ATUR F N AL O R T E N S E O U M R T C R E A STATE OF MICHIGAN S P E DNR D M ICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SR50 June 2009 The Fish Community and Fishery of Bond Falls Flowage, Ontonagon County, Michigan in 2003 with Emphasis on Walleye and Northern Pike Patrick A. Hanchin Middle Branch Ontonagon River Bond Falls 0 0.5 1 Diversion Canal (to Roselawn Creek) Miles Sand Lake Deadman Creek Little Falls Middle Branch Ontonagon River Interior Creek www.michigan.gov/dnr/ FISHERIES DIVISION SPECIAL REPORT 50 MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FISHERIES DIVISION Fisheries Special Report 50 June 2009 The Fish Community and Fishery of Bond Falls Flowage, Ontonagon County, Michigan in 2003 with Emphasis on Walleye and Northern Pike Patrick A. Hanchin MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) MISSION STATEMENT “The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the State’s natural resources for current and future generations.” NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION (NRC) STATEMENT The Natural Resources Commission, as the governing body for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, provides a strategic framework for the DNR to effectively manage your resources. The NRC holds monthly, public meetings throughout Michigan, working closely with its constituencies in establishing and improving natural resources management policy. MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES NON DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT 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 (MI PA 453 and MI PA 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: HUMAN RESOURCES Or MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS Or OFFICE FOR DIVERSITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES CADILLAC PLACE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PO BOX 30028 3054 W. GRAND BLVD., SUITE 3-600 4040 NORTH FAIRFAX DRIVE LANSING MI 48909-7528 DETROIT MI 48202 ARLINGTON VA 22203 For information or assistance on this publication, contact the MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Fisheries Division, PO BOX 30446, LANSING, MI 48909, or call 517-373-1280. TTY/TDD: 711 (Michigan Relay Center) Suggested Citation Format Hanchin, P. A. 2009. The fish community and fishery of Bond Falls Flowage, Ontonagon County, Michigan in 2003 with emphasis on walleye and northern pike. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Special Report 50, Ann Arbor. ii Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................1 Study Area ..............................................................................................................................1 Methods ..................................................................................................................................3 Fish Community .................................................................................................................................. 3 Walleye and Northern Pike ................................................................................................................. 4 Abundance ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Growth............................................................................................................................................. 7 Mortality........................................................................................................................................... 7 Recruitment ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Movement........................................................................................................................................ 9 Angler Survey...................................................................................................................................... 9 Estimation methods....................................................................................................................... 10 Results ..................................................................................................................................11 Fish Community ................................................................................................................................ 11 Walleye and Northern Pike ............................................................................................................... 11 Abundance .................................................................................................................................... 11 Growth........................................................................................................................................... 12 Mortality......................................................................................................................................... 12 Recruitment ................................................................................................................................... 13 Movement...................................................................................................................................... 14 Angler Survey.................................................................................................................................... 14 Discussion.............................................................................................................................15 Fish Community ................................................................................................................................ 15 Walleye and Northern Pike ............................................................................................................... 16 Abundance .................................................................................................................................... 16 Growth........................................................................................................................................... 17 Mortality......................................................................................................................................... 18 Recruitment ................................................................................................................................... 20 Movement...................................................................................................................................... 21 Angler Survey.................................................................................................................................... 21 Historical comparisons .................................................................................................................. 21 Comparison to other large lakes ................................................................................................... 21 Summary...............................................................................................................................22 Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................23 Figures ..................................................................................................................................24 Tables ...................................................................................................................................29 References............................................................................................................................39 Appendix ...............................................................................................................................44 iii iv Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Special Report 50, 2009 The fish community and fishery of Bond Falls Flowage, Ontonagon County, Michigan in 2003 with emphasis on walleye and northern pike Patrick A. Hanchin Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station, 96 Grant Street, Charlevoix, Michigan 49720 Introduction The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Fisheries Division surveyed fish populations and angler catch and effort on Bond Falls Flowage, Ontonagon County, Michigan from April 2003 through October 2003. This work was part of the Large Lake Program, which is designed to improve assessment and monitoring of fish communities and fisheries in Michigan’s largest inland lakes (Clark et al. 2004). The Large Lake Program has three primary objectives. The first objective is to produce consistent indices of abundance and estimates of annual harvest and fishing effort for walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and muskellunge. These species were selected since they are susceptible to trap or fyke nets and are readily harvested by anglers. The intent is to produce statistics for important fishes to help detect major changes