Rich Lefler with a master angler sturgeon.
By Jack Payne
With a slow descent, the rod was bending down to the water's edge. With the angler slowly lifting the rod from the rod holder, and with a side-to-side sweep, the fish was hooked.
The line slowly peeled off and was then retrieved. Slowly, more line pulled off the reel, and once more I retrieved the line. Then the fish came out of the water and peeled more line. This is the battle of a sturgeon on the St. Clair River.
Folks, if you want a real experience with a big fish in Michigan, give sturgeon fishing a try. You can go it alone or hire a guide. In October 2023, we hired a guide and enjoyed a night trip.
A few days ago, we took a day trip. Our first fish was caught five minutes into the trip. A second fish may be 30 minutes later. Then a lull, followed by a severe thunderstorm.
After an hour break, we were back onto the water with yet another fish coming into the boat. Two trips on the St. Clair have me convinced that this will be an annual trip. Fall is my favorite season. No boat traffic and no blistering hot sun.
If you have a side scan, use it. A 5-foot fish looks like a huge piece of rice on your graph. The shadow behind the rice spot will be long as well. I would suggest graphing a deep hole while looking for a few fish.
Without side scan, you'd best know where the fish are sitting. On a side scan, you can tell how long the fish just might be. In addition, we could count the number of fish.
Once we located a pod of a dozen or more fish, a good anchor came into play. Remember that you will need a rope at least 1.5 times the depth that you are fishing. Adding a heavy chain will assist in keeping the anchor buried in the river bottom. A cradle net similar to what the musky anglers use is the best way to get a large sturgeon into the boat without hurting the fish.
Folks, when you fish for sturgeon, use a heavy rod. Rods designed for flathead catfish or musky will do fine. Rods with a fast tip telegraph a biting fish quickly.
While lighter rods can work, there is no reason to wear the sturgeon out to the point of exhaustion. You need a rod that can move the fish when needed and a reel with a good drag.
I would suggest 50-pound braid with a fluorocarbon leader of the same breaking point as a starting point. Not sure that the leader was needed because sturgeon have very poor eyesight. Some anglers use 50-pound braid, and truthfully, that might be just fine.
You will need 14-16 ounces of lead to hold your bait in place. When fishing with six rods, your lines and sinkers mustn't slide into each other.
A wide range of choices range from night crawlers, giant frozen raw shrimp, to chunks of cut bait. Thread two crawlers onto each hook. The best size hook would be a 5/0 or 6/0. Circle or circle/ octopus hooks are the best hooks and the only hooks that should be used. These two hooks will hook 95 percent of the fish in the corner of their mouth. In addition, a circle hook will hook the fish almost always without the angler needing to set the hook. Just like when catfishing, we prefer to wait until the rod is buckled over and stays down.
You will find sturgeon sitting in a deep hole downstream of a large feeding flat or fairly tight to the weeds in 20 or 30 feet of water. In our case, we were fishing in 65 feet of water. A deep flat was perhaps 100 yards upstream of us.
On each trip, we landed at least one master angler channel, and when using a slightly smaller bait, we caught many large cats. You owe it to yourself at least one trip on the St. Clair River for sturgeon.
Stop in at Bob’s Gun and Tackle for your late summer and early fall outdoor products.
With a slow descent, the rod was bending down to the water's edge. With the angler slowly lifting the rod from the rod holder, and with a side-to-side sweep, the fish was hooked.
The line slowly peeled off and was then retrieved. Slowly, more line pulled off the reel, and once more I retrieved the line. Then the fish came out of the water and peeled more line. This is the battle of a sturgeon on the St. Clair River.
Folks, if you want a real experience with a big fish in Michigan, give sturgeon fishing a try. You can go it alone or hire a guide. In October 2023, we hired a guide and enjoyed a night trip.
A few days ago, we took a day trip. Our first fish was caught five minutes into the trip. A second fish may be 30 minutes later. Then a lull, followed by a severe thunderstorm.
