Similarities Betwen Huron Crash??

[Jose]

So I don't know too much about the crash of salmon on Lake Huron but didnt they have awesome fishing with large fish a few years before the crash? Is anyone concerned that all these big fish being caught this year is just that? Do you think its just the fact of the reduced salmon plants by the DNR?

[danthebuilder]

My understanding is they're trying to build up the alewives population so the salmon industry is less prone to a crash/stronger. The less salmon planted means more food for the fish that are around so that's why they're getting bigger. I believe Huron ran out of alewives which caused the salmon to leave/die.

[Jose]

Well Ive saw more bait balls on the graph this year than in the last two years combined I think. I'm a believer if the fish stay this size or get bigger even at the expense of catching less fish per outing.

[GLF]

I believe its the reduction in the stockings. Less predators and more preyfish = more food on the dinner table for a bigger meal = bigger fish!

[EdB]

The crash on Huron was preceeded by smaller fish and the last 2 years had kings with big heads and very skinny bodies with bellies that curved in rather than bulged out. The fish in Lk Mich are very healthy with broad shoulders and football bellies. I'm not worried at all for the short term. I think the DNR was right on to cut the plants to save the fishery. The results this year are amazing given that king sizes were trending downward from 2004 to 2009. They have increased the last 2 years with a big jump this year. Some of the immature 3 yr old kings we've been catching are very large. They are going to be real brutes next year.

[jay d]

The crash on Huron was preceeded by smaller fish and the last 2 years had kings with big heads and very skinny bodies with bellies that curved in rather than bulged out. The fish in Lk Mich are very healthy with broad shoulders and football bellies. I'm not worried at all for the short term. I think the DNR was right on to cut the plants to save the fishery. The results this year are amazing given that king sizes were trending downward from 2004 to 2009. They have increased the last 2 years with a big jump this year. Some of the immature 3 yr old kings we've been catching are very large. They are going to be real brutes next year.

x2:thumb:

[steeliebob]

I find it ironic that nobody blames the crash on all of the wiers, spread throughout northern Lake Huron. Hatchery fish have a low survival rate anyway, then you reduce hatchery numbers and have very little natural reproduction and you have a recipie for disaster. For now the wiers are gone but that does not mean that if the salmon return that the wiers will remain closed. For a couple of years we caught salmon that looked like pike in Northern Lake Huron but there were also the nice fat healthy ones too, it is caled survival. Take the wiers out of the picture and I believe that Lake Huron would still have a good salmon population.

[fishy1]

I think comparing the 2 lakes is like comparing apples to oranges . The biggest factor is lake michigan does not have to account for millions of walleye roaming the lake . I believe the DNR did the right thing along with all the other bordering in reducing the fish plants if you have a predator prey relationship were the predatoors outweigh the prey you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out whats going to happen.If you get a chance in the winter attend a sea grant meeting and learn how the lakes are being managed and get the information to make a sound decision about where the lakes are headed.

[EdB]

Take the wiers out of the picture and I believe that Lake Huron would still have a good salmon population.

Not sure this theory is valid. They have the same weirs on Lk Mich but no problems there. Just about all the ports get planted fish that originated from egg take at the weirs. It is a known fact from tag returns that Lk Huron fish went to Lk Mich to feed and grow and then returned to the Lk Huron streams to spawn. That might explain the fat healthy ones being caught. I caught a couple tagged fish from Oscoda off Ludington back in 2003 and 04.

Another theory kicked around the last few years was genetic issues. Some people were saying we have smaller fish each year because the DNR was taking eggs from small fish and hatching and planting them. That theory has been shot down the tubes this season.

I still believe it all has to do with balancing forage and predator fish. That is the DNR's theory and they seem to be right based on the results of the stocking cuts.

Hopefully, the forage base in Huron will recover and the king fishery can be re-established there.

[Grant Sadler]

The crash on Huron was preceeded by smaller fish and the last 2 years had kings with big heads and very skinny bodies with bellies that curved in rather than bulged out. The fish in Lk Mich are very healthy with broad shoulders and football bellies. I'm not worried at all for the short term. I think the DNR was right on to cut the plants to save the fishery. The results this year are amazing given that king sizes were trending downward from 2004 to 2009. They have increased the last 2 years with a big jump this year. Some of the immature 3 yr old kings we've been catching are very large. They are going to be real brutes next year.

I'll 3rd that statment I think that they made a good choice on cuts in LK Mich. as I'am hoping that LK Huron is coming back slowly but stronger then ever with a fishery, slowly mother nature will fix it, my 2 cents worth