Michigan Brook Trout Facts

Brook Trout | Credit: USFWS

The brook trout is Michigan's official state fish. This colorful member of the char family is native to the Great Lakes region. 

Brook trout have a large mouth and streamlined body shape that is typical of trout and char. They can display an array of colors, including olive, bluish gray, slate, or black above with a silverish white belly and wormlike markings (vermiculation pattern) along the back. Along their flanks are yellow blotches and red spots, which are sometimes surrounded by light blue halos.

Brook trout are found in cold water streams, around rocks, logs, and undercut banks. They are also found in the Great Lakes and smaller lakes throughout Michigan.

They prey mainly on mayflies, stoneflies, and other aquatic insects. Brook trout are opportunistic feeders and will feed on available food sources including, crustaceans, worms, and small fish.

Brook trout mature in about 1.5 to 2.5 years to mature, and they usually do not live longer than 6 years. Stream-dwelling brook trout typically reach 7 to 9 inches in length.

In offshore waters of the Great Lakes, coaster brook trout sometimes reaches 25 inches in length and weigh 10 pounds or more.

On the Lower Peninsula, the Black River system is considered to be one of  the best brook trout streams in Michigan.

Brook trout are common throughout the Upper Peninsula, especially in streams that contain clear, cold  water. In summer, brook trout often migrate to the headwaters of tributaries in search of colder water.

Lake Mattamuskeet Carp Removal

Common Carp | credit: U.S. Army

A $1 million federal grant will go towards the removal of large numbers of common carp from Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina.

Located within Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, the lake is also home to more popular freshwater fish including largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, and striped bass.

Invasive carp, like those in Lake Mattamuskeet, compete with native fish for the natural resources and destroy the natural aquatic habitat.

Carp can degrade water quality by muddying the waters and uprooting aquatic plants. Their destruction also negatively impacts migratory wintering waterfowl that feed on the plants.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has partnered with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to remove the carp.

Several years ago, barriers were installed at the lake's four tide gates to keep adult carp from entering the lake. Now, the ones still in the lake must go.

The Service awarded WSB the contract to clear approximately 1 million pounds of carp from Lake Mattamuskeet.

During a similar large-scale carp removal effort in the 1940s and 1950s, large haul seines, baited traps, and pound nets were used successfully.

Another approach, known as the modified unified method, utilizes large seines and herding methods to move carp into nets successfully. Once netted, carp are extracted from the lake. WSB will utilize a combination of these removal methods. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment will improve the natural environment of the 40,000-acre Lake Mattamuskeet and four outlet canals, according to USFWS.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Vermont Northeast Kingdom Lake Trout

Lake Trout

Vermont's Northeast Kingdom region is known for its trophy class lake trout. In 2023, a 25.6 pound lake trout was landed from Echo Lake in Charleston.

Although Lake Champlain gets most of the attention for lake trout fishing in Vermont, many of the inland lakes in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom are real sleepers for big fish, according to Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) fisheries biologist Shawn Good, who administers the state’s Record Fish Program. 

"In fact, if you’re talking exclusively about trophy sized Lake Trout, the Northeast Kingdom is where you want to be," said VFWD fisheries biologist Jud Kratzer.  All 69 Lake Trout exceeding 20 pounds that have been entered in the Record Fish Program over the years have come from Kingdom waters.  And 530-acre Echo Lake has produced four of them, with the largest being just shy of 30 pounds. That’s remarkable for a lake of that size."

The Northeast Kingdom (NEK) includes over 2,000 square miles of Vermont and is home to some of the state’s most scenic locations.

Bordered by Canada and northern New Hampshire, the Kingdom is known for its fishing, outdoor recreation, and natural resources.

For more information on fishing in Vermont can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website (vtfishandwildlife.com).

Lake Erie Fishing

Lake Trout

Lake Erie is one of North America's top freshwater fishing destinations. Anglers fish for an array of species in the main lake and its many tributaries.

Lake Erie Facts

Lake Erie sustains populations of yellow perch, walleye, lake trout, steelhead, brown trout, coho salmon, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill sunfish, musky, northern pike, and other species.

Lake Erie is the shallowest of the five Great Lakes. The lake is bordered by Ontario Canada and the American states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

With a surface area of 9,900 square miles and more than 850 miles of shoreline, the lake is a fishermen's paradise.

