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Posts: 781
Location: Ames, Iowa | >>A lake is no better or worse if it has weeds or it doesn't...<<
Meso lakes with a healthy growth of naturally occurring weeds at the bottom and the surface of the water have far greater micro and macro invertebrate diversity and therefore increased capacity to grow more fish of each species. More habitat equals more fish per acre. |
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Posts: 781
Location: Ames, Iowa | http://limnology.wisc.edu/personnel/hansen/index_files/Page465.htm
http://limnology.wisc.edu/personnel/hansen/index_files/Page465.htm |
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Posts: 1091
Location: Hayward, WI | The lake my family's cabin on had LOTS of them 6-10 years ago. We would trap them and eat them when ever we where up. The fishing was great (walleye,musky, small mouth), the water quality was great and the lake seemed happy and in balance. Then it got commercially trapped 2 years for crayfish and the crayfish disappeared. The lake now seems out of balance to me. The fishing has dropped off (except for largemouth), the water quality has declined (it is now greener and there is lots of crud on the bottom), we now have terrible siwmmers itch and the weeds are growing out of control. I can't say that the cray fish is the cause of this or if there are lots of other factors to look at, just my observations. |
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | I hate to hijack the thread, but what are some lakes with Milfoil and rusties? What does that combination look like? |
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Posts: 192
| Don't forget to throw some andouille in the pot also. |
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Posts: 410
Location: one foot over the line | LarryO - 9/4/2012 2:15 PM
Don't forget to throw some andouille in the pot also.
How could i forget the sausage??????....must have been the beer.... |
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Posts: 626
Location: Bloomington, MN | If the "Rusty" is from the south, and the northern Wisiconsin lakes only had "Fantails" prior to the late 60's/early 70's the stories I have heard may hold some relevance. A successful bait shop owner and "Crab Trapper" that also sold to restaurants knew that bigger crayfish meant more profit. "Supposedly" he introduced them to his home waters after making a trip down south. My friend worked for his during hs High School years many years later and would ofter trap over 300 lbs. a day. The lake were Pelican and Metonga. |
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Posts: 575
Location: Elk Grove Village, IL & Phillips, WI | Is that the same "Crab Trapper" that got kicked off another website over all his comments on the Pelican lake forum? I think he also made some trouble here for a while too calling out Mr. Worrall and Norm Wild about the increase to 50 on Pelican. If so, he should be flogged!!
Edited by KenK 9/5/2012 12:20 PM
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Posts: 153
| With repsect to LOTW I think Doug's response was spot on. I will say that I am far from an expert!
Having spent the last tweny five years running around LOTW's (as a Flag Island guide for four years and "weekend warrior" for the rest) has been interesting, I have a B.S in Biology and watching the Rusty's change the environment has been fascinating, but concerning as well. We literally (over two years) watched the disapperance of weedbeds from Kennedy Island down to the Windigo's, hell Burnt Island used to be surrounded by weeds. There are none there now. I haven't been in Miles or Sabaskong for six years, but understand the Rusty's have taken out the weeds. Also - in October I used to catch muskies just outside the weedbeds while trolling. Trolling has gotten tougher for me since they arrived.
I had two spots that were almost "automatic", Jack Burns and I called these: "Its a Sure Thing" and "No Respect". Doug once told me that "No Respect" was Doug Stange's favorite spot on LOTW's. I haven't seen a fish in those two spots in four years. I kills me each time I fish those, we caught a bunch of big ones in those two spots. Even the area named (I believe by Doug) "Big Fish Country" the fish have become harder to catch.
It also seems that the more fish just following. Who know's???
One thing I have noticed (but will mention that I have no proof) is how the past two years the Angle has become clearer with less algae blooms earlier in the seaon. I remember in 1993 or 1994 there was an algae bloom on Muskie opener (although last weekend there was bloom in quite a few areas). Some have said that this is due to lack of rain and lack of runoff, but I have no idea. They may be right. But with this years early ice out, I expected an early algae bloom.
I have noticed the smallies are on average bigger. Its very interesting to see walleye's and smallies cough up Rusty's when they are molting.
Prior to muskie opener, my friends and I fish smallies in the Angle. This year I purchased a Dahlberg Clackin' Crawfish Bait (River to Sea). I believed this would give me an edge over my buddies. So I fished with this for two whole days, my buddies fished with tubes, cranks, and spinnerbaits. They kicked my tail. Maybe I need to paint it to look more like a Rusty. However, I do believe this is a great bait and maybe I didn't fish it right.
No matter what most invasive species are not a good thing, especially for a naturally producing lake like LOTW's. It's possible on stocking lakes that the Rusty's have less of an impact, but would defer to a Fisheries Biologist on that one. Rod Ramsell or Bob Strand would be good person's to speak with.
I am just happy I have the opportunity (and a job that allows me) to spend a bunch of time on LOTW's. And want to mention that my friends and I (and many tourist's or visitor's) are still catching some nice fish. But as Doug mentioned the catch rate has seemed to declined.
Dan
Edited by Dan Klis 9/5/2012 7:23 PM
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Posts: 24
| They reduce weeds and are a favorite for the second best freshwater fish, smaillies. |
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Posts: 32895
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | 'reduce'? |
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Posts: 688
Location: Northern IL | Ok somebody help me out, milfoil, "it's a wonderful invasive", what's the problem with it?
Mr. Johnson,
Point taken! |
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Posts: 32895
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Get caught with a bunch on your trailer trying to launch somewhere. Drive through Oneida county trailing some off your trailer bunks, the County Sheriff will give you a special piece of paper.
There's your answer. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | This morning the DNR Fisheries guys on Vermilion let us pull up close to their boat and watch them pull in one of their test nets. Besides several keeper walleyes, a couple big suckers, some good size perch and a couple small ciscos, there was a carpload of rusties in the net. They estimated over 500. The net had been out less than 24 hrs. This was on the east side near Comet. Side note - saw another invasive when I left V for Bemidji this afternoon. Had a wolf cross the road right in front of me on 53. |
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Posts: 1144
Location: Minnesota. | Propster - 9/6/2012 5:22 PM
Side note - saw another invasive when I left V for Bemidji this afternoon. Had a wolf cross the road right in front of me on 53.
Cool! Consider yourself lucky. I saw one once outside of Virginia after we stopped for breakfast. Awesome critters indeed.
Nature, it's amazing...
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Posts: 504
Location: Ludington, MI | Michigan is currently experimenting with special smallmouth regs on Ottawa Lake in Iron County and they're having promising results. The number of large rusties is down significantly.
Edited by tundrawalker00 9/6/2012 6:04 PM
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Posts: 175
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http://www.trapperarne.com/
Website has traps and recipes. Rusties beware. We don't come in peace!!!
If they are going to be everywhere we might as well enjoy. |
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Posts: 95
| Thanks to all for sharing your observations and your insightful comments. I have also been in touch with some fisheries biologists and other crayfish experts. Look for more about this in the November issue of MUSKIE.
Invasive species can cause very serious problems. We all need to be diligent about taking precautions not to spread aqautic invasive species such as rusty crayfish, zebra mussels, invasive plants, etc.
I also enjoyed some of the lighter comments about eating rusty crayfish. I think I'll start including a crayfish boil during some of my summer trips to waters invaded by the rusty. It won't solve the problem, but it will provide a tasty way to get even with at least some of the invaders!
Remember, the Sept/Oct issue of MUSKIE is available free to the public on the Muskies Inc. website: http://www.muskiesinc.org/indy_files/mimag.html
Most issues are only available to our members. Kevin, MUSKIE Editor |
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