Lake Erie Management Unit
Biologists will be asking for feedback on these regulation options:
1. CIR all year
2. Statewide harvest opening day of first Saturday in June
3. Mandatory harvest registration
4. 50” MSL not limited to broodstock lakes
5. Specific MSL changes
– Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL not supported
Reduction in MSL on Lake Diane
The growth model should only be used to reduce MSL to increase harvest opportunity on waters where harvest may be needed to reduce population. Lake Diane presents a unique opportunity for a trophy fishery in SE Michigan. A reduction in the MSL could dramatically reduce this angling opportunity by increasing harvest. With the shad population there is an over-abundance of forage available to the muskellunge.
– A Wisconsin study showed 62% of muskellunge anglers felt that a trophy needed to be at least 50 in or longer and 44% of general anglers considered a trophy muskellunge as measuring 50 in or longer. (Margenau and Petchenik 2004).
– Diane has proven that it can provide a trophy angling opportunity yielding muskellunge in excess of 50” in 2016
Transfer of muskelunge to Orchard Lake
Special MSL consideration should be given to the instant angling opportunity being created. If not protected from spearing and not protected with a 46” or 50” MSL what could be a trophy angling opportunity for many years, without additional stocking, will likely be eliminated in only a couple seasons. (Austin Lake spearing ban removal caused an immediate and dramatic reduction in the muskellunge population with nearly all 42” and larger muskelunge harvested in only two winter seasons)
A creel survey on Bemidji Lake in MN, where pike spearing is legal, showed that only six percent of the anglers were spearers. However, these anglers accounted for 51 percent of the total northern pike harvest for the entire year. (MN-DNR Creel Survey Lake Bemidji)
Lake Hudson
Implement 50" MSL as broodstock lake immediately.
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Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit
– Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL changes not supported
Round Lake
The growth model should only be used to reduce MSL to increase harvest opportunity on waters where harvest may be needed. Round Lake presents a unique opportunity for a trophy fishery in SW Michigan. A reduction in the MSL could dramatically reduce this angling opportunity by increasing harvest. Round Lake draws many anglers from Indiana and Illinois each fall.
Murray Lake
Growth model suggests a 50” MSL. This near urban area fishery receives substantial angling pressure and provides an angling opportunity for trophy muskellunge that would be better served by a 50” MSL.
Lower Crooked/Thornapple Lake fish transfer
Special MSL consideration should be given to this instant angling opportunity being created. If not protected from spearing and not protected with a 46” or 50” MSL what could be a trophy angling opportunity for many years without additional stocking will likely be eliminated in only a couple seasons. (Austin Lake spearing ban removal caused an immediate and dramatic reduction in the muskellunge population with nearly all 42” and larger muskelunge harvested in only two winter seasons)
A creel survey on Bemidji Lake in MN, where pike spearing is legal, showed that only six percent of the anglers were spearers. However, these anglers accounted for 51 percent of the total northern pike harvest for the entire year. (MN-DNR Creel Survey Lake Bemidji)
Other considerations
– Restoration waters should have 50" MSL to allow populations to become established (note failure of Hamlin and Margrethe to provide an acceptable angling experience)
– Popular and heavily pressured waters should be given special consideration for higher MSL
– Stocking further up the Grand River (pond above Webber dam)
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* Please note the recommended MSL for Gun Lake has been changed to 46"
Northern Lake Huron Management Unit
– Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported (additional area specific spawning closures through July 1 must be considered)
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL changes not supported
Inland Waterway
The proposed 46” MSL doesn’t provide the protection necessary to help these unique inland great lakes muskelunge maintain and increase their numbers. Currently these populations do not provide an acceptable angling experience. Though it may take a generation to see the benefit of drastic reduction in harvest it’s a necessary step to implement the 50” MSL and is supported by the MIDNR muskellunge growth model.
St Mary's River/Munuscong
Maintaining the 42" MSL should be reconsidered. The growth model suggests 46" and is at the high end suggesting a 50" MSL may be more appropriate. The area is seeing an increase in anglers and has been featured on television twice in 2017.
