About Fisheries Resources

Transcription

1 Section 5 About Fisheries Resources All men are equal before fish. Herbert Hoover, Fishing, An Angler s Miscellany 2 If you look at a star, you can see the brightness of that star in the blackness of the sky. When you shine a light in the water and there s walleye there, often times their eyes will be shining that bright. Nick Hockings, LdF spearfisher 3 And upon all that are lovers of virtue; and dare trust in his providence; and be quiet; and go a-angling. Introduction Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler 1 Section 3 noted that fishing for subsistence has been important to the people of the Lac du Flambeau area for hundreds of years and remains so today, while fishing for recreation or sport began taking root around the 1900s. In 1983, George C. Becker pointed out in Fishes in Wisconsin that in Wisconsin, sport fishing is the second most popular use of surface water resources, only swimming attracts more water enthusiasts. 4 This is largely true today for Lac du Flambeau residents in the Bear River Watershed. In a survey completed by 576 residents in 2012, fishing (74%) was exceeded only slightly by swimming (77%) and motorboating (76%) in terms of lake uses. 5 Whether you re crankin baits for bass, walleye, northern, or just funsie fishin for some slab size crappies, the Lac du Flambeau main chain of 10 lakes that cover some 9,000 acres plus its 100 other concentrated bodies of water are all crystal clear spring fed mesotrophic types. Their glacier-carved structure along with weed beds, drop offs, sand bars and fish shelters offer the angler action from early spring through late fall. From Fishing at its finest in Lac du Flambeau (Lac du Flambeau Chamber of Commerce, 2014). 6 Generally, the quality of a lake s fishery is directly related to, if not dependent upon, the overall health or quality of the lake. It is widely recognized that factors such as lake size, shape, depth, substrate composition, water chemistry, and productivity influence the composition and abundance of plant species and, therefore, the quality of fish habitat. 7 Moreover, numerous studies show that aquatic plants structure fish populations and influence fish species composition, abundance, and size of fishes. 8 Studies show, too, that shoreline habitat is directly related to fish species richness, especially when people remove, decrease, or change the abundance or variety of riparian and littoral plant cover. 9 Given the importance of the fishery to Lac du Flambeau and its relationship with aquatic plants and lake health, this section serves simply to introduce selected aspects of the fishery. Details about aquatic plants, aquatic invasive species, water chemistry, and lake size, shape, and depth, among other factors, are presented in subsequent sections. This section briefly notes the origin of fish in the Great lakes region, the role of fish historically in Lac du Flambeau, and the contributions of the Tribal hatchery. The section also introduces the gamefish commonly found in Lac du Flambeau, and presents additional results of the community survey. Thousands of years ago, marine organisms evolved into the ancestors of every vertebrate animal that now inhabits the Great Lakes region, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, and humans

2 Earlier fish had exterior armored plates and sharp spikes supporting their fins, while the newer creatures developed endoskeletons as well as regular tooth replacement and swim bladders. Most of the 25,000 species of modern fish are descendants of a class of fish that had skeletons on the inside of their bodies. Originally salt water fish, some species moved gradually into brackish estuaries and eventually into freshwater rivers and lakes. 11 Before the settlement era, 177 species of fish were in the northern waters of North America, including 150 in the Great Lakes. Seventy percent of those fell into just five major families: the Salmonidae (salmon, trout, grayling, whitefish, and cisco); the Cyprinidae (carp, minnows, chub); the Catostomidae (thirty-nine species of suckers); the Percidae (perch, walleye, darters, and sauger): and the Cottidae (sculpins). 12 Lac du Flambeau The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Indians has a rich cultural connection to the fishery resources of the Reservation. Before European settlement, traditional fishing areas included Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, which teemed with walleye, muskellunge, sturgeon, bass, perch, white suckers, red horse, whitefish, trout, salmon, and various other species. The fish supported the Indians subsistence lifestyle, which continues today. 13 Lac du Flambeau is known for the Indians ability to spear fish at night by torchlight during the spring when walleye gather in the shallows to spawn. The torchlight reflects off the fish s eyes, signaling where to aim the spear. Witnessing the technique, early French traders named the area Lac du Flambeau, or Lake of the Torches. Utilizing natural materials, Tribal fisherman also caught fish by netting, seining, and using hook-and-line. 14 Since the end of the logging industry and start of the tourism industry in the early 1900s, sport fishing has played a major role in Lac du Flambeau. The earliest fishing camps and resorts catered to fishermen and an increasing number of seasonal residents while creating jobs for local guides and domestics. As the number of tourists and seasonal residents expanded, more and more services and jobs were created, including those associated with restaurants, taverns, bait shops, home construction, grocery stores, boat dealers, boat maintenance and repair shops, and gas stations, among numerous others. 15 Today, hundreds of years after the first inhabitants speared by torchlight and over a century since the first entrepreneurs established resorts, the waters of Lac du Flambeau still support both subsistence and sport fishing. The major species of fish in Lac du Flambeau s lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks include walleye, muskie, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, rock bass, pumpkin seed, black crappie, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, whitefish, cisco, lake sturgeon, white suckers, and bullheads. Other species include stickle-backs, mud minnows, shiners, sculpins, and bowfins. 16 Lac du Flambeau includes 260 lakes, 71 miles of rivers, streams, and creeks, and 24,000 acres of wetlands. These resources along with 41,733 acres of forested uplands work together to support diverse fisheries resources, 17 but not without significant help. Hatchery Since 1936, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians has operated a fish hatchery. There have been two fish hatcheries in Lac du Flambeau. The first hatchery was built in 1936 and enhanced in 1985 with the construction of 13 fish culture ponds and ten 200-foot raceways. The original hatchery was operational until 1999, when a new hatchery was constructed. 18 The mission of the hatchery is to raise fish necessary for stocking Reservation waters. To this end, both subsistence fishing and sport fishing are enhanced Section 5: About Fisheries Resources

