Planting Brown Trout in Lake Leelanau

[bucko12pt]

The DNR is considering planting Brown Trout in Lake Leelanau again. At one time this lake was one of the most famous of the brown trout fisheries anywhere.

In my opinion, they screwed the whole lake up 20 year's ago or so, when they started planting walleyes. They skipped the last planting of walleyes, which should have been last year I believe. That being said, I'm not sure now is the time to try to go back and re-establish browns.

We are meeting with Todd Kalish, the DNR biologist in charge of Lake Leelanau, on Monday morning.

Does anyone that fishes the lake regularly have an opinion, questions or concerns that we might ask Todd, before this decision is made?

[SpinFly]

I myself have not fished it for browns but i do know that my ladys' parents live on north lk.leelanau and their next door neighbors are fishers for browns and walleye.I have been given some nice amounts of browns in my frezzzzzer and due to that they themselves have said that ther are to many walleye in there not enough browns like it use to be. Unfournately certain lakes get to many plantings with one fish and it over populates the system.I hope that they will will stick a tooonnnn of browns in there.Cause I'm out there alot and everything i here is walleye walleye walleye.Time for a huge change.Fish On.

[esoxer]

I just fished Leelenaw for the first time this past fall. I fished for my favorite,walleye. I didn't do so well but this was due to the weather limiting my time on the water. The lake is big enough with enough diverse structure to support many species. There is even an oppurtunity for the anadramous angler. Wish it was in my backyard. This lake is a gem. There is room for everyone.:coolgleam

[swampbuck]

never fished it. but browns and walleye in the same trip sound pretty damn good.

[Gutz]

I've never fished it but it seems a little odd to me to try to build up walleye and trout populations together. Salmonids do not generally do very well in the presence of toothy predators due to their weak defenses (soft dorsal fins and relatively slow growth rate, etc.) and lower ability to eat the toothy predator's young, particularly the walleye with its spiny dorsal fin and gill plates but who am I to say?

[bucko12pt]

I've never fished it but it seems a little odd to me to try to build up walleye and trout populations together. Salmonids do not generally do very well in the presence of toothy predators due to their weak defenses (soft dorsal fins and relatively slow growth rate, etc.) and lower ability to eat the toothy predator's young, particularly the walleye with its spiny dorsal fin and gill plates but who am I to say?

This was my thinking also. There are two distinct basins to the lake and if they considered plantings in only the north basin, it might make some sense. There are a lot less walleye in the north basin than the south.

I will report their tought process after the meeting.

[Wardo]

Hey ask them about the tiger muskies that aren't supposed to be in there. There seem to be quite a few on the south end of the lake.

[bucko12pt]

Hey ask them about the tiger muskies that aren't supposed to be in there. There seem to be quite a few on the south end of the lake.

Have you heard this or actually caught one? Never heard of them being in LL, or the DNR doing plants. Haven't heard of anyone catching them either. I'm sure Todd would like to know if they are in there.

[twice-as-nice]

There are plenty of Gar in there!

[Willie Tippit]

I haven't fish that lake to much over the years...Hopefully the DNR will get it right .Some times they make mistakes,I do how ever belieive in them..I have a place on Green lake in interlochen.They planted Walleye in that lake they figured wouldn't do well...The long and the short of this was the eyes ended up in the betsie river witch is fine at least the survived...Our browns stoped reproducing in that lake a number of years ago and they did do someplanting's with them a few years back along with lakers and some splake we see the lakers and hardly a brown or a splaker i do Plan on fishing leelanau some more in the future..Can u still catch browns there Now???? do they reproduce at all?? Thanks Good Luck mark

[Wardo]

I have personally caught tiger muskies out of the lake, and have seen many more taken. All of them seem to come from in front of Garvons, and they range from 5" to about 25". I heard that they accidently released them the last year they planted walleyes, but that doesn't account for some of the bigger muskies. They couldn't possibly grow that fast in 2 years.

[bucko12pt]

I have personally caught tiger muskies out of the lake, and have seen many more taken. All of them seem to come from in front of Garvons, and they range from 5" to about 25". I heard that they accidently released them the last year they planted walleyes, but that doesn't account for some of the bigger muskies. They couldn't possibly grow that fast in 2 years.e been

Funny, I've lived in the county and fished the lake all my life and I've never heard of one being caught. I asked Todd Kalish about it today and he said they have never been planted in the lake. He has all the records on the lake back to the 1930's and they do not reproduce, so if they are there, they were introduced somehow. All the walleye that have been
planted have been fry, so I guess it's possible they could have been mixed in somehow. Not sure if they come from the same hatchery, or not.

Next time you get one, or know someone that gets one, I'd like to see a picture and get some scales to send to the DNR. I have the envelopes to send scales in. Todd is looking for scales from any gamefish from LL.

I'll relate the results of todays meeting in another post.

[J - Rod]

DNR = Dept of Natural Resources
Walleye = A Natural Resource in MI
Brown = An UN-Natual Resource in MI

Walleyes are native to MI. Not only are browns not native to MI, they are not native to America. I would not support replacing a Michigan fish with a European fish. Of course with that logic, I should probably be taking my white ass back to Europe :lol:.

