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Posts: 188
Location: Downers Grove | Muskie stocking
• About 12,500 to be stocked in October
• Pike size limit to be reinstated
By BRIAN MULHERIN
Daily News Staff Writer
Anglers on Hamlin Lake will notice some big additions to the fishery in a few years if they’re lucky.
The Department of Natural Resources is expected to plant as many as 12,500 muskies in the lake in October as part of a fisheries prescription for the impoundment.
Mark Tonello, the DNR biologist who ordered the fish to be planted, said his logic was simple.
“It’s because Hamlin Lake is a big lake with the potential to grow muskies to trophy size and create a very exciting fishery. Muskie opportunities in this part of the state are very lacking. It will create a fishery that really doesn’t exist within at least two hours of Ludington.”
Tonello said the nearest muskie fisheries are probably Thornapple Lake near Hastings and Skegemog Lake near Elk Rapids, along with recently stocked Lake Margarethe near Grayling.
“I’ve been talking to to some of the muskie alliance guys, and one of the reasons they’re so excited is Hamlin is a big, diverse lake and you’re not going to see forage problems,” Tonello said.
Hamlin Lake received plantings of tiger muskies, a sterile hybrid of pike and muskellunge, from 1969-1988 and there are several anecdotal accounts of Great Lakes muskellunge appearing in the lake well into the 1950s.
Tonello said he doesn’t expect the muskies will hurt any other gamefish populations.
“As far as eating walleye, that’s not their preferred prey. Sure they’ll eat a couple, but with as many as we’re stocking, it should not be an issue,” Tonello said.
Tonello noted that Hamlin is scheduled to receive a walleye plant again next spring.
He said panfishermen concerned the muskies may impact Hamlin’s bluegill fishery shouldn’t worry.
See MUSKie PLANTING, page A2
MUSKY PLANTING
Continued from page A1
“While they may eat a few panfish, that’s not their primary prey,” Tonello said. “They really prefer to eat soft-rayed prey like suckers and carp. Quite frankly, I think walleye have more of a potential to impact panfish more than pike and muskies do.”
The “prescription” for muskies is for a large plant over three years followed by maintenance plants.
“I asked for, I think, 12,500, which is 2.3 per acre or something like that,” Tonello said. He said the lake would get 12,500 or so each of the next three years, followed by another plant in 2010.
“Of course, raising muskies is not an exact science so I don’t know how many I’ll get. The hatchery will try for that, and they have assured me they have a good number available.”
Tonello said the fish, which are reared at Wolf Lake Hatchery near Kalamazoo from eggs obtained from Thornapple Lake and Lake Hudson near Adrian, are about 11 inches long right now. He said the fish could spawn within four or five years. The two-year stocking gap in 2008 and 2009 will help biologists understand if they’re getting natural reproduction from the lake in the future.
The addition of muskies to the fishery means that the size limit on pike on Hamlin Lake will be reinstated in 2006. Starting April 1, the size limit on pike will be 24 inches and the daily limit will be two fish. The muskellunge size limit will be 42 inches, but the fish are not expected to reach legal size for about six years.
“It means spear fishermen are going to have to be alert, have to be judicious and make sure that they’re not spearing a muskie,” Tonello said of the change. “It definitely will change things a bit for the spearfishermen. They’re not going to be able to whack any skinny, toothy-looking fish that comes along.”
Tonello said hook-and-line anglers will also have to handle accidentally caught fish with care.
“The most important thing is to get them back in the water as quickly as possible,” Tonello said. “Keep them out of the water as short a time as possible.”
Tonello said if a fish is hooked in it gut or gills, the best option is to cut the hook off and leave it in the fish.
“A single hook or even a treble will rust out,” Tonello said. “They have a better chance of surviving than they do if you rip it out or tear them up real bad.”
past stocking includes tiger muskie only>
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 7/23/1981 6,593 6.88 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 8/13/1981 500 6.48 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 8/10/1983 5,785 8.56 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 8/22/1984 10,000 7.28 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 8/13/1985 8,000 6.24 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 9/17/1986 10,000 7.24 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 9/25/1987 10,000 10 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 9/29/1988 9,000 10.44 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 7/18/1980 4,367 2.6 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 7/18/1980 4,810 4.44 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 7/18/1980 2,919 3.16 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 8/6/1982 25,000 5.96 State Plant none
Mason Hamlin Lake
SNIDERS RESORT
(19N 18W 15) Tiger muskellunge
Hybrid 8/1/1983 2,300 7.2 State Plant none
guys our next step is to stop the spearing ....... and get them to stock this many every year....... spearing will hurt all of these fish if not banned...... can we send them a petition with everyones signature in favor of this..... i know everyone in michigan would love to have hamlin as another lake to fish for muskie..... lets get the michigan muskie alliance invloved and everyone and anyone counts.......
thanks guys brian
if this helps in the last 2 years spear fisherman have speared 5 muskie biggest being 47, but last year a blugill fisherman caught a 50 + lets get on this before the spearers get them......