3 Fry and fingerling walleye, muskellunge, brook trout, lake sturgeon, and white suckers are raised for stocking, while brown trout are raised for biological control and rainbow trout for sale at the trout pond and resale markets. 20 Through the years, the Tribal Fish Hatchery has produced well over 650,000,000 walleye fry, 4,500,000 walleye fingerlings, 3,000,000 muskellunge fry, 140,000 muskellunge fingerlings and 500,000 pounds of brown trout. The number, size, and lake in which the fish are stocked are recorded annually. 21 Table 5-1 shows the numbers of walleye, sturgeon, muskie, and brown trout stocked by the hatchery from At the time of stocking, walleye fingerlings were generally 3-5 inches, sturgeon fingerlings were 5-7 inches, and brown trout were about 2 inches. 22 Details for the individual lakes in the Bear River Watershed are in Sections In 2005, the walleye fisheries of Lac du Flambeau waters were classified as good to very good; the muskellunge fishery was classified as fair to good; and, the largemouth and smallmouth bass populations were classified as very good to excellent. 23 Panfish populations provide very good fishing opportunities, but the yellow perch and black crappie populations seem to be declining. Based on creel information, the black crappie fishery began to decline when the walleye fishery started to increase. The increase in the walleye population is due to the 18-inch length requirement and the three walleye per day bag limit for non-indian fishermen. 24 The Tribal fisheries program is not limited to stocking Reservation lakes with hatchery fish. It also includes removing beaver dams and culling beaver colonies to maintain more open water favorable to many fish species, developing gravel spawning areas in the Bear River to aid lake sturgeon restoration, operating the trout pond, and providing a variety of educational programs. 25 Some of the Fish of Lac du Flambeau Walleye - Sander vitreus: Sander refers to the German common name of the European relative, and vitreus means glassy, referring to the large eyes. 26 The walleye (Figure 5-1) is a culturally significant fish of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Long before the French arrived in Table 5-1. Lac du Flambeau Hatchery Stocking Summary for Year Walleye Sturgeon Muskie Fry Fingerlings Fingerlings Fry Brown Trout Total Acres Stocked ,350, ,046 16,128 15, ,000, , ,000 43,286 15, ,152, ,065 15, ,500, ,494 1, ,000 15, ,700, , ,000 15, ,390, ,047 1,072 15, ,700, ,903 3,919 12, ,700,000 3,343,903 3,919 12, ,500, ,384 14, , ,140 13,723 Section 5: About Fisheries Resources 5-3

