What Happens When a Lake Trout Survives a Sea Lamprey Attack?

Study will help fishery managers understand more about Great Lakes lake trout populations

October 13, 2016
By Marie Zhuikov

Despite close attention by fishery managers, the lake trout population in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior has been declining in the past decade or so. Recently, this led to emergency limits on the number of lake trout that can be harvested by anglers and commercial and tribal fishermen in Wisconsin waters of the lake.

In an effort to get a better handle on population stressors so that more accurate fishing quotas can be set, fishery managers are looking at a variety of factors that might stress this important population. One of those things are attacks by sea lamprey – the eely vampire of the fisheries world.

Although the number of lake trout deaths by lamprey rank behind those from commercial fishing, natural causes and angling, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of lake trout attacked by lamprey survive. It’s long been assumed that lamprey-attack survivors suffer from impaired growth and reproduction rates, but this has never been studied in the lab.

Tyler Firkus, a fish and wildlife Ph.D. candidate at Michigan State University (MSU), plans to change that. However, first he has a few obstacles to overcome for this unique project. For instance: how to catch lamprey that are in the relatively short feeding stage of their life cycle, how to keep the lamprey alive until they can be introduced to lake trout, and how to expose the trout to lamprey parasitism just long enough so that it’s not lethal.

“It’s a major project with a lot of moving parts,” Firkus said. “There’s different hurdles and different things that keep popping up because nobody’s ever done this before.”

Of the various types of lake trout, Firkus is studying the siscowets (the fat ones) and lean lake trout. They were chosen for the study for comparison purposes. “There’s some evidence that the siscowet are more prone to parasitism from lamprey and they might actually be buffering the lean lake trout from parasitism,” Firkus said.
Why lamprey seem to prefer siscowets could be because lamprey like their fattier taste, or because they live in the same deepwater habitat that feeding lamprey prefer, or it could just be a numbers game because there are more siscowets in Lake Superior than there are lean lake trout, by a ratio of 15:1 (based on 2006-2011 data).

Firkus is conducting his research at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (UWSP NADF), a Wisconsin Sea Grant partner organization located in Red Cliff, Wis. The facility currently holds a mature broodstock of both trout types from previous research projects. The UWSP NADF is the only facility in the world that has domestically reared siscowets available. Firkus is just beginning what he suspects will be a four- to six-year project.
As for catching the lamprey, Firkus is getting help from commercial fishermen in the Bayfield area and from the Hammond Bay Biological Station in Michigan, which specializes in lamprey collection and research. So far, he has about 20 lamprey in their feeding stage, with hopes of capturing 30 to 40 total.

As for exposing the lamprey to the research fish, Firkus plans to do this is in a controlled manner, with one lamprey parasitizing one lake trout per tank. For scientific comparison, other lake trout will go into tanks without lamprey.

“We want to look at the sublethal effects of parasitism, “Firkus said. “If the lamprey parasitize longer than five days, it’s likely that the lake trout will die. We will remove the lamprey around three or four days to avoid mortality.”

After the lamprey are removed, he plans to study a number of physical parameters of the fish over the long term. These include growth, reproduction and immune response. He will divide his time between UWSP NADF and MSU depending on whether he needs to collect data, process data or teach.

“The data will be an important tool to refine current physiological and bioenergetics models to better predict how sublethal sea lamprey attacks can affect the lake trout population,” said Greg Fischer, UWSP NADF operations manager. “The information will be vital for proper management strategies in all the Great Lakes.”


Funding for the project is coming from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Project leaders are Cheryl Murphy, Michigan State University; Fischer, UWSP NADF; Rick Goetz, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Northwest Fisheries Science Center; and Shawn Sitar, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Marquette Fisheries Research Station.

DNR seeks feedback on Lake Michigan management strategies

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will convene three public meetings in late June to discuss management strategies and opportunities for Lake Michigan in light of continued challenges facing salmon populations and the alewives they feed on.

The meetings will focus on a variety of potential management actions to ensure continued diverse opportunities for sport anglers. Topics for discussion will include finding the right species mix, use of net pens, hatchery production, habitat restoration and the potential to increase focus on species with the greatest chances of thriving given the record low levels of open water forage fish such as alewives and rainbow smelt.

The initiative represents part of an ongoing effort by DNR to ensure anglers' voices are heard as ecological changes continue to alter Lake Michigan's food web. The meetings follow announcement of a proposal by the Lake Michigan Committee, a multistate organization charged with managing the Lake Michigan fishery, to reduce lake-wide stocking of chinook salmon by 61.5 percent from current levels, beginning in 2017.

