the pier in the marina.

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Ocqueoc River: Recent rain should get the steelhead moving. The few fish caught were taken on spawn bags under a bobber. No luck with spinners or body baits.

Rogers City: Should be fishable soon, especially for boat anglers. Shore anglers should try casting small spoons or body baits off the breakwall. Good colors are chartreuse, green or blue with silver or fire-tiger. Fish the stained waters which are slightly warmer for Atlantic salmon and brown trout.

Rockport: Anglers are fishing off the old pier but no fish were caught. Atlantic salmon should be moving in soon but it appears that it is still a bit early. The launch is still iced but it is breaking up. One boat went out and did manage to catch a brown trout when trolling body baits along the shoreline.

Thunder Bay River: The launch on the marina side was still iced in but the river is open so boats are launching behind the Post Office. Shore anglers caught steelhead and brown trout using pink and white flies, artificial lures or spawn.

Higgins Lake: Has open water one quarter mile out from shore. Any remaining ice is not safe. Boat anglers are launching from the North State Park and the west launch. They are trolling along the drop-off for lake trout, brown trout and rainbows.

Houghton Lake: The ice blew off and is piled along one side. The canals are opening up so crappie fishing should start soon.

Harrisville: Ice in the harbor is gone, one skid pier is in and the boat launch is open. A few boats are targeting walleye with body baits, crawler harnesses or small spoons.

Oscoda: Steelhead were caught off the mouth of the river by those casting spoons or body baits. Walleye are in 20 to 30 feet of water.

Au Sable River: Steelhead are making their way up the river. Fish range from 5 to 12 pounds and were hitting on wax worms.

Tawas: Pier anglers caught a few lake trout and walleye. Boat anglers were not doing very well for walleye.

Au Gres: A lot of boats are heading out for walleye but catch rates were slow. The fish are still in the river for spawning and will move back to the lake soon.

Au Gres River: A couple steelhead were caught in the surf near the Singing Bridge. Walleye are still up in the river however anglers are reminded that walleye season on the inland waters is closed until the last Saturday in April. Cold water temperatures will most likely push the smelt runs back a week or so.

Rifle River: Is producing a good number of suckers and steelhead.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Elk River: Had fair to good steelhead action for those floating wigglers and crawlers off the bottom near the power dam.

Traverse City: The West Bay was producing some lake trout along the east side in 100 to 130 feet of water. Perch fishing in front of the Boardman River was slow.

Boardman River: Had a good number of steelhead at the Union Street Dam.

Frankfort: Boats trolling north to the point caught lake trout and brown trout in 50 to 75 feet of water. Anglers caught fish off both piers before first light.

Onekama: A few nice walleye were caught off both piers after dark.

Portage Lake: Is ice free. Anglers were out trying for perch but the bite was slow.

Lake Cadillac: Ice fishing season is over and any remaining ice is not safe.

Manistee: Boat anglers caught the occasional steelhead, brown trout or lake trout when trolling the shoreline with small spoons or body baits. Pier anglers were using fresh spawn.

Manistee River: Is producing steelhead between the mouth and Tippy Dam.

Ludington: Boat anglers trolling in the channel and around the piers have caught brown trout on body baits in natural patterns. Steelhead and brown trout were also caught by surf and pier anglers.

Pere Marquette River: Those fishing below the M-37 Bridge in the flies only section have found a good number of steelhead on the gravel. Fish were hitting on spawn bags between Rainbow Rapids and the Walhalla Bridge. Sucker runs are just getting started and fish were caught off Scottville Park.

Pentwater: Steelhead action was still a bit slow however those fishing the channel have caught some nice brown trout.

Upper Peninsula

Lake Gogebic: Ice fishing is done. Anglers are advised to stay off any remaining ice due to the honeycomb effect. Some boats were fishing out of Silver City but no reports have come in yet.

Marquette: Catch rates improved for coho but only a light number of splake and brown trout were caught. Both harbors are ice free so anglers can use the boat ramps. Those trolling did better in 10 to 20 feet of water between the lower harbor and the Chocolay River. A few coho and splake were caught off the power plant breakwall. Shore anglers did best in the early morning using a single egg, crawlers or Cleo’s. Water temperatures range from the upper 30’s to 40 degrees near shore.

Menominee River: The bay still has ice so boat anglers are fishing the river between the mouth and the Hattie Street Dam. Try jigging minnows in the deeper holes. Those wading near the dam and Stephenson Island have caught light numbers of steelhead and brown trout. Walleye fishing was hit-or-miss. All the boat launches are open except for the one at the lighthouse.

Little Bay De Noc: Has open water. The rivers are flowing high with little or no ice. The Ford and Rapid River launches are usable but no docks are in yet.

Big Bay De Noc: Is pretty much open water except for the unstable ice in the bays. All the launches appear to be usable except for Fayette because of the ice. The only dock in was at Ogontz. The rivers are open, look for steelhead and smelt.

Au Train: Had good steelhead fishing along with the occasional coho. Try early morning off the mouth of the Rock River or the Au Train River with spawn. Steelhead averaged 20 to 30 inches while coho were a bit smaller at 15 inches. Ice has finally left the bay except for some areas along the shoreline. Docks were not in yet at the Brownstown launch.