Wind and weather conditions on Lake Erie can create a seiche, an oscillating wave which can be several feet high. Seiches can cause water levels to fluctuate, especially around Buffalo, NY.

Yellow Perch

The yellow perch is Lake Erie's most popular panfish. Lake Erie anglers catch yellow perch with live baits as well as artificial lures. Peak fishing for yellow perch usually occurs during spring spawning runs. In the fall, anglers target yellow perch as the move down creeks and into Lake Erie. During the winter season, Lake Erie fishermen catch yellow perch by ice fishing.

Lake Trout

The lake trout is one of the most popular gamefish in Lake Erie. The largest member of the char family, lake trout can weigh 60 pounds or more.

Lake Erie Ice Fishing

Yellow Perch

Lake Erie is one of the most popular ice fishing destinations in the Northeast. The yellow perch is by far the most sought-after fish by Lake Erie ice fishermen.

Ice fishing enthusiasts also catch walleye, musky, pike, lake trout, crappie, bluegill, and other species.

The most basic form of ice fishing on Lake Erie consists of bottom fishing with small baits or slowly jigging small lures.

In addition to hand-held rods, some anglers fish unattended rigs, known as "tip-ups". These simple devices are designed to hook fish and provide the angler with some indication when a strike occurs.

Although simple fishing strategies remain popular on the lake, a number of complex ice fishing techniques have gained popularity in recent years. For electronics enthusiasts, there are fishfinder units (sonar), underwater video cameras, GPS devices, and other equipment.

Commercial Fisheries

In recent decades, the Lake Erie has sustained a variety of commercial fisheries in both Canadian and American waters. Walleye and yellow perch are typically the most important species for American fishermen. Important Canadian fisheries include walleye, yellow perch, white bass, smelt, and lake whitefish.

Lake Hartwell Fish Attractors - Habitat Enhancement

In South Carolina, a significant habitat enhancement project on Lake Hartwell attracts anglers from across the region.

Largemouth Bass

In 2014, after a feasibility study and funding procurement, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) began Lake Hartwell habitat enhancement efforts.

The Lake Hartwell enhancement efforts have two main objectives:

1) provide cover for various sizes of fish; and

2) fish concentration sites for anglers.

Through 2021, SCDNR has enhanced eight areas with about 105 concrete culverts/structures, 1,300 stumps, 560 tons of broken concrete slabs, 180 tons of riprap, five tons of pea gravel, 120 PVC artificial fish attractors, 150 bamboo fish attractors, 815 trees cut/cabled from the shoreline and 1,200 maidencane plants.

Lake Hartwell is listed as a Top 100 Bass Lake in America. The lake has hosted the Bassmaster Classic three times: 2018, 2015 and 2008. The 2018 Classic, with fishing on Hartwell and weigh-ins and Expo in Greenville, set a record attendance of 143,323. It’s been topped twice since.

source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

Lake Elmore Vermont Free Ice Fishing Day and Festival

Lake Elmore State Park Free Ice Fishing Day
January 25, 2020
Lake Elmore State Park
Lake Elmore, Vermont

Lake Elmore State Park in Vermont will host a "Free Ice Fishing Day" on January 25, 2020 (all day).

Often called "The Beauty Spot of Vermont," the Town of Lake Elmore is a popular destination for outdoor explorers.

Lake Elmore (219 acres) lies northwest of the town. The lake empties into the Lamoille River through Pond Brook. Elmore Mountain (2,608 feet) rises almost from the shore of lake.

The park had its beginning in 1936 when the town of Elmore and local citizens made a gift of 30 acres on Lake Elmore to the state of Vermont. Today, with more than 700 acres, Elmore State Park has become a popular, developed recreation facility.

The lake is home to yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bullhead, and panfish.

In addition to fishing, Lake Elmore State Park is a popular destination for camping, swimming, hiking, hunting, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and other outdoor recreation.

Lake Trolling Techniques

Lake Trout

Trolling is a popular technique for catching fish in lakes, reservoirs, and other large impoundments.

Lake trolling allows anglers to cover a large amount of territory while fishing at multiple depths.

