Jim Wrote
What is the definition of a good muskie lake?
My definition:
A Lake with fair numbers (of muskies).
Good forge base
1000 acres or more
Lots of structure (old river channel, stumps, large weed flats).
MUST have some sort of harvest restrictions (spearing ban, 50" size limit)!!!!!!
Last but not least, the lake must be in region that is run by a biologist who actually cares about A GOOD MUSKIE LAKE !!!
Merry Christmas every one. 😀
Greg
"Jim tenHaaf" said:
How does the DNR choose what lake to stock? Forage base?
Depends which DNR you are talking about! Michigan DNR historically has not looked at any of the things that have been pointed out as being good selection criteria. The model for muskie management- Minnesota, of course, does look at those very same factors. We are making some progress in our DNR's overall mindset, unfortunately that has NOT translated into good decisions on the ground here in terms of stocking or native population management yet. Very frustrating!
I think the obvious that no one has said is that Muskies are not entirely yet viewed as a sport fish. Many consider them little more than eating machines with low reproduction and therefore they have been used more to control rough fish than they have been to establish a fishery. Anyone with better knowledge of this feel free to correct me here… The creation of a fringe fishery has been a by-product in most lakes and only now are the "powers that be" starting to realize the potential in establishing Michigan as what it could be and that is a trophy fishing destination. Without delving into the subject again too deeply it is largely because there is no organized body of Musky fishermen LARGE enough to show a real interest in the fishery and thus create a need for the DNR to extend or boost the program above what it is now. This club has been around a long time and still only has a handful of the potential members because IMO there are still people out there who believe they have a secret lake hahahahahaha no such thing anymore. Our secrecy as a collective group of fishermen has been and continues to be our undoing. Thatis why it is so important to educate and not alienate the remaining musky freaks out there. apologies in advance for [smilie=deadhorse.gif] [smilie=sign-hijacked.gif] [smilie=grandpa.gif]
Kevin
In all seriousness that is the reason lakes like Murray do get attention because of the clustering of interested persons created by higher population densities. There is a small percentage of us that like the challenge of Musky angling and the rest do it by accident. Its just like fish per acre, the less there are the harder they are to contact, Musky fishermen are no different and that is why the limited amount of attention is paid to the species.
Kevin
Only masochists like muskie fishing. And there aren't enough masochists in MI, apparently… at least not enough compared to the millions of catch-a-fish-a-minnit bass and walleye guys. 
Hit me, I'm a masochist! [smilie=bangtard.gif]
Seriously, it seems like a bit of a Catch-22: the DNR doesn't pay too much attention to a fishery with so few fisher-persons involved, and few people get involved because of the dearth of lakes available and relative scarcity of info about the fishery readily available. I'm sure that our KTD signs are the first inkling many people have that there are muskies in the lakes they fish. Also, however (as I've found out recently myself), it takes a considerable commitment in both time and $$$ to get started muskie fishing, which is a disincentive for many, many people.
However, I've been involved in this organization for a just about a year now, and perceive that some think things are moving way too slowly for the muskie fishery in MI. But since this chapter has been around for a little less than a decade now, looking at it from an "outsider" perspective, it seems to me that quite a bit of progress has been made is that short amount of time. We have a growing membership, have raised the awareness of the DNR enough to convince them to produce a bumper crop of home-grown fingerlings for stocking MI lakes, with promise of greater yields in the future. We may be just a snowball at the top of the mountain right now, but we're rolling down the hill growing in size rapidly as we go, IMHO. I don't know how long it took for WI and MN to get where they are now, but I'm certain it didn't happen overnight, and confident not even in one decade.
To quote Timbuk3:
Things are going great, and they're only getting better,
I'm doing all right, getting good grades,
The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades,
I gotta wear shades
Both of you are correct in a sense the fishery is improving and Wi and Mn took some time to get where they are. Were on the right road the problem is that Wallys and Bass are harvestable in a few years and we all know how long it takes Mooskies. People are impatient, that is the right now society we have created. There is no "fast fooding" esox like they can with other fish.
KEvin
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