# Splake Lakes?



## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

I was watching MI Outdoors and they had a thing on catchin splake threw the ice. I was wondering if there are any lakes around southeastern part of the state stocked with them.


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## fishindude (Jan 2, 2005)

maybe you should borrow that guy's dog, i think he'll point you to one.


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## rocketmike (Feb 12, 2001)

once upon a time, crescent lake was stocked.

mebbe try the DNR site.

got a couple cans of corn to head out there with, need some decent ice tho:SHOCKED:


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Maceday Lake, Oakland Co.,, at least they used to. Back when you used to get the "fishing report" from the Detroit News,LOL.


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

If I remember correctly Union, Maceday and Cass were all stocked at one time, but then again that was quite a while ago so my memory might be slipping.:lol: I've caught trout through the ice in Maceday, Union, Proud, Springmill Pond and on the Mill pond in Milford so if you can't find the splake you could at least have a chance at some of their relatives.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

Someone in the camp fire hooked me up with the link. Maceday was stocked in 05.

Union sucks. i will never ice fish that lake again. We fished it alot last season (2-4 times a week) and caught rock bass, dink perch and bluegills.


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## skamaniac (Nov 4, 2001)

Here is a link to all the fish plantings in the state. Do a search of your local counties.

http://www.michigandnr.com/fishstock/


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Anyone know "why" the state plants splake? Seems like a lot of wasted time and money.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

Splake dont reproduce so thats why they plant them.


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## scottyhoover (Dec 24, 2002)

Duck-Hunter said:


> Splake dont reproduce so thats why they plant them.


I think he was asking WHY, as in why......why not plant something we want like walleye..... but no instead they plant these little footlong trout that 99% of the fisherman don't know exist nor do they have the desire to fish for. Probably taste like the liver pellets too.....

So yeah, I would ask Why too. I'd like to hear the logic behind that one.

sorry to hijak thread


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

Splake are actually a lot of fun to fish for and get much bigger than 12" long. They're agressive feeders, grow very quickly and taste pretty darn good. Not to mention we have 1000's of walleye lakes to target, it's nice to have something a bit diffferent once in a while .


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## fire-tiger (Mar 15, 2005)

Have been catching splake for many years out of Maceday Lk. I want to say they planted along the lines of 6000 of them in said lake in 05, along with the same # of some strain of steelhead. Survival rate have been very good over the years. Splake have slow growth rates, almost as slow as lake trout.

The more mature fish taste nothing like liver pellets refered to in a previous post as my family prefers them over many other fish. They are delicious on the grill.

There are several ways to catch them on Maceday and WHEN you find them you will limit. My largest was caught in 99. Four 1/2 pds. 26". Caught and released several in the 20" range in 05.

Maceday is very deep (over 50' avg.) spring fed and very cold most of the year. There have even been a few lake trout caught over the years though I have not heard of any being caught recently, my locator comes up with some very large arcs in the 80'+ range on alot of outings.


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## HuRon (May 11, 2002)

What? You mean there's fish out there other than walleye's? And people actually fish for them? :yikes:


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

scottyhoover said:


> I think he was asking WHY, as in why......why not plant something we want like walleye..... but no instead they plant these little footlong trout that 99% of the fisherman don't know exist nor do they have the desire to fish for. Probably taste like the liver pellets too.....
> 
> So yeah, I would ask Why too. I'd like to hear the logic behind that one.
> 
> sorry to hijak thread


Yeah,, thats what I was gettin' at.

I know they don't reproduce, that's why I asked why?LOL
I just don't think the state is rolling in the dough over the revenue generated from guys buying licences to fish for splake. At least not enough to off-set the cost of raising/planting them.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

Ya i can see why you are asking why. I want to try and catch some. everyone i talked to said they are alot of fun to catch becuase they feed agressive.


