# Good perch news out of Lake Michigan



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Good perch news out of Lake Michigan 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/outdoors/cst-spt-out24.html

August 24, 2005 BY DALE BOWMAN STAFF REPORTER 

I clutch at any good news about yellow perch in southern Lake Michigan. Finally, there's been some for the one fish that cuts across social, racial and generational lines in Chicago. 

On the Michigan side, it is "a spectacular hatch, the biggest I have ever seen,'' said David Jude, a research scientist for the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. 

At several locations in Michigan, lots of young-of-the-year perch (YOY) were found. 

"From the last 20 years, this is the biggest we have seen,'' said Jude, who has studied Lake Michigan for 31 years. "We had a big year class in 1998.'' 

On the Illinois side, where seinings go into September, biologist Steve Robillard said perch fishermen should be "mildly optimistic.'' 

"We are finding some,'' he said. "We are better than we were last year.'' 

But it's not to be confused with the glory years of the 1980s. 

Ball State has compiled data since the 1960s under a contract with the state of Indiana. Their researchers found some encouraging news. Biologist Janel Palla said they found about half the YOY seen in 1998. 

"As [study leader] Paul Allen said, 'It is significantly different than zero,''' she said. "True question is whether they survive.'' 

That's the big if. 

"If they don't reach a big enough size before going into winter, that is a tough winter for them,'' Robillard said. 

On the Illinois side, biologists are finding them in the 50- to 55-millimeter range and would like to see them reach 65 to 70 millimeters to survive winter. 

"That way, they can eat some of the bigger stuff rather than surviving on zooplankton,'' Robillard said. "We are happy. They have made it through a few of the bottlenecks. The entire first year is the toughest time for them.'' 

Jude agreed. 

"We are still not out of the ballpark; they have to make it through this winter,'' Jude said. "They have to hit 50 millimeters [about 2 inches] to be able to survive over winter. A lot of the ones we looked at in Michigan were in the 30- to 40-millimeter range. They usually quit growing about Sept. 15.'' 

Allen had another question Ball State researchers will examine. They're uncertain whether the tiny perch they are finding are YOY or some combination of YOY and stunted yearlings. 

Add to those questions another I heard from two captains a hundred miles apart last week. 

Capt. Chuck Weis, who runs perch charters around Hammond/ East Chicago, Ind., found small perch in stomachs of larger perch he cleaned for customers. 

Out of North Point Marina, near the Wisconsin state line, Capt. Bob Poteshman found small perch in stomachs of salmon he was cleaning. 

"I have heard of that, but we have not seen it,'' Palla said. "I don't find it surprising. If it is a year of abundance, it is easy prey.'' 

It looks like a very poor year for alewives and a good one for spottail shiners, Jude said. 

"My guess is they are looking for food, and there are not many alewives around,'' said Jude, who doesn't remember finding perch in stomachs of trout or salmon. "The fact they are eating yellow perch does surprise me.'' 

It's never easy.


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