Munising: The ice has since broken up and for the most part moved out of the bay. Flow ice remains in the east channel and around Grand Island. The docks at the city launch are in and the small craft launch at the mouth of the Anna River is also being used since water levels are up. The first of the boat anglers have only caught a couple steelhead. Coho action was slow. Shore anglers are seeing rainbow trout however most were on the small side.

Grand Marais: Ice has moved out of the bay. The launch has been dredged and should be ready for use as long as flow ice does not move back in. The snow and ice buildup on the pier should be gone soon. Some were surfcasting for steelhead and coho but catch rates were slow.

Manistique River: Steelhead fishing at the first dam has picked up. Anglers drifting peach colored yarn did well while those using spawn bags reported fair catch rates. Boat anglers trolling spoons were not having much luck.

DeTour: Steelhead anglers are fishing the rock pile near the mouth of Albany Creek. Try casting stick baits or floating spawn bags.

Cedarville and Hessel: Ice fishing for perch is done however boat anglers should continue to do well in 10 to 12 feet of water.

Nunn’s Creek: Has started producing some smelt.

Carp River: Steelhead were starting to show up near the mouth. Smelt runs were underway with limit catches reported.

The post Weekly Fishing Report April 14th appeared first on Out In Michigan.

Over the winter Lake Erie’s walleye had been on a lot of angler’s minds. A sub-par icefishing season in Ohio and Michigan has made things tenuous among anglers and charter captains. We have been waiting and speculating, if the limit is going to be cut, or a closure of some type will be put in place for the 2011 season. Everyone seemed to have a source of knowledge of what may be going to happen, but we wouldn’t be able to claim a prognosticator of the year until all data had been counted.

This year the MiDNR is joining Ohio in setting it’s walleye limits and starting the season on the same day. The season info was announced via a press release a few days ago.And what a shocker it was the limit went up! There was all kinds of talk about 3 fish limits and the lake was getting very close to the crisis level.

How did we get to this stage were Lake Eire the Walleye Capitol of the world, was being talked about as having a level so low in walleyes that we thought it was nearing the crisis zone? Who would be to blame for this and how do we stop it from happening again?

Spawning

Before we can even start pointing a finger at any one group we have too understand the breeding population within the lake. The majority of spawning happens in a few areas; the Maumee River, Sandusky River, Detroit River, and the reefs out in the lake in Ohio and Ontario waters. Smaller river systems in the western basin also see smaller runs of walleye in the spring. Through a few different study methods, fishery managers feel that the bulk of the population spawn on the reefs. Some people feel that number is as high or higher then 75%.

Photo Courtesy of the Ohio DNR

At first glance many people may think that Lake Erie’s breeding population stays and lives in Lake Erie all its life. Normally that thought process works, but that isn’t how it is on Erie. Biologists from Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and New York have been doing tagging studies for some time now on Erie Walleye. In 2005 thru 2007, an expanded tagging program had taken place. The Walleye Task Group(WTG) which is made up of multiple states and Ontario, started using Passive Integrated Transponders(PIT) as an alternative to using jaw tags to estimate walleye population and travels. PIT tags, which are in bedded in the fish, has helped them collect even more data on the walleye movement vs the jaw tags. In fact it has doubled the amount of data they have been able to get. In 2005 to 2007 more than 31,000 walleye were PIT tagged in the study. What has been found is quite incredible, the bulk of the breeding walleye in Lake Eire are very migratory. Fish that have been tagged in Lake Huron have been recovered all the way down and around the spawning reefs in Ohio.The tagging and tracking of walleye is taking another step towards gaining further understanding of how these walleye move around. See my blog “Walleye worth $100”

Harvest

A Group called the Lake Erie Walleye Task Group(WTG), is charged with collecting data on the lake’s walleye population. The WTG uses that data to run population models. Those models are just one of the many factors that the Lake Erie Committee (LEC) uses to determine what a safe level of harvest is for that year. The LEC sets the lake-wide Total Allowable Catch (TAC). The LEC is made up of one Lake Erie administrator from each state and Ontario, each having a seat within the committee. It is also worthy to note that the TAC is not just a majority vote within the 5 LEC members, it is a consensus that each member of the LEC must agree to before it is accepted. That quota set by the LEC is then split up among each unit in the lake. The units are basically state and international borders for the most part.

How the group determines how much of the quota a unit gets is pretty straight forward. What they do is calculate the percentage of walleye habitat within that unit. Those numbers come out to 5.83% for Michigan, 51.11% for Ohio, and 43.06% for Ontario. New York and Pennsylvania are not assigned quotas, but they do watch their annual total harvest. Out of all the parties involved Ontario is the only one that has a commercial fishery for walleye.

For the past 5 years sport fishing and commercial fishing has taken under its quota granted to them by the LEC (TAC units). See the chart below.

Weather

This is one of the biggest factors for the Lake Erie walleye population. Walleye are what is called broadcast spawners. They do not build nest like bass and panfish do. They deposit eggs over an area of favorable bottom. How the weather affects it, is that if we have too much wind the eggs can become covered in sediment, which chokes out the eggs and limits the hatch for that year. Wind also affects them again, once they hatch. When the fry hatch and swim up, they depend on currents to carry them into warm, productive nursery areas near shore. If the prevailing currents take them to cooler, less productive areas then their chances of survival decline. Weather conditions, lake conditions, and the timing of weather events all come together to determine each year’s hatch.