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## HuRon (May 11, 2002)

William H Bonney said:


> Yeah,, thats what I was gettin' at.
> 
> I know they don't reproduce, that's why I asked why?LOL
> I just don't think the state is rolling in the dough over the revenue generated from guys buying licences to fish for splake. At least not enough to off-set the cost of raising/planting them.


 Come on. The state doesn't plant fish for license sales. They plant fish for the fishing/tourist industry. Thats where the money is for them. Taxes on everything. And like Duck-Hunter said, splake are aggressive, easy to catch fish that give a good tug on your line. Nothing wrong with that. 
And as for not reproducing, alot of planted fish species fall into that category. Even walleyes.


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## Robert Hoover (May 8, 2005)

what do you us to catch splak as far as a set up like a perch rig and corn


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## Ed Michrina (Dec 25, 2002)

fire-tiger said:


> Have been catching splake for many years out of Maceday Lk. I want to say they planted along the lines of 6000 of them in said lake in 05, along with the same # of some strain of steelhead. Survival rate have been very good over the years. Splake have slow growth rates, almost as slow as lake trout.
> 
> The more mature fish taste nothing like liver pellets refered to in a previous post as my family prefers them over many other fish. They are delicious on the grill.
> 
> ...


Fire Tiger was very accurate and generous with his report on Maceday lake. It is a fun cold water fishery. I have taken advantage of the Spake and fed the 3 other fisherman, plus myself, off the grill form a one day catch. I'm all for the idea they taste like liver and don't spawn. BAD lake don't go there Myself I'm planning a trip next year to try for some cold water fish and I don't *ever* fish for cold water fish. (great lakes, river etc) Thanks for the report Fire-tiger, I'd like to get out with you on that lake sometime. Possibly Evin a trade trip. I run a 27 open tiara for perch and walleye on LSC and a 16 foot Starcraft for the river in the spring. Or I'll flip for everything boat, bait, refreshments, rods, etc, on my little 16 foot boat. I'd like to get a better understanding of that beautiful lake.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

HuRon said:


> Come on. The state doesn't plant fish for license sales. They plant fish for the fishing/tourist industry. Thats where the money is for them. Taxes on everything. And like Duck-Hunter said, splake are aggressive, easy to catch fish that give a good tug on your line. Nothing wrong with that.
> And as for not reproducing, alot of planted fish species fall into that category. Even walleyes.


You're kiddin' me,,, right????

I'm talking about splake specificly. And why wouldn't walleye reproduce?


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## Ed Michrina (Dec 25, 2002)

I think what he was attempting to say. The DNR plants some walleye in lakes where there is no possible place for the Walleye to spawn in. You have to agree there are some lakes where the walleye are only a put -N-take and no natural reproduction takes place.


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## jamieking989 (Feb 7, 2004)

Some people are trout lovers. My grandfather was from the western U.P. and was a trout fisherman. He hated walleye because the DNR planted them in most of the lakes in the area and it all but killed the trout fishery that had been there forever. He lived on a small lake that was one of the best trout lakes in the country and once they planted it with walleye the trout were gone. Then once the walleye were all fished out, they didn't reproduce, it is a pretty crappy lake to fish. Just another way to think of why they plant splake in a few lakes. Myself I'm a walleye addict so I'll keep my focus on them but ithey plant a few splake lakes thats cool to.

Jamie


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## HuRon (May 11, 2002)

Yeah, sorry, was in a hurry. Was kinda serious on the license fee quip. Don't really think splake make any fishermen buy a license, and licenses pay for the plants. But I think they're a plus for bringing fishermen & tourists to fish a stocked lake. Money, money, money. 
Also the lakes near me aren't really walleye lakes, but a few get plants -strictly put & take & some have very limited spawning & can't maintain a fishable population so they're probably 75% planters. 
And we used to enjoy some Rainbow plants nearby, too. They were fun, but discontinued.
So yeah, I don't have a problem with splake plants.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

I don't really care either, I just think theres gotta be some thing else more worth-while wasting money on.LOL


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