4 Wisconsin and saw Ojibwe torches hovering above the water, the Ojibwe relied on sacred foods wild rice, venison, and walleye for sustenence. 27 and 13.3 million fry were hatched and stocked, a survival rate from egg to fry of 53.2%. 31 Figure 5-1. Adult Walleye Walleye were originally confined to the larger lakes and waterways in Wisconsin. Today, due to extensive stocking, the walleye is present throughout Wisconsin, including the lakes in the Bear River Watershed. 28 Figure 5-2. Hatchery Collection Jars Filled with Walleye Eggs Walleye can grow to about 31 inches in length and weigh up to about 20 pounds. The growth rate depends partly on where in their range they occur, with southern populations often growing faster and larger. In general, females grow larger than males. Walleyes may live for decades, but in heavily fished populations, however, few older than five or six years are encountered. 29 The spawning migration of walleye begins soon after the ice goes out, at water temperatures of 38-44º F. Spawning in Wisconsin generally occurs between mid-april and early May, although it may extend from the beginning of April to the middle of May. Walleye spawning ordinarily reaches a peak when water temperatures are 42-50º F. The walleye is not a territorial fish at spawning time; they usually broadcast their eggs and exercise no parental care. 30 Hatchery crews collect brood stock in the early spring and summer from Reservation waters, spawn the fish, incubate the eggs (Figure 5-2), fertilize ponds, and harvest fish for stocking. In 2011, 37 million walleye eggs were collected (Figure 5-3) and 30 million fry (Figure 5-4) were hatched and stocked. This represents an 81% survival rate from egg to fry. In 2012, 25 million eggs were collected (Figure 5-3) Figure 5-3. Walleye Eggs Collected During Figure 5-4. Walleye Fry 5-4 Section 5: About Fisheries Resources

5 In order to protect the walleye fishery there is a three fish, 18-inch bag limit on the following lakes: White Sand, Little Sand, Little Crawling Stone, Big Crawling Stone, Fence, Gunlock, Long Interlaken, Moss, Pokegama, North and South Twin Placid, Big Crooked, Flambeau, Little Trout, Shishebogama, To- To-Tom and Whitefish. Of the lakes in the Bear River Watershed, only Ike Walton Lake lacks this bag limit. 32 There are some 33 who believe the walleye fishery would improve if the regulation is changed to a three-bag limit with a slot size. For example, a protected slot size of inches with two fish less than 15 inches and one fish over 18 inches could be harvested. 34 The Tribe believes there is a need to assess the current regulation and determine if it should remain the same or be changed to a three walleye bag limit with a slot size. A step toward such assessment was taken in when a Tribal Wildlife Grant was funded by the United States Forest and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to evaluate the bag and size limits for White Sand Lake. 35 Regarding spearing, when the 1983 Voigt decision affirmed the treaty rights of Lake Superior Ojibwe to harvest off-reservation natural resources, conflict erupted over members of the Lac du Flambeau Band spearing walleye in off-reservation lakes. Non- Indian tourists and sporting interests feared spearfishing would deplete the resource and leave little for the tourists. Though concerns are still occasionally expressed today, tourists fish throughout northern Wisconsin s lakes and members of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe exercise their offreservation rights, working through the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). 36 Formed in 1984, GLIFWC represents eleven Ojibwe tribes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and MIchigan who reserved hunting, fishing and gathering rights in the 1837, 1842, and 1854 Treaties. 37 Muskellunge - Esox masquinongy: Esox comes from the old name for pike in Europe and masquinongy comes from the Cree mashk meaning deformed and kinonge, or pike. 38 The common name comes from the Ojibwa word maashkinoozhe, meaning ugly pike. 39 Muskellunge (Figure 5-5) or muskie are typically inches long and weigh 5-36 pounds. They prefer clear waters where they lurk along weed edges, rock outcrops or other structures to rest. A fish forms two distinct home ranges in summer: shallow range and a deeper one. The shallow range is generally much smaller than the deeper range due to shallow water warming. A muskie will continually patrol the ranges in search of available food. 40 Figure 5-5. Muskellunge Adult Most of their diets consist of fish, but can also include crayfish, frogs, ducklings, snakes, mice, other small mammals, and small birds. The mouth is large with many long, needlelike teeth. Muskies will attempt to take prey head-first, sometimes in a single gulp. They will take prey up to 30% of their total length. In the spring they tend to prefer smaller prey since their metabolism is slower, while large prey are preferred in fall as preparation for winter. 41 The muskie occurs in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin (Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, and Lake Superior) but is most widely distributed in the Chippewa, Flambeau, St. Croix, Black, and Wisconsin rivers of the Mississippi basin. Its presence in central and southern Wisconsin is the result of widespread stocking of fry and fingerlings. Within the north and south limits of the Wisconsin muskie range, spawning occurs from mid-april to mid-may, with the peak occurring early in the season. Optimum spawning temperature is about Section 5: About Fisheries Resources 5-5

