GRATIOT LAKE FISHERY Past, Present, Future

Slides:



Advertisements
Similar presentations
Fish 2. Minnows Bluntnose Minnow EAT: Mosquito wigglers One or more males follow a female as she lays her eggs.
Advertisements

RED DEER RIVER BASIN SE Region Brook Trout Distribution N Saskatchewan Alberta LEGEND Species Present Town or City Red Deer River Red Deer/ Brooks Mgmt.
Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
Mississippi River Watershed Aitkin - Brainerd Area Josh Hoff & Adam Bourassa.
Passive Fish Capture.
Steve Persons, MN DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor Grand Marais.
Management of Undesirable Fish Species Chapter 15.
All SLICE and no play makes John and Mike dull boys All SLICE and no play makes John and Mike dull boys All SLICE and no play makes John and Mike dull.
Trophic Classification of Lakes Created by Diane Gravel.
Pond Management Chapter 21. Ponds or Small Impoundments
Searching for a good stocking policy for Lake Michigan salmonines Michael L. Jones and Iyob Tsehaye Quantitative Fisheries Center, Fisheries and Wildlife.
Minnesota Fish. Fast Facts: 54 Native species of fish in Minnesota Lakes 100 more species not native or living in streams.
Importance of Protecting Lake Trout. 250,000 lakes in Ontario 1% of these contain lake trout Central/eastern Ontario has >1/3 of lakes Provincial responsibility.
What are the potential impacts of climate change on fresh water recreational fishing opportunities in the U.S.? Presentation to: Water Ecology and Climate.
Drainage and Fish Habitat Prepared by Jennifer Lamoureux, Aquatic and Fish Habitat Biologist.
White Bass Morone chrysops. Identification Laterally compressed Color – blue/gray to silvery Incomplete black lines or stripes run horizontally White.
Early Life and Spawning. GOALS Background on an important part of fish ecology that is often overlooked Generalizations of early life history of fish.
Lake Superior Benthic Fish Community Structure By Michael H. Hoff U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center.
Name of presenter Date of presentation.  To help preserve and protect Wisconsin’s over 15,000 lakes and 86,000 miles of rivers.
Population Dynamics Mortality, Growth, and More. Fish Growth Growth of fish is indeterminate Affected by: –Food abundance –Weather –Competition –Other.
Fish Biology
Minnesota Fish Identification Shawn P. Linder Perham High School 3/24/02.
Fish Identification Updated April 2014.
Hamlin Lake Fisheries Management: Past, Present, and Future Hamlin Lake Preservation Society, 8/2/2013 Mark Tonello, MDNR Fisheries Management Biologist.
A Description of the Commercial Fishery on Lake Superior in 2000 Mark P. Ebener Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority.
The Fishery of North Brown’s Lake Joe Stewig Area Fisheries Manager 7/20/13.
Spotted bass walleye Saugeye Northern pike.
Mercury Concentrations in Stream Fish Throughout 12 Western States in the USA Alan Herlihy and Robert Hughes Dept. of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oregon State.
“Aquatic ecosystem” = critters we expect to change (recover or decline) in response to us 3) Common specialists 1)Rare animals - endangered, rare, edge.
MANAGING WITH STOCKED TROUT AFM Rick Lorson Under Construction.
Study 466 Trawl Update Mt. Clemens Fisheries Research Station Prepared for the Saginaw Bay Coordination Meeting - Feb. 26, 2003 Spottail shiner.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
THE STORY OF RED LAKE Douglas County Pamela Toshner DNR Lake Management Coordinator June 2006.
Red Lake Fishery Scott Toshner Senior Fisheries Biologist Inland Waters of Douglas and Bayfield Counties.
Banks Lake Fishery Evaluation Project (Project ) Matt Polacek, Project Manager Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Prepared by: Bryce Oldemeyer, Adrienne Roumasset, BenVaage and Ryan Johnson.
Common Minnesota Fish. Walleye Sauger
Fish ID Mr. Goggins Wildlife. Small Mouth Bass Large Mouth Bass Flathead Catfish Yellow Bullhead Blue Catfish Channel Catfish Bluegill Crappie.
Identification: brassy olive above, white below; caudal fin has white tip on lower lobe; large, white glossy eyes and sharp teeth (Iowa DNR) Distribution:
Veteran’s Memorial Lake: Fish Community & Blue-Green Algae, In-Lake Restoration Bryan Sowards Fish Biologist KDWPT.
Abandoned Mine Drainage’s Impacts The Impact of AMD to Life in Streams Lessons Prepared by Trout Unlimited With Funds from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental.
Wildlife and Fishery Science What type of pet can you have that doesn’t make any noise?
Passive Fish Capture. Collection Methods All are biased!
The Good Guys. Bullhead family Watch out for barbells….they will sting you Tolerate low oxygen levels.
Freshwater Fish Species Agriscience nd Period By: Dustin Carnahan.
Stocking Programs in North America Chapter 14. Warmwater Species Largemouth bass41 states Channel catfish35 states Bluegill29 states Striped X white bass.
Bill Linder Photography By: Gary Barnard, Bemidji Area Fisheries Supervisor To: 2015 Fisheries Roundtable January 16, 2015 Northern Pike Technical Committee.
Big Elkhart Lake 2011/2012 Comprehensive Fisheries Survey.
Decomposer Information:(Picture goes below)  Common Name: earth worms  Scientific Name: Lumbricus terrestris  Habitat: Earthworms live in the ground,
Adaptive Management. 2 Growth Recruitment Stock or Biomass Natural Harvest Risk Assessment Economics Sociocultural Political/Legal Management Objectives.
Wildlife and Fishery Science
Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
McGee Lake: 35 Years of Trout Management
Population – Limiting Factors
A Forty-Year Perspective
Two years after the gold King mine spill: How are the fish doing in the animas river?! Jim White, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Biologist
Your Subtitle Goes Here
Lake Erie Fisheries Community Status: 2013
Study Update Tailrace Slough Use by Anadromous Salmonids
We have shoreland zoning rules in WI to…
Status - Yellowstone Bison Population
Effects of Bag Limit Reductions on Angler Harvest
Fish Identification.
Fishery Census 2005 Carter Lake, Iowa Chris J. Larson
Progress towards Nearshore Zone Fish Community Objectives
Fishes of Deckers Creek
Characteristics of Coldwater Streams
Lower Nemahbin Lake Association 2018 Annual Meeting WELCOME
FW 479: Tournament Lit Review - 2
Presentation transcript:

