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TLC Ranch - Hunt, Fish, Stay |
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Fishing Reports
8-17-09 7-5-09
5-1-09 The boats back home, but the
weather been bad with high winds out of the east and rain. I have to go down sate today for a graduation on Saturday and won't be back until Monday. Capt. Rick 4-18-09 Not a good start to
the year. Put the boat in for a shake down and try out the new kicker.
Started the main motor it ran for a while, but keep shutting down. The
smart gauges said it was a manifold air leaking problem, than a throttle sensor
problem. Took it in on 4-17-09 to get checked out and they put it on the PC and
the pc said it was a bad fuel float and they would take care of it because it
was under warranty . On Saturday I got a call when I was not home.
Not good, mice in the motor. I'm wating to hear form the dealer on Monday. Capt.
Rick
Chinook Salmon Harvest Increases in 2008 The results of the Chinook salmon fishery are completed and the harvest at Rogers City was better in 2008 than the year before. The table below shows the number of Chinook salmon harvested the past two years. Northern Lake Huron
Central Lake Huron
Southern Lake Huron
The harvest in Northern Lake Huron has improved while the Chinook fishery south of Alpena remains low. In addition to the 2008 results in the table above, 1,637 Chinook were caught at Detour and another 1,378 were caught in St. Marys River. Apparently, the Chinook are adapting to the new food web in the north. Besides the good Chinook catches, consistent numbers of lake trout and rainbows were caught along with an occasional coho, Atlantic salmon, brown trout and walleye. The area in Lake Huron from Alpena to Drummond Island is producing an excellent diversified fishery. Rogers City stands out as the best salmon fishery on Lake Huron. All the hatchery raised Chinook are marked with a chemical and tests over the past decade indicate that nearly 90% of the salmon recently caught by anglers in the north are wild fish. It took almost 30 years for the Chinook to become adapted enough to reproduce naturally in large numbers. Since the dramatic changes in the food web have occurred only since 2003, which I discussed in the last newsletter, the Chinook have had just a short period to adjust to the new food sources. There is a good chance that the Chinook salmon will continue to increase as each new generation learns to deal with utilizing the changed environment. Future of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Huron Atlantic salmon are one of the most famous and prized sport species. They are long lived since they do not die after spawning and are known for their good size and sporting qualities. Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Atlantic salmon have been planted in the St Marys River each year since 1987 by Lake Superior State University. The Atlantic salmon provide the best return of all planted trout and salmon species stocked in Lake Huron when considering the numbers planted. The St. Marys River project and a new program in Lake Ontario are the only efforts to establish Atlantics in the Great Lakes. The State of Maine has a large successful inland program with over 300 lakes containing Atlantic salmon populations and in 176 lakes it is the principal fishery. The fish have been stocked in Maine since at least 1868 and during the past several decades, much research resulted in producing one of the most successful Atlantic salmon fisheries anywhere. This new knowledge from Maine and the research conducted by Lake Superior State University in the St Marys River should increase the chances of successfully expanding the fishery in Lake Huron. Atlantic salmon are actually native to the Great Lakes and were found in very large numbers in Lake Ontario. They were so common that large numbers were killed with clubs and pitchforks when they entered the rivers to spawn. The early commercial fisheries easily made large catches with seines along the shores. The Atlantic salmon were the dominant predator in Lake Ontario and lake trout occupied a minor role. Niagara Falls prevented the salmon from migrating into the other Great Lakes. The region surrounding Lake Ontario was settled by Europeans very early and by 1898 the Atlantics were gone. It has been speculated that the salmon were eliminated by cutting the forests and converting the land to farmland. This resulted in much erosion and sedimentation of the spawning streams that smothered the eggs. Stream flows became erratic and often much of the best spawning areas were without adequate water. Dams and water pollution caused by the discharge of sewage and contaminants from manufacturing eliminated vast areas of prime spawning habitat. Finally, the removal of the forests reduced shade along the streams and the water temperatures became too high for the juvenile fish to survive. The history of Atlantic