![]() ![]() These species, which make up the backbone of the diet of Alewife, are now not as readily available as they had been in the past. These species have put a great amount of pressure on the bottom of the food chain by constantly consuming Zooplankton, Phytoplankton, Mysis, and Diporeia. First, predation on Alewife by a large population of Chinook and other Salmonids has caused a decline in population, but the bigger issue has been with the invasion of Zebra and later Quagga Mussels. For decades they thrived in the Lake Michigan environment by outcompeting native species, but in recent years they have been in decline. ![]() That niche has been filled for 50 years by the Alewife, a small fish in the herring family that is native to the Atlantic Ocean, which invaded the Great Lakes over a century ago. ![]() They don’t typically forage on insects hatching on the water’s surface or on species that hover near the lake’s bottom. But the unfortunate truth is that these fish are solely pelagic feeders, meaning their biological makeup restricts them to feeding on suspended baitfish. ![]() They spend their entire open water lives in search of baitfish to feed their never ending appetite. Year after year recreational fishermen and charter customers were spoiled with amazing action which usually resulted in coolers overflowing with 12 to 24 pound King Salmon.īut the real question is, was that level sustainable?Īnyone familiar with Chinook Salmon know that they are ferocious eaters. While the fish may not have rivaled the size of the giant ‘Tyee’ of the Pacific Northwest or even their cousins in Lake Ontario, the quantities in Lake Michigan simply could not be beat. If you take a snapshot of the 2005-2012 timeframe, those fishing for Chinook Salmon on Lake Michigan likely saw the best action for these fish that has ever been experienced anywhere on the planet. With so many variables involved, making a prediction into the future is no easy task, but we’ll do our best to gaze into the crystal ball.Īs we’ve done previously we’ll try to analyze the past to help us better understand where the future may find us. Those who have been lucky enough to fish this Great Lake over the years have certainly seen those changes firsthand. Like many things in life, the Lake Michigan ecosystem is in a constant state of flux and evolution. ![]()
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