Saturday, December 31, 2011

Science: Lake trout rehab effort in the Northern Refuge failing to produce a natural population

The lake trout Salvelinus namaycush was once the top predator in Lake Michigan, but overfishing and parasitism by sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus led to a collapse in the population and by 1960 the population was wiped out.  A rehabilitation effort began in 1965, driven by stocking.  In 1985, as part of the rehabilitation effort, refuges, areas where fishing for lake trout is prohibited, were established.  In 2008, biological recommendations for the rehabilitation of lake trout populations were given to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.  Part of these recommendations gave stocking priority to lake trout refuges, including the Northern Refuge.  Madenjian and Desorcie (2010) performed a study to assess the progress towards rehabilitation in the Northern Refuge.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Fall fish processing season comes to a close at the Root River Steelhead Facility

The fall fish processing season at the Root River Steelhead Facility ended earlier this week. A total of 1,798 Chinook salmon, 1,258 Coho salmon, 57 brown trout, and 18 rainbow trout were captured and released upstream.  The number of Chinook salmon and Coho salmon released increased slightly from 2009 (1,695 and 1,131, respectively).  The number of brown trout and rainbow trout decreased considerably from 2009 (95 and 99, respectively).  The 2010 fish processing season was uncharacteristic because the facility was shut down temporarily due to low water levels.  Despite the shut down, eggs were collected from 756 Coho salmon.  In 2011, eggs were collected from 573 Coho salmon.
The Root River Steelhead Facility was built in 1993 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) with input from fishing clubs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  It is located in Lincoln Park in Racine, Wisconsin.  Each spring and fall, the facility is used to capture migrating salmon and trout.  The WDNR collects biological data from many of the fish passing through the facility and eggs from the spawning females.  Since 2009, the WDNR has hosted an open house at the facility during the fall fish processing season.    

Friday, November 4, 2011

Science: The ability of anglers to identify salmon and trout

             The ability of Great Lakes anglers to accurately identify salmonid species has not been measured.  Boulby and Savoie (2011) conducted a study to determine the accuracy of salmonid identification by boat anglers in Lake Ontario.            

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, over the past few years during the last week of October there was no effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  There was no action from the ramp, no action from the pier, decent action from the power plant, little action from the marina and mixed action from Sauk Creek.  In Sheboygan, there was usually little or no effort from the ramp and light effort from the shore. There was little action from the ramp, little action from the piers, little action at the marina and some action on the Sheboygan River.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually little or no effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  There was no action from the ramp and there has been a little action from the pier, exceptional action from the power plant and decent action from the marina.  In Sheboygan, there is usually little or no effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from the shore. There was no action from the ramp and there has been little action from the piers, decent action at the marina and some action on the Sheboygan River.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually light effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  The action has been slow from the ramp and there has been some action from the pier, power plant and marina.  In Sheboygan, there is usually light effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and there has been little action from the piers

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually light effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  The action has been slow from the ramp and there has been some action from the pier, power plant and marina.  In Sheboygan, there is usually light effort from the ramp and moderate effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and there has been little action from the piers.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Science: Effects of dam removal on fish habitat and communities

             Dams impact fisheries communities through habitats alteration and fragmentation.  Habitat alteration can lead to displacement of native species and colonization by non-natives.  Habitat fragmentation can impede access to habitats necessary for reproduction, feeding and survival.  Dam removal is becoming a standard method for rehabilitating river ecosystems.  Burroughs et al. (2001) observed the gradual removal of Stronach dam on the Pine River in Manistee County, Michigan and documented changes in fish habitat and communities.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually light effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  The action has been slow or decent from the ramp and there has been some action from the pier.  In Sheboygan, there is usually light to moderate effort from the ramp and moderate effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and there has been some action from the piers. 

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually light to moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  The action has been decent from the ramp and there has been little action from the pier.  In Sheboygan, there is usually moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and the action from the piers has been slow.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually light to moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  The action has been mixed from the ramp and there has been no action from the pier but a little action elsewhere on shore.  In Sheboygan, there is usually light effort from the ramp and light effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and the action from the piers has been slow to decent. 

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Lake Michigan fishing forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  The action has been decent from the ramp and there has been no action from the pier but a little action elsewhere on shore.  In Sheboygan, there is usually moderate to strong effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow to decent for the boats and there was little or no action from the piers.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Lake Michigan fishing forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  The action has been mixed from the ramp and slow from the pier.  In Sheboygan, there is usually light effort from the ramp and light effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and from the piers. 