Take 2003 for example, we saw just and unreal spawning success. Nearly 59 million walleye survived to age 2. Generally a walleye has reached or is close to reaching legal size by that age. But in 2004, 2005 , 2006 we had only 6.3 million reach that, combined. Those years we had winds that covered the eggs or pushed the fry to colder waters. In 2007 we had more favorable winds and almost 27 million fish entered into the system.

Summary and Opinion

I hope I was able to give you a basic understanding of this whole process. I also hope, I have been able to give you the info, so that you can form you own opinion and views on this topic. The LEC does a great job in trying to find a balance between what we as anglers want,and what our resource needs. It is a tough job, and they will never make everyone happy but they really do take everything into consideration and make the tough decisions.

But who is to blame? The commercial fishing, the biologist, or is it you, the angler?Right now I feel strongly that a slot limit needs to placed on the commercial fishermen and maybe even on us sport anglers. To protect the prime breeding fish in the system. I am currently research this topic and learning more about it. But what I really feel has  happened here of late is almost a perfect storm of factors. This whole debate we had this winter should really give us pause when it comes to our fisheries and our natural resources general. Too many fishermen fall victim to what I call “Fisherman Greed.” I talked a little about this in my stunted fisheries article.

So what ever happens in the  years to come with the walleye limit, we should remember to try and understand what is going on out there, and that the fish we grow here travel and affects other bodies of water not just Lake Erie.

2011 Walleye Regs

I would like to thanks Travis Hartman Fisheries Biologist with Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of  Wildlife for his help with this article and taking the time to talk with me on the phone.Also if you would like to read the report I sited click here for it.

The post Lake Erie Walleye in Crisis? Understanding the Lakes Walleye Population appeared first on Out In Michigan.

On Friday April 1st, all anglers 17 years of age and older will be required to have their 2011 Michigan Fishing License. Copies of the new Fishing Guides are available at all license vendors. With many seasons closed right now, anglers are reminded that it is unlawful to take or attempt to take any fish outside the open season.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: ATTENTION WALLEYE ANGLERS – The daily possession limit for walleye in the Michigan waters of Lake Erie will be as follows: April 1 through April 30, 2011 the limit will be five (5) walleye. Beginning May 1, 2011 through April 30, 2012 the limit will be six (6) walleye.Good numbers of Sunfish and Perch are being caught in the harbors and channels, with some great bullheads mixed in. Crappie are still spotty, Suckers are starting to stage at the creek mouths and rivers.

River Raisin:The fishing piers have reopened at Detroit Edison(April 1st). Suckers are starting to enter the lower river. Some Crappies have been taken up in Dundee by anglers fishing fathead minnows under floats.

An angler with a nice Huron River Steelhead

Huron River: Anglers are out fishing for steelhead and suckers.There has been some nice fish coming out of Haroc Park area. Spawn bags and flies seem to be working the best. The main park of the sucker run should kick in with in a week or so.

Detroit River: Boat anglers are still trolling for walleye. The new walleye possession limits for Lake Erie DO NOT apply to the Detroit River. The daily possession limit here will continue to be five (5) fish.

Saginaw Bay: With the colder weather, it looks like the fish runs will be anywhere from one to two weeks later than normal this year. There’s still some ice fishing activity in the isolated or sheltered areas however the shore ice is bad so anglers will need to wade out to the fishable ice. Walleye were caught at night in 4 to 6 feet of water. White’s Beach had good catches of perch in 3 or 4 feet of water but many were small. Boats are launching off the mouth of the Saginaw River where the skid piers are in. The marina in Sunset Bay is producing small bluegills and sunfish. At Sebewaing, anglers caught perch, but there is honeycomb ice so be careful.

Quanicassee River: Shore anglers caught a few perch at the public access site and the old State Road Bridge. Mornings are best but ice forming overnight has hampered fishing. Some fish are running 6 to 8 inches but most were smaller.

Sebewaing River: Shore fishing is possible later in the day. Overnight freezing hampers fishing efforts in the morning.

Pigeon River: A few shore anglers were out but catch rates were slow.

Pinnebog River: The sucker runs have not started yet.

Port Austin: Bird Creek was still iced over, so nothing to report yet.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Boat and pier anglers were catching limits of coho.

St. Joseph River: Had good steelhead fishing. So far, over 4000 fish have been passed at the Berrien Springs ladder since March 1st. Sucker runs have started.

Kalamazoo River: Had exceptional catch rates for steelhead below the Allegan Dam.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Continues to provide good spring steelhead fishing.

Grand River at Lansing: Steelhead are slowly moving into the area with a couple fish caught over at the dam at Moore’s Park. A few fish were also seen near the Brenke fish ladder, which is closed to fishing. Some are looking for catfish.

Muskegon River: Boat anglers are getting some nice steelhead when floating spawn or flies. They reported a good mix of females and males.

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Burt Lake: Still had good ice fishing opportunities.

Mullett Lake: Is producing a few perch in Pigeon Bay and around Needle Point. Minnows and wigglers work best. Cisco were found in deep water. Ice fishing should hold for another week or so. The two pressure cracks have started to open up.

Indian River: Has ice and the waterway is locked up tight.

