How Will The Fishing on Lake Michigan Be in 4 Years

[GLF]

Everyone is/will be watching Lake Michigan closely for the next few years. Lots of people think the fishery is on the edge of colapsing. Not enough bait fish and too many predators.

Myself...I wonder if the reductions in stockings will be enough? I would rather see too many cut than not enough. The last thing all of us want to see is the fishery in Lake Michigan turn in the fishery of Lake Huron

Do you think the changes the surrounding states made to their stockings will be enough to save the fishery?

[HitMan]

This has been the most talked about topic this year, next to American Idol, haha. I personally thought last year the DNR was making the right call by cutting the salmon plants as we were seeing less baitfish and smaller fish. This year we are seeing a lot more baitfish, more than I ever remember seeing, at least in our area, but the fish size remains very small. The fish are eating well and are a lot fatter and healthier than last year at this time. We had a lot of skinny fish last year with real thin fillets.

Everyone I have talked to agrees that the number of baitfish has increased, with a ton of 1-3 inch alewives showing up. Everyone also agrees that the fish are definitely smaller.

Of probably 50 people I have discussed this with, in 4 years the answer is 50/50 on what is going to happen. Half say good things and half say bad things. I really don't think anyone knows. Your guess is as good as mine and the rest of the biologists. Everything they go by is scientific and not actual and factual data occurring on charter boats everyday. Only time will tell and there is really no correct answer. Only guesses, predictions, and supported hypotheses are flying around now.

[DangerDan]

The way gas is going up? unless I can get my boat to run on potatoe skins & corn cobs who cares...

[Molbychromer]

I think that that the fishing so far this year is deffinitly showing that the bait and size of fish are deffinetly better than last year. My question is what good is a fish bioligist if they can't tell us what the real problem is..Your average joe could have come up with this solution of cutting plants. I think that they need to dump phosphate in the lk so that the bait has more to eat.

P.S. if well lived in a red state we would save enough in taxes to make up for the gas prices!! vote for Devos and stop spending and lower taxes and i dont care if gas is four dollars a gallon.

[too deep]

Well last time I was out I marked more bait then I have seen in a very long time. I was going through them and the lines were dancing because I was hitting so many of them. I had a coho that had about 30 alewives in its belly. The fish look a lot healthier than last year. I think it was just a bad year a few years ago and they were stunted.

[GLF]

The reports I have been seeing up and down the lake seem to all agree that there are lots of bait fish this year. I have cleaned fish with empty stomaches and I have cleaned fish that could not hold another bait fish.

A lot of time and effort is put into predicting the number of predator/prey in the lake. I do not think anyone will ever be able to predict an accurate number of each.

Just think of how many angry fisherman you have if you botched the numbers.

I am glad its not my job to come up with the numbers.