Increased Musky = ?

[Consequence Free]

Just wondering if anyone thinks that the increase in musky population over the past several years in LPB has had any significant effect to the population of other species in the Bay....in particular, perch and bass. I realize it's a huge ecosystem, but top predators on the food chain have a way of messing things up--look at humans!(Particularly interested in hearing from people in the know.)
Ken

 

[FisherPrice]

It is tough to say how they will affect LPB. They are not typically table fair, so I have never opened one up, to look at what there primary diet is.
My guess is that they will compete with the pike for food sources.

The best perch fishing continues to be in the deeper portions of the lake. Out of the warm water habitat the Musky prefer.

With any luck they may help calm the ever present Goby population.

Just my thoughts, not an expert here.

Cheers

 

[jerk bait]

Just wondering if anyone thinks that the increase in musky population over the past several years in LPB has had any significant effect to the population of other species in the Bay....in particular, perch and bass. I realize it's a huge ecosystem, but top predators on the food chain have a way of messing things up--look at humans!(Particularly interested in hearing from people in the know.)
Ken

It will change the fishery for sure much like st clair. We have seen some chanel already. The muskie are more aggressive feeders than pike especially in a big ecco system. Having guided in waters which contained both pike and Muskie you come to learn that they can Co exist in the same water body but not same spots. A bay that contained small to medium pike would never hold a muskie and vise versa. The affects on the bass fishery will be less than that of the perch IMO. Bass are harder to catch and offer only the same food value . Perch are easier to catch and will make up a large portion of there diet. They also gobble up sunfish galore and suckers. The really big muskie feast on open water greasy hi fat fish like whitefish lake trout and herring. Just this season alone I have caught 4 muskie out of the bay and seen a dozen more. The perch were relating to the flats and open water with the smallies because the weeds were choked full of muskie. While they may eat a gobie if it passes them I suspect they will not make up a large portion of their diet. I see the perch fishery declining ..bass staying same...pike getting pushed deeper and more fun for muskie hunters.

 

[FisherPrice]

My same thoughts on the inner bay perch population. That will certainly hurt the already slow ice fishing we have had in years past.

Time will tell where they will extend there range to....Can't wait to get my first Musky down here however.

 

[jrr]

The musky are there for a reason -- the area can sustain them. Is that because there wasn't any other predators before? I don't think so. My guess is that the clearer water (zebra mussels) has more to do with things changing than anything else. Who is to say what normal was. The pollution and the run off from human activity in the rivers has filled the lake for generations. We are lucky, we get to see it cleaner than it has been likely since europeans cleared all the trees (filled the rivers with mud), dumped stuff, and built industry around the lake in the 1800s. It seems to be changing for the better.