Thunder Bay River: Boat anglers are trolling for steelhead and brown trout.

Higgins Lake: Anglers are mainly smelt fishing, and many are going off the west boat launch. The ice is holding but this could be the last week for ice fishing if rain comes next week. There was about 6 inches of snow on the lake so some are taking quads or snowmobiles out.

Houghton Lake: Still has good ice, just be careful near the inlets or outlets. Those out fishing say the bluegill and crappie bite are picking up.

Tawas: There’s still some fishable ice near Jerry’s Marina. Walleye were caught near the edge in 20 feet of water in the evening. Pier anglers fishing in open water have caught a few lake trout, brown trout or steelhead. Some are casting lures while others are using minnows and spawn bags. Those wading just off the mouth of the river caught a few walleye.

Tawas River: Is producing a light number of steelhead.

Au Gres: Still had some ice fishing north of the breakwall, but success was spotty.

Au Gres River: Steelhead and brown trout were caught near the Singing Bridge.

Rifle River: Sucker runs are just getting underway as a few were caught in Omer.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Below freezing temperatures over the last week is keeping ice on the inland lakes.

Elk River: Has some steelhead for those able to brave the cold temperatures.

Betsie River: Should also have some good steelhead action in the next few weeks.

Lake Missaukee: Still has ice and is producing bluegill and crappie.

Lake Cadillac: Ice fishing is still going strong however anglers are no longer driving out on the ice. Crappie are still hitting in the early morning or late evening.

Lake Mitchell: Still has ice and fair to good crappie fishing.

Manistee River: More anglers are turning to steelhead fishing. Boat and shore anglers are casting flies or jigs with wax worms and wigglers.

Pere Marquette River: Should have steelhead.

Upper Peninsula

Lake Gogebic: Still has ice fishing as cold temperatures have been making ice over the last week. A few perch were caught in 25 to 27 feet of water. Try wigglers 1 to 3 feet off the bottom in 25 to 27 feet of water.

Keweenaw Bay: Those ice fishing reported limit catches of coho, a good number of lake herring as well as a couple chinook, rainbow trout and whitefish. Hot spots were Perch Corner, just north of Linden Creek, off the Falls River and Sand Point. Try Swedish pimples or tear drops with wax worms.

Marquette: The better fishing has been in the early morning for coho, chinook, brown trout, herring and whitefish. Try near the bubblers using jigs tipped with a twister tail or cut bait. Hot colors were orange, green or pink. The few boats trolling near the Upper Harbor had no luck. Access sites were limited because of high winds pushing ice in closer to the shore. Ice has been moving in and out near the Carp River and the coal docks.

Carp River: Steelhead were caught upstream by those using crawlers or small silver crank baits.

Little Bay De Noc: Is now in between seasons. The recent cold snap is only delaying the inevitable. Angler participation was low due to ice conditions. Rivers in the area are still frozen except for the Escanaba River.

Au Train: Anglers need to be aware of wind and weather conditions as the ice was shifting and could be dangerous. A few were still fishing out from the Rock River and the Au Train River. Coho were caught out from the Brownstone landing at the mouth of the Au Train River. Try fishing early with jigs, spawn or silver spoons.

Munising: More anglers are showing up as catch rates increased. The surface ice is very slippery so anglers are advised to wear cleats and be careful. Coho fishing has picked up with most getting one or two fish, but some landing three or four. Try jigging rapalas or Swedish pimples 10 to 20 feet down in 40 to 60 feet of water. Most fish are averaging 15 inches. Whitefish were caught in shallow waters when bouncing a single egg just off the bottom. Good perch fishing in 30 to 40 feet of water with minnows and wigglers. Most average 7 or 8 inches however a few jumbo perch were also caught.

Indian Lake: Those thinking about heading out on the ice need to use extreme caution. There are areas with soft ice and open water. A few are ice fishing for perch along the north end in Lange’s Bay. Try minnows in 5 to 7 feet of water. Most of the fish were running on the small side.

Munuscong Bay: Only had a few anglers fishing near Grassy Island and off Fowlers Bay.

Cedarville and Hessel: Ice was holding however a few of the points were starting to open up. Those fishing in Musky Bay are using minnows, wigglers and wax worms in 5 to 10 feet of water. Catch rates around Little Joe Island were starting to pick up.

The post Weekly Fishing Report-March 31, 2011 appeared first on Out In Michigan.

The daily creel limit for walleyes in Michigan’s waters of Lake Erie will be six beginning May 1, the Department of Natural Resources announced today.

Michigan has adopted a process for setting regulations that allows the DNR to use real-time population data instead of using year-old survey results. This process parallels one adopted by Ohio last year.

“This change to the regulations process is critical to helping us manage walleyes in Lake Erie in a timely manner,” said DNR Lake Erie Basin Coordinator Liz Hay-Chmielewski. “In order to do that, we have to set regulations in March instead of the previous autumn.”

Michigan’s daily creel limit for walleyes on Lake Erie is based on its share of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the lake, which is determined by the Lake Erie Committee under the aegis of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. The TAC is generally based on overall abundance of walleyes; the Committee establishes quotas for each jurisdiction based on the percentage of habitat for adult walleyes in each jurisdiction’s waters of the lake. The daily limit is based on a formula that projects how many walleyes anglers can keep but still remain within the quota.

