# Updates for Waters in Southwest Michigan



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 24, 2012

Contact: Jay Wesley, 269-685-6851 or Ed Golder, 517-335-3014


*Fisheries Division Releases 2012-2013 Management Updates for Waters in Southwest Michigan*

The Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit is announcing fishery management actions and activities for the 2012-2013 angling season. These actions and activities include fish stocking, habitat rehabilitation projects, creel census, fish community surveys and angler access programs. 

These management updates are provided as a means to notify anglers and the public of changes in management and to make lake and stream property owners aware of our survey activities, said Jay Wesley, Southern Lake Michigan Unit Manager in Plainwell. We also value and encourage public input regarding our management actions and activities.

For more information, contact Jay Wesley at 269-685-6851 or at the Plainwell Operation Service Center, Plainwell, MI 49080. 

The Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit covers the Grand, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Galien river watersheds and all the lakes and streams within that area. Each year, fisheries biologists and technicians evaluate management options on various water bodies in order to achieve increased fishery benefits. Fish-stocking actions are reviewed at least every six years based on fish community or creel surveys. Counties with specific management actions and waters that are planned for surveys in 2012 are listed below. Anglers are asked to provide feedback on specific management options. 

Allegan County
The* Kalamazoo River* will be sampled in April to determine the presence of spawning lake sturgeon as part of a long-term population rehabilitation effort. Available sturgeon eggs and larvae will be collected and raised in a streamside rearing facility in New Richmond. *Pike** Lake* and* Lake Sixteen *will be removed from the Type C trout lake regulations since management of rainbow trout in both lakes has been discontinued. The *Duck Lake Drain* fish community will be surveyed as part of a random stream status and trends program. Excellent walleye, catfish, steelhead and Chinook fishing is available along the shore of the *Kalamazoo** River* below Allegan Dam through the Allegan State Game Area. 

Barry County
Rainbow trout will be stocked in *Deep** Lake* in the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. Walleye will continue to be stocked in *Thornapple** Lake*, and the DNR will begin stocking the Great Lakes strain of muskellunge to establish future broodstock in *Thornapple** Lake*. A fish community survey will be conducted on *Baker Lake*. The Morgan Dam is scheduled for removal on *Highbanks Creek*, and floodplain restoration work will begin on *Quaker Brook*. There are excellent shore fishing opportunities in the Yankee Springs Recreation Area at *Gun Lake* *State Park*, *Deep Lake* *Campground* and *Hall** Lake*. 

Berrien County
*Blue Jay Creek* in the Galien River watershed will be removed from the designated trout stream list due to a lack of trout. The *Paw Paw River* will continue to be stocked annually with yearling steelhead and with fall fingerling steelhead and coho salmon when available. A creel survey will be conducted to evaluate Lake Michigan effort and harvest at the *Port** of St. Joseph/Benton Harbor*. Fisheries surveys will be completed at several sites on the St. Joseph River as part of a multi-year walleye population evaluation. Good fishing opportunities are available along the *St. Joseph River* for walleye, steelhead, salmon, catfish and smallmouth bass in Berrien Springs, Buchanan and Niles. 

Branch County
Fisheries surveys are planned for *Cary*,* Craig *and* Morrison lakes*. *Matteson** Lake* will continue to be stocked with walleye, and *Lake** Lavine* will continue to receive rainbow trout. Fisheries Division will be partnering with local anglers and the Union Lake Association to raise walleye in a local pond for stocking in *Union Lake*. 

Calhoun County
A fisheries survey will be conducted on *Nottawa Creek*. Natural resource damage assessments associated with the oil spill will continue on the *Kalamazoo** River* and *Talmadge Creek*. A rock ramp will be constructed on the *Garfield Lake* outlet control structure to provide better fish passage. Walleye are planned to be stocked in *Duck** Lake*. Brown trout will continue to be stocked in *Dickinson Creek* at the Historic Bridge County Park. 

Cass County
Rainbow trout stocking will continue in *Birch** Lake*, and walleye will be stocked in *Magician** Lake*. *Dowagiac** River* shore and wading opportunities for brown trout are available at Dodd County Park. 

Clinton County
A fish community survey is scheduled for *Peet Creek *and the* Maple River*. There are great shore fishing opportunities on *Lake** Ovid* in the Sleepy Hollow Recreation Area. 

Eaton County
*Lakes Interstate* and *Delta* will continue to be stocked with channel catfish, and they provide great shore fishing opportunities for bluegill and largemouth bass. The *Grand River* offers fishing opportunities for walleye, suckers, smallmouth bass, steelhead and coho salmon in Delta Mills and Grand Ledge. 