6 55º F, but may range from 49-60º F. Eggs are usually deposited indiscriminately over several hundred yards of shoreline. There is no parental care. Adult spawners return to the same spawning ground in consecutive years. 42 Hatchery crews collect muskie brood stock from Reservation waters in the spring and summer, spawn the fish, incubate the eggs, fertilize ponds, and harvest fish for stocking. Of the eggs collected in 2011, 60,000 fry were produced. In 2009, 145,000 fry were released. In 2008, 245,000 were released. 43 Smallmouth Bass - Micropterus dolomieu: Micropterus means small fin, dolomieu recognizes M. Dolomieu, a French mineralogist. 44 Smallmouth bass (Figure 5-6) live in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin (Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, and Lake Superior). It is quite probable that the fish was distributed over the state approximately as it is at present before any introductions were made. The smallmouth bass is common in medium to large streams and in large, clear-water lakes throughout Wisconsin. 45 several practice nests until he finally settles on one as suitable. The nest is usually a large, perfectly circular, clean gravel structure. The male bass protects the nest against intruders of his own and other species. 47 Pound for pound the smallmouth bass has the reputation as the scrappiest fish in all Wisconsin. It is usually associated with a rocky stream or lake environment where its favorite food, the crayfish, is abundant. It is not unlikely that the smallmouth as well as the largemouth have been largely responsible for controlling Lac du Flambeau s infestations of rusty crayfish. 48 Largemouth Bass - Micropterus salmoides: Micropterus means small fin, salmoides means trout-like in gameness and food. 49 Largemouth bass (Figure 5-7) generally spawn in Wisconsin lakes from late April to early July. The selection of nest sites begins when water temperatures reach 60º F, and eggs are laid when the water temperatures are at 62-65º F. The male largemouth bass usually selects a sand or gravel bottom upon which to build a nest; however, the fish will also nest on soft bottoms, where they are able to expose such hard objects as roots, twigs, and snail shells on which to deposit the eggs. Territorial defense against intruders is practiced by the largemouth bass as it is by other sunfishes. 50 Figure 5-6. Smallmouth Bass The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family. Males are generally smaller than females. The males tend to grow to about two pounds, while females can range from three to six pounds. 46 In Wisconsin, smallmouth bass spawning usually occurs at water temperatures between 62-64º F, but they have been found spawning at 53º F. In southern Wisconsin, the smallmouth spawns from the middle of May through June (water temperatures between 55-75º F). The male smallmouth may build Figure 5-7. Largemouth Bass 5-6 Section 5: About Fisheries Resources

7 Northern Pike - Esox Lucius: Esox comes from the old name for pike in Europe and lucius comes from the supposed Latin name for the species. 51 In Wisconsin, the northern pike (Figure 5-8) lives in the Mississippi River, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior drainage basins. It is widely distributed throughout the state except in the unglaciated area, where it is sparsely dispersed except in large river systems and impounded areas. The northern pike is generally common except in the southeastern quarter of the state, where populations are seriously depressed. 52 Figure 5-8. Northern Pike Spawning may occur from late March to early April, as soon as the ice begins to break up in the spring. Migrations into the spawning areas take place during the night. Spawning occurs at temperatures between 34 and 40º F, but 36-37º F seems to be the preferred range. Spawning takes place in flooded areas with emergent vegetation and involves one female and from one to three attendant males. Eggs are deposited on vegetation to which they adhere. There is no parental care. 53 Lake Sturgeon - Acipenser fulvescens: Having made its first appearance about 100,000,000 years ago, just about the time that dinosaurs became extinct, the bottom-dwelling lake sturgeon (Figure 5-9) is a living fossil. Today, the lake sturgeon still retains many primitive characteristics that have been lost or modified in other modern-day fish: bony plates along the body instead of scales; a flexible rod called a notochord in place of a backbone; a long snout and a tubular mouth with no teeth. They cruise lakes and riverbeds, using barbels that hang in front of their mouths as feelers to sense snails, insects, leeches, crayfish and small clams. Their mouth protrudes to suck up such food. 54 Figure 5-9. Lake Sturgeon The Winnebago, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, Oneida, and Sauk tribes revered the huge fish that can reach weights of several hundred pounds. By 1860, however, the lake sturgeon was considered a nuisance by commercial fishermen for tearing their nets. They slaughtered the fish, stacked them like cordwood on shore, and left them to rot. 55 When fish processors realized the value of lake sturgeon roe (eggs) for caviar, discovered sturgeon flesh was delicious fresh or smoked, and found that a high-quality gelatin called isinglass could be extracted from the sturgeon s swim bladder, the Great Lakes sturgeon fishery exploded. The species was fished so intensively that its populations were reduced to a level from which they have never recovered. 56 Moreover, pressure on sturgeon has been exacerbated by the construction of dams, like the one at the confluence of Flambeau Lake and Bear River in Lac du Flambeau, which interrupt the migration of lake sturgeon between the lakes and river systems. 57 Lake sturgeon ranks as Wisconsin s largest and oldest fish. A record 195-pounder, currently hanging on a wall in Lac du Flambeau s George W. Brown, Jr. Museum (Figure 5-10), was speared in Pokegama Lake in Lac du Flambeau in Figure Record Lake Sturgeon Section 5: About Fisheries Resources 5-7

