EdB

Welcome to GLF, coho's are starting to bite along the south shore and up the MI coast.

Welcome, fishing is starting to get underway now.

Welcome to GLF!

Welcome to GLF, a little slow here in winter but things will be picking up soon.

This is the most critical time for anglers to step up and help in our fight to prevent a massive expansion of gill nets in the Great Lakes. Here is how you can help. The Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources and their attorneys are representing sport anglers in Federal Court and it has been and will continue to be a very costly legal battle. Please contribute as much as you can to this campaign to fund our representation. CPRM is filing objections to the proposed decree in court. They have an appeal before the Federal Appeals court for an equal role in continued negotiations. This costly fight will continue for many months to come. This is the only way to improve a new consent decree that is fair to both the Tribes and sport anglers. We have to act now! We are all quick to drop a $20 for the hottest baits and we spend $100's on rod and reel combos and other tackle. Please go to the link and make a contribution to keep our representatives and attorneys in this fight. https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-great-lakes-sportfishing

Our Indiana GLSI board member attended the 2 Indiana DNR stocking meetings last weekend. The subject of the meetings was about increasing the number of king salmon stocked in Indiana, and how to allocate that stocking for the next 3-5 years. The last stocking meeting was held three years ago. Indiana will increase their stocking quota from 225,000 Kings to the new announced number of 275,000. Most, if not all of this will come from the Mixsawba hatchery. These guys are rock stars for Indiana. Indiana doesn’t have any natural reproduction, and none of the stocking sites are premier stocking sites. But Mixsawba makes it work and it is appreciated by the fishing community. Last year, Michigan allocated $30 million dollars of the Federal money that all states are getting to invest and improve in their hatchery system. Indiana’s hatcheries could benefit from upgrades to the bio-filters and infrastructure. We would like to see this happen at Mixsawba. This comes down to priorities in allocating Federal money in Indianapolis and our fisheries do not appear to be a priority there. Indiana has stocked their 3 primary ports, Michigan City, Portage and East Chicago. Even though Indiana is increasing king stocking, it was announced at the meeting they were considering ending stocking at East Chicago. The state will be surveying all anglers who bought a trout and salmon stamp for feedback on cutting the plant at East Chicago. The survey will ask if there should be no changes in stocking locations or if East Chicago’s stocking should be eliminated and the fish moved to Portage and Michigan City. The GLSI questions this survey and process. It would make sense to reduce ports and consolidate stocking if king stocking was being cut but with an increase, we feel it’s better to stock all 3 ports to provide more opportunity to anglers. The port at East Chicago had their first return of kings last fall which was comprised of 2-year-old kings. 2023 will be their first return of mature 3-year-old kings. We feel it is better to wait one more year to evaluate the return of 3-year-old fish and use that information in making stocking decisions. This port would suffer socially and economically. It should also be noted this would reduce the number of spots for Indiana shore fishermen. In addition, local anglers at East Chicago have prepared and are ready to launch a net pen program for stocked kings. While there is some data from Wisconsin that net pens do not make a difference, Michigan has had tremendous results with returns from net pens. Common sense would indicate that if you net pen kings, acclimate them, feed them and let them grow in size before releasing them, more will survive. If you have ever seen smolts right after they are dumped from the stocking truck, they are dazed and disoriented and easy prey for seagull and cormorants. The local East Chicago community is asking for the survey to be held off one year so proper evaluation and science can be applied before any decisions are made. It should be noted that the survey pits fishermen against each other and comes down to a vote on where to stock fish. We think it is better to make stocking decision based on science and data. If a port has bad returns, then reduce or eliminate stocking but if a port has good returns, then stocking should not be cut, and that information should be the basis for the decision. Our local GLSI board member has advocated that Indiana create a citizen’s advisory board to help guide stocking decisions like the Michigan process. In Michigan, advisors are presented with the data on charter boat catch rates, coded wire tag returns, angler effort and creel reports to gauge stocking success to use the best science to advise the DNR on where to stock fish. An underlying principle is the get the best possible return to fishery for the cost of each fish stocked. IDNR leadership in Indianapolis has rejected this concept and is choosing to go with a survey. The downside is decisions will be made based on emotions or the number of anglers who respond and not based on data and science. One last positive of stocking 3 ports instead of 2 is it provides some insurance should a plant fail at one site. There have been several chemical spills from the steel mills at Portage that have resulted in large fish kills. What if this happened when newly stocked king smolts were in the river? We feel decisions based on science, and the best updated information, along with informed anglers working in a true partnership with the IDNR will lead to improved fishing for all Indiana anglers. We want anglers to think about this before returning their stocking survey. We would also request this question be added to it – Should Indiana allocate Federal funding to upgrade our hatchery systems? Anglers need to let the leadership in Indianapolis know that we need more investment in our fisheries. The GLSI is encouraging all Indiana anglers to vote for the status quo and continue stocking all 3 ports for at least one more year to evaluate the return of mature kings at East Chicago.

