Michigan plans cut in Lake Huron Chinook stocking

[djkimmel]

Michigan plans cut in Lake Huron Chinook stocking

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - Michigan plans a sharp cutback in Chinook stocking in Lake Huron next year, further evidence of the collapse of the lake's salmon fishery.

The state Department of Natural Resources said Friday it will place 693,000 spring Chinook fingerlings in Lake Huron in 2012. That's down from the nearly 1.5 million fed to the lake this year.

Complete story on WLAJ.com.

[dartag]

That will hurt the charter boat business.   Was up north this summer and could not believe the prices they get now for an 8 hour charter. 

[djkimmel]

Higher or lower?

[dartag]

600-700 for an 8 hour charter were this years rates. 

[KLAKE]

With the cost of operating a charter, or booking a charter those guys are going to suffer regardless.
And with fuel prices as they are, things will not get better.
(I've been saying for 8-9 years now that the boating industry is missing out big time on their lack of fuel efficiency development-but that's a different discussion)

Things are going to be spread thin when it comes to specific species funding.

In 11' there were ZERO Musky stocked in Michigan. (unless some fish were purchased out of state-which I doubt, again funding issues)

The musky failure was a unexpected issue that came up, but even still they are headed in the right direction for the entire state.


In my opinion, our state DNR has done a pretty good job as it pertains to fishing, especially given the state of the State's financial situation.

[MSURoss]

I was over at lake Huron this August in Rogers City and talked to a charter boat fisherman that just sold his boat because of how dead the lake has become. He said the alewife population is almost non-existent. It's surprising how different each side of the state can be, Lake Michigan had one of it's best salmon year in this past decade. My grandpa has a slip in Ludington and we have never caught so many 20+lb kings ever.

[KLAKE]

I was over at lake Huron this August in Rogers City and talked to a charter boat fisherman that just sold his boat because of how dead the lake has become. He said the alewife population is almost non-existent. It's surprising how different each side of the state can be, Lake Michigan had one of it's best salmon year in this past decade. My grandpa has a slip in Ludington and we have never caught so many 20+lb kings ever.

Fewer Alewives could be a good thing in the future.
Was reading an article about them hurting Salmon populations by causing infertility.....Other issues too, but that is the one that caught my attention

[thedude]

kinda glad they aren't stocking musky. don't get me wrong, they are fun to catch, but it's about time the DNR stopped pumping money into stocking an unsustainable fishery that doesn't even pay for itself. 

[KLAKE]

kinda glad they aren't stocking musky. don't get me wrong, they are fun to catch, but it's about time the DNR stopped pumping money into stocking an unsustainable fishery that doesn't even pay for itself. 

The new management plan calls for, what is believed to be a step towards self sustaining fisheries. And, will certainly increase trophy fish potential.


Virtually all of Musky fishing's problems here in Michigan are regulation related. They are a top predator that lives a long time...Unless they are speared by the dozens in the winter, and/or overharvested. Either due to mistaken ID (Northern Pike), or a complete lack of knowledge or concern for the impact taking fish has.

Bag limits should be ONE per season, and NO spearing.

[djkimmel]

I like catching them and seeing them in the water. It was more than a little risky at little Lake Ovid for a while when their numbers seemed very high for a 400 acre lake but I'm not seeing very many now and only getting bit off 3 or 4 times a year compared to that many times a trip for a few seasons. I think I had on or missed only about 3 this year. I can remember having on 4 in one day and averaging almost 3 for those first few season without trying to catch them.

[KLAKE]

I know this is a Bass site, but I really enjoy musky fishing too.....

So, for me, the new direction of the Michigan DNR is an exciting one. A changeover to Great Lakes Strain Musky, as well as stocking of great lakes watersheds, should lead to more self sustaining fisheries and trophy fisheries.

There are a few places with HUGE fish potential, and some Michigan anglers have figured out where....But populations need to increase in those areas. And FWIW they are self sustaining populations...But some help would really improve them.

Spearing, at least right now, is the biggest detriment to the fishery. Michigan is one of VERY few if any states that will allow spearing for Musky.

[djkimmel]

I'm not going to work to stop spearing as long as it is managed well, but it's not for me. I want to cast and feel the bite one way or the other. I enjoyed catching Tiger Muskie in the past - they are a nice looking fish, but the full muskie seem to be tighter in their behavior and put up a great fight. I made a number of new friends when I put out the work through here about how many muskie were loaded into Ovid.

You just can't always make a longer drive to the big water but I don't want to see muskie everywhere. We have a history of messing up the outdoors by introducing exotics and should be very careful while picking and choosing.

I love the fish diversity in Michigan but I also enjoy having lakes that are really good for this fish or that fish rather than trying to make every lake make all anglers happy. It really doesn't work. Some lakes are just right for certain species and not really good for others.