A Fair Shake for Kinkaid Muskies
Jan 22nd, 2007 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jan 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Muskies were first stocked at Kinkaid Lake in the mid-1980’s, and soon, the bass fishing changed, for they were no longer the top predator. Finding an abundance of bass became difficult, which led many to believe the bass were being eaten by the muskies…I can’t deny that this has happened, as I have had muskies attack bass that I had hooked, although I’ve also had the same thing happen at Devil’s Kitchen Lake a few years back (where there are NO muskies) when a small bass I was reeling toward the boat was attacked by a monstrous bass of more than 10 pounds (unfortunately, I didn’t get hooks into the bigger fish, but the point I’m trying to make is that the smaller fish made an appealing and easy target because of the way it was struggling–) This helped trigger the larger predator’s instinct, and the bone-jarring strike I remember many years later as this was one of the largest bass I’ve ever seen, and certainly the biggest I’m aware of having struck my line. All summer long I fished for walleye at Kinkaid, and there were very few days that I didn’t catch at least one keeper size bass of 15 inches or better from 15-25 feet of water, often on days where I talked to bass anglers fishing in the shallow weeds who hadn’t caught anything…no large OR small bass. This is easy to understand when you come to realize their baits weren’t within 100 feet of where these bass were holding! No fish (I don’t care HOW interested or hungry it is) would travel THAT far to find food! Shawn Hirst, the district fishery biologist, had one of the best bass sampling years from Kinkaid on record during the spring of 2006, and his research and evidence clearly show there is a strong and viable fishery for largemouth bass, with good recruitment, growth rates, and overall size and body condition, but the anti-musky crowd of bass anglers laments they can’t catch bass the way they used to. And the truth is, they can’t, for the largemouth (and other species, too) have adapted to the presence of the musky; yes, it is true that this has changed their behavior in that the bass and other gamefish are now more defensive, holding in small niches or habitats, and they no longer aggressively roam and forage the lake at will. Yet they are there, largemouth bass in record numbers, and anglers who adapt their presentation will catch larger and better condition bass on average now than they did before the muskies were introduced. They should learn to fish before they dismiss the lake as ‘ruined.’ I was upset to hear of today (12-19-06) of a musky floating belly-up at the lake, and when the angler who saw it recounted the tale he said he went to check it out, as he’d heard of the muskies in the lake, but had never caught one. He was distressed to see that this wasn’t an accidental or natural death, for the musky’s throat had been slit from gillplate to gillplate, not a victim of natural mortality, old age, or loss. No, this was murder most foul, for an ignorant angler (I wish to point out that ignorance is the lack of knowledge, NOT intelligence, although some consider it one and the same…it’s not) decided the muskies don’t belong here. Guess this murderer would like things to go back to the way they were, with a largemouth size limit of 12 inches and little chance of catching a ‘keeper” bass. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse (I’d prefer this opportunity with whomever killed the musky) but until actions like this end, we ALL lose out. To pick up where I left off last week discussing the murder of one of Kinkaid’s muskies, it strikes me that most of the anglers who are upset with the musky program are pretty fair bass and crappie anglers, but they’re stuck in a rut. They keep doing things the same way they have for years and expect more favorable results…in short, while the bass and crappies have adapted to the presence of the muskies, the fishermen chasing them have not. Logically, it would seem that if they learned how these fish have changed their patterns of behavior they would start catching more and bigger fish…(not to ruffle anyone’s feathers–they need to learn HOW TO FISH, for the fish are there and getting fat by feeding)……I know by adapting the way I fish at Kinkaid, I am catching better quality bass AND crappies than before the muskies were introduced! Sure, small fish inhabit every nook and cranny of the shallow weedbeds, but the large ones seldom do; rather, the larger keeper size bass and crappies have moved into deep water haunts, in secondary positions relative to where the muskies hold and feed. All last summer I trolled