Tonights Starting Topic: 8/21/09

[Woodland Rivers]

Tonights 'Fish Dish' topic is salmon in the Great Lakes: are they coming or going? What are some factors contributing to the comeback or decline and should they start planting salmon in the Thumb of Michigan again? Have fun with this topic everyone! For all of those who participate tonight in 'The Fish Dish' you will be entered into a drawing to win a 1/2 dzn salmon flies. Remember that you can always expand the topic(s) as well or add more about salmon in general. Have a great weekend everyone and Fish On!

From what I've read and heard, the salmon population drastically depends upon their environment. Population density and size is dependent upon the baitfish which in turn is dependent upon their food source, which in turn is dependent upon the weather/climate...and so on.
I also have read about theories where the population goes through cycles. This is supposed to be a banner year......just what I've heard.
I know of a couple of "big water" fishermen that claim the size of the salmon are larger than years past. I have seen a couple of post that have 30lbrs! Could be a fun year on the river with an 8 weight!

I was unaware that salmon were not being planted in the Thumb area and would very much support stocking that area in the future.
I'm ceretainly no expert but believe that many of the foreigns brought into our waters have had a significant impact on the salmon population. Forage loss has impacted numbers and size. Is there an answer to the problem or are we just stuck with it? Is this the same problem with dwindling steelhead numbers on the east side of the state? Oh what I would give for the "good old days".

Salmon seem to be running bigger this year all along the west side.
I'm guessing it was a good year for alewives. Or a bad year if your an alewive. (not sure if I'm spelling it right).
Biggest king I've heard of so far out of Grand Haven is 26 1/2lbs. There should be a good number of 30+ lbers entering the grand this fall.
Also have been getting good reports of good size kings coming out of the big manistee already. Bigger than the past couple years anyways.
I believe they go thru cycles like everything else in nature.
When the prey is at high numbers the preditor is at high numbers. When their prey is at low numbers the preditor is at low numbers also.
Works the same as with fox/yote & rabbits/partridge.
I can tell ya from experience that the grand is OVERDUE to get a good run of kings. I can't remember the last good fall we had. Even the coho #'s have been down lately. I am hoping to see more of them this fall also.


Personally I'd like to see the DNR quite wasting money on kings & instead plant more LRB's.
Hopefully that will start happening within the next 3 or 4 years. They are working on producing a new strain that looks very promising.

Of course non of it will mater in 6 or 7 years if those asian carp make it to lake MI.