# Very discouraging article



## greelhappy (Feb 20, 2004)

the Detroit News has an article about the decline of King salmon fishing in Lake Huron, and the hardship it has put on southern lake huron towns. It isn't as if most Huron fishermen don't know of this problem, but the article takes a look at how it affects the town and it's residents. Good article, discouraging reading.


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## Nick D. (Aug 7, 2011)

The article does paint a pretty bad picture. I own Off Shore Marina, the marina mentioned in the article. I can remember going there as a kid when my dad was a charter captain, the place was booming. When I took it over in 2002, it was the tail end of the salmon fishery. I had almost 40 boat in for the season and 15 trailers in for the season. A few years prior, they were turning people away because it was full. The docks were pretty worn out when I got there, I invested a lot of money in new docks, and left a couple of the old ones as tie off docks (those were the "ramshackle" ones mentioned in the article). In October when the salmon would run, there would be anywhere between 100-150 people on the weekends fishing from the shore.

This year, I had 6 boats in for the season and 7 trailers in for the season. Its hard to tell by the traffic when its a holiday. The last couple of years, there weren't 50 people fishing all October. Its mainly due to the loss of salmon fishing, and obviously the economy doesn't help. Most of the anglers that were in Harbor Beach left for Lake Michigan, sold their big boats for walleye boats, of just gave up all together. A lot of the stores downtown have also had to close, especially the tourist oriented ones like the gift shops.It looks pretty bleak right now, but I do see a brighter future.

This spring, we had the best salmon fishing we've had in years, with nice, healthy looking fish. I haven't seen an anemic looking King in a couple years. The steelhead are coming on strong as we have seen from some of the Harbor Beach reports lately. It looks like we're finally getting some help from the Feds and DNR with steelhead stocking, and things are looking positive for herring and Atlantics. I don't think I will ever have to turn people away like the 80's and late 90's, but with the correct approach I think it can become a good fishery again. I am very exited about the steelhead fishery in the next few years since the net pen fish just started a couple years ago, I don't see any reason not to have a good fishery. The smelt population is getting better and better, there are plenty of bugs, and the emerald shiners have been very good as well.

I think we all need to have a little patience, and with the cooperation from the DRN and Fish & Wildlife, I see good things for Harbor Beach, and Lake Huron as a whole.


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

I have fished offshore marina close to 20 years and it's really been bad last 5 years. I used to tow my trailer and stay there, but not worth it the way the fishing has been. I may work my way back up for a weekend and try again this year.


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## andyotto (Sep 11, 2003)

It seems like the Detroit News is a little late to the party. There was nothing new in the article. They also had a lot of there numbers wrong, for example they stated that 100,000 stealhead were planted in lake huron this year. That is way to low.


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## CAPT HEAVY (Nov 4, 2002)

Steelhead plant numbers have to be low, we got 30,000 here in Harrisville alone. I didnt read the article but I see the effects of poor fishing everyday here in Harrisville. Question is will the fisherman return to catch Steelhead and Atlantics. The business people peoplpe here in town are hanging on by their fingernails. Hell, we dont have a place to by tackle here in town anymore, there used to be 4 places back in the day. Hopefully the lake will continue to improve, the signs are there.


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## Nick D. (Aug 7, 2011)

Elk5012 said:


> I have fished offshore marina close to 20 years and it's really been bad last 5 years. I used to tow my trailer and stay there, but not worth it the way the fishing has been. I may work my way back up for a weekend and try again this year.


I'll let you know if its worth coming up. I'm assuming you are talking in the fall? I'm curious to see what there will be for a run with the better numbers this year.


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## LuckyChucky (Mar 28, 2005)

While fishing from boats has improved this year the shore fishing hasnt.There hasnt been a decent run of kings in offshore or the Edison plant in over 5-6 years and I see no evidance to think that there will be any kind of return this year.Its been an epidemic in the thumb the last several years,kings are around but they dont get returns to PA,HB or Sanilac anymore.Its a shame because I fished Offshore from shore in Oct all my life,its where I caught my first salmon and its where I caught my biggest.I doubt theyll ever get salmon in there in any kind of fishable numbers ever again,and the browns,steelies,and atlantics certainly wont be in there,its a shame


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## andyotto (Sep 11, 2003)

Are there any rivers or creeks that steelhead and atlantics can run up over there? I've never really been over there let alone fish there. If not then it surely will just a boat fishery. Where did the kings go to run up? We catch steelhead off tawas peir while fishing for whitefish in November. Singing bridge has a good steelhead fishery from shore. Its nothing more than creek.


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## Nick D. (Aug 7, 2011)

I really don't see the shore fishery ever being as good as it was, but I am encouraged by the Kings caught off shore this year. Like I said, I'm not expecting much, but it would be nice to see a few come back. I think September will tell us a lot. If we can see some caught by boats in the harbor again, a few might show up.