Kinkaid for walleye, and had the most incredible year for largemouth I’ve had in 25 years of fishing the lake, and I even caught a number of slab-sized crappies on the bass and walleye lures I was using. I saw and caught more bass over 5 pounds than I knew existed at Kinkaid, and while I had brief glimpses of this in the past, the summer of 2006 really showed me how strong and viable these fisheries were at the lake. So what’s an angler who wishes to catch more big bass (or crappie) do? Use their head, and a little patience. Most of the bigger largemouth we caught last summer were from 15-22 feet deep, so in order to catch these fish, anglers must get their lures down that deep. Another point to consider is the amount of fishing pressure at the lake, and this is where the patience comes into play, for if anglers cast and crank as fast as they can, they may generate a few reaction strikes, but many of the larger fish (having been caught once or twice in the past) have learned that not everything that swims tastes good…this is where slow-crawling a plastic worm, jig-n-pig, or suspending deep diving crankbait can put a fish on your line and a smile on your face. Same way with the crappies…find where they live, and put your bait into their ‘living room.’ Economically, the muskies are providing a welcome boost to the local motels, restaurants, and other businesses in a way that most of the other species don’t, for musky anglers start fishing as soon as they can launch the boat, continuing until the weather finally closes the door on their opportunity. Stop and inquire at the motels–they have a higher percentage of musky anglers than any other types of fishermen…and the musky anglers have a tendency to stay longer in the area than these other fishermen, as well. No doubt about it, this is a welcome boost to an economy that is based largely on tourism. I know that through the years I’ve had anglers travel and stay in the area from 22 states (including northern Illinois) just to fish for muskies. Add it all up, and that’s a lot of tourist dollars, and I’d rather see it come here than to go elsewhere. There are several reasons I’ve been upset about the murder of muskies at Kinkaid Lake…first off, they’re my business as a fishing guide, the main (but not only) species I pursue and as such are much of the reason I’ve had anglers from 21 other states come to visit our area to fish for them…their trips are only rarely made for the bass or crappies, as this latter group are as common to American waters as boats…and I’m not the only musky guide promoting these waters. No,it’s the caliber and class of musky anglers that appeals to me, for few of them were ‘born’ into fishing for this species of fish…almost to the last man, they had other interests and pursuits prior to learning about muskies and catching ‘the fever,’ as the majority fished for bass, trout, walleye, stripers, crappie, or catfish first. As such, they are among the most educated and accomplished anglers out there, and some of the most respectful of the lakes, fisheries, and resources. Take the local chapter of Muskies, Inc., the Shawnee Musky Hunters (MI Chapter #28.) The average member travels over 2 hours to come to a meeting, and while many of these members have MI clubs much closer to them, they are drawn to this chapter because of the conservation issues this club takes on…for example, in a little over 10 years of being chartered, this “local” club has: Made a $2,000 donation for 2007 and a $2,000 commitment for FY 2009 & 2011 to go for purchasing Hybrid Muskies to be stocked into Eagle Lake, Illinois. Made contributions in the amount of $4,665 toward the purchase of a new boat motor for the Department of Natural Resources local District 21 fishery biologist, Shawn Hirst, and the IMTT (Illinois Musky Tournament Trail) assisted this motor purchase with a $1,000 donation and Chad Cain’s Guide Service donated $230. Donated $1000 to the Illinois Muskie Alliance fundraiser for the ILDNR youth fishing educational trailer. $1,400 donated to the Kinkaid Lake Conservancy for the ILDNR fisheries fund. Donated $8,500 to the Lacey Graeff Caraway cancer fund by helping organize, promote, and run a tournament and fundraiser. Made the purchase of $250 worth of Threadfin Shad from Reed’s to be stocked into Kinkaid Lake. Donated $250 to the ILDNR for the repair of nets. Donated $500 with a matching grant generously provided by Gander Mountain for Southern Illinois University toward the funding of the Telemetry Project in which radio transmitters were placed on 24 selected large fish to track and monitor the habits of the fish in their environment throughout the year. Donated $500 with a matching grant provided by Muskies Inc. for the