This proposed reduction would equate to a 56 percent chinook salmon reduction (from 810,000 to 355,000) for Wisconsin. The other states that border Lake Michigan would also take significant chinook salmon stocking reductions through this proposal. Michigan would go from 560,000 to 200,000, Illinois would go from 230,000 to 90,000 and Indiana would go from 200,000 to 45,000. The fisheries managers across Lake Michigan believe that these reductions are necessary to maintain quality growth rates and healthy chinook for the fishery and to avoid a crash of the alewife forage base of the lake. Stocking has been a critical management tool to control alewives and provide a fantastic fishery over the years and while we have had to make reductions in the past, Wisconsin is still a leader in chinook salmon stocking.

"Since 2011, Wisconsin DNR has held more than 40 meetings, public input opportunities and attended sport and commercial meetings to work with anglers in developing a shared vision for management of our prized Lake Michigan fishery," said Todd Kalish, deputy director of DNR's fisheries bureau. "Recent data, including acoustic and trawl surveys, shows a continued decline in alewife populations and the predator-prey ratio has reached the tipping point. By working with anglers, we hope to preserve the salmon fishery to the greatest extent possible while developing and accessing options to enhance and maintain a diverse fishery. There is a framework in place that informs managers on the appropriate level of salmon and trout stocking numbers in Lake Michigan. This level can go up and down based on the available information that we are continually evaluating and upgrading."

Kalish said economic hardships caused by collapse of the salmon fishery in Lake Huron starting in 2003-04 offer a cautionary tale for Wisconsin given the more than $114.3 million in annual retail expenditures by Great Lakes sport anglers here. By working to preserve Lake Michigan's salmon fishery, DNR and its partners in surrounding states aim to navigate through the current predator-prey challenges to preserve and protect this economically important fishery into the future.

"We are particularly concerned about the many charter fishing operators on these waters and will be working to identify new opportunities to promote the diverse Lake Michigan fishing opportunities," Kalish said.

If this proposal is implemented, Wisconsin fishery managers would continue efforts to ensure a fall salmon run in Lake Michigan Rivers and streams in 10 counties. Anglers attending the upcoming meetings will be asked to provide feedback on Wisconsin's plans to distribute chinook salmon at locations including Strawberry Creek Rearing Facility, Green Bay and Lake Michigan tributaries or ports in Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Door, Oconto and Marinette counties.

Brad Eggold, DNR southern Lake Michigan fisheries supervisor, said that while chinook salmon would remain an essential part of the diverse Lake Michigan fishery, going forward, species that show more adaptability in their feeding preferences may play a larger role. In addition to chinook, each year DNR stocks hundreds of thousands of coho salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout at more than 40 locations along the Lake Michigan coast. The Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan also receive about 800,000 lake trout produced by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Working with anglers, we intend to use a variety of techniques to optimize survival of stocked trout and salmon," Eggold said. "At the same time, we will continue to work with stakeholders on projects to enhance the salmon and trout fishery on Lake Michigan. We also intend to review our management practices to ensure we are able to respond quickly as new information becomes available."

The three meetings are set for 6 to 8 p.m.:

• Monday, June 27, Lakeshore Technical College, Centennial Hall West, 1290 North Ave., Cleveland, WI 53015
• Wednesday, June 29, Brown County Library, Auditorium, 515 Pine St. , Green Bay, WI 54301
• Thursday, June 30, UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, Ballroom, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204

To learn more about Lake Michigan fisheries management including historic stocking trends visit DNR.wi.gov and search "Fishing Lake Michigan." More information about the meetings can be found here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/lakemichigan/LakeMichiganSalmonandTroutMeetings.html

Request for Volunteers for this Saturday, August 1st…

Just a reminder that we have the Brew City Fish Tournament that benefits Hunger Task Force this Saturday. If anyone can spare a few hours amongst fellow fisherman, we'd love to have you help us out!

Plan on being ready to help at McKinley Marina by 11:00 at the cleaning station. If you have a regular fillet knife or an electric filet knife please bring it.

If you know of anyone else that can help with cleaning or be a runner, we can get done sooner. I need a final count of volunteers by Thursday please. Last year we cleaned about 1,400 pounds of fish.

To volunteer – call: 414-467-6658

Directions to Park

Brews City Fish Tournament Information

Hunger Task Force Information

Public hearing set for Lake Superior lake trout emergency rule

ASHLAND, Wis. -- A public hearing on an emergency rule designed to support recovery of lake trout populations in Lake Superior will be held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Feb. 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Ashland High School.