After an hour break, we were back onto the water with yet another fish coming into the boat. Two trips on the St. Clair have me convinced that this will be an annual trip. Fall is my favorite season. No boat traffic and no blistering hot sun.
If you have a side scan, use it. A 5-foot fish looks like a huge piece of rice on your graph. The shadow behind the rice spot will be long as well. I would suggest graphing a deep hole while looking for a few fish.
Without side scan, you'd best know where the fish are sitting. On a side scan, you can tell how long the fish just might be. In addition, we could count the number of fish.
Once we located a pod of a dozen or more fish, a good anchor came into play. Remember that you will need a rope at least 1.5 times the depth that you are fishing. Adding a heavy chain will assist in keeping the anchor buried in the river bottom. A cradle net similar to what the musky anglers use is the best way to get a large sturgeon into the boat without hurting the fish.
Folks, when you fish for sturgeon, use a heavy rod. Rods designed for flathead catfish or musky will do fine. Rods with a fast tip telegraph a biting fish quickly.
While lighter rods can work, there is no reason to wear the sturgeon out to the point of exhaustion. You need a rod that can move the fish when needed and a reel with a good drag.
I would suggest 50-pound braid with a fluorocarbon leader of the same breaking point as a starting point. Not sure that the leader was needed because sturgeon have very poor eyesight. Some anglers use 50-pound braid, and truthfully, that might be just fine.
You will need 14-16 ounces of lead to hold your bait in place. When fishing with six rods, your lines and sinkers mustn't slide into each other.
A wide range of choices range from night crawlers, giant frozen raw shrimp, to chunks of cut bait. Thread two crawlers onto each hook. The best size hook would be a 5/0 or 6/0. Circle or circle/ octopus hooks are the best hooks and the only hooks that should be used. These two hooks will hook 95 percent of the fish in the corner of their mouth. In addition, a circle hook will hook the fish almost always without the angler needing to set the hook. Just like when catfishing, we prefer to wait until the rod is buckled over and stays down.
You will find sturgeon sitting in a deep hole downstream of a large feeding flat or fairly tight to the weeds in 20 or 30 feet of water. In our case, we were fishing in 65 feet of water. A deep flat was perhaps 100 yards upstream of us.
On each trip, we landed at least one master angler channel, and when using a slightly smaller bait, we caught many large cats. You owe it to yourself at least one trip on the St. Clair River for sturgeon.
Stop in at Bob’s Gun and Tackle for your late summer and early fall outdoor products.
Grant Project Reclaims Michigan Streams
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, with help from many conservation partners, is halfway through completion of a $5 million grant project to remove 27 stream barriers, including 16 DNR-managed dams. Efforts to date have reconnected more than 140 miles of streams.
Funding for this work was awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s America's Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (formerly the America the Beautiful Challenge), which seeks to conserve and restore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, improve resilience to flooding and other threats, and expand community access to nature.
The DNR was awarded grant funding in 2022, and work on the project began in June 2023. Since that time, the following components have been completed:
• Crawford County: removal of Hulbert Road Dam.
• Emmet County: replacement of 5 Mile Creek Road-stream crossing and Wycamp Creek Road-stream crossing.
• Jackson County: removal of Portage Creek Trout Pond Dam.
• Luce County: removal of Spring Creek Trout Pond Dam. (Spring Creek, shown above, after dam removal)
• Mackinac County: removal of McAlpine Trout Pond Dam (expected completion September 2025).
• Mecosta County: removal of Altona Dam.
• Oceana County: removal of Marshville Dam.
• Oscoda County: removal of Mio Walleye Pond Dam (expected completion September 2025).
"Funding from this partnership helped us restore connectivity to two major fisheries (Five Mile and Wycamp creeks) for LTBB citizens,” said Samuel Day, Great Lakes fisheries research specialist at Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. “The new crossings make it easier for native fish like suckers to migrate from Lake Michigan to their spawning grounds and will help sustain these fisheries for generations to come.”