8 Lake sturgeon migrate to their annual spawning grounds generally between mid April and early May, preferring to spawn in shallow, rocky areas along river banks. Sturgeon spawning is dependent on water temperature and flow. Optimum lake sturgeon spawning temperatures range from 52 to 58 degrees F. Sturgeon can often be seen doing prespawn porpoising at the preferred spawning sites. As conditions become more favorable, the fish move into shoreline areas to spawn. 59 Male sturgeon reach sexual maturity when they are about 19 years old, while females reach sexual maturity anywhere from 14 to 23 years of age. 60 The lake sturgeon is listed as a rare species in the United States. The species has watch status in Wisconsin, and is under special observation by WDNR fisheries managers. Wisconsin has good, naturally reproducing lake sturgeon populations in several river systems. Where they have not been reproducing naturally, hatcheries have been providing help. 61 The Lac du Flambeau Tribal Hatchery has assumed the important and difficult task of restoring, establishing, and maintaining a harvestable population of the culturally significant fish on the Lac du Flambeau Chain of Lakes and Bear River. 62 The project has included, in part, getting sturgeon eggs from the Turtle Flambeau River and the Mississippi River system and raising them to fry or fingerling size, assessing native stocks on the Bear River, using radio tags to track fish movement, and identifying spawning habitat on the Bear River. 63 Since 2005, several thousand 5-7 inch sturgeon fingerlings have been raised, many have been tagged, and 20 have been surgically implanted with radio transmitters. Figure 5-11 is a sample sturgeon tracking map for White Sand Lake. 64 Figure White Sand Lake Sturgeon Tracking Map 5-8 Section 5: About Fisheries Resources

9 Black Crappie - Pomoxis nigromaculatus: Pomoxis means sharp opercle (cheek), nigromaculatus means black spotted. 65 The black crappie (Figure 5-12) lives in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin (Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, and Lake Superior). This glacial species is well distributed throughout the state, except in the streams of southwestern Wisconsin. 66 Figure Black Crappie In Wisconsin, the black crappie usually spawns in May and June; however, during a colder season, spawning may be delayed until July. Favorable spawning temperatures range from 64 to 68º F. The male sweeps out a nest in sand or fine gravel and guards the nest and defends the young until they start to feed. 67 Bluegill - Lepomis macrochirus: Lepomis means scaled cheek, macrochirus means large hand, possibly in reference to the size of the pectoral fin. 68 Bluegill (Figure 5-13) live in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin (Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, and Lake Superior). Originally it was not present in the Lake Superior basin, but as a result of widespread stocking, it is now present and reproducing in many lakes and rivers. 69 Figure Bluegill Spawning takes place from late May to early August (peaking in June) at water temperatures between 67-80º F. Males select a sand or gravel bar that can be hollowed out to form a nest. Before and after spawning, the male bluegill defends the nest against all species, but most vigorously against other male sunfishes. 70 Yellow Perch - Perca flavescens: Perca means dusky, flavescens means becoming gold colored. 71 The yellow perch (Figure 5-14) lives in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin (Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, and Lake Superior), in all of the state s boundary waters, and in lakes Michigan and Superior. Because the yellow perch is a glacial lakes species, it is widely distributed except in the unglaciated region of southwestern Wisconsin. 72 Figure Yellow Perch Typically, the yellow perch may grow to about 15 inches and weigh up to around two pounds. The most common fish caught are around one pound or less. 73 Spawning normally occurs shortly after ice-out in April or early May at water temperatures of 45-52º F. Yellow perch spawning closely follows that of walleyes and often coincides with that of suckers. Yellow perch are random spawners, and do not construct nests, nor do they guard their eggs and their young. 74 Yellow perch are primarily bottom feeders with a slow, deliberate bite. They eat almost anything, but prefer minnows, insect larvae, plankton, and worms. 75 Section 5: About Fisheries Resources 5-9

