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Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources fisheries biologists have worked hard to make this
experience available throughout the Badger State. Judging by
the sizes of lunker-sized muskies being caught in waters
managed by the DNR for trophy-class fish, it's only getting
better.
NAMAKAGON LAKE
"Creel survey results in 2003 and 2004 indicated muskellunge
and walleye were the most sought after game fish," said DNR
fisheries biologist Scott Toshner.
Toshner recently completed an exhaustive study of the muskie
population in Bayfield County's Namakagon Lake. Biologists
used fyke netting, spring and fall electroshocking and a
creel survey to get a grasp on what's happening under the
lake's surface. The results were a mixture of both good news
and bad news.
"Information on abundance and angler catch rates from
previous surveys suggest muskellunge numbers have declined
from 1989 to 2003," said Toshner. "While individual
muskellunge size structure has increased since 1989, low
numbers of fish less than 36 inches in the 2002 survey
warrants concern."
The good news is that the 3,227-acre lake is producing
plenty of fish in the 43- to 48-inch range, with 50-inchers
available. Anglers tangling with Namakagon muskies this year
will be tangling with quality fish.
CLEAR LAKE
"Clear Lake was chosen for the 45-inch and 50-inch size
limits mainly because of its track record, though we didn't
have a lot of information before the 45-inch minimum length
limit went into effect in 1991," said John Kubisiak, a DNR
fisheries biologist in Oneida County. "Clear Lake has the
potential to produce large muskies, and has done so in the
past."
"The 50-inch minimum size limit was voted on at the 2002
Conservation Congress spring hearings and went into effect
in 2003, so we need to allow time for some fish to grow
before we will be able to tell how effective that regulation
is in producing more fish in the upper 40- to 50-inch range
GRINDSTONE LAKE
"There's a clear trend toward big fish on just about every
water we manage," said DNR fisheries biologist Frank Pratt
Jr. in Hayward. "There are 50-inch fish in numerous
Wisconsin waters, even without the 50-inch minimum length
regulation."
The muskie populations in both Grindstone and nearby Lac
Courte Oreilles are stable and healthy, two factors that
contributed to the DNR's decision to include Grindstone in
its new 50-inch regulations. The lake's mesotropic
characteristics, ability to sustain a muskie population and
a good forage base made the lake a logical location to
manage for trophy-class fish.
LAC COURTE OREILLES
"Lac Courte Oreilles is probably one of the most studied
lakes on the planet," said biologist Pratt. "Starting back
in the early 1960s or early 1970s, several muskie surveys
have established how stable the lake's population is.
But even though the muskies are getting bigger, anglers are
complaining that not only are they not catching any big
muskies in the lake, but fewer muskies in general. Pratt
believes the anglers are just up against more educated fish.
GREEN BAY
"We're trying to reintroduce the once native Great
Lakes-strain muskellunge to Green Bay," said DNR fisheries
biologist Kevin Kapuscinski in the Green Bay office.
With a relatively shallow lake basin and ideal muskie
habitat, the fish can roam anywhere, according to
Kapuscinski. It's a trolling fishery where anglers keep
moving to cover as much water as possible.
"It's important to note that Green Bay has an abundance of
food and space for this low-density population, and the
minimum-length regulation complements these favorable
environmental conditions. The length limit on Green Bay is
consistent with the DNR's goal of managing muskies as trophy
fish and providing a number of fish larger than 45 inches
statewide each year.
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