Atlantic Salmon

[steeliebob]

They are back....google LSSUfishcam. If you have never seen this it is something that you have to do. This is so awesome. Now in the next few weeks it just keeps getting better. These atlantics are 5 to 12 pounds and have been planted in the St Marys River for about the last 20 years. A big thanks to LSSU for a big improvement to out great lakes fish.

[steeliebob]

If you look at the salmon on the lssufishcam you will notice that about half of the fish have fin clips. The fish that do not have the fin clips are natural reproduced fish. These salmon are reproducing on their own quite well and are not uncommon to catch from Rogers City to Sault Ste Marie on L Huron.

[GLF]

There is a link to the lssu fish cam on the webcam page here.

[Knot Tellin]

Did you see how many had lamprey on them? It sure makes you wonder how many fish they kill.

[phishtix]

It sure makes you wonder how many fish they kill.

Alot! Thats why I don't get upset about it when the feds and DNR, treat certain watersheds with lampricide, and/or create barriers to stop their upstream migrations.

On the Pere Marquette river theres an electric barrier/weir put in place to stop them from migrating up river to spawn. Some of the area guides don't like it because it slows down the migration of steelhead into the upper river. Namely the flyheads only section, where these guides make their money. Some of them have been trying to force the feds to shut the barrier down because they say it is negatively effecting their business.

[Twill23]

Ha, but what they dont realize is less fish will affect their business a helluva lot more than any lamprey barrier ever could.

[phishtix]

Honestly I think the real reason they want it shut down is because the fish tend to stack up in the sections above and below the lamprey barrier. And because these sections are not in the "no kill" flyhead zone they're worried too many bait chuckers will catch their limits and take them home to eat.

[Twill23]

That's not a bad theory, but unfortunately that's part of fishing. I sure understand that but, look on the bright side, there are limits that are reasonable. Not every average Joe can wade out and legally harvest these fish.

[steeliebob]

I don't understand why somebody would want to eat a spawning steelhead. It is fun to catch them and all but the spawners are not the best eating fish in the river. I will eat a few in the summer, fall & winter but never in the spring. I live to fish steelhead, please release the spawners

[Twill23]

Well to some people thats the only time(along with the late fall salmon run) they get a chance to harvest open water fish. I totally agree with the releasing of the hens. But as far as males, one male can handle several females, so i'm not as depressed when i see an angler harvest a mature male.

[steeliebob]

In the UP we call the spawners soup or mush meat. The reason they are called soup is because if you cut into them their meat turns to soup. I see people harvest them all of the time. Some might be okay to eat but others definetly not. When I see those fish I wonder what kind of beef goes into a fast food burger. I appreciate the nice silver salmon and trout and venison more. You buy a fishing license to catch fish wether they are good or bad makes no difference to some people. Enjoy...just don't invite me to dinnner