salmon shows that they could possibly become an important fish in the Great Lakes again. Michigan experimented with planting Atlantics during the 1970s and 1980s but the program resulted in limited success. Since that period, much has been learned about culture techniques and life history of the fish. The Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee is very interested in establishing a pilot study on Lake Huron that might include stocking the fish in one or two new streams and in one or two harbors. If the plan is successful, potentially the hatchery production could be shifted from the less successful species to Atlantic salmon. Atlantic salmon could provide a significant recreational fishery because they appear to be better adapted to the food web changes in the Lake and they spend much of their time near shore. During the spring, they are often caught in shallow water and usually by May and early June the fish return to the planting sites where they are available to anglers for a long period. The salmon stop feeding around September and spawn in late October and November. Unlike the Chinook salmon, Atlantic salmon do not die after spawning and return to the Lake. A Budget Crisis for Fishing and Hunting Many directions can be undertaken to improve the Lake Huron fishery in spite of the food web changes that are occurring in the Lake. Other projects being reviewed by the MDNR Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee include, re-establishing cisco, which is a native mid-water forage fish that could provide a rich food source for trout, salmon and walleye and expanding rainbow plants in Lake Huron, which have provided a phenomenal fishery in Lake Erie. Because there has been no new revenue source for 13 years, no funds are available to pursue new efforts like a pilot project for Atlantic salmon or the other endeavors that I mentioned above. The hunting and fishing license programs have had only a $1 increase since 1996 and general fund money has decreased from 23.3% in 1997 to 8.7% of the budget by 2007. Inflation has resulted in increased costs while a continued decrease in the number of anglers and hunters is contributing to revenue losses. To continue operations with the stagnant budget, several positions have not been filled, some equipment is not being maintained or replaced and some routine surveys have been curtailed. The Governor and most legislators have not been responsive to the importance of fishing and hunting in the State. Not only do these programs provide extensive recreational opportunities but also nearly everyone recognizes in Northeast Michigan they are vital to a healthy economy. It is important to urge your legislators and the Governor to address this shortfall otherwise few resources will be available to improve either the inland or Great Lakes fisheries. Anglers Assistance Needed for a New Diet Study in 2009 Many anglers have expressed concern that the forage surveys conducted on Lake Huron are missing baitfish that anglers often see on their graphs and inside stomachs when the fish are cleaned. Because of this the MDNR and the United States Great Lakes Science Center, which conducts the surveys, will be initiating a diet study immediately to determine exactly what the trout, salmon, walleye and smallmouth bass are eating. They are asking as many anglers as possible to participate in the study. It is very simple to contribute. When the fish are cleaned, the stomach should be removed and placed in a bag that is provided. On a short form that is included, use a pencil to record the species of fish, the port, the depth and the length of the fish. The bags should be frozen and freezers will be available in the area for storage. I have kits and instructions available for anyone that is interested. These kits will be available at our annual banquet. This research is very important to understanding the changes taking place in the Lake and the results could help develop strategies to improve the fishery. A similar study was conducted during the 1980s and several anglers from the area participated. Over 1,880 stomachs were collected which showed that the Chinooks were primarily eating smelt during that period. The project was a very important study that provided baseline data for that period. The results were published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research and was only possible because of the assistance of many anglers. During the study, I will be in contact with both the MDNR and the United States Great Lakes Science Center. In addition, representatives from these agencies will discuss this diet study and the status of Lake Huron fishery at the Sea Grant Workshops being held in Alpena on April 18, 2009 and St. Ignace on May 2, 2009. I encourage anyone interested in the fishery to attend one of these meetings. You may contact me for more information or visit the Hammond Bay Area Anglers Association website at: