Bayfield Fish Expert Predicts Exception Year for Lake Superior Angling

BAYFIELD, WI - Sunday, April 06, 2008 - According to Mike Seider, fisheries biologist, from Bayfield, Wisconsin, fishing on Lake Superior this year should be exceptional.

Chequamegon Bay – Lake Superior provides a wide variety of fishing experiences and Chequamegon Bay is no exception. Conservative fishing regulations, natural reproduction and limited stocking maintain a distinctive fishery with opportunities for big fish. Spring surveys in 2007 showed an increase in pike between 26 and 30 inches with several fish netted larger than 38 inches.

Although walleye numbers are relatively low, the average fish caught in past surveys was 22 inches. A trophy smallmouth bass fishery is building in the bay with fish exceeding 19 inches commonly caught. Naturalized populations of coho salmon and stocked Chinook salmon, splake and brown trout provide diversity to the fishery. The DNR continues to stock splake and brown trout in deeper water along the shoreline to increase their survival.

Fishing opportunities in Chequamegon Bay exist all year but key times for many species are spring and fall. Unlike much of Lake Superior, the bay is accessible with smaller boats as long as anglers check the weather forecast before heading out.

St. Louis River – Another great fishing opportunity can be found in the St. Louis River, along the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. As the water quality in the once heavily polluted river has improved, healthy populations of walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and panfish have returned. Annual surveys reveal sporadic natural reproduction of walleye but conservative regulations have preserved a healthy population. The 2007 spring survey indicated that 44 percent of the spawning fish exceeded 20 inches. The musky population continues to improve, with recent surveys revealing juvenile catch rates similar to that found in many healthy northern Wisconsin lakes. Furthermore, spawning surveys in 2007 showed the average size of musky was 38.7 inches with several fish topping 45 inches.

Although some years are better than others, the Apostle Islands are the destination for lake trout fishing. The average lake trout caught throughout the year is about 22 inches, with several fish exceeding 32 inches each year. Lake trout have made an incredible resurgence due to restrictions on fishing and sea lamprey control. Populations today consist almost exclusively of wild fish.

For more specific information about the Lake Superior fishery visit dnr.wi.gov/fish/lakesup/.