Boat Launch Permits are issued by
Manitowoc County Planning, Zoning & Parks Dept.
4319 Expo Drive, PO Box 935
Manitowoc, WI 54221-0935
Category: lake michigan
Skamania to be Reintroduced to Lake Michigan
Skamania Steelhead. Source: DNR FactSheet
April 4, 2017. In a boost to diversify Lake Michigan fishing opportunities, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will reintroduce Skamania steelhead into the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan over the next three to five years.
Dave Giehtbrock, DNR fisheries propagation section chief, said the Skamania strain is particularly prized because it may reach 32 inches and 12 pounds at age five – larger than other strains. Read the full article on the Wisconsin DNR website.
About the Skamania summerrun steelhead:
This strain was developed at the Skamania hatchery in the state of Washington. Wisconsin originally obtained eggs from Indiana, but we now take eggs from adults returning to our streams. The spawning migration (known as “the run”) begins in late June and early July. The good stream fishing doesn’t begin until the water temperatures start to cool, usually in mid‐September. Spawning occurs from mid‐December through mid‐March with the peak occurring in January and February. The majority of spawning fish are four and five year olds. Four year old fish average 28 inches and 8 pounds while five year old fish average 32 inches and 12 pounds.
Expanded Lake Michigan lake trout harvest takes effect April 15
04/13/2017. MADISON, Wis. – Expanded lake trout harvest opportunities will take effect Saturday, April 15 in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan thanks to an emergency rule approved by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board.
The rule takes into account current lake trout populations including the reestablishment of natural reproduction in some refuge areas and is not expected to affect long-term restoration efforts, said Brad Eggold, Great Lakes district fisheries supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The new five fish daily bag limit was developed following an extensive angler engagement process that included seven public meetings with total attendance of 500.
Emergency Lake Michigan Trout Rules in Effect
March 1, 2017—The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board today approved an emergency rule regarding bag limits and season length on lake trout for Lake Michigan. The rule increases lake trout daily bag limits to five 10″ fish on Lake Michigan waters with open season from March 1–Oct 31. The previous limit was two fish.
This does not change the regulations for the Mid Lake Reef Complex (see page 66 of Wisconsin’s Hook & Line guide) where there is NO open season. Read more
2015 Point Creek Smallmouth Bass Survey Report
February 25, 2016 – The 2015 Point Creek Smallmouth Bass Survey Report is now available for review.
Invasive Species are Altering the Fisheries of Lake Michigan
January 2016 – The forecasts for anglers targeting Lake Michigan trout and salmon is dismal. The changing condition of the fishery was reflected last year in the lowest catch of trout and salmon in decades despite a 4% increase in angler effort. DNR 2015 creel survey showed anglers caught 269,978 trout and salmon, a drop of 11% from 2014 and lowest since at least 1990. Read more
Thin Ice Warnings [2016]
January 5, 2016–Residents on Silver Lake are reporting patches of hazardous thin ice due to the abnormally high activity of deep springs in the lake bed. Greater care than normal should be exercised when accessing the lake ice this year.
Read more
Nothing So Constant As Change
An article by Ron Schaper explaining the dynamic Great Lakes environment and suggesting some of the causes responsible for the changes.
“Nothing So Constant as Change”
(PDF with low resolution images, 1MB)
“Nothing So Constant as Change”
(PDF with full resolution images, 7MB)
Experts Predict Significantly Higher Lake Levels This Year
Source: MLive.com article from February 10, 2015 Read the full article
Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are expected to continue to rise into this coming summer. The current forecast has the lake levels significantly higher this summer as compared to last summer. The most likely forecasted water level for Lake Michigan-Huron for this coming July is 14 inches higher than last summer.
Level as measured on 4/20/15: 578 ft. | Predicted level for 8/20/15: 579.2-580.48 ft
This graph shows the average level (blue) and the record level (red) of Lake Michigan. Generate your own graphs using the tools available at NOAA’s Great Lake Water Levels page.