10 Rock Bass - Ambloplites rupestris. The rock bass (Figure 5-15) is a species of the sunfish family. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass, but are usually much smaller. The average rock bass is between 6-10 inches, and rarely exceed one pound. 76 the hatchery and raised in the five-foot rearing ponds. Trout averaging 1.8 inches and weighing 1,344 fish per pound were stocked in Fence Lake. In 2011, 43,286 Brown Trout averaging 2.2 inches and weighing 515 fish per pound were stocked in Fence Lake. 81 Figure Rock Bass Rock bass can change from light to dark colored very quickly to blend in with their surroundings. They can range from a light silver color with rows of dark spots along their body to being very dark colored with large dark blotches over much of their body. They also have a very large mouth and red eyes. Rock bass have a dark teardrop under the eye and a black margin along the fins. 77 Rock bass prefer clear water with a rocky bottom. They often hide near large boulders, rock piles, or tree roots. 78 Male rock bass build nests over gravel substrate in a slight current often next to a large boulder. Females then deposit up to 10,000 eggs in a nest, often with more than one female using the same nest. Males remain over the nest to fan the eggs and maintain water flow over the eggs until they hatch in three to four days. Rock bass typically reach maturity in three years. 79 Brown Trout - Ambloplites rupestris. The brown trout (Figure 5-16) was first imported to the United States in 1883 from Germany and stocked in the Pere Marquette River in Michigan by the U.S. Fish Commission. Since then, brown trout have been stocked in virtually every state. 80 Brown trout are raised at the hatchery annually for stocking. The eggs are generally obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and are incubated in Figure Brown trout The hatchery stocks brown trout to counter the influence of the rainbow smelt, an invasive fish that can cause serious harm to the walleye fishery. Rainbow smelt and walleye inhabit the same spawning areas, but the smelt tend to arrive first to lay their eggs. When hatched, the smelt may eat the eggs of the newly arrived walleye as well as the zooplankton that walleye fry would ordinarily eat. The young smelt then move to the deeper water where they and adult smelt eat what would ordinarily be available for the walleye when they arrive later. The life-cycle of the brown trout is such that when they are introduced to the lake, they dine on the smelt and serve as a biological control favoring the walleye. 82 Community Survey The process used to prepare the Bear River Watershed Comprehensive Lake Management Plan included mailing a survey to 3,000 households in Lac du Flambeau. 83 The survey posed questions about topics like residents perceptions of the quality of lake water and overall environment; current and ideal shoreline landscaping; interest in attending a variety of workshops; knowledge of aquatic invasive species; and the quality of fishing. Almost one-third (996 of 3,000) of the surveys were returned completed, representing fifty-one lakes. Of the 996 completed surveys, 576 are from households affiliated with one of the ten lakes of 5-10 Section 5: About Fisheries Resources

11 focus in the Bear River Watershed Comprehensive Lake Management Plan. The survey asked these residents whether they had personally fished within the past ten years on one of the ten lakes in the Bear River Watershed. Of the 576 residents, 426 (74%) said they had fished one of these lakes. The 426 residents that indicated they had fished one of the lakes were then asked to describe whether, in their opinion, the current quality of fishing for that lake is excellent, good, fair, poor, very poor, or they are not sure. A total of 397 residents (Table 5-2) responded to the question. Of them, 18 (4.5%) believed that fishing is excellent; 134 (33.8%) believed it is good; and 166 (41.8%) believed it is fair; while 51 (12.8%) and 17 (4.3%) believed it is poor or very poor; and 11 (2.8%) were not sure. The 426 residents that indicated they had fished one of the lakes were then asked whether, in their opinion, the quality of fishing for that lake has been improving, remaining the same, worsening, or they are not sure. A total of 414 residents (Table 5-3) responded to the question. Of them, 36 (8.7%) believed that the quality of fishing has been improving; 117 (28.3%) believed that it has remained the same; 174 (42%) believed it has been worsening; and 87 (21%) were not sure. Table 5-2. Survey Results Regarding Perceptions of Current Quality of Fishing Lake Total # Respondents Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor Unsure # % # % # % # % # % # % Crawling Stone % 24 38% 30 48% 5 8% 0 0% 2 3% Little Trout % % Fence % 28 31% 39 44% 11 12% 2 2% 5 6% Long Interlaken % 5 25% 6 30% 4 20% 5 25% 0 0% Flambeau % 11 33% 13 39% 4 12% 2 6% 0 0% Moss 9 0 0% 4 44% 2 22% 3 33% 0 0% 0 0% Ike Walton % 7 35% 9 45% 2 10% 0 0% 1 5% White Sand % 18 25% 37 52% 8 11% 6 9% 1 1% Little Crawling Stone % 5 20% 14 56% 4 16% 0 0% 1 4% Pokegama % 30 48% 16 25% 10 16% 2 3% 1 2% Totals Bear River % % % 51 13% 17 4% 11 3% Table 5-3. Survey Results of Perceptions of Change in Quality of Fishing Lake Total # Respondents Improving No Change Worsening Unsure # % # % # % # % Crawling Stone % 18 28% 24 38% 14 22% Little Trout 2 0 0% 0 0% 2 100% 0 0% Fence % 27 29% 29 32% 25 27% Long Interlaken % 4 2% 11 55% 4 20% Flambeau % 10 29% 13 38% 7 8% Moss % 6 43% 6 43% 2 14% Ike Walton % 7 35% 9 45% 2 10% White Sand % 22 29% 37 49% 11 15% Little Crawling Stone % 7 27% 10 39% 7 27% Pokegama % 16 24% 33 49% 15 22% Totals Bear River % % % 87 21% Section 5: About Fisheries Resources 5-11