Frank Krist Phone: (989) 734-3100 or (989)351-2053 Email krists@speednetllc.com April 5, 2009 I had a chance to fish in warmer weather this winter and had a great time. My trip started with dropping off my wife at the Detroit air port. She would be flying down to Lakeland Florida to be with her mother, and I would drive down stopping along the way to fish the Gulf. First stop would be Panama City in northern Florida’s pan handle. It rain all the way down, but cleared up when I got there. I did not stay in Panama City because it was spring break and the room prices where more then I wanted to pay. I stayed 1 hour to the north and drove to Gulf each day. The first 2 days were not good with cold weather and rain, but Captain Steve Roberson gave it his best, but could not get into the fish. Steve can be reached at www.blessedmooncharters.net The 3rd day at Panama City was the charm. The weather cleared and I fish with Captain Mike Pankey. We fish east of the city in a long bay off of the Gulf. Mike runs all live bait witch he catches himself and selects the one he want to fish with. He also fishes live scrimp bate, big scrimp. Our trip stared at day break with Mike mortaring his skiff down the bay to his first spot and anchoring just outside of a weed line. With the Skiff in position mike rigged up a lively pig fish on just a plan hook with no weight. . (They get that name because when the get excited they make a grunting sound, witch mike says get the big fish a feeding) Mike instructed me to cast out close to weed line, tighten up on the line so I can feel the bait fish pulling at the line. He instructed me watch the line for a fish taking the bait or the steady pull of the line. It was not long before I felt the bait fish get excited and stop. Tighten up the line and set the hook he said and I did. Fish on! With a nice battle I had my first Gulf Trout. Great looking fish, sliver with spots (see picture) Mike does not fish and puts all his attention to you 110% of the time. After a couple more trout under my belt, the fish got wise to the pig fish so we put on a live scrimp. The scrimp is hooked the same way, but does not swim, so you cast it out and move it slowly along. When a fish gets close to the scrimp it has a quick reaction to it that you can feel if you keep the line tight. Watching the line is very important, it’s all most like ice fishing when you see line just have a slight movement, either go limp or a steady pull. Fish on again, this time a Redfish, and do they fight. As we move from spot to spot (3 in all ) we had a great Morning, ending up with 7 trout, 2 redfish and 2 flounder and many fish that were just holding on to the bait, but not getting hooked. If in the Panama City look Mike up @ http://www.hankypankeyguideservice.com/ or call him at 850 625-2294 Next stop was Keaton Beach, Florida where I stayed at
the Keaton Beach marina motel
www.keatonbeachmarina.com . Keaton beach is located just west of the city
Perry and is right on the gulf. The marina can set you up every thing you need.
They set me up with two great guides Captain Edward Thomas and Ashley Mock and
some great accommodation at a good price. . The 2nd day I went out with Captain Ashley Mock. Ashley uses only artificial bait, and casts the Gulf flats for Trout and Redfish. He asked what I wanted to fish for and I told him I would like to target Redfish, because I did not catch any the day before. With that we head south in his 18 foot skiff. The wind was blowing strong out of east 15-20 mph. so he stayed close to shore. I asked him how deep the water was that we were running in, because it looked shallow. He replied about 1 foot, and because of the design of his boat with a tunnel running through it he could run in 6 inches. Not something you want to do out of Rogers City. We ran about 14 miles before we got to his spots, and because the wind was blowing so hard it was holding the tide water back in the area he wanted to fish. We started fishing off that area and targeted the weed lines casting jerk baits like you would for Smallmouth bass. We fished that area for an hour catching Trout, but when the wind died down and the tide moved in, so did we, for the Redfish. The hot bait for the Redfish was a top water lure like the bass “o”reno. The idea was to get the Redfish excited with that lure and cast to the area with a Berkley Gulp, but they hit that lure so hard they got hooked-up. We ended the Morning with about 7 Trout and 6 Redfish (see pictures). And oh check out the picture of the 7 foot shark making the fish spooky. Gets a hold of Captain Ashley Mock for some great shallow water fishing. His number is 850-843-0566 I did not go into all of detail of my trip because it would take a book. These guides know their fishing and if you get chance to go to the Gulf look them up and they will show a great time. Captain Rick Pictures
from Florida
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