Ingham County
The majority of the coho salmon stocked in the *Grand River* in Lansing are proposed to be moved downstream to improve survival. A public meeting will be conducted during the summer of 2012. The *Grand River *offers fishing opportunities for walleye, suckers, smallmouth bass, steelhead and coho salmon in the City of Lansing at the North Lansing and Morse dams.

Ionia County
A fish community survey will be conducted on the *Maple** River*. Steelhead will continue to be stocked in *Prairie *and* Fish creeks, *and the brown trout strain will change from Wild Rose to Gilchrist Creek in* Fish Creek*. Shore fishing opportunities are available along *Sessions** Lake* in the Ionia Recreation Area. Good angling opportunities are available along the Grand River in Portland, Lyons and Ionia for catfish, suckers, walleye, steelhead and coho salmon. 

Jackson County
Fishing opportunities are available on *Portage** Lake* in the Waterloo Recreation Area. 

Kalamazoo County
Natural resource damages associated with the *Kalamazoo** River* oil spill will continue to be assessed. *Portage Creek* will be surveyed to assess stream habitat improvements near Alcott Street. Muskellunge stocking will resume in *Austin** Lake*. Fishing in the parks opportunities are available on *Eagle*, *Whitford* and *Jackson* *lakes* in the Fort Custer Recreation Area. 

Kent County
*Spring Brook*,* Flat River* and* Bear Creek* will be surveyed as part of a status and trends program. The *Flat** River* and *Rogue River* will continue to be stocked with steelhead. Muskellunge will be stocked in *Murray** Lake*. Brown trout stocking will be discontinued in *Buck Creek* due to lack of survival and angler effort. *Grand River* shore access is excellent in the City of Grand Rapids for sucker, walleye, steelhead, Chinook salmon and coho salmon fishing. 

Montcalm County
*Clifford** Lake* will no longer be stocked with spring fingerling walleye due to poor survival. 

Muskegon County
*Mona** Lake* will be stocked with walleye. 

Ottawa County
*Crockery Creek* will continue to be stocked with steelhead. Walleye will continue to be stocked in *Lake** Macatawa *and the* Grand River*. The Great Lakes strain of muskellunge will be stocked when available in *Lake** Macatawa* and the lower *Grand River* to take advantage of over-abundant gizzard shad and to provide a sport fishery. Fishing in the park opportunities are available along *Lake** Macatawa* and the Holland Pier in the Holland State Park and beach areas. A creel survey will be conducted at the *Port of Grand Haven*. 

St. Joseph County
Fish community surveys are scheduled for *Lake** Templene* and the *Pigeon** River*. *Spring Creek* will be removed from the designated trout streams list and Type 4 trout regulations due to a lack of trout. 

Van Buren County
*Clear** Lake* is scheduled for a fish community survey. Walleye stocking will continue in *Maple** Lake* and the *Black River*. *Bankson Lake* will continue to receive muskellunge and the *East Branch Paw Paw River* will be stocked with brown trout. A creel survey will be conducted at the *Port of South Haven*. 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

# # #


----------



## bombcast (Sep 16, 2003)

great stuff Jay. Thanks.


----------



## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Great lakes musky! Woot woot


----------



## limpinglogan (Sep 23, 2009)

No more browns in buck creek...boooo


----------



## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

Bummer on the Buck Creek browns..


----------



## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

diztortion said:


> Bummer on the Buck Creek browns..


that is kinda sad about buck browns. there aee some big fish there. hopefully they can reproduce like rhey do in some tribs that havent been planted in years. these streams seem to have some outsized fish.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Boozer (Sep 5, 2010)

Hey Jay, how about taking advantage of the over-populating Carp population above Berrien Springs Dam with some of those Muskies. 

Cannot think of a better meal for a Musky than thousands of Carp roaming around the surface eating whatever they can find off the surface film...


----------



## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

Also a bummer to see that Ingham County doesnt have much going on for improvements.. There is tons of park access to the Sycamore that could be improved some for steelhead. That could really be beneficial..Improve the fishing for the Lansing area thats forsure..


----------



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

Boozer said:


> Hey Jay, how about taking advantage of the over-populating Carp population above Berrien Springs Dam with some of those Muskies.
> 
> Cannot think of a better meal for a Musky than thousands of Carp roaming around the surface eating whatever they can find off the surface film...


If the program is able to succeed and produce enough fish, we can expand into these type of areas. Right now we are struggling to get enough eggs from Lake St. Clair. It is a big lake to find ripe females and has been unpredictable in terms of timing. We will get it figured out and hope to be able to produce more and more each year.


----------



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

StonedFly said:


> Also a bummer to see that Ingham County doesnt have much going on for improvements.. There is tons of park access to the Sycamore that could be improved some for steelhead. That could really be beneficial..Improve the fishing for the Lansing area thats forsure..


