Lake Michigan Stocking Cuts for 2013

[DREZLER]

With soooo many months left to go before Lake Michigan Salmon season gets going, I thought I'd get some talk going about the Graveyard of the GreatLakes.

Has anyone been reading up on the stocking cuts taking place next year?

It looks like it's definitely happening. Any thoughts- good or bad? Predictions?

[goblueM]

I haven't paid close attention but I do know that alewife levels are at extremely low levels, so cutting the number of predator fish out there is going to be good (long-term) for the lake. I've also heard that an overwhelming majority of comments from anglers and other stakeholders supported these stocking cuts

[JBMasterAngler]

Aren't there any smelt, or other baitfish that would benefit from the alewife decline? I remember reading an article about the alewife decline, and also a decline in plankton, and how it was related to zebra mussels. Is that still the theory?

[DREZLER]

I know the cuts are best for the Lake. It is however going to favor the Michigan side because that is where the most natural production is taking place. I think the WI streams are just too warm.

I'm not too sure about any other baitfish populations flourishing if alewives go down.. you would thinks so?

Where I am really stuck on this topic is this was the year I was going to be buying that 27' sportcraft to leave out at Port Washinton.

Now this stocking thing has got me second guessing that idea...

Maybe it would be better to just wait to see how the fishing goes/changes the next year? I would think some change is inevitable.

Maybe it would be better to have a smaller trailerable boat to chase the bite a little bit?

[mainbutter]

also a decline in plankton, and how it was related to zebra mussels. Is that still the theory?

yes, as far as I know. I get to talk to some guys from Michigan Stated on occasion who are researching zebra mussels where my grandparents have a lake house, and the gist that I get from them is that zebs take up space in the ecosystem, eat plankton and other things at the base of the food chain, and are an inefficient source of food for the few things that will sometimes eat them (whitefish for example).

[tunrevir]

Wisc has cut stocking for the past few years while Michigan has not reduced the stocking they do all that much in response to the alewive population decreasing. The alewive population is alot like the smelt pop on Superior and it has ebbs and flows and due to the decrease in alewives Wisc decided to cut down on stocking. What does this mean for fishing? Last year we caught alot of large kings, bows and had a better year then in 11' as far as fish size goes. What I am seeing on the water is that fish that aren't alewive consumers are growing bigger and we are getting alot more steelhead, browns and lake trout in our bag then we ever did before. Even with stocking cuts the fishing still remains productive for now. The next few years may tell the tale but we caught alot of young of the year fish the past 2 seasons whichs leads me to believe the population isn't suffering due to stocking cuts.

Tunrevir~

[DREZLER]

It looks as though it will remain a 5 fish limit out there as well