Muskie study planned for Upper Long Lake

Indiana DNR Release:

COLUMBIA CITY – Fisheries biologists with the Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) will conduct a major study of the muskie stocking program this summer at Upper Long Lake in southwestern Noble County.

Since 1996, the local lake association and the Webster Lake Musky Club have periodically stocked muskie fingerlings in the 86-acre natural lake to provide muskie fishing opportunities and increase predation on small bluegills.

When stocked, the muskie fingerlings average 10 inches long and are purchased from a commercial hatchery in Wisconsin. They are normally stocked at the rate of five fingerlings per surface acre (430 total) with the expectation that one out of five will survive to adult size.

Although the muskie stockings are funded privately by the two organizations with approval from the DFW, both are requesting assistance from the DFW to evaluate the program’s success.

“Some lake residents question whether muskie stockings are providing any benefit,” said Jed Pearson, DFW fisheries biologist. “They want to know how many muskies are in the lake, how many muskies are being caught by anglers, and whether they are affecting other fish in the lake.”

Although Pearson says the DFW does not help pay for the cost of stockings, they can provide technical assistance in evaluating them.

“We will first take a look at the lake’s largemouth bass population in April and May and compare the bass population present now with what was present when the muskie stockings began,” Pearson said.

In mid-May and throughout summer, DFW personnel will be stationed at the lake to count and interview anglers. Data they gather will be used to determine how many fish are caught, size of fish caught, and the level of interest in muskie fishing.

DFW biologists will also conduct a complete fish population survey in mid-June using a shocker-boat, nets and traps that will provide detailed information on the overall species composition of the lake, the abundance of forage fish for muskies to eat, and the size of bluegills.

“Upper Long Lake has a long history of producing excessive numbers of small, slow-growing bluegills,” Pearson said. “One of the original goals of stocking muskies was to reduce the number of small bluegills in hopes that others would grow larger. The survey will allow us to compare bluegill size now to the size of bluegills in the past.”

Once the surveys are complete, the DFW will issue a report of the findings next winter. At that point, plans are to conduct a meeting of interested lake residents and anglers to determine the future direction of the muskie stocking program.