12 Notes for Section 5 1. Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler (Project Gutenberg EBook, #683) 94. The complete text, 1653, is available on line, 2. Mark Hoff, editor, Fishing: An Angler s Miscellany (Ariel Books, 1995), Rick Whaley and Walt Bresette, Walleye Warriors: The Chippewa Treaty Rights Story (Tongues of Green Fire Press, Revised Edition, 1994), George C. Becker, Fishes of Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin Press, 1983) Data from Bear River Watershed Comprehensive Lake Management Plan Survey, Lake-by-lake Comparisons, June Question 13. See Appendix. 6. Lac du Flambeau Chamber of Commerce website Roy D. Valley, Timothy K. Cross, and Paul Radonski, The role of submersed aquatic vegetation as habitat for fish in Minnesota lakes, including the implications of nonnative plant invasions and their management (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, November 2004) K. Jack Killgore, Eric D. Dibble, and Jan Jeffrey Hoover, Relationships Between Fish and Aquatic Plants: A Plan Study (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, AD-A , October 1993) Philip R. Kaufmann, et al. Relevance of lake physical habitat indices to fish and riparian birds (Reservoir Management, December 17, 2013). 10. Wayne Grady, The Great Lakes: The Natural History of a Changing Region (GreyStone Books, 2007), 52. Also see the definitive text and resource on Wisconsin s fishes: George C. Becker, Fishes of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Press, 1983). The complete text is available in the university s digital library, For an interesting read on the relationship of the development of fish with the development of the human body, see Neil Shuman, Your Inner Fish: A journey into the 3.5 Billion-Year History of the Human Body (Pantheon Books, 2008). 11. Ibid. 12. Ibid, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians: Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP), , Ibid. Also see Section 3 of this document. 15. See Section 3 of this document. 16. Integrated Resource Management Plan, Ibid. 18. Ibid. The hatchery is named after its first manager, William J. Poupart, Sr. 19. Ibid. 20. Ibid, Ibid. 22. The table summarizes data from a series of Stocking Reports provided by the Tribal hatchery. 23. Integrated Resource Management Plan, Ibid, Integrated Resource Management Plan, Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Walleye (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2012) Mitch Larson, Passing the Torch: An Ojibwe Reflection on the Importance, Tradition, and Culture of Walleye Spearing (The Ojibwe Times, December 9, 2010), 3B. 28. Game Fishes of Wisconsin,Walleye (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2012) Walleye (Wikipedia, 2013), Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Walleye. Walleye (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2012) Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians FY 2011 and FY 2012 Final Reports Contract Number CTF55T432F8, Final Reports Contract, Several individuals who completed the questionnaire provided written comments addressing this issue. See Appendix: Questionnaire. 34. Final Reports Contract, Ibid. 36. Aaron Shapiro, The Lure of the Northwoods; Cultivating Tourism in the Upper Midwest (University of Minnesota Press, 2013, In addition, GLIFWC provides natural resource management expertise, conservation enforcement, legal and policy analysis, and public information services in support of the exercise of treaty rights during wellregulated, off-reservation seasons throughout the treaty ceded territories. GLIFWC is guided by its Board of Commissioners along with two standing committees, the Voigt Intertribal Task Force and the Great Lakes Fisheries Committee, which advise the Board on policy Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Muskellunge (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2012), Muskellunge (Wikipedia, 2013), Ibid. 41. Ibid. 42. Ibid. 43. Final Reports Contract, 2, and Stocking Reports provided by the hatchery. 44. Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Smallmouth bass (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2013) Ibid. 46. Ibid. 47. Ibid. 48. Ibid. 49. Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Largemouth Bass (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2013) Ibid. 51. Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Northern pike (Wisconsin Department of Natural resources, website, 2012) Section 5: About Fisheries Resources