The public hearing will cover the 2014-15 emergency rule adopted by the Natural Resources Board at its December meeting. The emergency rule was designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the lake trout fishery in the Apostle Islands area by reducing the daily bag limit from three lake trout to two lake trout of which only one can be 20 to 25 inches in length and the other must be longer than 35 inches. For waters west of Bark Point, regulations for lake trout remain unchanged; three lake trout with a 15 inch minimum length and only one lake trout longer than 25 inches.

Terry Margenau, DNR Lake Superior fisheries supervisor, said the emergency rule was necessary because population assessments over the last six to eight years have indicated that the decline in lake trout abundance is largely due to harvest. Lake trout are capable of living in excess of 40 years and do not reach sexual maturity until they are eight to 10 years of age. Thus, it's critically important that the stock be carefully managed, as the welfare of many stakeholders, including commercial fishers, sport anglers, and a host of associated businesses, depends on a strong lake trout fishery in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior.

"The upcoming public hearing provides citizens with the opportunity to offer feedback and continue the dialogue started at a meeting held in early December prior to the Natural Resources board action," Margenau said. The hearing will focus on the need to extend the emergency rule beyond 150 days through early June, to cover the entire lake trout season, which runs through Sept. 30, 2015.

The Feb. 16 public hearing will be held in the auditorium of Ashland High School, 1900 Beaser Ave. A short summary presentation will be followed by an opportunity for citizens to provide oral and written comments. In addition, written comments may be submitted until Feb. 16 to: Terry L. Margenau, Lake Superior fisheries supervisor, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 589, 141 S. Third Street Bayfield, WI 54814; or emailing terry.margenau@wisconsin.gov

For more information about the hearing, background on the December public meeting and management of the Lake Superior fishery, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for "Lake Superior fisheries management."

Trout, salmon, cisco and whitefish tops in omega-3 fatty acids

DNR sent samples of nearly 200 sport fish representing 15 species to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and the Minnesota Health Department to be analyzed for several types of fatty acids, including five types of omega-3's. The testing revealed that an 8-ounce serving of all 15 species analyzed will provide the adequate intake level of two fatty acids important in preventing heart diseases and hypertension, and in brain and eye development, Williams says.

"The good news is that Wisconsin sport fish contain high enough concentrations of beneficial fatty acids that you don't need to eat them every day," says Candy Schrank, who coordinates the fish consumption advisory. "In fact, eating one or two meals per month of some species will get the job done. Check the consumption advice that applies to your fishing spot and start enjoying the health benefits."

Read "A Healthy Dose of Flavor," in the April Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine to learn which fish species tested highest for these beneficial fatty acids and get tips on avoiding exposure to mercury and PCBs, two common fish contaminants.

DNR again stocks steelhead in Red Cedar River to enhance fishing on MSU campus

The Department of Natural Resources today announced that nearly 3,200 steelhead were stocked this week in the Red Cedar River at Michigan State University.

In 2013, an ordinance was changed by the MSU board of trustees to allow hook-and-line fishing on campus grounds between the western edge of Brody Complex and what's sometimes referred to as the Sparty bridge connecting West Circle Drive to Chestnut Road. Prior to that, anglers had not been allowed to fish from the Red Cedar's shores since the 1960s.

Fishing from the designated area, on the north bank of the river only, is part of a three-year test period. Good angling opportunities will include steelhead and sucker fishing in the spring, smallmouth bass in the summer, salmon in the fall, and a host of other native species throughout the open season.

A fishing license is required to fish along the Red Cedar. Licenses can be purchased from local retailers or online at www.mdnr-elicense.com from a smartphone, tablet or computer.

With classroom and on-the-water instruction, steelhead clinic hooks students

The transition from lake fishing to river fishing is hard enough for many anglers, even if they’re pursuing the same species of fish. But when they shift gears to try something completely different, well, there’s a fairly steep learning curve.

And that’s the point behind the Department of Natural Resources’ steelhead clinic that was held recently at the Carl T. Johnson Hunt and Fish Center in Cadillac – a two-day event designed to turned neophytes into bona fide steelheaders.

The clinic – one of a number of classroom-plus-field experiences put on at the Johnson Center over the course of the year – is the brainchild of Ed Shaw, the center’s interpreter. Now in its third year, the steelhead clinic, which features classroom presentations combined with on-the-water instruction, has converted a number of slack-water anglers into steelhead buffs.

