Thursday, November 18, 2010

Salmon's end


Each year, Michigan's Department of Natural Resources stocks millions of hatchery-raised young salmon in tributaries of the Great Lakes. As a result, Lake Michigan salmon fishing and fly-fishing for salmon have become popular local sports. Salmon spend four years in the Lake before returning to the rivers to breed and die. The DNR collects eggs from these returning fish to raise in its hatcheries.

Last weekend, we saw a big Chinook in the Pere Marquette river. The run was several weeks ago, so this one was in pretty bad shape. It was still an impressive fish.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has an extensive history and analysis of Lake Michigan's fish population (pdf)

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