Lake trolling techniques vary regionally. In some areas, anglers employ downriggers, planers, umbrella rigs, or other complex equipment.

In other situations, anglers use only simple tackle such as spoons, crankbaits, or jigs.

Lake trolling techniques have been proven to produce trophy-class fish. While trolling, anglers catch lake trout, musky, pike, salmon, striped bass, white perch, largemouth bass, panfish, and other fish.

The following are a few state record catches that were caught by trolling:

In September 2010, James Brooks was trolling in Bluestone Lake when he set a new West Virginia state record for striped bass. Brooks caught the 47.16-inch, 45.70-pound striper while trolling a crankbait.

In June 2014, Jeffery Todd Smith set a new North Carolina state record with a kokanee salmon that weighed 4 pounds, 1 ounce. Smith caught the fish while trolling in Nantahala Lake.

In 2016, James Stiars of Maryland broke his own non-tidal record for white perch in Loch Raven Reservoir near Baltimore.

Stiars landed his second Maryland state record non-tidal white perch with a 1.74-pound, 14.25 inch fish. His previous record was a 1.70-pound fish caught in 2014.

“We were trolling Shad Rap crank baits and catching them pretty well when this one came over the rail, and I thought it looked bigger than the one from a couple of years ago,” explained Stiars.

Toledo Bend Reservoir - Best Bass Lake 2016

Bassmaster Magazine recently named Toledo Bend Reservoir the "Best Bass Lake" in the nation for the second year in a row.

This is the first time a fishery has held Bassmaster's number one spot for more than one year.

Since 2012, the magazine has published the annual 100 best bass lakes in the country; Toledo Bend Reservoir has placed within the top 15 every year.

The Toledo Bend Lake Association provides replicas to sportsmen who land bass 10 pounds or larger and release the fish back into the lake alive. Replicas are awarded every June.

In 2015, the fishery produced 81 verified fish over 10 pounds. During the 2016 lunker year, running from June 2015 through May 2016, the number of replicas awarded nearly doubled to 139 double-digit bass.

Toledo Bend Lake straddles the Louisiana and Texas border, and lake management is the responsibility of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

These agencies, in addition to various local organizations, have released more than 28 million Florida-strain largemouth fingerlings into the reservoir.

source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Lake Mattamuskeet Fish Habitat

A wide range of habitat enhancement, fisheries research, and other projects on Lake Mattamuskeet could improve fishing on the lake for largemouth bass and other species.

A multi-year habitat enhancement project on Lake Mattamuskeet is set to begin in 2016. Partners in the project include the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and UNC-Chapel Hill researchers.

The research project will focus on maintaining submerged aquatic vegetation in the east basin of the lake and examining the potential to increase coverage of aquatic vegetation in the west basin.

Previously, the N.C Wildlife Commission conducted annual electrofishing and trap netting surveys in the main lake and surrounding canals to describe abundance, size, condition, and growth of largemouth bass, black crappie, and other sportfish.

A tagging program evaluated adult largemouth bass movement within and between lake and canal habitats.

Lake Mattamuskeet was stocked with 45,000 largemouth bass fingerlings in 2014 and 70,000 in 2015 as part of a multi-year largemouth bass enhancement study.

Numerous angler surveys found that blue crab, channel catfish, black crappie, white perch, and largemouth bass were the top five species targeted.

Fisheries management plans for 2016 include an additional stocking of 50,000 largemouth bass fingerlings as well as the implementation of a largemouth bass movement project to track the movements of individual adult fish as they move in and out the canals.

Located within Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Mattamuskeet is North Carolina’s largest natural lake (40,100 acres). Lake Mattamuskeet fish include both freshwater and estuarine species because of the drainage canals that connect the lake to Pamlico Sound.

source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Vermont Ice Fishing Festival

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is encouraging anglers in Vermont to attend an upcoming free fishing day ice fishing festival. The event will be held January 25 at the Larrabee Point Fishing Access Area on Lake Champlain in Shoreham.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife staff and experienced volunteer ice fishing enthusiasts will be there from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. to help everyone, young and old, learn how to enjoy this unique and popular type of fishing.

For more information, contact Nicole Corrao by calling 802-318-1347 or Nicole.Corrao@state.vt.us.

source: Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Minnesota Leech Lake Fish Species

The results of recent fall test netting on Leech Lake conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) found strong walleye populations, while other species showed mixed results.