“The goal is to get them to where, when they’re done with the class, they’re competent to go out and do it on their own,” said Shaw.

“The first year we were overwhelmed – we put more than 30 people through the class,” Shaw recalled. “The second year we had 17. The smaller classes are better because, when you get on the water, you’re spending time with each one individually.”

This year there were about the same number of folks who signed up as last year, but fewer attended. One group of five – which had planned to camp out – canceled because of the late-arriving spring and didn’t want to camp in the snow. But those who showed up got more than their money’s worth – especially considering the clinic is free of charge.

“I haven’t done a lot of steelhead fishing,” explained John Wisniewski, a retired banker from Plymouth who made the more than three-hour drive from his home in Plymouth to attend the clinic. “I’ve done a lot of bass fishing, but I needed some information on the rigs and understanding the setup. This is different.”

Wisniewski said he learned a lot in the classroom session, and by late afternoon he was picking up the finer points of steelhead fishing at the elbows of DNR staffers in the Manistee River below Tippy Dam.

Bill Burgess said much the same thing. A former automotive tool and die maker who moved from Toledo to Wexford County when he retired, Burgess said he’s been steelhead fishing a few times but thinks he still has a lot to learn.

“I figure anybody who says they know it all doesn’t know nothing,” said Burgess, who accompanied his son Jason and another buddy in the class. “I love these classes.”

Taught by staffers at the Johnson Hunt and Fish Center, the class covered about everything a beginning steelhead angler would need to know, from rods and reels to baits and rigs. John Zakrajsek, a part-time interpreter at the center and an officer with the local Trout Unlimited chapter, led the classroom discussions. He showed the students a number of techniques – bottom bouncing, bobber fishing, spinner chucking – and carefully answered questions, both big and small.

“How much weight do I use?” one asked.

That’s something you learn by experience, Zakrajsek said.

“Start out with less than you think you need,” he explained. “If you’re not feeling the bottom, go to a bigger size or, if you’re using split-shot, add more. But you don’t want to use too much; go too heavy and you’ll hang up more.”

Shaw said some of the steelhead clinic students had attended the center’s ice-fishing clinic and others were participating in the center’s rod-building class.

“We’re seeing some of the same students over and over,” he said. “They’re building their skills.”

Shaw brings extra gear for the on-the-water sessions, just in case. If an angler hangs up and breaks off, Shaw will just hand him another rod so he can continue fishing while the staff repairs the angler’s rig. And Shaw told everyone that he was available later in the day if they wanted him to accompany them to the tackle store to make sure they bought the right stuff.

Kevin Fent, a 56-year-old engineer who lives in Cadillac and brought his wife Marilyn along with him, said he’d take Shaw up on that offer.

“I’ve never been steelhead fishing,” he said. “I don’t know anything about it and nobody’s ever offered to take me. I needed this.”

Fent said he plans to take the center’s fly-fishing clinic later on this summer, too.

The Johnson Hunt and Fish Center has become a regular learning institution, as Shaw schedules programs almost weekly. He is planning another steelhead clinic and has scheduled his first Fins & Feathers Festival for April 12-13, something he hopes will become an annual affair. It will feature hands-on activities, seminars, demonstrations and a sportsman’s swap meet. For information, you can reach him at shawe@michigan.gov. 

Similar outdoor skills-building programs are offered at many of the DNR’s visitor centers and parks throughout the year. For an idea of what’s available, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrcalendar. To see what’s happening at the Johnson Hunt and Fish Center, visit www.michigan.gov/huntfishcenter.

The many options at Benzie County's Crystal Lake

Few lakes anywhere offer the diversity of fisheries and productivity of Crystal Lake, the huge, deep, two-story lake in Benzie County. At just less than 10,000 acres, there are countless options for anglers.

"It's an awesome lake," said Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist Mark Tonello. "The most popular species is probably perch. It's very popular in the winter though the ice and pretty popular in the summer, too. And the perch get good-sized at times."

Despite its depth, Crystal Lake also boasts a relatively unsung smallmouth bass fishery.

"The shoal areas have very, very good smallmouth bass populations with very good big-fish potential," Tonello said. "A lot of Master Angler fish come out of there."

But what makes Crystal Lake unusual for an inland lake is the trout and salmon fishing.

"We stock it with lake and rainbow trout, roughly 60,000 lake trout a year and about 20,000 rainbows," Tonello said. "Occasionally, when fall fingerling steelhead are available, we'll put some steelhead in as well.

