General Fishing Discussion
Perch situation on Lake Michigan
Grew up 3 blocks from the lake right by the filtration plant “metro”
We spent our summers fishing for salmon, trout, and yes perch. We lived down there the entire summer. Everything has changed and in my opinion for the worse. Everyone wants to blame someone or something for the decline but it is mighty hard to find an answer that will stick for Lake Michigan. I have fiends who still catch plenty of perch but I have given up.
I will blame the decline on the wolves but it’s more than likely related to something else.
Dirty? Water= more nutrients = more plankton = more food = more perch? Years ago it was said that there was way too much phosphorus in the water. This led to a change in the makeup in detergents that ultimately ended up in the lake. But by reducing the phosphorus it vastly reduced the amount of nutrients in the water. When the alewives were accidentally introduced into the lake they started to overcome the food chain. This, I believe, is one of the main reasons for the current downturn in perch fishing. CARPIO
Last time I fished a Chicago (I was in my kayak fishing early season coho), we found a body. Doubt I'll be back anytime soon, but that late season perch fishing is insane.
Here's an update that was recently released
https://mdnrlmfmp.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/yellow-perch-and-inshore-fish-annual_2019.pdf
The fish will be bred and raised indoors in tanks that resemble hot tubs in a vacant downtown building, said Ken Webb, a research associate at the university. Small fingerlings will be sold to fish farmers, who will raise the fish until they’re large enough to eat.
tommy never said anything about hot tubs. I would have been all in if he had ........
https://www.outdoornews.com/2018/12/05/wisconsin-researchers-work-to-breed-yellow-perch/
Walranger5 (tommy) may have been on to something............