See the table below for an explanation of the formula used to set the daily creel limit.

The Total Allowable Catch for Lake Erie for 2011 is 2.919 million fish, making Michigan’s quota 0.17 million fish.

The new regulations process means that the creel limit for walleyes on Lake Erie will not be set until TACs are determined each March, after the Michigan Fishing Guide goes to press. Anglers will need to check for changes annually.

There are no changes to either the fishing season or size limit for walleyes on Lake Erie.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

The post Lake Erie Daily Creel Limit for Walleyes Is Six Beginning May 1 appeared first on Out In Michigan.

Spring fishing was just getting started when Mother Nature decided to hit us with another blast of winter. The cold front will no doubt slow catch rates. Those heading out on any remaining ice need to use extreme caution. Those fishing the rivers will also need to be careful as the waters are high, fast, muddy and cold.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Shore anglers caught a few perch, crappie and bluegills.

Huron River: Is producing steelhead up near Huroc Park. Water levels downstream are too high to fish. A few suckers are starting to hit.

Detroit River: Boat launches are opening up and boat anglers are seeking warm water outlets with hopes of picking up a few walleye. Some are trolling the Trenton Channel but catch rates were slow.

Lake St. Clair: Ice fishing is done as most of the Michigan waters on the lake are open. The ramps are ice free but the docks are not in yet, so launching is difficult.

Clinton River: Activity was picking up with more anglers targeting steelhead. Water levels are high.

St. Clair River: Had no fishing in the lower river due to ice flows causing an ice jam.

Saginaw Bay: Ice conditions are not good. Active pressure cracks along with wind and warm temperatures have made the ice dangerous. Ice along the shoreline is getting bad. Several rescues have been made over the last week. The ice off the Bay City State Park has broken up with the strong east winds and this is causing a mountain of ice to pile up along the shoreline. The cuts from Quanicassee to Fish Point are open and fishable from shore. The ice from Sebewaing northward along the east side of the bay has become unsafe. Ice in the marina basins should not be trusted. Some anglers are using airboats to get out for walleye and perch fishing.

Quanicassee River: Is open and boats are launching. Shore anglers caught perch.

Sebewaing River: Water levels are high and muddy with floating debris.

Pigeon River: Is also high and muddy. Floating debris is making fishing difficult.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

Galien River: Is producing steelhead. Suckers are also starting to run in the small streams open to fishing.

St. Joseph: Boat and pier anglers are catching coho and a few brown trout. Rumor has it fish are being caught all the way up to South Haven.

St. Joseph River: Steelhead fishing did slow as it appears most of the fish below the Berrien Springs Dam have pushed up through the ladder. Anglers are hoping the recent rain will bring more fish up into the river. Sucker runs are just getting started.

Paw Paw River: Is producing some steelhead.

Kalamazoo River: Steelhead can be found up near the Allegan Dam. Try flies, spawn or crawlers. Suckers were also starting to hit.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Still had good steelhead fishing at the dam. Anglers need to pay close attention to water levels and debris.

Grand River at Lansing: Not much to report except for some steelhead being caught in Prairie Creek, which is in Ionia. Best spot is behind the Bumper Plant.

Looking Glass River: Has high water levels.

Maple River: Has high water levels.

Muskegon River: Is high and somewhat muddy which makes fishing more difficult. Boat anglers were still catching some steelhead.

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Burt Lake: Was producing some big perch.

Mullett Lake: With the close of pike and walleye season, most are targeting perch. Fishing pressure has slowed but anglers are catching a few perch in 10 to 20 feet of water in the bays. No trout or cisco to report.

Alpena: A few brown trout have been caught in Thunder Bay. There may also be some walleye to be found as they start staging.

Thunder Bay River: The boat ramp was ice free. Those trolling for steelhead and brown trout had some success. Walleye season is closed.

Heart Lake: In Otsego County still had ice fishing and some rainbow trout were caught. Big Chub and Bridge Lake were also producing some rainbow trout.

Higgins Lake: Smelt are coming into the shallows.

Lake St. Helen: Has been good for bluegill.

Tawas: The only remaining ice is in the northeast corner of the bay near Jerry’s Marina where a few small perch and walleye were caught. The ice along the west side of the pier is gone and a few boats were starting to head out.

Tawas River: Is producing a light number of steelhead.

Au Gres: There is still ice and people out fishing in shallow waters 4 to 6 feet deep. They have caught some walleye and steelhead.

Au Gres River: Water levels are running high and the ice is breaking up. Those fishing the East Branch have caught a couple steelhead and brown trout in the surf near the Singing Bridge. Anglers were actually shore fishing from the icebergs.

Rifle River: No word yet on suckers.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Elk River: Steelhead were starting to show up.

Lake Missaukee: Anglers are catching panfish.

Lake Cadillac: Is still producing some crappie for ice anglers. Most are fishing in the coves. Try jigs tipped with wax worms, minnows or spikes.

Lake Mitchell: Is also producing crappie in the early morning or late evening.

Manistee River: Steelhead have started however the cold front could slow things down again. Boat and shore anglers are tossing flies or jigs with wax worms and wigglers. Good catfish and crappie action on the Hodenpyl backwaters.

Pere Marquette River: Boat and shore anglers saw a push of steelhead. With the cold spell, concentrate on the deeper holes.