"It has a naturalized population of Coho salmon, one of only two lakes that I know of in Michigan that has a land-locked Coho population. They're totally wild. They spawn in the little creeks that feed Crystal Lake."

Coho fishing through the ice is a popular pastime according to Tonello, "the ones they're catching this winter are running about 15 or 16 inches. They're fun, the fight real hard, and they're really good to eat."

Lake trout are popular with ice fishermen as well. They typically use tip-ups to suspend smelt over the depths and are often rewarded with big fish. Those same salmonid species offer plenty of open-water opportunity too, including jigging and trolling.

"One unique fishery occurs right on the beach in Beulah, typically in the spring and fall," Tonello said. "The guys fish surf-style with spawn bags; they wade out, cast it out, and then take the rods back to the beach. They catch lake trout, rainbows and Coho. That's a pretty popular fishery."

Crystal Lake is also one of Michigan's most popular smelt fishing lakes through the ice. It also supports populations of cisco (lake herring) and whitefish.

"Another niche fishery on Crystal lake is burbot fishing," Tonello said. "Set a tip-up with a dead minnow on it, right on the bottom, and you'll catch burbot. A lot of Master Angler burbot come out of there, too."

There's also some unusual history surrounding the lake, which is currently about 18 feet lower than it used to be. In 1873, an engineering project attempted to connect the lake with a channel to Lake Michigan. It failed miserably, but the resulting lower lake level left plenty of beach area exposed and that's one of the reasons why Crystal Lake is such a popular resort and vacation-home area today.

Crystal Lake has not been surveyed by the DNR in recent years, though Tonello said, fisheries crews will be on the lake conducting net surveys this spring.

Third highest coho harvest on record, best since 1982

MILWAUKEE -- Lake Michigan anglers in 2011 recorded the highest harvest of coho salmon in three decades and the third highest on record since the state started stocking salmon and trout in the 1960s, according to recently released results from angler surveys.

"Coho fishing for Wisconsin anglers on Lake Michigan last year was the best it's been since 1982," says Brad Eggold, Department of Natural Resources fisheries supervisor for Southern Lake Michigan. "Boaters were fishing hard for coho from April to early August and focused on these abundant and easily catchable fish."

The 2011 season for coho salmon ran much longer than previous years and the fish were close to shore and easily accessible by most boat anglers, Eggold says. Those factors helped propel this year's estimated harvest to 157,367 coho, more than triple the 42,445 coho harvested the previous year.

The coho harvest total also was the third highest ever recorded in Wisconsin since DNR started stocking Pacific strain salmon and trout in the 1960s to control populations of alewife, a nonnative species that was washing ashore and collecting in huge, rotting piles on Lake Michigan beaches.

Angler harvests of rainbow trout and lake trout were also up in 2011, while chinook and brown trout harvests were down from 2010. Wisconsin anglers in 2011 harvested 75,442 rainbow trout, up from 49,121 in 2010, and 17,788 lake trout, up slightly from 17,483.

The chinook harvest was down with 169,752 fish caught in 2011, about half of the previous year's harvest of 315,294 and lower than the 10-year-average of 300,000 fish, Eggold says.

"Since the coho salmon fishery was so successful in 2011, many anglers opted to fish for them instead of for chinook salmon, which were found in deeper water farther offshore," he says. "Once anglers located the chinook in mid-August, most of the summer fishing season was over and that contributed to the lower harvest."

Eggold says that the number of chinook returning to the weir DNR operates on Strawberry Creek in Door County was above average, and in fact was up almost 100 percent from the previous year, which indicates that fewer fish were harvested by anglers.

The lower harvest also reflected in part that there are fewer chinook in the lake. Stocking reductions lakewide were implemented in 1999 and 2006 to better match the number of chinook in the lake with available forage.

May 1 and May 8 meetings to address concerns over forage base and stocking

While the lake-wide chinook stocking reductions have helped better balance game fish and prey fish populations, biologists believe those reductions have not been enough and are concerned that the forage base is weakening. The need to keep the number of predators stocked in line with available forage will be the topic of public meetings in Milwaukee May 1 and Green Bay on May 8.

Recent surveys indicate that older alewife are becoming scarce in Lake Michigan, the year-class produced in 2011 was not good, and computer modeling done by Michigan State University researchers predicts a potential mismatch into the future, Eggold says.