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| No worries bud. You'll note in the article that Mark mentions talking to MMA. We've talked stocking, spearing, etc. - we're involved.
Will |
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Posts: 1080
| Wow. How ironic. I've been researching Hamlin Lake quite a bit here lately. I was very close to emailing Will Schultz to get some inside scoop on this lake.
I've pretty much "grown up" on Hamlin Lake. Our family started vacationing on that lake back around 1980. I've been consistently going back to that lake since for the past 25 years. Hamlin Lake is purely responsible for getting me started and interested in fishing for Pike and Muskie. My first pike and my first muskie both came from this lake back in 1982...that's when it all began for me. I have an extreme love for that lake. LOTS of great, great memories have been made up there growing up.
I'm so glad to hear they're going to start ramping up the stocking program again up there.
I'm stoked to read and hear this. I can't wait to get back up there in the next few years with more potential for muskie than small pike.
This is awesome! |
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Posts: 469
Location: Downers Grove, IL | I second that MACK! I've been going up there all my life and I almost soiled myself last night when I read the article. I've spent countless hours on the lake and know that it is going to crank out some huge fish in about 10 years. The lake if filled with forage. Bullheads, suckers, crap, sheephead, and a ton of perch and rock bass. This is huge!! Now all we need to do is start educating the fishermen in the area. I'm going to talk to Dave from North Bayou Resort and get the details on the stocking. Anyone have an data on successfull stocking? Should the fish be dispersed around the lake? WHat about the dam? Can a net be place to prevent them from going out to SEA?? I know here in Illinois the fish on shelbyville and shabbanna got over the dam every spring. How about birds? Should the muskies be stocked at night? The more detail the better. I'm really glad the Michigan Muskie Alliance is involved. Those guys have done a great job in Michigan!!
thedude |
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Posts: 1080
| thedude - 10/4/2005 9:57 AM
The lake if filled with forage. Bullheads, suckers, crap, sheephead, and a ton of perch and rock bass.
LOL! Well...I know that in my past experiences at Hamlin...there's certainly a lot of sheephead and rock bass! My cousin and my uncle are natorious for catching those two species! We call my cousin "The Rock Bass King."
We've been out fishing for walleyes and get several sheephead....lots of bowfin/dogfish in there as well.
IS there any cisco or shad in that lake at all? Or is the main forage what you've listed above?
Best muskie I've caught out of Hamlin was a 42 incher back in the summer of '86. I remember that like it was yesterday. I've got a great story that goes along with that great fish.
Good small mouth bass lake too....or at least is used to be. Been a long time since I've targeted the smallies up there.
Man...I wish we had one more three day weekend this year that isn't a major holiday weekend so that I could get up there for a hit 'n run trip there and back. I miss the DUNES!  |
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Posts: 469
Location: Downers Grove, IL | I dont believe that there are any ciscos out there, but who knows. Seen some weird stuff on the Aqua-Vu. I've actually seen a few brown trout and found about a 10 pounder floating dead in Sterns Bay. Weird stuff. Must have come down the river into the lake. Hamlin does offer some great fishing. A few years back we were nailin the smallies, up to 23 inches, but they have seemed to taper off as of late. I find that timing is really key out there. Spring and and fall are great times to fish the weeds and bayous. Had some tremendous days out there in May. As for the muskies, I've only have a few run-ins with the tigers they stocked in the 70's and 80's. Too bad they didnt stock naturals. WOW! That would have been something. The funny thing about the lake is that when Im out there fishing for bass or pike, I'll look over at my brother and say "Man, could you image burnin a bucktail over this weedbed and just seeing a DC-10 come in hot on it!" One day. Well its begun. Finally. That state record will be broken in about 15 years!!!!
thedude |
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Posts: 1080
| Again...I'm just plain stoked about this lake's future.
I JUST emailed my two cousins that also grew up with me up there since the 1980s and told them of this as they'd fish with me all those years. I told them it's time for us to recreate our family reunion up there with our kids the way our parents created those special times up there for us!
I know Barb has probably sold off Edgewater resort by now since it was For Sale the last time I was up there...I'm sure the cabins are probably all leveled by now...not sure though since it's been a while since I've been up there. But Point Comfort's still kickin' from what I understand. The big pier may be gone now...but that's okay. That big pier is where I got my first Northern Pike ever. That got the ball rolling right there. Got the Pike on a traditional red and white Daredevil spoon. Go figure.
