Little Bay de Noc Fishing Reports

doorman · Newbie

slot limit

catman · Guru

doorman wrote:
? has the slot limet been put back in place

Hey Brian,

Good to hear from you buddy. Yes, the slot limit is back in place. However, some folks seem to have the wrong idea of why "we" wanted it back in place. By "we" I mean The Great Lakes Sportsfisherman Club and many if not all the charter captains and the good majority of the locals I speak to as well. It wasn’t brought back to increase the chances of catching big fish (though I think it does do that to some extent). It' simply because you need a robust supply of large fish to sustain the fishery. The truth is, larger fish drop a gazillion eggs when spawning compared to average sized "eaters". Some folks say that the eggs from larger fish are less “hardy” or “viable” than the eggs from smaller fish. While there is some truth to this, the large amount of eggs dropped by a large walleye more than make up for the difference in “viability”. This is why you don’t see the DNR just take eggs from smaller fish during their egg take each spring. A 30 inch walleye just lays a ton eggs, period! Some folks think the perch are coming back due to a smaller walleye population. It’s possible there could be some truth to that notion, but I don’t think so. And this is why I don’t agree with that thought. There was a time when there were many, many, more walleye in the bays (and Green Bay as whole) than there are right now. Guess what, the perch fishing was still outstanding even with all those walleye present. Then the Alewives showed up. Great, lots of food for the walleye (and salmon too). But the arrival of the Alewives coincides with a drop in the perch population in many places. Right now, the Alewive population in Lake Michigan is at or near a record low with the oldest Alewives only 6 years old. History has shown they used to grow to about 9 years old. Ok, so the Alewive population is way down and has been for several years now. Why is that important? Because Alewive’s normally show up to spawn at the same time the perch are hatching out. When the Alewive population crashed on Saginaw Bay, the perch population absolutely exploded. It’s now believed by many that the Alewives were eating the young of the year perch. Other contributing factors to the growing perch population could be the better control of Cormorants and also clamping down on the illegal netting. So anyway, bringing back the slot limit on walleye was mean’t to help increase the numbers of bigger fish to be caught. It was lobbied for because of the role the bigger fish have in sustaining the fishery due to the sheer volume of eggs they produce…

Captain Keith Wils · Veteran Member

Yes it goes in place May 15th,2012 from the mouth of the Ford River to the tip of the Stonington Peninsula.

Tomjohn - PERCHER · Guru

My way of thinking is with the drop in the Alewive numbers is that the salmon and walleye will be eating the perch!
Is my way of thinking wrong? If the walleye were not stocked so heavy a happy medium should take place for the
walleye and the perch. More predators = less perch

This should tic off some walley fisherman...But it isn't meant to tic off anyone.

-- Edited by Tomjohn on Wednesday 25th of April 2012 08:59:12 PM

catman · Guru

Tomjohn wrote:
My way of thinking is with the drop in the Alewive numbers is that the salmon and walleye will be eating the perch!
Is my way of thinking wrong? If the walleye were not stocked so heavy a happy medium should take place for the
walleye and the perch. More predators = less perch

This should tic off some walley fisherman...But it isn't meant to tic off anyone.

-- Edited by Tomjohn on Wednesday 25th of April 2012 08:59:12 PM

Tom good buddy. Good discussion never ticks me off. I love good debates as long as their kept civil!!! Anyway, you could be right about the walleye... All I know is that when the Alewives tanked in Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron), the perch population exploded. The walleye have switched to eating more perch there, but that hasn't had much effect because the huge increase in the perch population has made up for that. Another thing about the walleye is that for a good part of the year they are much shallower in the warmer water (or suspended) where as the perch are deeper most of the year except when they spawn. I think the walleye may eat a few more perch in the winter when they go to deeper water (where it's warmest in winter). I don't think you have to worry about salmon though because they really stay in much deeper water and don't feed on the bottom where the perch are at. Of course maybe the perch will start hunting for suspended prey since there are virtually no freshwater shrimp left! My dad was lucky enough to go down in a small submarine in the deepest spot in Lake Michigan years ago and he said once you got to a certain depth there were freshwater shrimp everywhere. Those are all gone now and that really worries me. The shrimp used to be the main food for Whitefish too. Never used to catch Whitefish north of Gladstone in the winter. But now it's not unheard of. I just wonder if that's a sign of them struggling to find food. Anyway, this is a great discussion. Anyone else have any opinions they want to share about this?

Captain Ahab · Member

Kevin & Tomjohn,

Hey guys, great to have a discussion about the future of the Bays and the Great Lakes fishery as a whole. A quick background to give some reference: I am originally from Lower MI but moved to the Twin Cities about a year and a half ago. I fish back home when I get the chance to visit family and friends and make a trip or two to LBDN each year.

First off, something is up with the Lake Michigan perch population as a whole. The population has crashed and rebounded in the southern portion of Lake Michigan to what seems to be a sustainable level. The other interesting situation relates to the explosion in whitefish population (especially during fall spawning runs). Add to that the fact that these whitefish seem to be above average in size. Something has to be happening to cause such a difference in these populations (perch and whitefish) in the last few years.

My father and I have a few armchair theories. 1) perch and whitefish are able to feed on the small zebra & quagga mussels, which are loaded with calcium & nutrients to help growth. 2) same theory, only that these two species have found ways to feed on young gobies. 3) (speaking more to the perch) water clarity improvements have allowed the schools to evade predators, hence increasing numbers.

Any thoughts on this? Are you guys experiencing the same situation? Heard anything in the way of cause?

Thanks guys!
Mike

Captain Keith Wils · Veteran Member

The question I have is, If Alewives eat all the Perch fry would or do they also eat Walleye fry and Salmon fry? Also would a bigger Perch, Walleye and Salmon eat a small Alewive or there fry as well?

Tomjohn - PERCHER · Guru

Keith I would have to believe they also would eat the walleye fry too. When something is hungry it's going to eat. As far as to whitefish population, there has been lots of them around for a long time. I know first hand as I commercialy fished here for twenty five years. The whitefish have adapted to eating zebra mussels for sure as I have seen it many times over the years cleaning them. I as a sportsmen am mostly a pan fishermen but do chase the walleye also but would like to see an equil ballance in the walleye and perch fishery.

VanishingWaters · Veteran Member

I think if someone could dig up some stats. It would greatly help figure out the why's..

Like Captain Keith. I have a lot of questions and without answers to them. Its hard to come up with why things are happening.

Somethings we know for sure and somethings I would like to know.

1. Alewives are at a all-time low.
2. We are starting to do something about the Coromants. But how many are being kill or eggs destroyed.
3. Perch seem to be bouncing back. But how many?
4. I thought Salmon only eat Alewives and not perch from what I read. Need more facts on this.
5. How has the weather over the last 1-5 years effected the fish and spawning etc. If the water levels have been low maybe this is helping certain species and hurting others?
6. What are the Whitefish and Perch eating?
7. What is Walleye's main forage in Bay De Noc areas and what is the Walleye main forage near Green Bay? Interesting to know if its different.
8. Why is there a TON of walleyes in lower Green Bay and not Little Bay. Personally I think access to more and big rivers for spawning have something to do with it. Besides the netting done in Bay De Noc areas. Also lower bay gets stock more?
9. Why is there much less Walleyes in Big Bay? No major river inlet and to much netting?

These are just some of the questions I am wondering. Certainly the DNR is asking these questions to themselves to find some answers. Maybe we can get a guest MDNR or Wi DNR to answer or talk to us on the forum here.