Upper Peninsula

Lake Gogebic: Ice conditions are changing fast. Anglers should avoid areas near the inlets and outlets. Perch were caught up to 5 feet off the bottom in waters 20 to 27 feet deep however many are putting in a lot of time and coming up empty handed.

Keweenaw Bay: Good catches of smelt were taken northeast of the Baraga Marina. Whitefish were spotty. Coho were caught between Linden Creek and Perch Corner.

Falls River: Is producing some rainbow trout.

Marquette: Fishing was slow except for a few coho taken near the shallow bubbler in the Upper Harbor in 25 feet of water. Try a jig tipped with a twister tail or cut bait. Ice has moved out near the coal docks so anglers were taking a few coho and menominee when using a single egg. Ice has moved out of the Upper Harbor with partial ice in the Lower Harbor. Anglers are still launching boats off the beach by the bubblers. Strong east winds have been blowing the ice into shore.

Carp River: Is slightly higher with spring runoff, but no steelhead to report.

Little Bay De Noc: Ice conditions were deteriorating fast. Not many anglers and those heading out were traveling by foot only. Extreme caution needs to be used as ice conditions are changing daily this time of year. Most were perch fishing near Kipling in 22 to 30 feet of water when jigging wigglers or minnows. Those removing ice shanties and putting them at the Kipling boat launch are reminded that they can only store their shanty for 24 hours.

Escanaba River: A few shore anglers were looking for brown trout.

Au Train: This may be the last week of ice fishing as conditions were deteriorating. The Rock River is slowly opening up with water running over the spillway and there is open water near the mouth of the Au Train River. Catch reports were spotty for coho and menominee in Au Train Bay. The better action was in the early morning straight out from the Rock River and near the mouth of the Au Train River.

Munising: Catch rates were slow as angler numbers decline. Recent weather patterns have made ice conditions unpredictable on a daily basis so bring cleats and use caution on the ice. Most anglers are fishing for coho but rates were spotty. Try jigging rapalas and Swedish pimples 10 to 20 feet down in 40 to 60 feet of water. The fish average 15 inches. Only a few whitefish were taken in 50 to 80 feet of water when bouncing wax worms or a single egg just off the bottom. Schools of smelt are still being marked on a regular basis however catch rates were hit-or-miss. Try hali-jigs with natural bait. The occasional splake was caught by those using minnows or a single egg with an artificial lure.

Indian Lake: Angler activity has slowed with the closing of walleye and pike season. Those seeking yellow perch were fishing on the north end and also in Lange’s Bay. Try minnows with a jig or Swedish pimple in 7 to 9 feet of water. Many are small but a few in the 12 inch range were caught.

Munuscong Bay: Catch rates were poor to fair throughout the bay including the north end and Fowlers Bay. Ice is still present and perch numbers are expected to increase in the next 7 to 10 days.

Cedarville and Hessel: Some perch were caught along the east side of Hessel Bay in shallow waters 6 to 8 feet deep however Musky Bay was a little more productive. Fish were caught in 10 to 12 feet of water off Duck Bay as well as out in the middle. Try wax worms, wigglers or minnows.

The post Fishing Report March 24, 2011 appeared first on Out In Michigan.

Great Lakes temperature map

Ice fishing is coming to an end in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula so anglers are advised to stay off any remaining ice. Conditions to the north might hold on for another week or so. Walleye, pike and musky season on the inland waters closed on March 15th however; Saginaw Bay and the Great Lakes remain open all year.

Southeast Lower Peninsula/NW Ohio

Maumee River: The is starting to clear up,some walleye are starting to be caught in the last few days. The water temperature is in the low 40’s. There also has been some walleye coming from out on the reefs at the mouth of the river.

Lake Erie: Had no safe ice and flow ice is keeping boats from heading out. Those shore fishing off Lake Erie Metro Park have caught some perch. Anglers are reminded to park on Kingsbridge Drive and walk down. Bluegills were caught in the marina. Crappie can be found in the creeks around Point Mouillee.

Huron River: Steelhead have been caught near the walk bridge by Huroc Park. Try flies, spawn or a jig and wax worm.

Detroit River: Boat anglers need to pay close attention to flow ice coming down. Perch have been caught in the lower river and in the bays and canals. Most are using perch rigs with minnows.

Lake St. Clair: Had patches of ice along the shoreline that people were fishing. Use extreme caution. There is a lot of open water on the lake.

Saginaw Bay: There’s still a lot of ice fishing activity all over the bay however anglers are reminded to use extreme caution and pay close attention to ice conditions as the weather warms up. Shore ice is deteriorating in many places and pressure cracks are active. In Wildfowl Bay, the cracks have buckled and there is open water in places. Those fishing off Pine River and Palmer Road caught a couple walleye in 12 to 15 feet of water. Perch were in 6 feet of water but many were small. Perch action has picked up just north of Pinconning, off the Bay City State Park, Vanderbilt Park, Sunset Bay Marina and off Thomas Road. Fish from dawn until 11AM, try not to make too much noise, and stay away from the crowd. Perch were caught off Sebewaing and Rose Island.

Tittabawassee River: Boats were fishing below the Dow Dam before walleye season closed. Catch rates were slow as it appears the fish are just not in yet.