Other completed aspects of the project also have yielded positive ecological and community effects. Removal of the Altona Dam on the Little Muskegon River has helped reconnect 116 miles of streams and tributaries and restore natural stream function. Native grasses and shrubs were installed in fall 2024, and native shade trees were planted in spring 2025.
According to the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, which partnered with the DNR on this effort, a public-access kayak launch is planned at the site, and additional ways to improve public river access on the Little Muskegon are being explored, too.
Funding from this grant also allowed the Conservation Resource Alliance and West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission to implement critical stream restoration and sediment mitigation efforts for the removal of Marshville Dam on Stony Creek in Oceana County.
An additional 11 projects are slated for action in 2026. The outcomes from all of these projects will serve to address public safety, protect valuable natural resources, and improve the ability of the DNR to focus management efforts and resources on dams in places that provide high-quality resource benefits and public use.
Many of the removal projects that are called “dams” aren’t really serving as dams but are barriers that require removal for public safety and better fish movement upstream and downstream. The following four projects slated for removal are located in the channel but serve no useful purpose and prevent fish from moving upstream: Carr Creek Fish Barrier (Delta County), Big Trout Lake Fish Barrier (Marquette County), Buckhorn Creek Dam (Mecosta County) and East Branch Dam (Oscoda County).
An additional four projects are remnants of the state’s fish hatchery and production program. The structures are no longer needed for contemporary production, and their removal is necessary to restore stream banks and also to improve stream connectivity for fish. These project locations include Dana Lake Pike Marsh Dam (Delta County), Thompson Creek Blocking Weir (Schoolcraft County), Almena Hatchery Dams 1–5 and a diversion dam (Van Buren County) and Rapid River Pike Marsh structure (Delta County).
On the North Branch of Cole Creek Road (Lake County), perched and undersized culverts will be replaced with a timber bridge that will span the stream and allow for free movement of fish upstream and downstream and result in less sediment to the stream.
A strong public/private partnership led to a project on Apple Creek, a tributary to the Boardman-Ottaway River (Grand Traverse County). The partnership will remove two dams that, if they were to catastrophically fail, would threaten the health of the watershed.
Lastly, as a matter of public safety and long-term infrastructure planning, Roberts Lake Dam in Cheboygan County will be removed and a culvert meeting modern standards for this location will be installed. The last inspection of the dam showed that it was in poor condition. That, combined with debris accumulation, jeopardizes the road that goes over the dam and increases the risk of flooding.
Historical maps and documents suggest that a wetland complex should remain after removal of this dam, which was constructed in the 1940s to raise water levels 2-3 feet. Roberts Lake will be lowered incrementally, using best management practices to protect downstream habitat.
Upon completion, nearly 200 upstream miles of Michigan rivers and streams will be reconnected, benefiting at-risk species like the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, pickerel frog, and fluted shell and elktoe freshwater mussels, along with countless other aquatic species.
All of the work for the America's Ecosystem Restoration Initiative project is expected to be completed by January 2027.
Funding for this work was awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s America's Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (formerly the America the Beautiful Challenge), which seeks to conserve and restore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, improve resilience to flooding and other threats, and expand community access to nature.
The DNR was awarded grant funding in 2022, and work on the project began in June 2023. Since that time, the following components have been completed:
• Crawford County: removal of Hulbert Road Dam.
• Emmet County: replacement of 5 Mile Creek Road-stream crossing and Wycamp Creek Road-stream crossing.
• Jackson County: removal of Portage Creek Trout Pond Dam.
• Luce County: removal of Spring Creek Trout Pond Dam. (Spring Creek, shown above, after dam removal)
• Mackinac County: removal of McAlpine Trout Pond Dam (expected completion September 2025).
• Mecosta County: removal of Altona Dam.
• Oceana County: removal of Marshville Dam.
• Oscoda County: removal of Mio Walleye Pond Dam (expected completion September 2025).
"Funding from this partnership helped us restore connectivity to two major fisheries (Five Mile and Wycamp creeks) for LTBB citizens,” said Samuel Day, Great Lakes fisheries research specialist at Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. “The new crossings make it easier for native fish like suckers to migrate from Lake Michigan to their spawning grounds and will help sustain these fisheries for generations to come.”