According to DNR biologists, anglers who visit Leech Lake should continue to expect quality fishing. Lake-wide, walleye counts in DNR test nets averaged 8.9 walleye per net lift, which was above the long-term average of 7.7 walleye per net lift.

“September gill nets showed above-average numbers of all sizes of walleye,” said Doug Schultz, DNR area fisheries supervisor in Walker. “Fishing reports have been excellent all season, and this survey confirms that good walleye fishing is expected to continue through the winter and into next year.”

Schultz added that the strong 2010 year class reached harvestable sizes this summer, which “had a lot to do with angling success.” Additionally, 36 percent of walleye sampled were within the current slot limit and have provided anglers the opportunity to catch larger fish.

Other game fish species targeted with test nets include yellow perch and northern pike. Yellow perch abundance declined for the sixth consecutive year, while northern pike abundance continues to remain stable.

The primary species of nongame fish assessed with the test nets is cisco. Fall test netting indicated cisco continue to be present at moderate levels of abundance.

source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

2013 Maryland Fall Trout Stocking

During the month of October, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries biologists will release approximately 23,000 one pound rainbow and golden trout, and about 1,000 brown trout into Maryland’s freshwater streams and ponds. They will also stock about 150 rainbow and golden trout in the two-three-pound range.

Fall stocking locations include popular fishing areas such as the North Branch Potomac, Bear Creek, Town Creek, Blairs Valley Lake, Morgan Run, Patapsco River, Gunpowder Falls, Great Seneca, Wheatly Lake, Lake Artimesia, Greenbelt Lake, Big Elk, Deer Creek and Tuckahoe Creek.

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

New Hampshire Atlantic Salmon

In New Hampshire, anglers fish for landlocked Atlantic salmon in a variety of lakes, ponds, and rivers. New Hampshire Fish and Game manages 15 lakes for landlocked salmon: Big Dan Hole Pond, First and Second Connecticut Lakes, Conway Lake, Lake Francis, Merrymeeting Lake, Newfound Lake, Ossipee Lake, Big and Little Squam Lakes, Sunapee Lake, Lake Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam Lake, Nubanusit Lake, and Pleasant Lake.

Atlantic salmon are also found in several New Hampshire rivers. A popular fishing area is found along the Winnipesaukee River, which flows through the Weirs channel into Paugus Bay, and through the Lakeport Dam/Lake Opechee area.

The stretch of the Winnipesaukee River through Laconia to Dixon Point at Lake Winnisquam is also popular for salmon and trout fishing.

Another possibility is Silver Lake's Lochmere Dam.

The Newfound River in Bristol contains fly-fishing-only water that can often produce drop-down salmon as well as rainbow trout.

Shore fishing is popular along the Merrymeeting River (fly-fishing-only), and the mouth of the Merrymeeting River, downstream of the famous stone arch bridge.

Other sites include the Long Island Bridge in Moultonborough, Governors Island Bridge in Gilford, Smith River inlet at Wolfeboro Bay, and Meredith and Center Harbor town docks.

According to New Hampshire Fish and Game, anglers are advised to take extra care when releasing salmon, in order to minimize hook wounding.

For more information, visit www.fishnh.com

source: New Hampshire Fish and Game

Guide to Freshwater Fishing in New York State

An extensive resource for New York freshwater anglers is the I FISH NY Guide to Freshwater Fishing in New York State. The map-brochure from New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) contains information on more than 320 lakes and ponds and 110 rivers in the state.

Anglers can obtain a map by e-mailing their name and address to fwfish@gw.dec.state.ny.us (include NY FISHING MAP in the subject line).

An interactive version of the guide can also be found on the DEC website.

source: New York Department of Environmental Conservation

Kentucky Cave Run Lake Muskie Fishing

Cave Run Lake is located on Kentucky’s Licking River in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The 8,700-acre reservoir is often called "the Muskie Capital of the South," due to its outstanding muskellunge fishery.

Angler Sarah Terry of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, caught the current Kentucky state-record muskellunge in Cave Run Lake in November 2008. The record setting muskie was 54 inches long and weighed 47 pounds. A clipped fin revealed that the fish was stocked by the KYDFWR.