rip rap shore line of Kinkaid Lake to help control erosion. Donated $3,100 for pit tag readers & pit tags to mark and identify fish for research Kinkaid Lake. Purchased two trap nets for the ILDNR at a cost of nearly $1,000. Collected 600 cans of food items for the Women’s Crisis Center in Carbondale, IL. Provided local schools with Muskie Inc. Magazines. Performed 3 lake clean ups and removed over 1 ton of trash from Kinkaid Lake. Donated nets to the Warsaw Mo. Fish Hatchery, and in return, 690 Muskies where donated by the State of Missouri to the Kinkaid Lake stocking program (a corresponding number of Illinois State fish were NOT stocked at the lake because of this…) Made a $300 donation to the “All Female Muskie” study on Kinkaid Lake. Donated $500 for the 2005 Muskie Symposium held in Indianapolis. Donated $100 for the Woodrum Lake, West Virginia restocking project. Donated $100 to the Nebraska Chapter of Muskies Inc for startup funds. The Shawnee Muskie Hunters held a Kids Fishing Day on June 10, 2006 at Murphysboro Lake, and several club members helped out with the event and cooked the lunch. Nine children participated and everyone had a good time; thanks to the Top Of The Hill Bait Shop, Bass Pro Shops (St. Charles, Mo.) and the ILDNR for their contributions. And in addition to the 2007 Lake Cleanup, Guide for a Day, and Kid’s Fishing Day programs, the club plans to hold a Veteran’s Day tribute where club members will take members of the American Armed Forces on a fishing trip to Kinkaid Lake as a “thank you” for their service in defending our country and freedom.Whew! Now, I’ll GLADLY forgo any more discussion on this topicand contribute this column space for any fishing club who can matchthese credentials and service to the fishing community. Yes, I am awarethat many of these donations were directed at musky fisheries…but haveany other local clubs done as much for their’s?? If you’re gonna ‘talkthe talk,’ at least ‘walk the walk.’ Commentary from MuskieFIRST contributers:I’ve seen the same thing in Illinois lakes. No one catching bass, crappie, ect and they blame the muskies. I’ve seen them floating, in dumpsters, ect. One day I was trolling the deepest part of a lake for suspended fish and decided to throw back a couple lines for bass…and started catching a good number of them. I’ve never seen a bass angler fishing 20+ feet of water in a lake.—–It happens in Iowa also, my own blood (my grandfather) always makes the comment when a lake gets stocked with muskies that “well that lakes ruined”. In Pete Mainas “muskies suck” book he has an interesting take on the situation. Many panfisherman (he says) go to the same spot week after week, year after year, and they keep dozens if not hundreds of fish everytime they can. These same people are the ones that can’t figure out why there are no more panfish left and blame muskies. In all truthfulness the dozens of hungry fisherman that take to the water have (in my humble opinion) a harder impact on panfish populations than muskies. In the wintertime while the muskies metabolism slows the fisherman are still hard at it. Also a large portion of a muskies diet consists of junk fish or bait fishrather than gamefish. To clarify I like ice fishing, I also like to keep a mess of bluegill and crappie from time to time. I am all for enjoying the bounty that nature has to offer. I also believe that muskies do change fishing conditions in that there introduction forces other species to change there habbits in order to find protection or food. I just have a hard time believing that muskies lower gamefish populations all that much. It has been found that muskies eat the same amount of food as most other gamefish (in relation to there size) and considering that the musky population is considerably lower than that of bass, walleyes, panfish, etc. they are more or less an important part in a balanced food chain by preventing certain species from overpopulating and stunting.—-This is an exceptional read. I believe the best course of action is continued education. We also need to work with local DNR agencies to increase education and provide readily availalbe information to prevent malicous kills in the future (such as more flyers and information at the lakes. Posting malicous kills as an act of poaching or providing the results og annual surveys would go along way to curtail these actions. For me, a malicous kill of a muskie is an act of poaching. To intentionally kill a muskie, a state managed natural resource, is a malicous act. Considering the average size muskis in lakes, most are under the legal size limit to keep. Killing one to me constitutes poaching – you are effectively removing this resource from the system. I would like to