Despite such concerns, however, the near-term fishing prospects look good, Eggold says. "Early fishing reports for 2012 are showing that anglers are catching good numbers of brown trout, coho and chinook salmon, so the fishing season is off to a good start," Eggold says. "We're asking anglers now to help us make some decisions to keep their fishing strong in the future."

The Future of Salmon and Trout Stocking in Lake Michigan

Five species of salmon and trout support a world-class recreational fishery in Lake Michigan. Stocking has played an important role in maintaining the balance between predators and baitfish, such as the non-native alewife, since the late 1960s. If too many salmon and trout are in the lake, baitfish decline and salmon starve or fall prey to disease. If too few salmon and trout are in the lake, the non-native alewife could foul beaches and affect native species.

Ongoing research is being used to investigate the possibility that changes to stocking policy could improve fisheries and limit the risk of predator-prey imbalance. Fisheries managers in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana will set a stocking policy for Lake Michigan salmon and trout by fall of 2012.

Lake Michigan Salmon Stocking Workshop
Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor, Michigan
Saturday, April 14, 2012
1:00–4:30 PM (Eastern)

This half-day workshop is open to the public at no charge. Participants will learn more about specific options for stocking policy and have the opportunity to speak with fisheries managers about the future of Lake Michigan fisheries.

• Registration Form
• Agenda (PDF)
• Map (JPG)

Additional Resources

• Revisiting Stocking Policy for Lake Michigan
• Lake Michigan Salmon Stocking Cuts Being Considered
• Status of Pelagic Prey Fishes in Lake Michigan, 2011 (PDF)
• Status and Trends of Prey Fish Populations in Lake Michigan, 2011 (PDF)
• Status of Lake Michigan Salmonines in 2011 (PDF)

Source: WDNR, Michigan Sea Grant

Fish egg collection facilities start operating March 20

Public invited to watch Lake Michigan fish

KEWAUNEE -- Recent warm weather has state egg collection facilities up and running earlier than usual to produce the next generation of Lake Michigan trout and salmon. The public is invited to come along and watch the process and see the fish up close through viewing windows as they “climb” the fish ladder into the facilities.

The C.D. Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility in Kewaunee County along with the Root River Steelhead facility in Racine County are both checking fish for the first time March 20. Watch the video showing the egg collection process.

Both facilities turned on the pumps last week to send river water through the fish ladder and facilities in preparation for egg collection and juggled getting fish out the door at some hatcheries from last year before getting ready for this year's take.

“Everything is on the fast track this year,” says John Komassa, southeastern Wisconsin Hatchery group leader for the Department of Natural Resources. “At the Root River, we're about a week ahead of normal.”

At the Besadny facility, they're starting operation a week ahead of what's normal and three weeks ahead of when they turned on the pumps in 2011 during a cold and late spring, says Mike Baumgartner, facility manager.

“The recent warmer weather made the ice go out sooner and because the ice was going out and the snow was melting, the water levels in the river went up,” he says. “That’s a trigger that attracts the fish, as well as daylight and water temperatures.”

Lake Michigan trout and salmon do not successfully reproduce in the warmer temperatures and fluctuating water levels found in Wisconsin tributaries to Lake Michigan. So DNR gives them a hand. Once the eggs and milt have been collected from the fish, the fish are released back to the rivers for anglers to catch. The eggs are fertilized on site and sent to state hatcheries where they are incubated, hatched, and stocked back in the river more than a year later.

This year, the Besadny facility turned on its pumps March 15 and overnight had about 100 fish move into the collection ponds, Baumgartner says. “We are scheduled to sort through our fish Monday for the first time and then at least weekly, more often if the run is strong enough, through about mid-April to continue sorting and spawning fish from the length of the run.”

The Besadny facility is located at 3884 Ransom Moore Lane, off of County Highway F, west of Kewaunee, on the west bank of the Kewaunee River. The site is open daily, dawn to dusk and the building is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Baumgartner says that people who want to watch the egg processing will want to call ahead (920) 388-1025 to make sure it's going on that day and to come between 9 a.m. and noon.

The Root River facility is located on the Root River, inside Lincoln Park, in Racine. After March 20, DNR will be processing fish at the facility on Mondays, and thanks to a Salmon Unlimited volunteer, the viewing window is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Komassa says. People can call ahead to (262) 594-6218 to confirm the processing is occurring.

CLICK HERE to see uTube video regarding the Hatchery.

