Another day at Jay Sporting goods attending the Lake Huron Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Main topics included bait analysis from stomach contents, Commercial angling test whitefish trap netting off of Harbor Beach and Coho stocking sites this spring.
Coho haven’t been stocked in Lake Huron since 1989 and are returning. The stocking schedule will be in 2 ports this spring Thunder Bay River and Sanilac this year and Au Sable River and Harbor Beach in 2020 and then rotate back and forth , this process is called Pulse Stocking. This is a very exciting opportunity for Lake Huron anglers, there is a fast return fishery provided by coho. This year we should see some Jack Coho and in the spring provide a viable fishery in southern Huron and then a fall return of Mature fish.
USGS reported an increase in bait. The majority of the species reported to the increase was Bloater Chubs. There was a slight increase in smelt and a few alewives were observed in the assessment . In the diet study it was repeated several times that the Chinook are finding food but not the right food, primarily smelt and sticklebacks. In the report the professor reported that basically they are eating garbage. Before you get upset for this report remember that we are reporting the scientific assessment data and comments said at the meeting not the GLSI opinion. Chinook have a preference in diet and in order to be healthy require that preferred food.
Lamprey control in Canadian shield waters continues to be a concern. The Missassagi and Garden Rivers have not been treated for 2-3yrs and the import is that they produce more Lamprey than the St Marys and Saginaw Rivers combined. This could be detrimental to Lake trout and Whitefish populations.