I'm amped to get back up there. Just told my cousin that we need to get working on getting next years plans in the works for our trip next year. We'll probably have to plan a Spring trip since he and his wife will probably be working in their second child by then as my wife and I will probably be by then as well.
I LOVE being up there in the Fall time. Right around now...late Septemeber and early October. We hit Manistee Lake for Salmon as well that time of year. Decent smallies up there too.
Yeah...I've always known the Brown Trout was in that lake...down deep...being the river runs the length of the lake.
Lots of perch in there too. Perch could be one of the main forage base up there. Maybe Will could chime in about either Ciscos or Shad being present up there???
I want to introduce that lake and those dunes to my wife up there! Too cool of a lake. Good old Lost Lake that's attached to Hamlin.....ahhhhh...the memories...I can smell the sun tan lotion and the Weber Grill with the blue bag of Kingsford Charcoal warmin' up right now! LOL! |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | No cisco and no shad. It's way too far north for shad. Cisco may have been historically present and were likely overharvested after the dam was in place and eventually eliminated. Primary forage wil be white sucker, perch and bullheads.
You guys are making me laugh at how excited you are about this. Stocking will be done every other year and the total number will likely be reduced. The real goal is to establish a self sustaining population, so stocking can be supplemental. Don't expect this to turn out numbers of fish like Illinois or Indiana lakes where shad are present. |
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Posts: 1080
| I had suspected that Hamlin would be too far north for Shad...but wasn't sure.
I do know the perch population sustained the Norhtern up there.
I'm not excited for Hamlin in the way you think. I'm not thinking it'll be another lake like what we have here in Indiana at all. Not at all. I'm just excited to know that there'll be a better potential for muskie up there again finally. That's where my true muskie fishing experience comes from, being a tough lake to find and score a muskie, unlike the Indiana lakes.
It's just cool to hear that the DNR is going to put efforts into one of the lakes that I've cheerished for many, many years and it's still one of the Michigan lakes that's near our cabin and one that we visit at least once a year. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Mack - Sorry, that wasn't meant negatively I hope you didn't take it that way. I'm glad to see that you are excited about this lake being added, it's a step in the right direction for Michigan. |
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Posts: 1080
| Oh no, I read no negativity in your post at all. It's all good.
Yeah..very excited about this lake being an "up and comer." My Uncle and cousin will be stoked too. I introduced them into these fish on that lake back in teh summer of '86...when I got my 42" out of Hamlin. That summer was a summer that'll live in infamy. That was a summer that was HOT and I couldn't swim nor go up on the dunes at all. I had just blown my leg up with fireworks from that 4th of July and was trying to heal from 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my entire left thigh. Only thing I could do was fish that week. No water skiing, no swimming, no dune walks...all I could do was hunker down and fish. Not so bad I suppose.
We've had a blast up there over the years with the Northern. Still looking for a decent Northern out of that lake. I can't seem to break out of the 30 inch range. Last time we were up there...we had our hands full of those scrappy little 18-23 inch Northerns. Fun...but not what we really wanted to tangle with. |
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Location: Downers Grove, IL | Mack:
I feel that same way. 6 fish per acre like Webster is crazy stuff, certainly not what I had in mind for hamlin. I'm just pumped up about michigan cranking out so many muskies this year and the fact that they'll finally be at my doorstep. Plus I've alway thought Hamlin was a true trophy potential lake....Forage, structure, size, river-fed, depth, etc. The only problem I see is spearing which is obviously and issue that is outta my league to tackle. You guys a MMA have done a great job!
thedude |
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Posts: 1080
| Dude,
Where to you live? Do you live in the vacinity of Hamlin?
I know it's a long ways out yet, but, once the three of us, my uncle, my cousin and I, get our act together and figure out when we'll be up there next year? I'll have to let you know and maybe we could hook up for a day outting out there on Hamlin one day. We usually aim to go up to our cabin for a week long stay. We usually bounce back and forth from Hamlin and Manistee.
DOH!...nevermind...I just saw your sig underneath your avitar and it says Illinois....
Edited by MACK 10/5/2005 2:31 PM
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Location: Downers Grove, IL | Mack,
I typically am up there about every other weekend in the summer. I've been going since I was a kid, so have my parents, etc. The place rocks! Plain and simple. I stay on the South Bayou when I head up north and would love to try and set up a time to fish up there! I do fish a number of muskie lakes in that general area and have done very well. Let me know when you are headin up there.
thedude |
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Posts: 1080
| Excellent. I'll be sure to let you know.
My cousin and his wife will be trying for their second child next year, as will my wife and I. So...intead of our typical late Summer/early Fall trip...we may have to do a late Spring/early Summer trip. We'll see how things go. |
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