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Science: Alewife impacts on native Great Lakes fishes

Alewives Alosa pseudoharengus, native to the Atlantic Ocean, invaded Lake Ontario via the Erie Canal in the 1860’s, then Lake Erie (1930’s), Lake Huron (1933), Lake Michigan (1949) and Lake Superior (1954).  Lake trout Salvelinus namaycush and burbot Lota lota predation contained alewife population growth.  Eventually sea lamprey predation reduced abundances of these predators, allowing alewives to proliferate.  From the 1960’s to the early 90’s, sea lamprey control and fish stocking programs allowed salmon stocks to grow and this reduced alewife populations.  Madenjian et al. (2008) examined commercial catch records, fish abundances from fishery-independent surveys and other literature to determine the effects of alewives on native fish populations in the Great Lakes.  Trends in fish abundance were compared across lakes. Lake Superior served as a baseline because alewife abundance is extremely low due to the low temperatures of the lake.  Lake Erie was not included in this study because the alewife population has a low rate of survival through the winter.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  The action has been mixed from the ramp and pier.  In Sheboygan, there is usually moderate from the ramp and light to moderate effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats and there has either been good action from the piers or none at all. 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually moderate effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  The action is usually decent from the ramp and decent to good from the pier.  In Sheboygan, there is usually moderate to strong effort from the ramp and piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats but there has been decent to good action from the piers. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Science: Cormorant feeding on yellow perch

            Yellow perch Perca flavescens are abundant in Dore Lake, Saskatchewan, but do not achieve sizes acceptable to anglers (total length approximately 10 inches).  Numbers of double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus, a piscivorous bird, have increased from 70 breeding pairs on Dore Lake in the 1960’s to 11,513 breeding pairs in 2006 and they consume 1.4-1.7 million kg of fish per year.  Barks et al. (2010) examined growth rates, timing of ontogenetic diet shifts and cormorant predation of yellow perch on Dore Lake to determine if they explained the lack of acceptable yellow perch. 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

This week in recent fishing history


In Port Washington, usually light effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  The actions has been slow for boats but the action is usually exceptional from shore.  Fish Days in Port Washington is this weekend, expect the ramps to be closed temporarily. In Sheboygan, usually moderate effort from the ramp and moderate to strong effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow from the boats but there has been exceptional action from the piers.

Monday, July 4, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, usually light to moderate effort from the ramp and shore and the action is usually slow.  In Sheboygan, usually moderate effort from the ramp and moderate to strong effort from the piers. The action has usually been slow from the boats but there has been decent action from shore. 

Sunday, June 26, 2011

News

Local
Public information meeting on Grafton fish passage this Monday

Dumper Dan featured on local television

Northeastern Great Lakes Sports Fishermen salmon derby this weekend

Bait Box fishing report

Journal Sentinel weekly fishing report

Regional
Lake Michigan down an inch since last year

Chicago is single largest contributor to Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone'

Predictions for Great Lakes from climate scientists

National
Flooding of Mississippi River may cause largest Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' recorded

NOAA issues policies to increase domestic aquaculture production

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, usually strong effort from the ramp and moderate effort from the shore during the holiday but light effort otherwise.  There usually has been decent action from the boats and shore with some real good days mixed in.  In Sheboygan, usually moderate to strong effort from the ramp and moderate strong effort from the piers during the holiday but light effort otherwise. The action has usually been slow from the boats and shore but there have been some real good days mixed in.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, usually light to moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  There usually has been decent to exceptional action from the boats and a little action from shore.  In Sheboygan, usually moderate effort from the ramp, light to moderate effort from the piers and little effort elsewhere.  The action is usually slow for boats and there has been some action for pier anglers.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, usually moderate effort from the ramp and light effort from shore.  There usually has been decent action from the boats and some action from shore.  In Sheboygan, usually moderate effort from the ramp and piers and little effort elsewhere.  The action is usually slow for boats but there has been some action for shore anglers.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, usually light effort early in the week but increased effort over the holiday weekend.  There usually has been at least decent action from the boats and a little action from shore.  In Sheboygan, usually light effort early in the week but increased effort over the holiday weekend.  The action is usually slow for boats but there has been some action for shore anglers.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, usually little effort from the shore with a little action; good weather usually brings a few more anglers out.  Also, there was moderate effort from the ramp and some action.  In Sheboygan, low effort throughout the area with occasional decent catches from the boats and a little action from the piers.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

In Port Washington, light fishing effort from shore and very slow or dead, but there has been light effort with decent action from boats.  In Sheboygan, light fishing effort with a little action from boats and the piers; also, carp caught behind the power plant.

Science: Juvenile alewife migration influenced by observable factors

Monday, May 2, 2011

News

Sorry, the fishing informant is in the process of moving and hasn't been able to keep up with the latest fishing news.  I have had time to put together this week's forecast so check it out.

This week in recent fishing history

Shore fishing has been slow to dead, but there has been decent action from boats in Port Washington.  Fishing has been good in Sheboygan with a wide variety of fishes getting caught.

Monday, April 25, 2011

This week in recent fishing history

Fishing has been slow in Port Washington.  Fishing has been slow in Sheboygan, unless you’re targeting suckers.