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The Grand Traverse Bay fishery is assessed annually through creel surveys. The surveys have indicated that brown trout harvest rates since the
year 2000 are very low and do not justify the cost of the fish stocking program. Since the year 2000, in an effort to enhance the survival of stocked
brown trout, we have stocked them early in the spring to avoid cormorant predation and moved stocking locations to areas with immediate access to
deep-water refuge. We have also experimented with offshore stocking. Unfortunately, none of these management strategies have enhanced the
brown trout fishery in the Grand Traverse Bays.
Another option that has been proposed is net penning brown trout yearlings. Net penning is not a viable solution for brown trout because the
primary rationale for net penning is to enhance the acclimation and imprinting of salmon smolts to their particular stocking location. Brown trout do
not share that life history pattern with salmon so there would be no tangible benefit from net-penning stocked brown trout.
We are considering a significant change in the brown trout stocking strategy for the Grand Traverse Bays. It would involve relocating 50,000 of the
brown trout currently stocked into East Bay into West Bay. That would result in 100,000 brown trout being stocked annually into West Bay. The 15,000
brown trout stocked into East Bay at the Elk River would be continued. Please see the attached table for a detailed description of the potential
stocking reallocation.
We are limited in terms of our hatchery capacity, so simply doubling the entire Grand Traverse Bay stocking allocation is not an option. With the
doubling of the West Bay stocking allocation, West Bay would become the most heavily stocked area for brown trout in Michigan. The potential
change in stocking strategy would be assessed through annual creel surveys. The rationale for potentially doubling the brown trout stocking of West
Bay versus East Bay is that we currently have stocking locations that are less conducive to predation in West Bay versus East Bay, our creel
assessment efforts would be supplemented by the Boardman Weir operations in West Bay and West Bay receives more annual fishing effort than
East Bay.
We would greatly appreciate input from the Grand Traverse Area Sport Fishing Association (GTASFA) membership regarding this potential fisheries
management strategy.
year 2000 are very low and do not justify the cost of the fish stocking program. Since the year 2000, in an effort to enhance the survival of stocked
brown trout, we have stocked them early in the spring to avoid cormorant predation and moved stocking locations to areas with immediate access to
deep-water refuge. We have also experimented with offshore stocking. Unfortunately, none of these management strategies have enhanced the
brown trout fishery in the Grand Traverse Bays.
Another option that has been proposed is net penning brown trout yearlings. Net penning is not a viable solution for brown trout because the
primary rationale for net penning is to enhance the acclimation and imprinting of salmon smolts to their particular stocking location. Brown trout do
not share that life history pattern with salmon so there would be no tangible benefit from net-penning stocked brown trout.
We are considering a significant change in the brown trout stocking strategy for the Grand Traverse Bays. It would involve relocating 50,000 of the
brown trout currently stocked into East Bay into West Bay. That would result in 100,000 brown trout being stocked annually into West Bay. The 15,000
brown trout stocked into East Bay at the Elk River would be continued. Please see the attached table for a detailed description of the potential
stocking reallocation.
We are limited in terms of our hatchery capacity, so simply doubling the entire Grand Traverse Bay stocking allocation is not an option. With the
doubling of the West Bay stocking allocation, West Bay would become the most heavily stocked area for brown trout in Michigan. The potential
change in stocking strategy would be assessed through annual creel surveys. The rationale for potentially doubling the brown trout stocking of West
Bay versus East Bay is that we currently have stocking locations that are less conducive to predation in West Bay versus East Bay, our creel
assessment efforts would be supplemented by the Boardman Weir operations in West Bay and West Bay receives more annual fishing effort than
East Bay.
We would greatly appreciate input from the Grand Traverse Area Sport Fishing Association (GTASFA) membership regarding this potential fisheries
management strategy.
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| Annual Brown Trout Plants Historical Potential |
East Bay
Deepwater Point 30,000 0
Mitchell Creek 30,000 0
Elk Rapids 15,000 15,000
West Bay
Brewery Creek 25,000 50,000
Bowers Harbor 25,000 50,000
Deepwater Point 30,000 0
Mitchell Creek 30,000 0
Elk Rapids 15,000 15,000
West Bay
Brewery Creek 25,000 50,000
Bowers Harbor 25,000 50,000