As far as rivers, there is the New River by Huron City (I'm not sure of any kind of steelhead or salmon run). The other river is the Pinnepog between Port Austin and Oak Beach. I people fish at the mouth on the beach in the spring for steelhead but haven't heard any reports this year.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Singing Bridge might have been the single best spot to surf fish for Salmon, and especially Steelhead, in the entire State - and one of the better places in the nation for it. It hasn't been very productive for the last 6 or 7 years. I can remember showing up at daybreak, and there were already 50 (I counted) people fishing, back in 2003. Now you won't see 50 people fishing there in a weekend. 
A lot of places on southern lake Huron that got planted heavily with Kings did not feature a river for them to run back to for spawning. Harbor Beach is a classic example. The fingerling Kings were planted at a water discharge for the cement plant, and that is where they returned. They couldn't jump into the discharge, but would mill around until they were either caught, or just died. That made for some great shore fishing. 
In my opinion, lake fishermen will not turn out in the same numbers for Steelhead and Atlantics, that they did for Kings. They call Chinook Salmon Kings for a reason - they are the largest Salmon found. Most people fished for them for the thrill of fighting a large strong fish, not for the superior eating quality. Kings are the poorest table fare of Salmon. Cohos are the best. In Alaska, Pinks are considered better food than Cohos, but those are wild fish that spend most of their lives in the ocean. And they don't have Atlantics, which are reputed to be great eating. 

Huron is showing signs of rebound. When I start hearing about lots of Alewives spinning around the piers in summer, during cool water periods, I will be in heaven. Maybe literally. :yikes::lol:


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## LuckyChucky (Mar 28, 2005)

Nick D. said:


> I really don't see the shore fishery ever being as good as it was, but I am encouraged by the Kings caught off shore this year. Like I said, I'm not expecting much, but it would be nice to see a few come back. I think September will tell us a lot. If we can see some caught by boats in the harbor again, a few might show up.
> 
> As far as rivers, there is the New River by Huron City (I'm not sure of any kind of steelhead or salmon run). The other river is the Pinnepog between Port Austin and Oak Beach. I people fish at the mouth on the beach in the spring for steelhead but haven't heard any reports this year.


it doesnt have to be as good as it used to be to make me happy,I just wanna see better fish returns to HB and PA and Sanilac.Would be nice to fish Offshore in Oct with a realistic shot at a few fish again.Let me know if you are seeing any kings being caught off the breakwall or near the plant or see any in offshore,and Ill be there double time hehe.I fish the Betsie,Frankfort region for my salmon kick the last several years but neither of those spots can compare to the feel of catching a salmon in HB or PA to me.


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## BallsRdragn (Jul 21, 2005)

Nick D. said:


> The article does paint a pretty bad picture. I own Off Shore Marina, the marina mentioned in the article. I can remember going there as a kid when my dad was a charter captain, the place was booming. When I took it over in 2002, it was the tail end of the salmon fishery. I had almost 40 boat in for the season and 15 trailers in for the season. A few years prior, they were turning people away because it was full. The docks were pretty worn out when I got there, I invested a lot of money in new docks, and left a couple of the old ones as tie off docks (those were the "ramshackle" ones mentioned in the article). In October when the salmon would run, there would be anywhere between 100-150 people on the weekends fishing from the shore.
> 
> This year, I had 6 boats in for the season and 7 trailers in for the season. Its hard to tell by the traffic when its a holiday. The last couple of years, there weren't 50 people fishing all October. Its mainly due to the loss of salmon fishing, and obviously the economy doesn't help. Most of the anglers that were in Harbor Beach left for Lake Michigan, sold their big boats for walleye boats, of just gave up all together. A lot of the stores downtown have also had to close, especially the tourist oriented ones like the gift shops.It looks pretty bleak right now, but I do see a brighter future.
> 
> ...


 
Amen brother! They will come.... they will come! Each year it has been better....HB has the potential of holding nice Steelhead, Browns & Atlantics. However the coho & king bite in the spring keeps getting better also.


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

Nick D. said:


> I'll let you know if its worth coming up. I'm assuming you are talking in the fall? I'm curious to see what there will be for a run with the better numbers this year.


 Yes, I came up around mid oct every year. Hows the weeds in the marina this year? I still will make a trip this year but no trailer (sold it) , I hope some fish will show up. Keep me posted on any catches.


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## Nick D. (Aug 7, 2011)

Elk5012 said:


> Yes, I came up around mid oct every year. Hows the weeds in the marina this year? I still will make a trip this year but no trailer (sold it) , I hope some fish will show up. Keep me posted on any catches.


The weeds have been an ongoing problem. There are only a couple kinds left, it seems they didn't react to the weed control I have been using in the past. I ordered some different stuff, hopefully it will work next year. It works much better when applied in the spring. Its mostly around the Gas dock area, farther down they aren't as bad. Everything I use is fish and human safe, obviously. I think the slower boat traffic has contributed to them as well. On the good side, the water is as high as it has been in years.


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## boomstick (Aug 31, 2010)

CAPT HEAVY said:


> Question is will the fisherman return to catch Steelhead and Atlantic's.


Yes sir, they sure will. I'm only one boat. I've been up there the last 3 weekends after taking 20 years off of fishing salmon/trout. I'll be back every weekend till Nov 1. 




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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Don't get your hopes up for salmon anytime soon. From the sound of things the DNR is only going to plant Nunns Creek in the EUP 250,000 and Swan Creek in Rogers City from here on out. They want southern Lake Huron for Walleye, Perch, Lake Trout, Steelhead and White Bass.


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## rock-bottom (Jul 23, 2011)

Sounds like the dnr is finally listening to the fishermen, after all we all know it was the king's that wiped everything out.

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## SalmonBum (Feb 28, 2001)

rock-bottom said:


> after all we all know it was the king's that wiped everything out.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Not really. Zebra mussells, low water and cold winters also contributed to the demise of the alewife.


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