Stocking survival rates

[Cooter]

Anyone have any info on survival rates for stocked musky fingerlings(10-12") vs yearlings(20-25")? Does about 1 in 3 sound about right for fingerlings on average? I know there are lots of variables involved but looking for ballpark estimates.

[Nick Kuhn]

I just saw that somewhere Cooter, let me try to find it.

Code:

Estimated cost-effectiveness of stocking different sizes of muskellunge.

Size of           |  Cost   | Survival | Number  | Cost per 
muskellunge       |  per    | rate to  | stocked | survivor  
                  |  fish   | 18 months| per     | to 18
                  |         | of age   | survivor| months

Fry: $1.36/1000 or $0.00136 | 0.00017% | 588,235 | $800.00
Fall fingerlings:     $2.83 |    4%    | 25      | $70.75
Spring yearlings:     $5.21 |    19%   | 5       | $27.42

Starting at the bottom of page 6: http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/musky/documents/MuskyStockingstrategyreport2010.pdf

My guess is all those numbers are a little low due to not being able to always account for all survivors, but I'm guessing the ratio of 5 to 1 higher survivability is pretty reliable.

[goblueM]

a 20 inch fish is going to have a greater than 50% survival rate, hands downi'm fairly certain. maybe even approaching 85 or 90%. what's going to eat a 20-25 inch fish? not much

[JRedig]

a 20 inch fish is going to have a greater than 50% survival rate, hands downi'm fairly certain. maybe even approaching 85 or 90%. what's going to eat a 20-25 inch fish? not much

Do you have any data to back that up? I'm pretty sure that any muskie over about 30 inches can eat a 20 inch muskie no problem. Same for a pike or big walleye. (i've seen a statistic that esox can swallow something 70% of their own length) Food is food, these are predators first. If there are a bunch of dumb pond raised muskie just tooling around when released, i'd wager a lot of them end up being food.

[Shawn Kellett]

The rule of thumb that the DNR uses is 10% for fall fingerlings and around 33% for fall yearlings.

You have to remember that not only do you have predation, but also the stress of being transported and displaced into a new environment.

Right now the Twin Cities Chapter is working with the DNR on a study about this very topic. We're stocking fingerlings and yearlings together that are tagged. In the next few years we'll be working on recapturing them. Stay tuned to this site as we'll be looking for volunteers to help in this process.

[Cooter]

Shawn - would you send me an email for further discussion?

[email protected]

[goblueM]

i don't have solid data Jredig, just talking with fisheries managers. they dont have data either, but one of em I talked to (granted this is down in VA) estimated 75-90% survival on 20 inch fish

if 33% is fall yearlings, you'd think a bigger fish would have higher survival. and I'm figuring there's a lot easier meals out there for a big musky than a 20 inch musky

but i'd love to see some actual survival data

[Scott M]

Goblue, can you shoot me an email, [email protected]

[walleye101]

The survival rate question requires some context. Survival to what? Annual survival? Age 2, Age 5, Age 10? Obviously the survival rate declines the farther out you project it, and all fish will eventually die, so the ultimate survival rate is 0%.