caution how we present our case in written articles. I feel that refering to the intentional kill of a fish as “murder” puts the subject out of context and provides fodder for muskie haters to put us Muskie fisherman in the class of “fanatics”…. Again, overall a great read and a subject that needs attention. Just my thoughts…… jerryExcellent observations by Al Nutty on Lake Kinkaid… Before I came to work for the Wisconsin DNR in Hayward in 2002, I was a fishery management biologist and supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation in Kirksville, Missouri. I had the privilege of managing one of the finest fishing lakes in northeastern Missouri at that time, and probably still — 530-acre Hazel Creek Lake. When the impoundment was new in 1983, we stocked largemouth bass and muskellunge, among other things, including gizzard shad as prey. Excellent fisheries developed for both bass and musky. On the Father’s Day when my son, Jason, was 13 years old, he caught a 7-pound largemouth bass and a 42-inch musky on the same evening! Both fish are mounted in my office today. The abundant muskellunge in Hazel Creek Lake ate gizzard shad. In fact, I could not GET them to eat any significant number of bass, even when I WANTED them to do so. The lake opened to fishing in 1985 with a 42-inch minimum length limit on muskellunge (the highest in North America at that time) and a 12- to 18-inch slot length limit for largemouth bass. Natural reproduction of muskellunge was nonexistent, as we expected it would be, because the numerous bass (20/acre >8 inches in our population estimates) would eat all young muskellunge that hatched. (Muskellunge must be stocked there periodically at sizes of 10-12 inches.) But bass reproduction was high — too high, in fact, such that we began to see a stockpile of 12- to 13-inch fish that simply would not grow fast enough to reach larger sizes. Muskellunge were so locked into eating gizzard shad (the preferred prey in Missouri, as I’m sure they are in Illinois) that they rarely ate a bass, even though I had hoped they would eat enough small bass to “thin the herd” and allow the bass to grow at a satisfactory rate to larger sizes. In order to help the bass population, we changed the slot limit from 12-18 to 14-18 inches, thus encouraging angler harvest of overabundant 12- to 13-inch bass. It helped, and the bass population has been better balanced ever since. But the moral of the story is this: Muskellunge will not eat any significant number of largemouth bass, even if you WANT them to, if they have a more preferred species of prey available, like gizzard shad. There is no limit to what some people will do to ignore this reality and to promote their own narrow agenda. A female professor in physical education at the local university was an ardent bass angler. She complained to the Kirksville City Council (Hazel Creek Lake is their water supply reservoir) that the muskies were eating all her bass. She claimed to have found musky bite marks and other scars on about half the bass she caught one spring. She had a PhD. She had to be taken seriously, right? The Council asked me to appear before them and explain. We had just performed our annual spring electrofishing survey at Hazel Creek Lake. I presented a graph to the City Council that showed the number and lengths of over 1,000 largemouth bass captured during our spring survey. Not a SINGLE fish handled by me and my crew had any kind of mark that would indicate they had been attacked by a muskellunge or any other fish. I asked the Council, “What are the odds that one angler would truly observe a 50% scarring rate on dozens of fish caught by rod and reel, at the same time biologists are handling over 1,000 fish and not seeing a single attack mark?” The laws of probability and the wisdom of the Kirksville City Council prevailed, and the woman’s allegations were dismissed. To my knowledge, that is the last time anyone seriously questioned whether muskellunge were hurting the bass population at Hazel Creek Lake. I hope this sheds a little light on the subject. Feel free to share this story with your bass fishing friends. Dave Neuswanger Fisheries Team Leader, Upper Chippewa Basin Wisconsin DNR, Hayward—-Great article. I’ve seen or heard it has been posted on at least 3 muskie sites, including this one. Asside from it being published in the local publication, is this being posted/published to any other websites that are geared more for those other species that the muskies supposedly eat and make dissappear?—-Editors Note:Thanks to Todd M for contributing the article and to the contributors to the thread in the research forum at MuskieFIRST. All anglers fishing where muskies swim need to read this piece!