TOPIC:

sounds like I did miss a good time. Interesting perspective StormJunkie, seems to be more predators then we faced in the old days. Don't remember seeing the big catfish the system holds now either.
Please keep me in the loop for the next HCC meeting I would really like to attend.

Thanks for always providing updates with these threads lickety-split.

Brother Nature noted something that is consistent from what I have heard from MDNR which is survival rates and returns of kings are poor. Another common theme that I hear is that natural reproduction is high and that the cost of raising kings is low. This raises the following questions to me:
1: if the survival rates are low, the cost is low
and the natural reproduction is stated to be minimal at the southern ports then why can’t we get some decent size plants at the southern ports and see what happens. Kings, unlike lakers, will be out of the system in 4 years anyway.

2. I hear about natural reproduction in the northern Michigan rivers but for example the Big Manistee weir had a total of approximately 2000 fish return in the past two years. How is these returns going to support an ongoing king fishery?

The lake sets up different every year- I hear guys that one year are doing good out of one port and they are up in arms the next year. The last 2 years the spring fishing has been good that can change and then it’s back to chasing lakers or making long runs offshore. That’s not a appealing or viable fishery for the average fisherman.

Just my .02.

Regulator wrote:

Thanks for always providing updates with these threads lickety-split.

Brother Nature noted something that is consistent from what I have heard from MDNR which is survival rates and returns of kings are poor. Another common theme that I hear is that natural reproduction is high and that the cost of raising kings is low. This raises the following questions to me:
1: if the survival rates are low, the cost is low
and the natural reproduction is stated to be minimal at the southern ports then why can’t we get some decent size plants at the southern ports and see what happens. Kings, unlike lakers, will be out of the system in 4 years anyway.

2. I hear about natural reproduction in the northern Michigan rivers but for example the Big Manistee weir had a total of approximately 2000 fish return in the past two years. How is these returns going to support an ongoing king fishery?

The lake sets up different every year- I hear guys that one year are doing good out of one port and they are up in arms the next year. The last 2 years the spring fishing has been good that can change and then it’s back to chasing lakers or making long runs offshore. That’s not a appealing or viable fishery for the average fisherman.

Just my .02.

Thanks Regulator,
your #1 I would agree with and hopefully going forward ports like ours will get looked at as you are correct. But those decisions are done at a higher level as of now. It never hurts to shake the trees alittle. Hard to compare a port with no fish other then hatchery fish to another with some wild fish in the mix. If I remember correctly a King smolt at 3.5-4 inches cost around 45 cents per smolt.
Your #2 is a bit tricky to answer. Where are all these naturals coming from? Last I heard was that Michigan may be noticing that wild fish are only coming from possibly 3 rivers in Michigan. I have read papers on wild fish coming from Lake Huron with the east side Georgian Bay may produce 65% wild fish and the northern section around 30%. The total numbers are always something the GLSI questions. I have also read articles that were written in 1995 talked about some wild fish coming from the south east corner of Superior. Can they move down the St. Marys into Huron then to lake Michigan????? Would like to see more evidence on wild kings as it is always going to be a part of any talks out there.
The lake sets up differently yearly. This year we stayed cold lake wide. How is the lake going to be different then years past now with high water?
Just my opinion,,, it appears that the high water has washed alot of nutrients into the system..Our water stayed off color much longer this spring. I agree with BN off color water usually means nutrient rich water. We are seeing a good push of alewife, smelt, and bloaters. this spring we saw a very good spawn of alewife on our shore line. Best I have seen in along time.We need this to happen this next spring as well. This fishery was made on the back of alewife. Smelt and bloaters help take alot of pressure off the alewife.I am hoping that mid water acoustics show a 4th year of an increase in all 3..

Something that I’m always wondering about is how many of the wild fish are coming from wild parents? It might be necessary to keep a few stocked fish in the prime streams just to help keep the numbers of breeding fish up. Personally I’m okay with running low stocking numbers. I fish for perch, bass, and white fish as much as I do salmon and I just want to see an over all healthy system. I wish the feds would put their emphasis on something other than the Lakers when making their plans, if it’s all about native fish then why not gear everything to benefit perch? My guess is they’re just catering to charters and netters even though guys like me make up the majority of the fishermen.

Just got back from Lansing Michigan where I attended The Lake Michigan Citizen's Fishery Advisory Committee.

Been along day I will look over my notes and try to give a update tomorrow.
This is old news but should be reviewed:
Indiana
2012-222,457 kings
2013-169,451
2014-200,737
2015-179,116
2016-204,518
2017- 63,229
2018- 67,579

Michigan Kings Wisconsin Illinois states total all years
2012-1,591,019 2012-1,175,925 2012-253,244 3,242,645
2013-562,223 2013-802,091 2013-227,336 1,761,101
2014-546,877 2014-823,288 2014-236,625 1,807,527
2015-569,442 2015-823,571 2015-214,271 1,786,400
2016-530,438 2016-812,270 2016-231,378 1,778,604
2017-332,133 2017-812,386 2017-163,892 1,372,640
2018-551,495 2018-844,554 2018-172,642 1,636,270

There was approx 50 people for this meeting and saw Mike Ryan from Indiana also attending.
This groups Purpose:
The charge of the lake Michigan Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee is to review and provide recommendations and direction into the fishery goals, objectives and management plans for Lake Michigan. Members will assist Fisheries Division in charting the future course of fisheries management by providing voice to and for the diversity of citizens interest in lake Michigan Basin
I heard from everyone around the table on how their fishing was this season. One common message was the amount of bait being seen by fishermen from all over Michigan waters.
Good discussion on methods used bottom trawl and mid water trawls to evaluate bait and why so much difference between the two. Though we all have seen change in how the lake sets up the bottom trawl is going to continue along with midwater.
There was a update on the consent decree, appears that talks are going but sure didn't sound positive. Either side can ask for a for an extension of the present language.
Any quota that has been given to a commercial fishermen(non tribal) goes back to the tribal quota if the non tribal commercial fisherman drops out. Michigan presently has 5 bills to rewrite commercial fishing,4 in the house and 1 in the senate.
Alot of good discussion on bait and age classes, all fishermen had one common message their seems to be alot of bait out there. The 455,000 stocking plan lake wide was voted on this past June. A proposal was made to vote next year at a later date as there was feelings that the vote may have gone differently if held later after the full fishing season viewed.

Forgot to mention,,,,, the Betsie River has seen a big push of silver and a big push of fishermen onto the Betsie. DNR Law enforcement is now on a 24hr. patrol there and 400+ citations issued in the last 10 days.

www.michiganseagrant.org/topics/fisherie...ler-citizen-science/

There was some good discussion around stomach samples. Professor Roth Michigan DNR has been doing samples from both Lake Michigan and Huron. They continue to reach out asking for help in stomach samples. There is a video on how to do it correctly. Stomachs that do not hold anything is still a stomach sample they can explore. Is our end of the lake set up alittle differently then other ports?
We can help ourselves if we start working along the lines of sending in proper samples. .. If the above link does not work just type in MichiganSeaGrant.org/diet. Instructions and video are there.