Other completed aspects of the project also have yielded positive ecological and community effects. Removal of the Altona Dam on the Little Muskegon River has helped reconnect 116 miles of streams and tributaries and restore natural stream function. Native grasses and shrubs were installed in fall 2024, and native shade trees were planted in spring 2025.
According to the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, which partnered with the DNR on this effort, a public-access kayak launch is planned at the site, and additional ways to improve public river access on the Little Muskegon are being explored, too.
Funding from this grant also allowed the Conservation Resource Alliance and West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission to implement critical stream restoration and sediment mitigation efforts for the removal of Marshville Dam on Stony Creek in Oceana County.
An additional 11 projects are slated for action in 2026. The outcomes from all of these projects will serve to address public safety, protect valuable natural resources, and improve the ability of the DNR to focus management efforts and resources on dams in places that provide high-quality resource benefits and public use.
Many of the removal projects that are called “dams” aren’t really serving as dams but are barriers that require removal for public safety and better fish movement upstream and downstream. The following four projects slated for removal are located in the channel but serve no useful purpose and prevent fish from moving upstream: Carr Creek Fish Barrier (Delta County), Big Trout Lake Fish Barrier (Marquette County), Buckhorn Creek Dam (Mecosta County) and East Branch Dam (Oscoda County).
An additional four projects are remnants of the state’s fish hatchery and production program. The structures are no longer needed for contemporary production, and their removal is necessary to restore stream banks and also to improve stream connectivity for fish. These project locations include Dana Lake Pike Marsh Dam (Delta County), Thompson Creek Blocking Weir (Schoolcraft County), Almena Hatchery Dams 1–5 and a diversion dam (Van Buren County) and Rapid River Pike Marsh structure (Delta County).
On the North Branch of Cole Creek Road (Lake County), perched and undersized culverts will be replaced with a timber bridge that will span the stream and allow for free movement of fish upstream and downstream and result in less sediment to the stream.
A strong public/private partnership led to a project on Apple Creek, a tributary to the Boardman-Ottaway River (Grand Traverse County). The partnership will remove two dams that, if they were to catastrophically fail, would threaten the health of the watershed.
Lastly, as a matter of public safety and long-term infrastructure planning, Roberts Lake Dam in Cheboygan County will be removed and a culvert meeting modern standards for this location will be installed. The last inspection of the dam showed that it was in poor condition. That, combined with debris accumulation, jeopardizes the road that goes over the dam and increases the risk of flooding.
Historical maps and documents suggest that a wetland complex should remain after removal of this dam, which was constructed in the 1940s to raise water levels 2-3 feet. Roberts Lake will be lowered incrementally, using best management practices to protect downstream habitat.
Upon completion, nearly 200 upstream miles of Michigan rivers and streams will be reconnected, benefiting at-risk species like the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, pickerel frog, and fluted shell and elktoe freshwater mussels, along with countless other aquatic species.
All of the work for the America's Ecosystem Restoration Initiative project is expected to be completed by January 2027.
Sleeping in the Storm
By Gary Miller
Preparation for deer season is in full swing. Just check out any of your favorite groups or people on social media and you’ll see that we’re all doing the same thing.
Checking stands and cameras. Making food plots. Shooting bows and guns. Gathering clothes, boots, and other gear. It’s all happening right now.
In some places, the season will open in a few days. In others, it’s just around the corner. And nothing brings a greater sense of peace than being prepared before the season gets here.
The rest that comes from readiness is unparalleled. Sure, there will be unseen frustrations, but these always add flavor to our hunting stories.
I heard a story about a farmer looking for a hired hand. One person that applied didn’t look especially strong or skilled. And when asked what made him qualified for the position, he simply said, “I can sleep in a storm.”
The farmer didn’t understand the answer, but something about this man, drew the farmer to give him the job. He turned out to be a good worker. As it often does, one night a violent storm swept across the farm. The farmer jumped out of bed in a panic and rushed to wake his hired hand but found him sound asleep.