Root River Report–November 15, 2011

The following information is the latest fishing information for the Root River in Racine. We will post new information to this site every TUESDAY at 4:00 pm from September through December and from March through May. We will also update the number of fish processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility to give you the exact number of fish passed upstream. Depending on water conditions and number of fish in the weir, fish are usually processed on Mondays and Thursdays.
In addition, you can call our Lake Michigan Fishing Hotline at (414) 382-7920 highlighting to hear the latest fishing information for Lake Michigan and its tributaries or check out our Lake Michigan Outdoor Report

Root River Steelhead Facility

Lake Michigan trout and salmon don't successfully reproduce in Wisconsin streams, so DNR gives Mother Nature a hand. Watch fisheries crews collect eggs and milt from spawning fish to create the next generation of steelhead to challenge anglers on the big pond.

• Steelhead Spawning at Root River Steelhead Facility [VIDEO Length 3:16]

Root River Fishing Report for November 14, 2011

Water and flow conditions

The river was high and fast over the weekend, but is currently dropping. The water temperature was 46 degrees.

For up to date river conditions, check out the USGS web site of stream flow conditions [exit DNR] in Wisconsin.

Fishing Report

Upstream of the Weir
Fishing success was lower this weekend than it has been most of the fall, but that was likely due to the higher flows. Anglers caught coho, brown trout, and a couple of rainbow trout. Pink flies were most productive in the area from the Horlick dam downriver into Quarry Lake Park.

Downstream of the Weir
Fishing was slow below the weir, with only a few brown trout caught in Lincoln Park over the weekend.

Chinook harvests up 47 percent in 2010, outlook good for '11

MILWAUKEE -- Lake Michigan anglers had a banner year of chinook fishing in 2010, with favorable winds and other factors helping to increase harvest 47 percent, state fishery officials say.

"It looks like our chinook salmon harvest by Wisconsin anglers was really good in 2010," says Brad Eggold, the Department of Natural Resources fisheries supervisor for southern Lake Michigan, who just completed analyzing surveys of what anglers caught on that water in 2010. "I don't see any reason that 2011 would not be another solid year."

Eggold found that anglers harvested 315,294 chinook salmon from Lake Michigan in 2010, up from 214,621 in 2009 and 256,796 in 2008. More good news for Wisconsin anglers: they accounted for the bulk of the lake-wide haul.

[Full Story]

"Open-House" at C.D. “Buzz” Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility

Attached is a short bonus video showing the process used to get the salmon eggs needed for the hatcheries. The fish that are hatched are eventually planted back into Lake Michigan.

John E.Durben video

DNR Hosts Open House at C.D. “Buzz” Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility

By John E. Durben

 

(Kewaunee, WI.) The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) hosted an "open-house" at C.D. “Buzz” Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility on Saturday, October 9. Activities at the open-house included guided tours of the the facility, underwater viewing windows to watch the salmon jump the man-made fish ladder, fly tying demonstrations, fly casting lessons, tee-shirt stamping, Lake Michigan trolling with a boat set up for the sport, various activities for the kids, a chance to learn the salmon egg collection process and more. 

The Hatchery is located near Kewaunee, WI., and the open-house was carefully planned to coincide with the salmon spawning cyle. There were many anglers there with visions of catching some of those big fish, I know because I was one of them.



• Top Left: One of the workers in the hatchery sorting the fish that have just been released from the fish elevator.
• Top Right: Stripping the milk from the maile fish to mix with the eggs.
• Middle Left: Mona gets a free fly casting lesson
• Middle Right: The lobby area of the building where guests can view what's happening in the hatchery.
• Bottom Left: Photo of one of the viewing windows where guests can watch the Salmon as they try to make their way up the Kewaunee River.
• Bottom Right: Salmon staging in one of the pools as they rest before trying to make another attempt at getting on more step closer to their spawing area.

All photos by John E. Durben

Fish Watching in Wisconsin

During this time of year, many fish are moving about in Wisconsin's waters. They are exciting to watch as they dance, wiggle, and sail through the shallow waters of our rivers and lakes to find their breeding places. Here are some hot spots for watching fish.

DNR to make changes to trout program

(MINNESOTA) The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is making changes to the way it raises, stocks and manages trout under its statewide trout program. The changes will have minimal effect on anglers but will result in an immediate savings of about $70,000 in electrical and feed expenses, and up to $200,000 annually when changes are fully implemented.

Effective this year, the DNR will close a portion of its French River Hatchery near Duluth, shift trout production among various hatcheries, and reduce or eliminate stocking in 60 lakes and streams. This will take place in areas where results have not met expectations or where self-sustaining trout populations have been established.

