# Grand Traverse lake trout changes



## fowl (Feb 15, 2003)

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-86469-490038--,00.html


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## ThreeDogsDown (Jan 19, 2018)

Ugg. 


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## andyotto (Sep 11, 2003)

It's going to be hard getting an honest creel count up there if you get punished for doing so.


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## ThreeDogsDown (Jan 19, 2018)

I am rethinking my response to the DNR guy at the M37 ramp all summer. 


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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

Probably a good measure, as lake trout take a long time to grow. The fishery is great now, but we don't want to burn it out. The June 15-September 1 season would be best imo.


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## ThreeDogsDown (Jan 19, 2018)

TriggerDiscipline said:


> Probably a good measure, as lake trout take a long time to grow. The fishery is great now, but we don't want to burn it out. The June 15-September 1 season would be best imo.


I agree. 


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

The natives routinely blow right on past the CORA agreed catch limits. 

I guess I can skip out on bringing the trolling gear up for duck opener.


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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> The natives routinely blow right on past the CORA agreed catch limits.
> 
> I guess I can skip out on bringing the trolling gear up for duck opener.


That's probably true in West Bay. I've seen some commercial nets in East Bay, but usually only up near old mission harbor or Elk Rapids. On some level, I can see why they do it. The whitefish are pretty much extinct as far as I can tell. Seems like the lake trout market is really heating up too with restaurants and markets.

But the sportfishery has shifted too. People rarely targeted them even 5 years ago. Now every charter has whole sets of cowbell and spin n' glo rigs. That's why I support moving the season close to before salmon season really gets going. Remove the temptation to catch a few lakers if salmon fishing is going slow.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

"I was just fishing for Cisco and didn't catch and release any lakers sir"


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

The way they grow slow actually helps protect them. They are to small for 6 years to basically be cought. So always multiple upcoming year classes and tons of adult fish that still never see a bait. There is more of them planted throughout the lake than any fish x10 so no they are not in danger. The bay does seem to be about the only place they are wanted by a majority though.


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## fowl (Feb 15, 2003)

I really don't believe there is any threat to the resource here. This has to do with the deal that was negotiated in the consent decree, period. If we have to pay a penance, a June-Sept 2 fish season is the preferred option. I guess.


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## The Fishing Pollock (May 9, 2006)

At the meeting 2 years ago in TC I would swear they told us the limit was being upped to 3 fish with a smaller size. Heather said it was passed and just waiting on the NRC to sign off. Something about it was supposed to have been signed by a certain date but was delayed till mid summer to be signed??


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## chasenabby (Apr 30, 2008)

I’ve been fishing GT Bays for over 30 years and the fish seem to get smaller every year. Seems the real issue is undersized fish having to be released to their death. 
Try explaining to your 8 year old the fish they caught is too small and then have them watch it die next to the boat. 
I’m for shortening the season if it means saving the Lake Trout. 
However, i’ll Be selling my boat in the spring. If your interested in a 20ft ProLine pm me.


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## fowl (Feb 15, 2003)

Problem is incidental catch. Even if lake trout is closed, catch them when targeting Cisco or salmon. When waters warm, catch and release=dead laker. 
Whether they're in your cooler or back in the lake, they're dead.


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## slightofhand (Jul 21, 2010)

It is just beginning to appear that lake trout are not a viable commercial nor sportfish species. Can’t rebound on their own from commercial overharvest and cannot survive catch and release sportfishing. Who is it that said native species are ideally suited to survive in the Great Lakes? Maybe in the 1500s but not in the 2000s. Time to move on, more silver is where it’s at.


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## fowl (Feb 15, 2003)

https://www.9and10news.com/2019/03/...ng-about-changes-to-trout-season-regulations/


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## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

TriggerDiscipline said:


> Probably a good measure, as lake trout take a long time to grow. The fishery is great now, but we don't want to burn it out. The June 15-September 1 season would be best imo.


Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't the limit already only two fish 15" and over?
First off the DNR has absolutely zero idea what the actual take of lake trout by sport fishermen actually was, and 2nd of all they're just immediately putting the blame on the sport fishermen because of their not wanting to tackle the two other 500 lb gorillas in the room, cheating by tribal netters, and commercial netting such as Carlson's, and I understand that the first thing out of their mouths when asked will be "1836 treaty" as their excuse.
So they'll blame sport fishermen, including charters when what did expect would happen when lake trout became the feature specie by captains since the crash of the salmon.
I've said this before from years of fishing Little Traverse Bay, I'm going back years but L.T.B. had whales for lake trout and plenty of them until our native brethren started sneaking out in the middle of the night gill netting and it took only a couple of years since Lakers do not wander, for the average size of the fish to plummet.
I seen it with my own two eyes on what netting does to a fishery.

That said, I'm getting geared up this year to give Laker fishing a try by getting back out there to handline early in the year and then jig fish on the deeper structure weather permitting in the summer.


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## Max'dout (Jul 20, 2007)

Anybody remember the fishable ice on West Bay lasting this long into the spring?


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## ThreeDogsDown (Jan 19, 2018)

It was a great season of ice fishing on the bays. I did not keep records last year or the year before (this is my third year ice fishing up here), but it sure seems later. 


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## ThreeDogsDown (Jan 19, 2018)

I’ll just leave this here:

https://www.9and10news.com/2019/04/...buying-trout-illegally-caught-in-great-lakes/


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