TOPIC:

Morning Mike,
I'm not gonna go down the rabbit hole this morning on this subject.
How about telling the public what you would cut from them to get you where you think we should be with Coho. Would you cut Steelhead? Would you cut Kings?

The better tact to take on this is how do we pull all our resources together to get Indiana a 3rd hatchery? Does everyone know we are approaching being maxed out?
What happens if we lose a bio-filter? How does that affect the Indiana fishery? Where does growth come from?

The DNR isn't going to lobby for a new hatchery, I'm sure. I'm sure they have other fish to fry and we'd never have gotten Bodine if it weren't for Joe Cloud, then DNR director, previously a legislator from South Bend area, directing some pork to his former district. Long story but Bodine was a "relatively" inexpensive way for Michigan to get a new hatchery to feed the St. Joe.

There are a couple of things that could be done to get more hatchery space. Like in the upcoming Cleveland Cliffs settlement. Instead of just taking their money to squander as bureaucrats and politicians are good at doing. Have them build a hatchery then donate it or operate it to stock additional fish.

Build a king-only hatchery- kings are easy to rear, only in the hatcheries for six months. Kids in Michigan raise them in aquariums at school. I once visited a hatchery in Thunder Bay Ontario, built by a group no bigger than Northwest Indiana Steelheaders. They built a pole barn, put about 10 or so above ground swimming pools inside and gravity fed spring water into the pools to circulate the water. They produced 100s of thousands of kings for the Kaministiqua River near Thunder Bay each year, raising operating funds with raffles and dinners.

Remember, the first salmon Indiana produced were grown in used 55 gallon barrels. The first Skamania weir was made from used nets from a tennis court. It doesn't have to be hundreds of millions of dollars to get the job done.

 "And relying on Michigan for "their" cohos is a slim promise to base our spring fishery."

I'm just saying it appears there is a problem with Coho survival that increased stocking may not help. The Steelhead seem to be doing well and they are our fish. I wouldn't trade fish that are surviving for fish that are not until a solution is found.   Indiana started stocking Coho in the St. Joe in 2010 and have continued to do so which coincides with our stocking numbers falling off slightly. Keeping the Coho in the hatchery longer has improved St. Joe returns, hopefully it will do the same with ours. I see our fishery improving the last few years now that the bait appears to be rebounding.  Last fall we fished in front of the port for one morning and caught 9 kings and 3 coho. I am hoping this is the start of something we haven't seen for awhile. My glass is half full.  

Love the idea of Cleveland Cliffs buying the State a hatchery and perhaps tying it in with one of the DNR facilities at Portage that could also be open to the public for observations, tours, education, etc. In fact, give it room for fishery biologists and interns to do research on a wide range of programs designed to improve the lake for all.  Easy access from either Illinois or Michigan so could attract more than just Indiana fisherpeople, schools, etc.

Last year was one of the best summers I can recall Coho in years with big fish sticking around through July where in previous years they would be gone by mid-June.  Not so much it seems this year but perhaps that more of reflection on my fishing ability!  The choice of coho or steelhead is almost like picking a finger to choose to cut-off- there is no good answer!  With that said, pound-for-pound, what would you rather catch?  Table fair is probably a wash on the grill and IMHO steelhead holds up better blackened or smoked.  Also, I have a 24lbs male steelhead that was 7 years old when caught in Trail Creek on my wall.  Neither of those numbers are possible for a coho.

Like I said, no good choice as there a few pics better than cooler full of a mixed bag of nice coho, steelies, and kings!