The new approach follows an in-depth assessment by DNR staff and implements various aspects of the DNR’s Lake Superior and southeast Minnesota trout plans. Last year, the DNR stocked 2.2 million trout at a cost of $2.4 million. In recent years the DNR’s trout program has included 615 designated trout streams, 163 designated trout lakes, 112 inland lake trout lakes, 2 two-story trout-and-warm water fishing lakes, and the 1.4 million-acre Lake Superior.

“We are reducing operating costs where they are high, and stocking efforts where the return on investment is low,” said Dirk Peterson, acting DNR fisheries chief. “We are doing this in a way that will minimize any effects on the majority of anglers.”

Anglers will not be significantly affected because stocking reductions will be in only those waters where fishing pressure was low, trout survival and growth was poor, or the stocking has resulted in a self-sustaining fishery that is no longer dependent upon stocking, Peterson added.

The upcoming changes are the result of a lengthy internal review of the DNR’s trout program. Managers revised traditional stocking recommendations based on angler use, the number of fish caught by anglers, and whether stocking still made sense based on competing warm water fish populations or other factors. This field assessment included reviewing the Lake Superior and southeast Minnesota trout plans.

Similarly, DNR staff took a hard look at the French River Hatchery, which is the agency’s most expensive hatchery to operate and the most susceptible to biosecurity issues because of its connection to Lake Superior and the entire Great Lakes system, which contains a growing number of invasive exotic species and fish diseases. To address these concerns, the agency will shift part of the French River Hatchery production to the DNR hatchery near Remer.

Specifics of the new trout plan include:

• The Spire Valley Hatchery near Remer will produce 80,000 yearling rainbow trout Kamloops to be stocked in the Lester, Talmadge and French rivers. Previously, these fish had been reared at the French River Hatchery.
• The French River Hatchery will produce up to 12,000 fingerlings and 25,000 yearling rainbow trout Kamloops in addition to 550,000 steelhead fry and 55,000 frylings for stocking in Lake Superior.
• All brook trout production will be shifted from Spire Valley in central Minnesota to the Crystal Springs hatchery in southeastern Minnesota. The Peterson Fish Hatchery in southeastern Minnesota will continue to produce lake trout fingerlings and yearlings and rainbow trout yearlings.

More information on streams and lakes where stocking will be increased, reduced or eliminated is available on DNR Web site.

New winter lake trout season dates for 2010

Winter season for lake trout on all lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), will open Friday, Jan. 1 and close Wednesday, March 31, 2010, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

In 2009, winter lake trout season dates were the same for lakes within and outside the BWCAW. Legislation enacted after the 2009 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet was printed changed the lake trout opener on lakes entirely within the BWCAW to Jan. 1, making the information printed on page 19 and 51 obsolete.

The winter season for lake trout lakes outside and partially outside the BWCAW remains the same. That season opens Friday, Jan. 15, and closes March 31. Lakes partially outside the BWCAW are Snowbank, Magnetic, Seagull, Clearwater, East Bearskin and Saganaga.

Winter season for stream trout lakes remain unchanged. That season opens Jan. 15 and closes March 31. The only exception to this statewide winter season is lakes in Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing and Hubbard counties. Those lakes are closed to winter stream trout fishing. Blue Lake in Hubbard County is the only lake within those counties where stream trout can be caught during the winter season.

Up to date winter season dates for lake trout and stream trout in lakes, as well as other corrections and changes, are listed online.

DNR on the ball for Milwaukee area salmon anglers

“The salmon are coming; the salmon are coming,” Paul Revere might’ve shouted this if his historical ride was for the benefits of fall, southeastern Wisconsin anglers. Indeed, this is a major fishing event, and it signals fall has arrived.

Here’s what the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says.

50 places to fish from shore within 60 minutes of MilwaukeeNew resources spotlight fishing the fall spawning runs

MADISON – Like clockwork, it’s that time of year when trout and salmon begin staging in the river mouths and harbors – ready to run the course back to their spawning grounds.

Full Story: Click Here

L.A. Van Veghel Photos

In June of 2008 L.A. Van Veghel caught and released this possible state record warmouth. It probably was killed later in 2008.

L.A. Van Veghel with a smallmouth bass that fell for a small shad-shaped crankbait on the Rainbow Flowage.

All species angler, here’s L.A. Van Veghel with a fine eater Lake Michigan salmon from off of Racine, WI.

A nice eater bluegill for L.A. Van Veghel from Lauderdale Lake.