Frustrated, the farmer checked the farm himself. To his surprise, everything was secure. The shutters were latched, tools put away, animals sheltered, and the hay was covered. The hired hand could sleep in the storm because he had prepared well before bad weather arrived.
One of the lessons of this story is that much of our concern is wasted energy. It comes because we didn’t prepare beforehand.
But there’s an even greater truth here. It’s not just about our preparation. It’s about God’s. The Bible tells of another storm, one that came suddenly while Jesus and His disciples were on a boat. The wind howled and the waves crashed, and the disciples panicked. And when they looked for Jesus, He was asleep. He could sleep in the storm because He controlled the storm.
And that’s the real encouragement for us. While we do our best to prepare for the things in life, there will always be unexpected storms. It’s then that our deepest peace won’t come from what we do or even from how well we have prepared. It will come from trusting the One who has taken care of the storm even before we knew it was coming.
There’s never been a storm that has kept Jesus awake. And yours won’t either.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 22 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org.
Preparation for deer season is in full swing. Just check out any of your favorite groups or people on social media and you’ll see that we’re all doing the same thing.
Checking stands and cameras. Making food plots. Shooting bows and guns. Gathering clothes, boots, and other gear. It’s all happening right now.
In some places, the season will open in a few days. In others, it’s just around the corner. And nothing brings a greater sense of peace than being prepared before the season gets here.
The rest that comes from readiness is unparalleled. Sure, there will be unseen frustrations, but these always add flavor to our hunting stories.
I heard a story about a farmer looking for a hired hand. One person that applied didn’t look especially strong or skilled. And when asked what made him qualified for the position, he simply said, “I can sleep in a storm.”
The farmer didn’t understand the answer, but something about this man, drew the farmer to give him the job. He turned out to be a good worker. As it often does, one night a violent storm swept across the farm. The farmer jumped out of bed in a panic and rushed to wake his hired hand but found him sound asleep.
Frustrated, the farmer checked the farm himself. To his surprise, everything was secure. The shutters were latched, tools put away, animals sheltered, and the hay was covered. The hired hand could sleep in the storm because he had prepared well before bad weather arrived.
One of the lessons of this story is that much of our concern is wasted energy. It comes because we didn’t prepare beforehand.
But there’s an even greater truth here. It’s not just about our preparation. It’s about God’s. The Bible tells of another storm, one that came suddenly while Jesus and His disciples were on a boat. The wind howled and the waves crashed, and the disciples panicked. And when they looked for Jesus, He was asleep. He could sleep in the storm because He controlled the storm.
And that’s the real encouragement for us. While we do our best to prepare for the things in life, there will always be unexpected storms. It’s then that our deepest peace won’t come from what we do or even from how well we have prepared. It will come from trusting the One who has taken care of the storm even before we knew it was coming.
There’s never been a storm that has kept Jesus awake. And yours won’t either.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 22 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org.
Successful DNR Fish Stocking Bodes Well for Fall Fishing
Steelhead were stocked in the Red Cedar River in East Lansing this spring. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has stocked a total of 18,958,970 fish so far in 2025.
Photo courtesy Michigan Department of Natural Resources
April showers bring May flowers, and spring and summer fish stocking bring fall fishing.
This spring and summer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources stocked a total of 18,958,970 fish that weighed more than 331.5 tons and consisted of 10 different species and one hybrid.
Fish stocking is an important activity to provide both Michigan residents and visitors with quality fishing opportunities. These efforts help bring an estimated $3.9 billion into the state's economy through the sportfishing industry, tourism and related businesses.
To complete the task of stocking, it took 417 stocking trips and 2,345 hours. Crews traveled just over 91,000 miles in 17 specialized stocking trucks to get to the 716 stocking sites. Despite the severe ice storm that affected northern Michigan, which caused a loss of power and transition to backup power for several days at Oden State Fish Hatchery, no fish were lost due to the storm, allowing the DNR to meet its stocking goals.