What did you have in mind here? Better angler access to the creek in the parks? If so, I am sure the park managers would be interested in that. If it is habitat improvement on Sycamore Creek, perhaps a local steelheaders or trout group would be interested in partnering with us to add some woody structure.


----------



## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

Jay Wesley said:


> What did you have in mind here? Better angler access to the creek in the parks? If so, I am sure the park managers would be interested in that. If it is habitat improvement on Sycamore Creek, perhaps a local steelheaders or trout group would be interested in partnering with us to add some woody structure.


Habitat Improvement is what I had in mind.There are stretches on Sycamore Creek that look to have promise, but you have to look past all the downfall and trash. It seems that Lansing could benefit from an improved fishery. I know Grand River bait and Tackle could use the business. Any suggestions on what groups I could speak with would be extremely helpful. Thanks.


----------



## Vicious Fishous (Sep 12, 2006)

Stoned fly, I would be interested in checking out possibilities for stream improvements. I fish the creek enough to know it could use some love. Doubtful that any natural reproduction could occur for steel or coho. Gets pretty warm. What did you have in mind? 
What about helping out the pike and smallie habitat? I enjoy the migrant fisheries, but for the 2 months a year they show up to Lansing and try to spawn it leaves a lot of time in-between runs to catch the fish that live there all year and readily eat. I would rather do a nature project than a nurture deal. There is probably something that could benefit all fish.

A couple years back I was wading, watching a couple steelies and a skipper jockeying around. When what I thought was the grand daddy of all steelhead sneak in the hole, it turned into a pike well over 3' long and took a swipe at the skipper. The trout shot up stream and the pike stopped at my feet before it realized I wasn't cover and bolted. It was very cool. But opened my eyes to the local warm water fisheries, which frankly rock.
Pete

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## fishman210 (Jan 10, 2008)

Sounds like a great idea. VF, u whitnessed the food chain at its finest. Every pike should be able to drool over an 18 inch chromer!! Improving the creek would benefit all speacies of life that survive by it. If this actually happens, COUNT ME IN!!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

StonedFly said:


> Habitat Improvement is what I had in mind.There are stretches on Sycamore Creek that look to have promise, but you have to look past all the downfall and trash. It seems that Lansing could benefit from an improved fishery. I know Grand River bait and Tackle could use the business. Any suggestions on what groups I could speak with would be extremely helpful. Thanks.


Other than keeping nutrients and sediment out of the creek, the next best thing would be woody structure. Perhaps a group can get together and design some log jams and other woody structure. 

The only watershed group that I am aware of was working on water quality. They were organized through the Ingham County Extension Office. It might be good to contact them or the Ingham County Conservation District. They are good about organizing people and getting funds. 

DNR-Fish can assist from an advisory role at this point. We only have 3 biologists covering 22 counties, so our plate is full for the next couple of years. 

Thanks!


----------



## RAD FISH (Oct 17, 2006)

:: A guy told me today that he was at Buck Creek and the stocking trucks were there one stocking Browns and the other Coho. He also said they told him they planted Coho in the Rogue also and it will not be shown at the DNR stocking site. Any truth to this Jay, he was positive this happened and said they were catching planted Coho at both locations.


----------



## RAD FISH (Oct 17, 2006)

:: I just checked the DNR stocking site and the Coho planted in the Rogue are on there 101,146 on 10/25/11. This is a first for the Rogue. The DNR worker told him that they are not planting them in the main river anymore and this is why they planted Buck Creek and the Rogue. Not sure why it doesn't show the Buck Creek plant, but the DNR officer said it will not show its a secret study ( not anymore ). These plants are strange to say the least the ones in the Rogue were planted at 5" but the plants at Buck ( i was told ) were 8 to 10" and both should return this fall. If you go to the stocking site and punch in Kent county Coho from 1979 to 2012 it shows that the Rogue is the only plant of Coho in Kent county since 1989. I'm pretty positive this is not true, they used to plant them at riverside park in Grand Rapids for many years. Jay any info. on this would be fantastic.


----------



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

Not sure of who you talked to. It would be helpful if you give DNR employee names because anyone could say they talked to the DNR. Anyway, there are no secret studies. 

Buck Creek brown trout were dropped because a creel survey on the creek found very few anglers and no fish being caught. 

Coho are mainly stocked in Lansing and Lyons. We had exter fall fingerling in 2011, so we stocked them in Rogue. Typically, we raise coho to yearlings, which are bigger. 

There is a proposal to move more of the Lansing stocking below Lyons, in Rogue and closer to Grand Rapids. You will see press releases about this in the summer. 

