Where have all the Musky gone?

[John Jarosz]

We've been trying to get Chris Driscoll to do a presentation on the Musky Telemetry study & the YOY seining they did this year.

Unfortunately he can't make it because they are real busy due to staffing issues.  He can be available for one of our meetings between Dec & March on one or both of the subjects.

GOOD NEWS!!: YOY musky seining at near shore locations netted about 19 muskies this year!!

Coming up, next week they will be doing their fall electrofishing at the restoration sites

[John Jarosz]

Dr. K & I discussed this exact same thing during seining in the Bell Slip. He told me that the reason YOY muskies in the Harbor were (literally) twice as big as those in the River was because of early ice out in the embayments due to the shallow depths, leading to warmer water & higher rates of metabolism.
Chris Legard told me once that in the hatcheries the water temps will be tweaked up occasionally if growth rates are slow. Ideally, the hatcheries will try to target a specific size prior to release & that size can be set by water temp.

[John Pensyl]

The ice boom is the culprit for slower growth rates in the river than the lake. There are times when the lake is in the 40s just to the west and there is still a pile of ice sitting at the boom keeping the river an icy 32 degrees. The ice boom is a nightmare for any natural species. It delays spawns, destroys natural habitat and stunts growth.

[Scott Kitchen]

Only the older folks will know the tune for this:

Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Cormorants have eaten them every one.
Oh, When will they ever learn?
Oh, When will they ever learn?

Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Gobies have eaten them every one.
Oh, When will they ever learn?
Oh, When will they ever learn?

Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Northern Pike have eaten them every one.
Oh, When will they ever learn?
Oh, When will they ever learn?

Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the Muskie gone?
Time has taken them every one.
Oh, When will we ever learn?
Oh, When will we ever learn?

[John Jarosz]

Don't you mean the "better folks"?

Released in 1964 by Peter, Scott, and Mary

I understand that whenever it was sung, you'd be guaranteed a catch

[Tony Scime]

And I always thought it was Paul. Didn't know Scott was that old.

[John Jarosz]

Tony...he must have aged well, like a good bottle of montepulciano

[Scott McKee]

Huh?