TOPIC:

Great Lakes Salmon Initiative

Ludington fishing was spectacular for a couple weeks but a little wind change and things are much bleaker. All Around the lake is the same story if ports even got any fish at all. What we do have around the Lake, is BAIT.
I have not posted in a while because we have been having many discussions with Jay Wesley Mich DNR Basin Coordinator for Lake Michigan. He has been working on fish movement, fish stocking, fish increases, getting fish moved from Lake Huron to Michigan and a Zonal Management perspective that is an extremely good idea. He has presented to the GLSI several stocking options that are extremely positive. He plans on taking all eggs at collection to support proposed changes. These changes have to go thru LMC meetings and support there so it will be awhile before decisions will be made. The GLSI is not at liberty to let the numbers out at this time but we did give our stamp of approval on several levels and options based on solid science and economic need. Much will depend on what Lake Huron does and decisions that they make.
I want to get out the Lake Huron Management perspective---this is extremely important that everyone really understands what kind of (I don't even know what term to use) crazies fits, our Lake Michigan Basin Coordinators have to deal with. Lake Huron plants more Kings than the entire shoreline of the state of Michigan in Michigan waters. They are planting Kings there for one reason only---ADMITTEDLY ALEWIFE SUPPRESSION. They don't have a predator prey model like Lake Michigan does, which the LMC follows. Their Kings are swimming over here and eating our bait and those King numbers are being factored into the models we have, to have our Lake Managed by??? They are fighting to keep their Kings not as a resource but as a destructive tool to food sources. Alewives are moving east into Lake Huron and with the high water, influx of nutrients, Indians Trap Netting in MH-1, No more Lake Trout plants, alewives will rebound over there and those Kings won't have any reason to come here. Then what will their answer be??
Jim Dexter is the Chief of Fisheries and I have asked why he hasn't put a stop to this type of philosophy. I have not received a good answer. Before anyone flies off the handle I have left a message for him to call me and get his perspective on it. I have heard he does not agree with it.
The upcoming LMC meetings could be or SHOULD be interesting with the fishing around the lake the way it is this year. Where it was good last year, it is extremely poor this year and vice versa. What are our managers going to do?
I never want to sit in a meeting and again hear that "You should be lucky to catch a fish" This came from Todd Grishcke our Asst Chief of Fisheries whom could be the next Chief??

Thanks for the update. Got confused when you said Lake Huron stocks fish etc. My current reply on bait...have not marked any on my graph in 3 years out of MC...used to regularly cloud the screen. I know the coho bite seemed back to normal and all had 2-3 5-7 in aleives...this year. Wish there was a simple site. Creal report for every port. Number of schools of bait sited at each port. With the internet there is no reason for Not having realtime information on a daily and weekly basis. Out of the southend there is no sence on filling put an index card and turning it into dnr at a box at the ramps. Charters could do the same at all ports. We get on line and see at least a good guess.