"We had another excellent spring and summer stocking season that will bring ecological benefits and fishing opportunities to Michigan anglers," DNR fish production manager Aaron Switzer said.
"Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff, healthy, high-quality fish were reared and delivered to stocking sites in excellent condition. The numbers produced and stocked hit the targets for most areas."
The number and type of fish produced varies by hatchery, as each location’s ability to rear fish depends on the source and temperature of the rearing water. Fish are reared in Michigan's state fish hatcheries anywhere from one to 18 months before they are stocked.
In Michigan, there are six state hatcheries and two cooperative hatcheries that work together to produce the species, strain and size of fish needed for fisheries managers. These fish must then be delivered and stocked at a specific time and location to ensure their success.
Each hatchery stocked the following fish this spring:
• Marquette State Fish Hatchery (near Marquette) stocked 368,452 yearling lake trout, brook trout and splake (a hybrid of lake trout and brook trout) that in total weighed 49,355 pounds. In addition to yearling trout, Marquette also stocked 457 adult lake and brook trout. This hatchery stocked a total of 94 inland and Great Lakes sites.
• Thompson State Fish Hatchery (near Manistique) stocked 2,397,307 fish, which included yearling steelhead, spring fingerling Chinook salmon, yearling muskellunge and spring fingerling walleye. These fish weighed 69,598 pounds in total. This hatchery stocked 51 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.
• Oden State Fish Hatchery (near Petoskey) stocked 737,604 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 129,072 pounds. Oden also stocked 6,270 adult brown and rainbow trout that in total weighed 12,330 pounds. This hatchery stocked 98 inland and Great Lakes sites.
• Harrietta State Fish Hatchery (in Harrietta) stocked 825,388 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 117,875 pounds. This hatchery stocked 171 sites, the majority located inland.
• Platte River State Fish Hatchery (near Honor) stocked 4,892,188 fish, which included yearling Atlantic salmon and coho salmon and spring fingerling Chinook salmon that in total weighed 157,584 pounds. Platte River also stocked 31,722 Skamania steelhead obtained from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources that in total weighed 4,209 pounds. This hatchery stocked 30 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.
• Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery (near Kalamazoo) stocked 7,198,561 fish that included yearling steelhead and spring fingerling Chinook salmon, which in total weighed 122,878 pounds. Wolf Lake also stocked 29,759 channel catfish obtained from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that in total weighed 758 pounds. This hatchery stocked 49 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.
• A cooperative teaching hatchery at Lake Superior State University (in Sault Ste. Marie) stocked 23,378 Atlantic salmon weighing 1,811 pounds into the St. Marys River.
Included in this year’s total are just over 2.5 million walleye spring fingerlings. These fish were reared in ponds by the DNR, with extensive support provided by local sporting organizations. These fish
were stocked at 61 inland lakes and rivers and Lake Michigan.
Some hatcheries will also provide fish for a few additional stockings – consisting of brook trout, Atlantic salmon, walleye, lake sturgeon and muskellunge – to be made this fall. The lake sturgeon will come from the cooperative hatchery in Tower, operated with Michigan State University.
The public is welcome at any of Michigan's state fish hatcheries to see the fish-rearing process firsthand. For more information or to plan your trip, visit Michigan.gov/Hatcheries.
To find out where many of these fish were stocked, check out the DNR's Fish Stocking Database at MichiganDNR.com/FishStock.
This spring and summer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources stocked a total of 18,958,970 fish that weighed more than 331.5 tons and consisted of 10 different species and one hybrid.
Fish stocking is an important activity to provide both Michigan residents and visitors with quality fishing opportunities. These efforts help bring an estimated $3.9 billion into the state's economy through the sportfishing industry, tourism and related businesses.
To complete the task of stocking, it took 417 stocking trips and 2,345 hours. Crews traveled just over 91,000 miles in 17 specialized stocking trucks to get to the 716 stocking sites. Despite the severe ice storm that affected northern Michigan, which caused a loss of power and transition to backup power for several days at Oden State Fish Hatchery, no fish were lost due to the storm, allowing the DNR to meet its stocking goals.