Muskellunge anglers bring money into the economy. For example, in Minnesota a 2005 study showed that non-muskie anglers averaged 21 days on the water compared to the 45 days of muskie anglers. The report also says 33 percent of muskellunge anglers spend $2,000 to $4,999 on fishing related expenses every year compared with only 8.6 percent of non-muskie anglers spending that amount of money. (Schroeder and Fulton 2005)
A creel survey on Bemidji Lake in MN, where pike spearing is legal, showed that only six percent of the anglers were spearers. However, these anglers accounted for 51 percent of the total northern pike harvest for the entire year. (MN-DNR Creel Survey Lake Bemidji)
Trophy Muskellunge Populations and Fisheries Can Be Sustainable
John M. Casselman
"fish younger than 15 should not be harvested"
"if Muskellunge populations are managed for high reproductive capacity (protecting fish to an old age and largesize), they will be more reproductively resilient, producing larger year classes"
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Western Lake Superior Management Unit
– Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL changes not supported
The MIDNR muskelunge growth model suggests 50” on LVD and Lake Gratiot and 46” on many other waters. If we have the data to support these MSL changes they should be made. We have a very limited number of muskellunge waters compared to Wisconsin, protecting these unique fisheries should be more important to the state of Michigan.
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Eastern Lake Superior Management Unit
– Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL not supported
How is it justified that waters in the growth model (Dollarville, Mud, Tahquamenon) are suggested at 46” and 42” MSL but the MSL is 38”? If the MSL is set based on observed/sampled length doesn't that suggest that harvest is responsible for the observed lengths and these waters would benefit from a higher MSL?
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Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit
Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL not supported
Menominee River and LBDN
Menominee River is a spawning location for Green Bay. As such should follow the 54” MSL for Green Bay and tributaries. Since we don’t have 54” MSL as an option a 50” MSL should be implemented on the Menominee and the MI waters of Green Bay. The 5” MSL should also be extended to cover Lake Michigan, Little Bay De Noc and tributaries.
Other waters
What was the justification for not increasing the MSL on waters where the growth model suggests a 46” MS
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Southern Lake Huron Management Unit
Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL not supported
Gladwin impoundments, connecting waters and Tittabawassee River
These waters have proven to be able to produce very large muskellunge but attract few muskellunge anglers because they don’t have a satisfactory angling experience. Increasing the MSL on these waters to 50” as suggested by the MIDNR prepared growth model would increase opportunity for all anglers. Maintaining the 42” MSL would only be maintaining the un-satisfactory angling experience for muskellunge on these waters.
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Central Lake Michigan Management Unit
Year round CIR is supported
– Statewide opening day is supported
– Mandatory harvest registration is supported
– 50” available to all waters is supported
– Specific MSL not supported
Antrim Chain
In all of Michigan we have a single set of waters capable of producing the largest muskellunge in North America. However, we’re failing to protect these fish with appropriate MSL, appropriate spawning closures and by allowing winter harvest when the largest females are concentrated in a small area. There is no justification for anything other than a 50” MSL on these waters, regardless of the local “harvest mentality”. If this same population of fish existed in MN, WI, NY, Quebec or Ontario it would have a 54” MSL and no winter harvest. In Michigan we certainly don’t know more about muskellunge management than these other states or provinces yet we continue to mismanage what could be a world class resource as if they were salmon that we can replace in 3-4 years.
Lake Margrethe/Hamlin Lake
Tens of thousands of fingerlings have bee stocked since 2001 yet these waters fail to provide a satisfactory angling experience. Similar stocking has occurred on Murray Lake in Kent County and this water provides an excellent angling experience despite being, arguably, the most heavily fished inland muskelunge lake. Murray Lake is not closed to winter harvest but does have a spearing ban in place. Consideration needs to be given for at least the 46” MSL if not a 50” MSL. With Hamiln and Margarethe both in areas that rely on tourism creating good muskellunge fisheries will benefit the local economy
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If you couldn't make the meetings JP has provided the contact info for the management units. If you weren't able to make your voice heard at a meeting please send an email or give them a call.
"vano397" said:
Here are links to the different units, and their contacts:
WLSMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]ELSMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]NLMMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]NLHMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]SLHMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]CLMMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]SLMMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]LEMU – <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
"><link_text text="[Permission to view this media is denied] … –,00.html">[Permission to view this media is denied]
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