Saginaw River: Water levels are fairly fast and muddy so catch rates are slow. The boat ramps at Rust Avenue in Saginaw and Cass Avenue in Bay City are open.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph River: Water levels were receding but were still slightly above average for this time of year. A fair number of steelhead have been moving through the Berrien Springs fish ladder. Water temperatures are still cold and the peak of the run has not occurred yet. Boat anglers are fishing below Berrien Springs.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Has a good number of steelhead being caught at the Sixth Street Dam.

Grand River at Lansing: Warm temperatures and light rain should move some steelhead into the area. Fish could be seen at the dams between Grand Rapids and Lansing. Anglers could be catching steelhead by the end of the week.

Muskegon River: Anglers are catching steelhead up near Croton Dam. Most are fly fishing or using spawn.

White River: Had a good number of steelhead in the lower river.

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Mullett Lake: Still has ice. Anglers are catching a few perch with minnows and wigglers in shallow waters 15 to 18 feet deep or deeper in 30 to 45 feet of water.

Higgins Lake: Smelt action has picked up off the North State Park and the west boat launch. Perch have been caught in the evening in 10 to 12 feet of water and lake trout were still being caught. Ice near Big Creek is starting to deteriorate.

Houghton Lake: Still has good ice. Walleye season is closed however bluegills were starting to hit along the weedbeds on the south shore. Perch were starting to bite and some big crappie were caught near the Cut River.

Tawas: Walleye and perch fishing were slow. Only a couple pike were speared.

Au Gres: Fishing was generally slow, with only a few walleye taken in 15 feet of water. Anglers were going both north and south of the breakwall, off Booth Road and Point Au Gres.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Crystal Lake: Still has good smelt fishing in 40 to 60 feet of water off Lobb Road and Railroad Point. There is light snow on the ice.

Betsie River: Look for steelhead if temperatures warm and we get rain.

Lake Missaukee: Is producing some good bluegill action.

Lake Cadillac: Ice anglers are still catching crappie.

Lake Mitchell: Is also producing some crappie.

Manistee River: The weekend could bring good steelhead movement.

Little Manistee River: Remains closed to fishing until April 1st.

Pere Marquette River: Should start producing steelhead by the weekend.

Upper Peninsula

Lake Gogebic: Perch fishing was slow with only a few fish taken in waters 6 to 25 feet deep. Those lucky enough to find them did take some fish averaging 12 to 15 inches. Still-fishing with wigglers has been the most productive.

Keweenaw Bay: The lake trout bite was good with limit catches reported out from Whirl-I-Gig Road in 250 to 265 feet of water. The whitefish bite was up and down however on the good days, a mix of whitefish and lake trout were caught east of the Baraga Marina in 80 to 100 feet of water and out from the Pump House in L’Anse in 60 to 90 feet of water. The occasional pike was caught at the head of the Bay in 8 to 20 feet of water. Those fishing out from the Falls River caught a mix of whitefish, coho and rainbow trout in 8 to 15 feet of water. Smelt were caught out from the Baraga Marina.

Marquette: Anglers reported fair catch rates for coho and steelhead near the “bubblers.” A large school of herring were also seen. Try early morning with jigs tipped with crawlers or cut bait. Those trolling crank baits have also caught coho. Ice could still be found along the shoreline from the Lower Harbor to the Chocolay River and beyond. Some caught the occasional splake or whitefish on a single egg. Water temperatures were averaging 33 degrees.

Little Bay De Noc: Walleye season is closed and ice fishing season is just about done. There are many areas with open water which is creating hazards for anglers. Northeast of Butler Island is all open water as is Saunders Point and all the way out to the green buoy. Most of the pressure cracks have water coming up through them. Conditions are a bit deceiving because there was still good ice in the upper bay however many areas are now considered dangerous. Perch were still caught in 30 to 40 feet of water when jigging wigglers or minnows off the northern end of the Kipling Flats. Whitefish were taken off Gladstone when jigging minnows or spawn in 30 to 35 feet of water.

Au Train: A few coho and steelhead were caught. Ice has moved into the bay so anglers could be seen off the Rock River however extreme caution needs to be used. Fish were caught in the early morning on jigs with spawn bags or crawlers.

Au Train River: Water levels are rising. The mouth of the river has opened up and ice flows continue to deteriorate.

Munising: Catch rates were slow. Recent snowfall made travel on the ice easier. Anglers are fishing shallow waters for coho, splake and smelt. Coho action in Trout Bay was hit-or-miss but caution needs to be used in this area. Try jigging rapalas and Swedish pimples 10 to 20 feet down in waters 40 to 60 feet deep. Average size was 15 inches. Schools of smelt are being marked but catch rates were slow. Spearing for lake herring was slow. As for splake, a few fish were caught on a single egg, minnows or artificial lures.

Indian Lake: Still had ice and it was covered with 8 to 10 inches of snow in most areas. Anglers are reminded to use extreme caution especially near the mouth of rivers and creeks as well as natural springs. The pressure crack that runs north and south is still causing some issues. Anglers wanting to fish the northeast side of the lake should use Danielson’s Landing. Most anglers are targeting perch with tip-ups and minnows. The perch are showing signs of getting ready to spawn.

Manistique Lakes: Still have ice and anglers heading out. Walleye season is closed but some nice perch in the 12 to 14 inch range were caught.