"We had another excellent spring and summer stocking season that will bring ecological benefits and fishing opportunities to Michigan anglers," DNR fish production manager Aaron Switzer said.
"Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff, healthy, high-quality fish were reared and delivered to stocking sites in excellent condition. The numbers produced and stocked hit the targets for most areas."
The number and type of fish produced varies by hatchery, as each location’s ability to rear fish depends on the source and temperature of the rearing water. Fish are reared in Michigan's state fish hatcheries anywhere from one to 18 months before they are stocked.
In Michigan, there are six state hatcheries and two cooperative hatcheries that work together to produce the species, strain and size of fish needed for fisheries managers. These fish must then be delivered and stocked at a specific time and location to ensure their success.
Each hatchery stocked the following fish this spring:
• Marquette State Fish Hatchery (near Marquette) stocked 368,452 yearling lake trout, brook trout and splake (a hybrid of lake trout and brook trout) that in total weighed 49,355 pounds. In addition to yearling trout, Marquette also stocked 457 adult lake and brook trout. This hatchery stocked a total of 94 inland and Great Lakes sites.
• Thompson State Fish Hatchery (near Manistique) stocked 2,397,307 fish, which included yearling steelhead, spring fingerling Chinook salmon, yearling muskellunge and spring fingerling walleye. These fish weighed 69,598 pounds in total. This hatchery stocked 51 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.
• Oden State Fish Hatchery (near Petoskey) stocked 737,604 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 129,072 pounds. Oden also stocked 6,270 adult brown and rainbow trout that in total weighed 12,330 pounds. This hatchery stocked 98 inland and Great Lakes sites.
• Harrietta State Fish Hatchery (in Harrietta) stocked 825,388 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 117,875 pounds. This hatchery stocked 171 sites, the majority located inland.
• Platte River State Fish Hatchery (near Honor) stocked 4,892,188 fish, which included yearling Atlantic salmon and coho salmon and spring fingerling Chinook salmon that in total weighed 157,584 pounds. Platte River also stocked 31,722 Skamania steelhead obtained from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources that in total weighed 4,209 pounds. This hatchery stocked 30 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.
• Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery (near Kalamazoo) stocked 7,198,561 fish that included yearling steelhead and spring fingerling Chinook salmon, which in total weighed 122,878 pounds. Wolf Lake also stocked 29,759 channel catfish obtained from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that in total weighed 758 pounds. This hatchery stocked 49 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.
• A cooperative teaching hatchery at Lake Superior State University (in Sault Ste. Marie) stocked 23,378 Atlantic salmon weighing 1,811 pounds into the St. Marys River.
Included in this year’s total are just over 2.5 million walleye spring fingerlings. These fish were reared in ponds by the DNR, with extensive support provided by local sporting organizations. These fish
were stocked at 61 inland lakes and rivers and Lake Michigan.
Some hatcheries will also provide fish for a few additional stockings – consisting of brook trout, Atlantic salmon, walleye, lake sturgeon and muskellunge – to be made this fall. The lake sturgeon will come from the cooperative hatchery in Tower, operated with Michigan State University.
The public is welcome at any of Michigan's state fish hatcheries to see the fish-rearing process firsthand. For more information or to plan your trip, visit Michigan.gov/Hatcheries.
To find out where many of these fish were stocked, check out the DNR's Fish Stocking Database at MichiganDNR.com/FishStock.
Freshen up Your Late Season Gardens and Containers with Strawflowers
By Melinda Myers
As summer is winding down and fall approaches, your thoughts may turn to mums, asters, and pansies. Consider changing things up this year by adding deer-resistant strawflowers to your late summer and fall containers and gardens.
Grow strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum formerly Bracteantha) in full to part sun and moist well-drained soil. They are heat and cold tolerant, grown as annuals in most areas, and short-lived perennials in zones 8 to 10. You’ll enjoy continuous blooming and visiting pollinators from spring through summer and into fall until frost. Plant some now to replace fading summer annuals, freshen up your late season garden or create fall containers. The range of flower colors makes them easy to include in your late season displays.
