Stocking fish

Shockwave

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A family member was looking at a cabin on Lake 5 so I looked at the fish stocking report. They stocked northern and perch for the first couple years and nothing but pike for last 4 or 5 years. The netting report was 3.something percent perch and over 90 percent pike. What determines the fish stocked in certain lakes? I guess a small lake like this I would like to see more perch and maybe bluegill and crappie for the kids.
 


Allen

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I know where Lake 5 is, and that's about it for the specifics on the lake. But in answer to your question, I suspect there's something about the lake that simply suggests it's a good northern producer. Might be depth, rather the lack of it and existing forage base of minnows and stickelbacks. A good healthy population of pike might make it hard to get crappie and bluegill going.
 

Shockwave

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I kind of figured certain biological factors determined the species stocked. If they buy the cabin I will have a lot of pickled pike, I guess. Thanks Allen
 

wjschmaltz

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1. People buy up lake lots because they want to fish out their back yard.

2. They all plant their nice green grass and dump fertilizer into a lake in the form of run off. And of course mow right up to the shore line.

3. The nitrogen causes excessive weed and algae growth making an ideal ambush environment for pike.

4. The lake goes hypoxic and kills everything remaining besides the pike, fatheads, and carp.

5. People complain that their fishing dream house is mismanaged when they made the storm. Biologists only stock pike because why waste other fish on a lake that will not hold them. Rather see them dumped into Sak or another remote lake.

Fisheries managers cringe when they hear people are breaking lake front properties into lots. It inevitably means they lose a great fishing opportunity too.

I believe the saying is "Quod me nutrit, me destruit"
 


MSA

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Pike are a good candidate for fun easy to catch fish when other species won't do well. In my experience with perch, if there isn't already a healthy population naturally, stocking usually won't improve things. Not sure what factors on a body of water are good for bluegill n crappie.
 

Sluggo

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I saw they were selling lots on Reule…….it has walleye. Perhaps you can get them to switch lakes.
 

Shockwave

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They are looking for a lot with a cabin already on it. Also a place the two of us that have campers can keep them on the lot. I know a lot of lakes don't allow campers to be parked so we will see what happens.

Shmaltz, that makes sense. Never thought of that and I guess if I owned a lot on a lake I wouldn't give two shits about a spectacular lawn. Maybe water it, spray the weeds, and cut it whenever it gets long. I might spill some beer in the lake at times as well.
 

pluckem

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Sibley is only a few minutes from #5 so you can always go there for perch and eyes.
 

BBQBluesMan

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Lake No. 5 (Kidder)3.5 miles west, 7.5 miles north, 1.5 miles east, 1 mile south of Dawson. Northern pike abundant, but the lakefrequently winterkills. (No ramp).
 


zoops

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Seems about the only lakes they stock northerns in anymore are lakes that are too shallow to support walleyes.
 

KDM

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Kids grow up, life takes unexpected turns, changes occur that can't be forseen. Once you buy a cabin, you can't just walk away from maintenance, taxes, reselling, or improvements. For the price of a lake cabin, one can rent a fully furnished cabin on a great fishing lake for a LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG time before hitting the purchase price of a lake cabin. Just a thought.
 

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