Since 1973, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KYDFWR) has stocked 105,000 muskellunge into Cave Run Lake. Cave Run Lake is one of three quality muskellunge reservoirs managed by the agency.

source: Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

Lake Norman Hybrid Bass

In North Carolina, Lake Norman has experienced an increase in spotted bass populations. According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, introductions of spotted bass into the 32,475 acre reservoir may have been undertaken by well-intentioned anglers who want to "improve the bass fishery." Fishery managers discourage such measures, noting that introductions of non-native fish into waters where they are not found can have unintended effects.

According to biologists, spotted bass often compete with other black basses and alter their genetics when they interbreed. In some areas, spotted bass can replace a largemouth bass fishery. Kin Hodges, a biologist with the Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries, warned against private introductions of fish into state waters, saying:

"... we run the risk of seeing diminished black bass fisheries in the future unless anglers quit moving spotted bass into new lakes where they frequently have negative impacts on the existing populations of largemouth or smallmouth bass."

According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the stocking of fish in public waters of North Carolina without a valid stocking permit is illegal.

source: N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

Tests Indicate LMBV in West Virginia Lakes

During the summer and early fall of 2011, fish health surveys conducted by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) revealed the presence of largemouth bass virus (LMBV) in four West Virginia lakes.

The surveys were focused on monitoring overall fish health in water bodies where WVDNR staff collects broodstock for hatchery production. Several species of fish were collected from 10 water bodies and samples were sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lamar Fish Health Laboratory for analysis.

Test results indicated that LMBV was present at East Lynn (Wayne County), North Bend (Ritchie County), Stonewall Jackson (Lewis County), and Sutton (Braxton County) lakes. Several West Virginia fishing areas did test postive for LMBV including Mount Storm and Moncove lakes and Little Kanawha, Monongahela, Tygart, and New rivers.

Largemouth bass virus occurs primarily in the southern United States, but has been expanding throughout North America. When largemouth bass are infected with LMBV, they exhibit poor health, lack of growth and occasionally die. LMBV is more problematic during summertime and elevated stressful conditions. The spread of LMBV has been linked to increased stress, fish to fish contact , and movement of fish and water between water bodies.

To minimize the spread of LMBV and other fish pathogens, WVDNR encourages anglers not to transfer any live fish or water between water bodies, handle all fish with care prior to release, reduce stressful conditions especially during warm water months, and properly clean and maintain all boats, live wells, and tackle.

For more information, visit the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources website at www.wvdnr.gov

source:  West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Freshwater Fishing After Floods

floodwaters pour over a dam

Floods can disrupt fishing for days or weeks. Eventually, high water levels subside enough for anglers to fish again. During these periods, anglers often gain valuable knowledge about lake structure and fish behavior.

In creeks and streams, anglers can look for areas where logs, rocks, and other debris are piled up by floodwaters. These structures can create large eddies where fish are likely to congregate.

In man-made lakes and reservoirs that are fed by streams or creeks, floodwaters can cause major structural changes. After major floods, anglers may find logs, brush, or other debris along the shoreline, partially submerged or sunken on the bottom. Where creeks enter these bodies of water, deltas are often formed by gravel, sand, mud, or other materials.

Immediately after flooding, fishing may be impossible, but as each day passes, fishing opportunities tend to improve. Forage is often abundant, especially along shorelines. During floods, insects, minnows, and other small prey take refuge in shoreline vegetation.

As floodwaters recede, forage species are forced back into the lake where hungry fish are waiting. Some lakes experience insect hatches following high water levels, which also helps trigger fish to feed heavily.

Scouting a lake for the signs of fish is usually a good first step following periods of high water. Territory to be investigated include areas near dam spillways (if regulations allow), shoreline vegetation, protruding stumps, mats of floating debris, and other obstructions. Lure designs are critical when snags are abundant.

When scouting deeper parts of lakes, fishfinders may help locate logs, debris, or other structure that was deposited during a flood. Fishfinders are also useful for detecting suspended fish that may be taking refuge in clearer portions of the lake.

Depending on local variations, fishing after a flood may improve or be unproductive for days or weeks afterward. In either case, a trip following a flood can provide important information for future fishing.