[Wardo]

Interesting to hear. I'll be fishing it a lot this summer, so if I get a Tiger, I'll let you know. I'll get pictures and a scale or two. Shoot, maybe I'll just keep one of the little buggers and throw him in my fish tank at home and have someone take a look. It is really interesting though that they're in there. Thanks for the update!

[bucko12pt]

Here is the result of the meeting yesterday, of the Fish Committee of the Lake Leelanau Lake Association, with Todd Kalish, the biologist in charge of LL. Present were 5-6 members of the committee and a dozen or so interested fishermen.

Todd is looking for input on the possible introduction of another species in the lake. Rainbow and Browns are two possibilities. No species would be considereed if it did not make biologic sense. He said Rainbows may be out because they depend solely on zooplankton when they are fingerlings and that may take away from the panfish and smelt populations. The lake is already lacking for zooplankton because of the huge population of zebra mussels. Next best alternative is the Brown Trout. The lake was planted for many years, back into the 30's, with Browns and was well renowned as one of the best Brown fisheries anywhere.

Obviously the social side of the introduction will be looked at also. A particular species may make sense biologically, but if no one wants to fish them, then what is the point. He wants a socially and biologically acceptable species that will take to the lake and fished by the public.

The Fish Committee will be sending out a survey form to see what people, that fish the lake, would like to see from the LL fishery. They send one out every few years for input and one was planned for this spring, so it meshes well with this plan.

If anyone would like a survey, let me know and I will email you one when they are available. We would prefer to have those that have at least fished the lake to fill out the survey.

Also, Todd is looking for input from anyone that has fished the lake, or has input that is relevant to the topic.

He can be reached at the Traverse City office at:

231 922 5280 Ext 6870

or email - kalisht@michigan.gov



Any plantings if they were to happen, would be at least a year away. My guess is, it would be the North Basin only and leave the walleye in the South Basin alone.

The meeting dragged into the whole Indian situation, consent decree, etc, but I won't go into all that. Can't ever have a civil meeting without some guys dragging all the stuff up that we have no control over.

The North Basin has been receiving 20K lake trout fingerlings each year.
If you haven't seen a planting, it's pretty neat to watch. We have moved up the spring planting earlier every year, so we can get them planted while the ice is still on. This gives them a chance to get under the ice right away and eliminates seagull and cormorant predation, which was a big problem in the past with spring plantings. This years planting is scheduled for Feb. If you are interested in seeing it, check with Todd on the date and bring the kids and come watch. The planting is at Houdeks Creek at the very north east corner of the North Basin.

[Dawg]

Thanks bucko, interesting stuff.

I'd like to get a survey when they come out too.

[davep215]

Does anyone know if there is good ice on LL right now?

[Boardman Brookies]

Buck I would be intertested in a survey please. I fish the lake and one of the streams that flows into it quite a bit. I think it would be a great idea to start stocking browns again. Also, I would be interested in coming to the next discussion on the topic. Thanks

[bucko12pt]

Does anyone know if there is good ice on LL right now?

I saw a couple guys out from Bingham Beach (not Bingham Landing) yesterday and from there north to the Village of LL is probably safe as it set up and had 6-7 inches before the big thaw. From Bingham south I'd be real careful. Accessing the ice from shore is a problem.

The north end was froze from the narrows to the public landing on Popp Rd. prior to the thaw. I talked to I guy that went out Sun during the warm weather. He said there was about 4 inches and was rotted away from the shore like elsewhere. From Popp Rd north is not safe.

Wherever you go check the ice carefully.

[bucko12pt]

Thanks bucko, interesting stuff.

I'd like to get a survey when they come out too.

Dawg

Your PM box is full.

Pm me with your email and physical address with phone number and I'll get you a survey when they are available.

[bucko12pt]

For those interested, the Fish Committee from LL will be working with the DNR next week to complete the annual Lake Trout plant for North Lake Leelanau. The trucks will be arriving somewhere between 4-6 pm on Wed.

Right now the plants are planned for Houdek's Creek and Nedow's Bay, both thru the ice. As in the past, the plant should be about 25,000.

Stop by if interested, fun for kids to watch.

[fishenrg]

I fish Lake Leelanau whenever I can convince someone with a boat to take me there. I would be very interested in a survey. Thank you.

[bucko12pt]

I fish Lake Leelanau whenever I can convince someone with a boat to take me there. I would be very interested in a survey. Thank you.

As of the latest information I have, the brown trout plantings are no longer being considered as an option, as are the rainbows. Reason being, conflict with the walleyes and other isssues menationed earlier.

The survey has been delayed somewhat, but will be forthcoming in the near future. I will try to get each of you that wanted one, a copy, when available.

[Fishslayer5789]

That's not the first time I've heard of guys catching tiger muskie in South Lake Leelanau, in fact I've heard of a few people that have taken them but they were pretty small like what was described. I don't know what to believe now unless I see an acutal picture because I could never figure out how they ever got in there in the first place. Were the plans to plant browns set up for North or South Lake Leelanau? I was just assuming the North lake because of all the smelt in there. How was smelt fishing in there this winter in front of Hoedicks Creek? I know there was a large group of shanties out there but I go other places for smelt.