The 2000 decree is extended until the proposed decree is settled. Sault Tribe won't agree to it and wants to self manage their fishery. The court opened up a period to file objections to the proposed decree until Jan 20th, 2023. Has yet to rule on the Sault Tribe motion.

Update on proposed consent decree court proceedings today: An update hearing was held at Federal Court in Kalamazoo today. As this was a public hearing we had a member of our board attend to collect some first hand information. Also we wanted to show public support for The Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources who have been fighting for the interests of recreational anglers in these negotiations when they are allowed. The main reason for the hearing was to set dates to submit objections to the proposed decree which has been set for Jan 20 2023. However there were some interesting takeaways from the meeting. #1 For the first time the lawyer for the CPMR was allowed to sit amongst the other lawyers instead of in the gallery and was able to address the judge during the hearings. This hopefully shows a future willingness to give weight to the CPMR's concerns without having to run them through the state. #2 The Sault tribe continues to put forth that they do not consent to the decree. Their position is that the 2000 decree has expired and they are no longer held to any obligations associated with it. Their desire is to regulate themselves and to fish without any regulations brought by the State of Michigan or other tribes. They have filed 1 motion and will be filing another by Dec 27 detailing these legal arguments. Objections to those motions by the other parties will also be heard on Jan 20. GLSI will continue to attend any public court proceedings and update our membership as they happen. Picture of the Federal Court in Kalamazoo

I don't think that would make a big difference. Try calling Lund and ask why they have different hp limits. Hull design or strength??? It is always better to have an overpowed boat than and underpowered boat.

