Michigan STATE OF MICHIGAN DNR DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Number 33 June 2005 The Fish Community and Fishery of Michigamme Reservoir, Iron County, Michigan with Emphasis on Walleyes and Northern Pike Patrick A. Hanchin, Richard D. Clark, Jr., and Roger N. Lockwood Margeson Creek Light Lake Fence River Liver Lake Deer River Moccasin Lake Michigamme River Michigamme Reservoir Approximately 20 miles to the town of Republic Michigamme River Clark's Creek 0 1 2 Miles www.michigan.gov/dnr/ FISHERIES DIVISION SPECIAL REPORT MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FISHERIES DIVISION Fisheries Special Report 33 June 2005 The Fish Community and Fishery of Michigamme Reservoir, Iron County, Michigan with Emphasis on Walleyes and Northern Pike Patrick A. Hanchin Michigan Department of Natural Resources Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station 96 Grant Street Charlevoix, Michigan 49721-0117 Richard D. Clark, Jr. and Roger N. Lockwood School of Natural Resources and Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1084 The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), provides equal opportunities for employment and access to Michigan’s natural resources. Both State and Federal laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, sex, height, weight or marital status under the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, as amended, (1976 MI P.A. 453 and 1976 MI P.A. 220, Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act). If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility, or if you desire additional information, please write the MDNR Office of Legal Services, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing, MI 48909; or the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, State of Michigan, Plaza Building, 1200 6th Ave., Detroit, MI 48226 or the Office of Human Resources, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Civil Rights Programs, 4040 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA. 22203. For information or assistance on this publication, contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division, Box 30446, Lansing, MI 48909, or call 517-373-1280. This publication is available in alternative formats. ATUR F N AL O R T E N S E O U M R T C Printed under authority of Michigan Department of Natural Resources R E A S P E DNR D Total number of copies printed 125 — Total cost $501.89 — Cost per copy $4.02 M ICHIGAN Suggested Citation Format Hanchin, P. A., R. D. Clark, Jr., and R. N. Lockwood. 2005. The fish community and fishery of Michigamme Reservoir, Iron County, Michigan with emphasis on walleyes and northern pike. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Special Report 33, Ann Arbor. ii Table of Contents Table of Contents.................................................................................................................................iii Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Study Area............................................................................................................................................. 1 Methods ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Fish Community .................................................................................................................................. 3 Walleyes and Northern pike................................................................................................................ 3 Sex Composition .............................................................................................................................. 3 Abundance ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Mean Lengths at Age ....................................................................................................................... 5 Mortality .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Recruitment...................................................................................................................................... 6 Movement......................................................................................................................................... 6 Angler Survey...................................................................................................................................... 6 Summer ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Winter............................................................................................................................................... 8 Estimation Methods ......................................................................................................................... 8 Results.................................................................................................................................................... 9 Fish Community .................................................................................................................................. 9 Walleyes and Northern Pike ............................................................................................................... 9 Sex Composition .............................................................................................................................. 9 Abundance ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Mean Lengths at Age ..................................................................................................................... 10 Mortality ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Recruitment.................................................................................................................................... 12 Movement....................................................................................................................................... 12 Angler Survey.................................................................................................................................... 12 Summer .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Winter............................................................................................................................................. 13 Annual Totals for Summer and Winter .......................................................................................... 13 Discussion............................................................................................................................................ 13 Fish Community ................................................................................................................................ 13 Walleyes and Northern Pike ............................................................................................................. 14 Sex Composition ............................................................................................................................ 14 Abundance ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Mean Lengths at Age ..................................................................................................................... 18 Mortality ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Recruitment.................................................................................................................................... 20 Movement....................................................................................................................................... 20 Angler Survey.................................................................................................................................... 20 Historical Comparisons................................................................................................................. 20 Comparison to Other Large Lakes ................................................................................................ 21 Management Implications ................................................................................................................. 22 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................. 23 Figures ................................................................................................................................................. 24 Tables................................................................................................................................................... 34 References ........................................................................................................................................... 48 iii iv Introduction those of most other surveys would