Jay


----------



## RAD FISH (Oct 17, 2006)

Jay Wesley said:


> Not sure of who you talked to. It would be helpful if you give DNR employee names because anyone could say they talked to the DNR. Anyway, there are no secret studies.
> 
> Buck Creek brown trout were dropped because a creel survey on the creek found very few anglers and no fish being caught.
> 
> ...



:: For one this second hand I didn't talk to the DNR.


:: So are you saying they didn't plant Buck with Coho and im not talking about last fall being the first either? The DNR worker also said the browns were a different strain then they have planted Buck with before. ( Gilchrist ) It shows that at the stocking site @ 5/10/11. But this was last fall. They told him at Buck they were going to also plant the Rogue with Coho the next day 10/25/11 witch is shown.


:: Also you say the Rogue Coho were extra fall fingerlings and you typically raise them to yearlings. Well that don't make much sense the Rogue fish show a planting size of 4.96 and on average all Coho planted across the state were planted at 5.2 to 5.5, a 1/4 to 1/2" bigger. 



:: I no more about this than im going to say right now just wondered if I could hear it from someone else first. One things for damn sure someone is not being honest or just not saying anythig about it for some reason.


----------



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

RAD FISH said:


> :: keyword here is SOMEONE the DNR or the guy who told me this. Just so you Know, when you get 2 different storys someone is not being honest. Jay never said Coho were never planted in Buck Creek ( he may not no for sure yet ) and from what im hearing they were. The guy with the stocking truck said it will not show on the fish stocking site untill a later date if at all. Jay said there will be a press release this summer will see what they say then.
> 
> 
> :: There ya go pick apart my grammar now that seems to be what your best at.


Buck Creek does not have a management plan for coho, so it should not have received any. If it was, the stocking driver made a mistake. If he did it intentially that is worth getting fired over. 

The Rogue River coho were fall fingerlings. We don't get a lot of growth through the winter on these coho but they do put on weight. The stocking data was October, so those would be culled fish that they did not have room for in the out door raceways. 

The news release and meeting will be for the public to comment on future stocking locations for the Grand River. We are basically trying to increase survival by moving them from Lansing downstream. Right now they have to get through two hydro dams and a lot of predators as they smolt and move downstream.


----------



## RAD FISH (Oct 17, 2006)

Jay Wesley said:


> Buck Creek does not have a management plan for coho, so it should not have received any. If it was, the stocking driver made a mistake. If he did it intentially that is worth getting fired over.
> 
> The Rogue River coho were fall fingerlings. We don't get a lot of growth through the winter on these coho but they do put on weight. The stocking data was October, so those would be culled fish that they did not have room for in the out door raceways.
> 
> The news release and meeting will be for the public to comment on future stocking locations for the Grand River. We are basically trying to increase survival by moving them from Lansing downstream. Right now they have to get through two hydro dams and a lot of predators as they smolt and move downstream.






:: Thanks Jay.


:: The guy who told me this has no reason to make this up. He watched them dump them in and caught a ton of them fish'n for steel (some close to keeper size) the next day. He was also catching them for 3 days after they planted them in the Rogue the next day they were gone. He said he called the DNR as to where they went and they said they more than likely they went out to the main river.


:: So your saying that the differance between fingerlings and yearlings is less than an 1"? And can 100,000 5" Coho be transported in one truck? Is there really a possibility that a mistake was made and not all of them 100,000 were put in the Rogue or another plant was done all together? Lastly if near keeper size Coho were planted in Buck I see every reasaon to keep that quit.


----------



## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

RAD FISH said:


> :: Thanks Jay.
> 
> 
> :: The guy who told me this has no reason to make this up. He watched them dump them in and caught a ton of them fish'n for steel (some close to keeper size) the next day. He was also catching them for 3 days after they planted them in the Rogue the next day they were gone. He said he called the DNR as to where they went and they said they more than likely they went out to the main river.
> ...


A 100,000 fall fingerling coho could be put one of our larger trucks, and they were scheduled to all go to the Rogue. 

We don't raise coho to adult size or stock adult coho, so any adults in Buck are stays from the Grand River sites or naturally produced in Buck Creek.


----------



## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

I editted the hell out the stupid arguments on this thread. This is an informative thread, any members take this thread out in left field again and they are done.


----------



## RAD FISH (Oct 17, 2006)

Jay Wesley said:


> A 100,000 fall fingerling coho could be put one of our larger trucks, and they were scheduled to all go to the Rogue.
> 
> We don't raise coho to adult size or stock adult coho, so any adults in Buck are stays from the Grand River sites or naturally produced in Buck Creek.



:: Not adult Coho, Buck is a type 4 river keeper size for Coho is 10" and some were close to that size fresh off the truck.

:: Jay lets take this offline, because there is more to this then I want to put on the net. PM sent. Or I'll try to reach ya by phone.


----------