GRATIOT LAKE FISHERY Past, Present, Future Tom Rozich MDNR Fisheries Biologist Retired

STATUS OF THE FISHERY Environment-physical/chemical description History-surveys, stockings, and management operations Current Status-fishery resource Analysis & Discussion Management Direction

ENVIRONMENT Physical Parameters *1,438 acres *Max Depth-78’; Ave Depth 25’ *Shoals-30% of area (430 acres) and are 75’ to 1200’ wide *Four inlets-Eister, Sucker, Nine Hundred Thirty-two Creeks and an unnamed tributary *One outlet-Little Gratiot River *Substrate-mostly sand, gravel, rubble, with little organic material (deep areas)

ENVIRONMENT-Cont’d Chemical Parameters *pH 6.6 to 7.8 *Methyl Orange Alkalinity-20 to 25 *Secchi Disk-20 feet (average) *Dissolved Oxygen-excellent above thermocline, very little below

HISTORY Stockings 1934-1,200 LMB fingerlings 1935-500 LMB, 375K WAE (fry),4K YEP, 10K BLG 1936-500LMB, 350K WAE, 20K BLG, 6K LAT, 500 SMB 1937-1K LMB, 225K WAE, 25K BLG 1938-500 LMB, 500K WAE, 25K BLG, 7K LAT 1939-630K WAE, 30K BLG, 4K SMB 1940-900K WAE

HISTORY-Cont’d 1959- 325 adult NOP 1962- 3K MUS 1973- 418 adult NOP 1975- 500K NOP fry 1979- 3K TMUS 1980- 5,750 TMUS

