It’s simple math really: Zero eggs equals zero fish for future stocking programs.
So, the spring walleye and steelhead egg collections by the Michigan DNR are critical components of the strategy for maintaining world-class fishing opportunities in the Great Lakes State.
Nearly fifty years have now passed since the first paddletail swimbaits splashed down in U.S. waters, the earliest designs having likely originated in France. Today, paddletails have almost singlehandedly rewritten the rules of soft plastics engagement. Fans of catching bass, crappie, walleye and inshore slams nearly always cast these ingenious tail-driven baits, each version capable of different retrieve speeds, actions and the almighty thump.
Gamakatsu has announced a proprietary new finish for their most popular hook styles.
MDNR Report
After ice and snow cover melt on Michigan lakes this spring, it may be more likely for people to discover dead fish or other aquatic animals. While such sights can be startling, the Michigan DNR reminds everyone that it is normal, since winter conditions can cause fish and other creatures such as turtles, frogs, toads, and crayfish to die.
"Winterkill is the most common type of fish kill," said Jeremiah Blaauw, DNR Fisheries Division biologist. "As the season changes, it can be particularly common in shallow lakes, ponds, streams and canals. These fish deaths are localized and typically do not affect the overall health of the fish populations or fishing quality."
Shallow lakes with excess aquatic vegetation and soft bottoms are more prone to this problem, particularly when a deep snowpack reduces sunlight for the plants. Canals in urban areas also are quite susceptible due to the large amounts of nutrient runoff and pollution from roads and lawns and septic systems that flow into these areas, especially from large storm events.
By Louie Stout
There are jumbo yellow perch in Lake Michigan…and then there’s this monster.
If you thought 12- inch perch were jumbos, Blas Lara of Highland, Ind. blows those away. His nearly 17 incher also blew away the Indiana’s state record with the 3.135 pounder caught during the Mayor McDermott’s Fishing Derby last weekend.
Lara’s yellow perch, caught from shore, broke the old record of 2 pounds, 8 ounces set in 1981 from a southern Indiana gravel pit.
He caught his giant while fishing a golden roach livebait under a bobber while actually fishing for smallmouth in the Hammond Marina. The fish was weighed at the Strack & VanTil Food Market.
Interestingly, that store sells yellow perch by the pound in its seafood section. If someone were to buy that record fish for dinner, it would cost him $53.26.
Yellow perch have begun their spawning run in Lake Michigan so that likely contributed to the weight. However, there are likely more giants like it swimming out there. Several 15 and 16 inchers were caught in northwest Indiana by boat anglers last winter.
Lake Michigan DNR Biologist Ben Dickinson said earlier this year that the growth rate among yellow perch has been astounding.
“We’re seeing 12- and 14-inch perch that are 6 to 8 years old,” Dickinson said. “In previous years, those fish were 10 to 14 years old.”
Why the rapid growth? Either there is more food to go around or, due to lower perch numbers over the past several years, there is less competition for food.
“When we began seeing the rapid growth numbers, we thought maybe something was off in our data, but Illinois biologists tell us that they are seeing the same thing.”
Connect With Us