Anglers asked to report marked splake caught in Lake Superior to Michigan DNR
A young angler proudly shows off his catch from a winter outing on Lake Superior, along the tip of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. (Photo: Michigan DNR)
(FOX 2) - The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking anglers for help as it tracks splake, a hybrid cross between lake trout and brook trout, in Lake Superior.
If you catch a marked splake while fishing this fall, report it on the DNR’s Eyes in the Field app or a local DNR fisheries office. Info such as the fish's length and caught location will be asked.
Because the fish are genetically tied to both lake trout and brook trout, splake can take the external appearance of the parent species, making them difficult to distinguish. Also, identifying the correct fin clip on splake can be difficult to do while fishing. This creates challenges when considering the reported data for the evaluation study.
When looking at a caught splake, anglers should inspect it for missing fins or a jawbone clip, indicating that it has been marked. Some clipped fins can be misshaped or missing or appear abnormal. DNR creel staff can help to correctly identify the fish, determine the marks on the fish, and record any angler trip data.
This is part of an evaluation study that will be conducted through 2030. It is designed to help fisheries managers understand the percentage of stocked fish caught by anglers, the home range of splake, and harvest metrics such as harvest rates and fish size at harvest by year and location, the DNR said.
The DNR has been stocking Lake Superior with these fish regularly since 1971 and annually since 1990. They are stocked at Copper Harbor, Keweenaw Bay, and Munising in the spring.
"Preliminary study results indicate that most splake remain in close proximity to their respective stocking locations," said George Madison, a DNR fisheries biologist for the Western Lake Superior Management Unit. "Splake are known to prefer shallow water habitats, meaning these fish are accessible with small boats or shore casting during the open-water periods on Lake Superior. Splake are also readily available through the ice during winter fishing months."