Munuscong Bay: Perch were caught in shallow waters off Barbeau Point.

Cedarville and Hessel: Perch are being caught in Hessel Bay in 10 to 12 feet of water. Musky Bay is also providing some perch along the west end of the bay and off Rice Point when using minnows and wigglers on a red or chartreuse jig.

The post Fishing Report for (3-17-10) appeared first on Out In Michigan.

One is the Little Atom Nuggie.This plastic has put more money into tournament fisherman’s pockets then any other plastic design to date.The Design is super simple and is scent impregnated with Little Atoms T-9 Scent. They come in a myriad of colors Glow, Two-tone and from my favorite place to buy them Sportsmen’s Direct has two custom colors that have black flake in them.These custom colors are deadly in clear water like we got here in Michigan.

Now this next one if very new to the Market and well I just think this one could take the tournament world by storm. It also became my go to plastic late in the year for me. It is the Ice Mites from J and S custom jigs. It’s a simple design that even the bass world has taken notice of and started to incorporating the tail design into some big bass baits. I recommend these Ice mites to everyone I come across now, I have just feel in love with these baits.

If you have tried ice plastics maybe it is time you did? We do have a few days left of ice so get out there and give them a try.

Both of these baits can be bought online from a Michigan Company called Sportsmen’s Direct. They are running specials now and they also have packages that are full of the best colors of plastic so you don’t have to think to hard just “click and fish”.

The post Got Ice Plastics? appeared first on Out In Michigan.

But what we can do as a group is better understand the management processes in our fisheries. Part one touched on the basic idea of how bodies of water become stunted and it all boils down to a few things. Biomass, Genetics, Forage, Habitat and Harvest. When all things are in balance, we can have just fantastic fisheries. But if one of these things gets out of whack to far we can have major problems. Most commonly stunted fisheries happen with our panfish, such has sunfish, crappies and perch. There has been some cases of stunting with northern pike, and bass. Those cases that I am aware of had a few other environmental issues that also aided in causing the problem.

So how do our DNR’s manage our waters? What are some of the tools they use to fix and prevent this from happening?

Photo by the Ohio DNR

One of the management tools used is by restricting and controlling what size of largemouth bass that’s harvested. A good example of this is Lake La Su Ann Wildlife Area in Montpelier, OH. It is a short drive across the border from Camden, Michigan. Lake La Su An Wildlife Area covers 2,430 acres and has 13 lakes and many small marshy areas. What they have done is manage the largemouth population so that they have a large population. They have done this with larger size limits so that it protects bass in the 12 to 17-inch size class. Bass at this size feed heavily and do a great job at keeping YOY (Young of the Year ) and lower year class panfish population in check. This management plan has given them a bass densities that are the highest in Ohio and the Midwest. It has kept the bluegills in check so well that on some lakes 40% of the bluegill harvest is of fish in the 8 to 11 inches range.

Another management tool is nutrient management. What this is , is where they come in and fertilize a lake that might be lacking in some nutrients. They generally will use a nitrogen based fertilizer to spark and boost the base of the food chain; plankton. What this does is help provide more food so that the fish can get what they need at key stages. This practice has been used in the UP of Michigan. The lake had a really bad stunting issue. The perch in the lake would only reach 4 inches in size no matter the age. This project was led by Lake State University in the 1990’s. That lake has since become a better fishery.

photo by Wisconsin DNR

Vegetation control is something else that’s used and not many people think of. The idea with this is to limit the amount of hiding places for the panfish. So that it’s easier for predators like largemouth and pike to feed. Lakes where the vegetation level is at or above 75% coverage are prime candidates for this. These lakes are fairly shallow most of the time They also have a very high amount of nutrients that promote rapid aquatic plant growth. Sometimes this is a man-made problem due to run off from farmlands and home lawn runoff. To fix this problem filter strips need to placed leading into these waterways to slow the rate and dilute the amount of nutrients being brought into the system. A program like the CREP here in Michigan is doing just that.

Some other things managers may do in extreme cases is to lower the water and remove fish, or they may kill off the lake. This is very expensive to do and is not done often. Once that’s done the lakes restocked over time. It can take up to 5 years before the lake will begin to have keeper size fish come out of it. One draw back to this though is that the bio-diversity becomes limited. These lakes will general have only a few species of forage base minnow, large sunfish species, bass and catfish. The reason for this is that the cost in trying to raise and transplant all the different types of species into a lake is huge. This is a last-ditch thing that our mangers hope to never have to use.

The last and newest ,is what the state of Minnesota is doing.They are testing the idea of making trophy bluegill fisheries. They have a very restrictive bag and size limits(5 fish) placed on the lake that they feel hold all the puzzle pieces to make very large gills in the 1 lb class. So far it looks like they maybe on to something with this idea but the experiment and study period is not done yet so we have to wait and see.

You can see many things need to stay in balance but it takes just one thing to send a system into a tail spin.It’s very common for a  combination of these tools mentioned above to be used to correct this problem.

We as anglers need to become more cognitive of our daily impacts on our waters.A few ways we can do this is to be selective in what and how much we harvest, what we put on our lawns. I was once told to remember that we all live down stream.

The post Stunted fisheries – Management tools (part 2) appeared first on Out In Michigan.