Wisconsin Musky

Fishing Wisconsin

Musky Management Team Work Products

WI Muskellunge Management

Team Update
May 25, 2005
Tim Simonson, Staff Specialist, WDNR
(608) 266-5222

  1. Muskellunge Management Update [PUB-FH-508, PDF, 510KB] - Most recent information available on the WDNR Muskellunge Home Page. This document now includes links to stocking information and creel surveys that have been conducted. The most recent version is available internally on the FHMONITORING file service under the "Muskellunge" folder.
  2. The Musky Partners Web page has been updated to include a link to the Musky Clubs Alliance Web site. The Partners Web page now also includes a link to a PDF copy of our "letter of agreement" and recently updated "hatchery wish list".
  3. I have completed a statewide list of waters where muskellunge stocking by clubs would be welcomed and expediently approved by regional fisheries staff. I will have it posted on our "Partner" Web page (above, under item 2). Currently, there are about 30 waters statewide on the list.
  4. Muskellunge-related proposals for 2005 Spring Hearings - Increase the minimum length limit on the Chippewa River, Sawyer County, from 40" to 45" from the Chippewa Flowage (Winter Dam) downstream to and including Radisson Flowage. This was initiated as a local resolution spring 2005 that passed 33 to 0. The Chippewa Flowage itself was recently raised to 45".
  5. Stocking - Starting in 2001, stocking was suspended on 29 Category 2 waters (waters with some natural reproduction but which had also been stocked to supplement the population). We now have preliminary information on 11 of these waters. For the 11 lakes sampled, 8 where within or above the normal range for young-of-year (YOY) relative abundance, 1 was below the normal range, and 2 had no YOY sampled. For Class A1 lakes, Trout Lake was removed from this list (stocking has resumed) in 2003 based on a population estimate of 0.05 adult muskellunge/acre and a YOY catch rate of 0.42/mile, which was below the normal range for Class A1 lakes (0.5 - 2.0 YOY/mile). Plum Lake was sampled in 2003 (no population estimate). A total of 98 adult muskellunge were sampled in spring. It was encouraging to see that 15% of the sample was composed of young fish (<28") naturally produced since stocking had ceased. Notably, most of the fish are not yet sexually mature so we didn't expect to see many during spring netting. During the fall of 2003, we captured 0.65 YOY/mile. This catch rate is within the normal range for Class A1 lakes (0.5 - 2/mile). For Class A2 lakes: Butternut Lake, Price County (3.7 YOY/mile); Boulder Lake, Vilas County (1.71 YOY/mile); Solberg Lake, Price County (1.25 YOY/mile); Ballard/Irving/White Birch lakes (0.46 YOY/mile); Diamond Lake, Oneida County (0.43 YOY/mile); and Muskellunge Lake, Oneida County (0.28 YOY/mile) were all within or above the normal range (0.15 - 1.5 YOY/mile). No YOY muskellunge were caught on Little Crooked Lake, Vilas County (2003), and Rice River Flowage, Lincoln County (2001). For Class B lakes, Stella Lake, Oneida County (0.14 YOY/mile) was within the normal range (0-0.36 YOY/mile) for Class B lakes. We plan to keep an eye on the 3 lakes that are performing below the norm and continue to sample other lakes on the list. We also have initiated and allotted funding for a special project to conduct preliminary population estimates on several of these waters over the next 2-3 years.
  6. Cooperative Creel Surveys - In 2005 I developed a voluntary creel survey program in response to some interest expressed by clubs to provide us with fishing information. To date I have had 12 anglers sign up. I do not yet have all the data in from those volunteers (the season is not over yet), so I don't have much else to report. I would still like to work with Bob Haase further on this project. Last time we discussed having the forms available on the Web.
  7. Muskellunge Volunteer Spawning Surveys - In 2005 we developed methods for clubs to go out and conduct spawning surveys at night with spotlights. I have heard of one survey completed on Shawano Lake this spring.

For more information, please contact:

Tim Simonson, Staff Specialist
(608) 267-7498.

Last Revised: Thursday September 24 2009