Long Lake Fisheries Management Overview

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• Long Lake Fisheries Management Overview
• Todd Kalish
• 06/16/2008

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Outline

• Stocking history
• Survey history
• Walleye and musky management overview

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Stocking History

• Walleye
• 1986-1995
• Fingerlings stocked in 1986, 1989, and 1995
• Fry stocked in 1986 and 1990
• Stocking were very successful, survival was good
  but growth was poor
• Stocking discontinued in 1995
• Conduct Serns index in 1993, 1994, 1997, and
  2004
• Anglers collect scales to assess growth annually

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Historical Surveys-2004-

• September electroshocking survey to evaluate
  walleye population
• 268 collected
• Ranged from 3-19
• Growth close to State average
• Substantial natural reproduction
• All fish collected
• 141 yoy

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Historical SurveysGeneral Survey, 2007/2008

• General survey to evaluate the Long Lake fish
  population
• May 21-24 (trap, fyke, and gill nets)
• August 9 (seines and electroshocking)
• Forage base assessment
• April-September and January-March (creel census)

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Historical SurveysGeneral Survey, 2007

• Bluegill 98, 3-9, 79
• Largemouth bass 64, 2-18, 44
• C. white sucker 41, 17-23
• Northern pike 12, 22-29, 25

• Rock bass 201, 3-13, 91
• Walleye 155, 3-26, 40
• Yellow perch 151, 1-13, 30
• Smallmouth bass 107, 2-20, 67

• Forage base consists of abundant bluntnose
  minnows, shiners, and yellow perch

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Historical Surveys
LMB SMB
LMB SMB
LMB SMB
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Historical Surveys
LMB SMB
LMB SMB
LMB SMB
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Walleye Growth Analysis
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Status of Walleye

• Abundant natural reproduction
• Growth is improving
• Do not currently recommend stocking
• Will continue to assess the population through
  Serns surveys and volunteer anglers

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Creel Census-2007-

• Data tabulated for 04/22-08/11
• 404 boat interviews in Long Lake
• 37 boat interviews in Mickey Lake
• No shore fishing interviews
• All data to date is raw and has not been analyzed
• Creel census is still in progress

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Creel Census-2007-
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Musky Stocking History

• Musky
• 1976 6,000 SF
• 1977 6,500 FF
• Good forage base
• Natural Reproduction
• 1994 collected an 8 year old musky

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Musky Forage Base

• 1950s and 60s DNR manually removed suckers with
  Lions Club and Lake Association (seined 2,200 in
  May 1960)
• 1970 DNR survey 89 white suckers (6-20)
• 1982 survey 35 white suckers (8-21) and
  abundant common shiners
• 1997 survey 6 white suckers and abundant common
  shiners
• 2007 survey 41 white suckers (17-23) and
  abundant small yellow perch

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Musky Habitat

• Spawning habitat
• Mickey Lake
• Mickey Lake Bay
• Outlet
• Potamogeton, lily pads, elodea, chara, pond weed,
  bulrushes, and milfoil

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Management Protocol

• Stock 3,700 ff in 2006, 2008, and 2010
• Supplement every three years if necessary
• Population goal one adult fish gt30/3 surface
  acres 953

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Common misconceptions

• Feeding habits
• Diets of Muskellunge in Northern Wisconsin
  Lakes
• Bozek, M. and Burri, T. 1999. North American
  Journal of Fisheries Management. 19(1) 258-270
• Sampled 1,092 stomachs, collected 547 fish
  species of which only 17 were bass and 4 were
  walleye
• Yellow perch 30, White sucker 47,
  unidentifiable 17
• Interactions between Walleyes..
• Fayram, A. H., Hansen, M. J., and T. J. Ehlinger.
  2005. North American Journal of Fisheries
  Management 25 1321-1330
• Direct competition is or predation is unlikely

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Master Angler RecordsNot a complete list
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Master Angler RecordsNot a complete list
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Management Direction

• Continue to evaluate walleye population
• Volunteer angler cooperation and DNR surveys
• Compile and analyze all data collected in 2007
  and 2008
• Convene public hearings with cooperation of Long
  Lake Association in fall of 2008
• Make management recommendation based on lake data
  in fall of 2008

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Thank you
www.michigan.gov