One Fish Has Really Been Making a Comeback in Lake Michigan
A few years ago a buddy of mine was talking about how fishing in Lake Michigan has really declined, fast forward and one species is really making a comeback.
Fishing in Lake Michigan
Michigan has some of the best fishing opportunities in the entire United States. That doesn't always mean the fishing is good.
It's not that fishermen are catching too many fish, or over commercial fishing in Lake Michigan that saw a decline in fish numbers. Over the past few decades, invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels have been eating up much of the base of Lake Michigan's food that other fish need to survive. This has affected alewife which is a main source of food for salmon and trout.
Fishing for salmon in Lake Michigan has long been a treasure trove for anglers from around the state and around the country. A few years back the salmon numbers were way down but there is some good news for anglers looking to hook a few.
Lake Michigan Salmon Numbers On the Rise
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources keeps a close eye on the salmon population and works hard to maintain their numbers in Lake Michigan. Salmon fishing is a big business for commercial fishermen as well as the money it brings in from local anglers wanting to fill their freezers.
Salmon are big so it doesn't take too many to feed a family. Plus, salmon are very strong fish and put up one of the biggest fights for fishermen fishing in fresh water.
Poles have been bending big time in Lake Michigan this season. This season and last have been some of the best numbers of salmon on Lake Michigan in years. It's not just the number of salmon being caught, it's also been the huge sizes of fish anglers have been bringing in.
The next time you see someone from the fishery department of the DNR, you thank them for the fine job they have been doing. 10 years ago the DNR noticed the alewife population was down which is the main food source for salmon. The DNR took steps to increase the alewife population and now anglers are benefiting big time from this long-term move. The more the alewife population grows, the more salmon can be stocked in Lake Michigan and when these two things happen, fishermen are the winners.