HISTORY-Cont’d Modern era walleye stocking 1985- 19,494; 1986- 15K & 27K RBT 1988- 5,400 & 15K RBT 1989- 10K & 15K RBT 1990- 10K & 15K RBT 1991- 15,040 & 15K RBT 1998- 36,741 2000- 35,986 2002- 33,358 2004- 36,148

HISTORY-CONT’D Fisheries Surveys First survey July 28th, August 16th & 17th, 1926 by John Lowe. Subsequent surveys in 1938, 1953, 1957, 1968, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2005, and 2011

HISTORY-Cont’d *1926 results-Mr Lowe’s words “This lake provides some fine fish, moderately abundant, but very small. Perch, common suckers, and northern pike abundant. Rock bass and smallmouth (black) bass moderately abundant. Whitefish are probably present, but we didn’t get them. A few brook trout. No planting needed, except for crayfish as food for bass.”

HISTORY Cont’d *1938 results-NOP up to 30”, SMB abundant and small. YEP still abundant. No WAE, BLG, LMB, or LAT captured. Minnow species: blunt-nose, Johnny and Iowa darters, muddler (sculpin), log perch, & 9-spine stickleback. *1953 results-nice YEP (6”-12”), NOP (18”-36”), SMB (10”-17”), RKB (4”-9”), and 50 suckers. No WAE, but anglers report catching them. *1957 results-very abundant rock bass and suckers. Few NOP, SMB, and YEP. First WAE!

HISTORY-Cont’d *1968 results-strong populations of RKB, YEP, SMB (small), and NOP (avg 22”). No WAE or MUS captured. *1977 results-large numbers of RKB (4.8”). Good numbers of SMB. Fair YEP. Few NOP. No WAE/MUS. *1987 results-rock bass and suckers are 81% of biomass! Good YEP & SMB. Good numbers of WAE from 1985 & 1986 stocking.

HISTORY-Cont’d *1997 results-rock bass and suckers 60% of biomass. Few YEP. Good NOP (5>30”). Good WAE (avg 22.2”). SMB abundant, but small. All fish exhibit slow growth! Few smelt captured *2005 results-good NOP (20%>30”) and SMB (27% legal). Rock bass and suckers still very abundant. Good WAE (24% legal). Few adult perch, but lots of YOY. Two MUS (avg 38”). Smelt runs down.

CURRENT STATUS 2011 Survey Results Goal-obtain a walleye and northern pike population estimate *316 WAE marked during netting *343 WAE captured electro fishing *25 NOP marked during netting *53 NOP captured electro fishing *3 MUS marked during netting *4 MUS captured electro fishing (no recaps)

CURRENT STATUS Cont’d Walleye by Inch Class 6”- 5 12”- 44 18”-46 24”- 2 7”-20 13”- 66 19”-32 25”- 2 8”- 2 14”- 84 20”-30 9”- 4 15”-139 21”-11 10”-20 16”- 74 22”-11 11”-23 17”- 34 23”-10

Walleye Inch Class Distribution

Northern Pike Inch Class Distribution

CURRENT STATUS Cont’d Other species- YEP: 30 sampled, only four 7” or greater; SMB” 24 sampled, 71% legal; few RKB; 134 common white suckers; and three bullhead (a first).

HISTORY-Cont’d *1947-ninety brush shelters installed on north shoal area at 15 foot contour *1958-600 Hoad-type fish shelters were placed in 60 groups of 10 each *1961 Public Fishing Site purchased and developed

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION GIVENS *low MO-range 20-25-very soft water *low pH-range 6.6 to 7.8 *lack of vegetation & woody material *low DO below thermocline *slow fish growth….all species *heavy to predator species (now) *lack of forage fish, except suckers

MANAGEMENT DIRECTION OPTIONS *lower NOP size limit to 24”, from 30” *stock MUS at 2-3 per acre *cease WAE stocking short term or permanently *stock small forage……fathead minnows *reintroduce smelt for forage & fishery *encourage anglers to target rock bass *add woody material to shoal areas

QUESTIONS-? Any and all, as there is no unintelligent question………….

Thank You, one and all !! May all the fish you catch be so big that you will not need to embellish on their size or weight!!