More info on the consent decree and the expansion of gill nets. A court order from the US District Court Western District of Michigan Northern Division was released on December 2, 2022 that confirms the 5 Tribes involved in the consent decree negotiations have pushed to expand gill nets in the Treaty of 1836 waters and the State of Michigan has agreed to the expansion. There is a long history of the use of gill nets for commercial fishing in the Great Lakes and it is not good. Commercial gill net fishing from the 1800’s up to the 1950’s wiped out lake trout, ciscoes, killed millions of sturgeons and severely depressed perch and walleye stocks. Overfishing by gill nets was a key factor in the extinction of blue pike (from the walleye family) in the Great Lakes. As soon as Indiana and Illinois banned commercial fishing with gill nets in their waters of Lake Michigan, perch populations started to recover. The main problem with gill nets is they kill every fish that gets into them regardless if they were the target species or not. A gill net set for lake trout will kill every salmon that swims into it. Gill nets are indiscriminate killers and have wiped out fisheries all over the world. One of the primary focuses and positive outcome of the Consent Decrees of 1985 and 2000 was to fairly share the fishery between the Tribes and sport anglers and bring about a huge reduction in gill nets by converting many tribal commercial fisheries to trap nets. The State of Michigan agreed to buy out state licensed commercial fishers so they stopped fishing and then provided, at a huge expense to taxpayers, all the boats, nets, and gear to the Tribes. Trap nets do not kill all fish that enter them like gill nets and non-target species like sturgeon can be released. Cooperative fisheries management agencies and processes, between the Tribes, Federal Government and the State of Michigan, were created to equally share in the fisheries resources and to ensure that fish stocks remained robust and healthy. There was a large focus on lake trout rehabilitation followed by efforts to restore sturgeon and cisco. Over the past 2 decades the 2000 decree worked well, minimized conflict and protected our resources for us and the Tribes. The impact of zebra and quagga mussels reduced the fertility of the Great Lakes and caused a major disruption to the food web. As a result, the sportfishing industry and state agencies reacted by reducing salmon stocking and imposing regulations to reduce lake trout harvest. These efforts were painful to 1000’s of small businesses and port communities that depend on sportfishing, but they worked. Salmon catch rates hit all-time lows, but the forage base began to recover and so have the salmon in recent years. It is ironic that in southern Lake Michigan outside of Treaty of 1836 waters and tribal commercial fishing, lake trout are naturally reproducing and are almost fully recovered there, to the point stocking is not needed and lake trout numbers are expanding and self-sufficient. In the northern treaty waters where there remains heavy tribal commercial fishing pressure and mortality, lake trout are not self-sufficient and require massive federal and state stocking programs. Whitefish stocks and catch rates are also depressed due to the mussels and the Tribes response has been to push for more gill nets that will only take more fish and continue their population decline. Expanding gill net fisheries in treaty waters will only further hurt recovery of lake trout, whtefish, cisco and sturgeon. They will have a negative impact on an improving salmon fishery. We have included the complete order released from the court at the end of this post. It is a long read but provides a lot of insight into the negotiations that have been hidden by the gag order imposed by the parties. We will break down key points that have come from this document. The first thing the court order does is say again that it has extended the current treaty from 2000 until complete agreement is reached among all parties. This is good but it is only temporary, and when you read the rest of the document, it confirms gill netting will be expanded in the new decree. The GLSI has always been concerned that the State will not represent sport anglers and not protect our Great Lakes resources for the future. The Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources, the primary group representing sport anglers in the negotiation, had been shut out by the State of Michigan recently while the State moves toward a new agreement that clearly looks like it is not protecting our Great Lakes resources. Expanding commercial gill netting has never resulted in improving fisheries resources. This exact statement on page 5 and 7 of the court order indicates what we have all feared, the State has agreed to allow more gill netting: “Under the 2000 Consent Decree, gill net fishing was not permitted in Grids 813 and 814. In negotiating the successor decree, the parties have agreed to open these Grids to gill net fishing” “Moreover, under the successor decree, the State is allowing thousands more feet of gill net effort per day to the other Tribes: the proposed decree would allow up to three licenses and a total of 12,000 feet of large mesh gill net effort by Little Traverse fishers and two licenses and a total of 12,000 feet of large mesh gill net effort by Sault Tribe fishers. Further, Little Traverse would be allowed to license two fishers each with up to 6,000 feet of net in Little Traverse Bay, and same for Little River Band within its Tribal zone. Finally, the proposed decree places no net effort limitations on Bay Mills fishers.” (see Page 7 of the court order. While this indicates the State of Michigan has agreed to expanded gill netting, there were still disputes between the State and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians over the amount of gill nets in Grand Traverse Bay, including permitting use of small mesh gill nets for perch and hook and line commercial fishing. Here are those differences as contained in the court order. “A. Permit Requirements for New Gill Net Fishers in Grids 813 & 814 GTB proposal: Permits will be required for Tribal commercial fishers using gill nets in newly opened areas for the first three years after the successor decree takes effect. State proposal: Permits will be required for Tribal commercial fishers using gill nets in newly opened areas until gill net fishing has occurred in the area for five consecutive years.” What is most concerning on this issue is that after this initial period requiring the Grand Traverse Band to issue permits for gill netting, once it is over, tribal permits won’t be needed and it could lead to a wide open unregulated tribal gill net fishery. This could be devastating to the Great Lakes resources in the area. “B. Net Effort Limitations in Grids 815 & 816 GTB proposal: Gill net effort will be limited to 4,500 feet of gill net in East and West Bay per day. State proposal: Gill net effort will be limited to 3,600 feet of gill net in East and West Bay per day.” “C. Small Mesh Gill Net Fishing in the North Half of Grid 616 GTB proposal: This area near Charlevoix will be open to perch fishing with small mesh gill nets year-round. State proposal: This area will remain closed to perch fishing with small mesh gill nets.” “D. Use of Hook-and-Line Gear for Commercial Fishing GTB proposal: Recreational hook-and-line fishing gear will be allowed for commercial fishing only within the Grand Traverse Tribal Zone, which includes all waters from Good Harbor Bay up to just south of Charlevoix and all of Grand Traverse Bay. State proposal: Recreational hook-and-line fishing gear (i.e., rod and reel) will not be allowed for commercial fishing anywhere within 1836 Treaty waters.” Per the court order released Friday, the presiding judge, Paul L. Maloney, agreed with the GTB proposals and ordered that these proposals will become part of the successor consent decree when it is finalized. There are more details in the full court order and we encourage you to read all of it but these key points confirm the 5 Tribes want more gill nets in the Great Lakes and the State of Michigan has agreed to it. There are still more negotiations that will take place before a new decree is finalized and released but this court order confirms that the new decree will allow miles of additional gill nets in the northern Great Lakes. Who knows what else will be included in the final decree but with what is known from this court order with the expansion of commercial gill netting, the future of our Great Lakes resources in Treaty of 1836 waters will be one of conflict and decline. The GLSI will be carefully following developments and exploring all options including legal action to oppose the expansion of gill nets. We will continue to support the Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources. We will keep you informed. What can you do to help in the fight to protect our Great Lake resources? We are beginning our annual 2023 membership campaign and your support is critical to allow the GLSI to fight for our sport fishery. Please consider renewing your membership and joining the GLSI if you’re not a member to help us in this fight. It only costs $20 dollars for a basic membership. You can join or renew at this link. https://glsalmon.org/great-lakes-salmon-initiative-memberships/ We also recommend supporting the Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources. Get involved with your local clubs that support the coalition. You can contribute to them here: https://protectmiresources.com/ Here is the complete court order released on Friday: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:78a3f345-e8fb-4302-b8b9-3488d8f90972

It's a great fishery. I'm done there for this season. Moved my boat to Ludington for the rest of this year. Fishing at Erie in Michigan waters will be good for a few weeks but it slow down later in July. It will pick back up in the fall. I think May/June is the best time to fish there.

We fished north of Fermi in 19 to 21 FOW. Spoons and diver disc's back on 70 ft leads. Mid morning our bite slowed and we dropped them back to 80 ft leads and finished with our limit of 18. Same spoons from prior weeks, pic in last weeks post. Good luck!

A half core and a full core, a 225 and a 300ft copper.

https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/gaylord/2018/10/11/help-prevent-spread-of-invasive-new-zealand-mudsnails/44407813/

38 to 42 degrees at St Joe Sunday. Odd it was warmer farther north. The warmest water we found was south of the Cook plant and coldest near the pier

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/tips-to-stop-spread-of-zebra-mussels-in-lakes/