13 52. Ibid. 53. Ibid. 54. Lisa Gauitz and Jack Zimmerman, Honoring the Ancient Ones (Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, June 2001), n.htm. 55. Ibid. 56. Ibid. 57. Ibid. Also Larry Wawronowicz, Lac du Flambeau Lake Sturgeon Restoration Project - Presentation at NAFWS Great Lakes Region Conference, September 14, George W. Brown Jr. Museum, Lac du Flambeau. 59. See footnote Ibid. 61. Ibid. 62. Larry Wawronowicz, Director of Tribal Natural Resources Department, Lac du Flambeau Lake Sturgeon Restoration Project - Presentation at NAFWS Great Lakes Region Conference, September 14, Ibid. 64. Ibid. 65. Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Black crappie (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2012) Ibid. 67. Ibid. 68. Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Bluegill (Wisconsin department of Natural Resources, website, 2012.) Ibid. 70. Ibid. 71. Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Yellow perch (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, website, 2012) Ibid. 73. Yellow Perch (Wikipedia, 2013), Game Fishes of Wisconsin, Yellow Perch. 75. Ibid. 76. Rock Bass (Wikipedia, 2013), Ibid. 78. Ibid. 79. Ibid. 80. Brown Trout (United States Geological Service: Science for a Changing World, website, 2013), = Final Reports Contract, Larry Wawronowicz, Director of Tribal Natural Resources Department. From a presentation made at a Lake Steward Workshop, August 4, Data from Bear River Watershed Comprehensive lake Management Plan Survey, Lake-by-lake Comparisons. June See Appendix. Figure Notes for Section 5 Figure 5-1. Adult Walleye, Figure 5-2. Hatchery Collection Jars Filled with Walleye Eggs. Provided by the Tribal Natural Resources Department. Figure 5-3. Walleye Eggs Collected During Graphic provided by the Tribal Natural Resources Department. Figure 5.4. Walleye Fry. Provided by the Tribal Natural Resources Department. Figure 5-5. Muskellunge Adult. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck) Figure 5-6. Smallmouth Bass. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck), Figure 5-7. Largemouth Bass. Wisconsin Department of Natural resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck), Figure 5-8. Northern Pike. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck), Figure 5-9. Lake Sturgeon. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck), Figure Record Lake Sturgeon. Photograph taken at the George W. Brown, Jr. Museum in Lac du Flambeau. Figure White Sand Lake Sturgeon Tracking Map. Provided by the Tribal Natural Resources Department. Figure Black Crappie. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck) Figure Bluegill. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck) Figure Yellow Perch. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck) Figure Rock Bass. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Illustration by Virgil Beck) Figure Brown Trout, Table Notes for Section 5 Table 5-1. Lac du Flambeau Hatchery Stocking Summary for Data extracted from tables provided by the Tribal Natural Resources Department. Table 5-2. Survey Results Regarding Perceptions of Current Quality of Fishing. Data from Bear River Watershed Comprehensive Lake Management Plan Survey, Lake-by-lake Comparisons, June 2012, Question #11. See Appendix. Table 5-3. Survey Results of Perceptions of Change in Quality of Fishing. Data from Bear River Watershed Comprehensive Lake Management Plan Survey, Lake-by-lake Comparisons, June 2012, Question #12. See Appendix. Section 5: About Fisheries Resources 5-13

14 Figures Figure 5-1. Adult Walleye Figure 5-2. Hatchery Collection Jars Filled with Walleye Eggs Figure 5-3. Walleye Eggs Collected During Figure 5-4. Walleye Fry Figure 5-5. Muskellunge Adult Figure 5-6. Smallmouth Bass Figure 5-7. Largemouth Bass Figure 5-8. Northern Pike Figure 5-9. Lake Sturgeon Figure Record Lake Sturgeon Figure White Sand Lake Sturgeon Tracking Map Figure Black Crappie Figure Bluegill Figure Yellow Perch Figure Rock Bass Figure Brown Trout Tables Table 5-1. Lac du Flambeau Hatchery Stocking Summary for Table 5-2. Survey Results Regarding Perceptions of Current Quality of Fishing Table 5-3. Survey Results of Perceptions of Change in Quality of Fishing Section 5: About Fisheries Resources