Plant strawflowers in the garden or a container with drainage holes and fill with a quality potting mix. Select a pot, at least 12 inches in diameter to avoid the plant becoming rootbound and drying out too quickly. Although the flowers look dry, the plants prefer moist well-drained soil. Check containers daily and water thoroughly as needed. Those growing in the garden should be watered thoroughly when the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist.
Strawflowers' unique blossoms look and feel dry to the touch, making them extra fun for kids to grow. This straw-like texture of the flowers inspired the common name. You may also hear them referred to as everlasting flowers since they don’t wilt readily when picked and retain their shape and color for years once dried.
Granvias (suntoryflowers.com) are larger, vigorous plants with much bigger blooms than other strawflowers, making them excellent thrillers in containers and showy in the garden. You can find these supersized strawflowers in gold, pink, white, Crimson Sun, Harvest Orange, Peachy Keen and Orange Flame.
Set a pot of colorful strawflowers among your pumpkins, ornamental squash and other fall décor. Combine them in containers and garden beds with other fall favorites like ornamental kale and cabbage, grasses, ornamental peppers, pansies, calibrachoas, and more.
Grow plenty so you’ll have enough to enjoy as cut flowers and even more to dry for crafting wreaths, garland, flower spheres, and adding to dried arrangements. Harvest strawflowers when two to three layers of their petal-like bracts have unfolded but the center is still tightly closed. The flowers will continue to open as they dry so waiting too long results in a more open bloom. Harvest regularly to encourage even more flowers.
Recut the stems at an angle and place the strawflowers in fresh water and condition them in a cool, dark place for a few hours or overnight when using in fresh arrangements.
Hang the stems in bundles upside down in a warm, dry place when preserving them dried. You may opt to remove the stem and replace it with florist wire if you plan on using the dried strawflowers in a wreath or an arrangement where a stem is needed. As the flower dries, it secures the wire in place. Remove the flowers from the stems once dried if you plan on using just the flowers in crafting projects.
Discover the beauty and many uses of strawflowers this fall. Then next season be sure to start early and grow even more to enjoy all season long.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD and instant video series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Suntory Flowers for her expertise in writing this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
As summer is winding down and fall approaches, your thoughts may turn to mums, asters, and pansies. Consider changing things up this year by adding deer-resistant strawflowers to your late summer and fall containers and gardens.
Grow strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum formerly Bracteantha) in full to part sun and moist well-drained soil. They are heat and cold tolerant, grown as annuals in most areas, and short-lived perennials in zones 8 to 10. You’ll enjoy continuous blooming and visiting pollinators from spring through summer and into fall until frost. Plant some now to replace fading summer annuals, freshen up your late season garden or create fall containers. The range of flower colors makes them easy to include in your late season displays.
Plant strawflowers in the garden or a container with drainage holes and fill with a quality potting mix. Select a pot, at least 12 inches in diameter to avoid the plant becoming rootbound and drying out too quickly. Although the flowers look dry, the plants prefer moist well-drained soil. Check containers daily and water thoroughly as needed. Those growing in the garden should be watered thoroughly when the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist.
Strawflowers' unique blossoms look and feel dry to the touch, making them extra fun for kids to grow. This straw-like texture of the flowers inspired the common name. You may also hear them referred to as everlasting flowers since they don’t wilt readily when picked and retain their shape and color for years once dried.
Granvias (suntoryflowers.com) are larger, vigorous plants with much bigger blooms than other strawflowers, making them excellent thrillers in containers and showy in the garden. You can find these supersized strawflowers in gold, pink, white, Crimson Sun, Harvest Orange, Peachy Keen and Orange Flame.
Set a pot of colorful strawflowers among your pumpkins, ornamental squash and other fall décor. Combine them in containers and garden beds with other fall favorites like ornamental kale and cabbage, grasses, ornamental peppers, pansies, calibrachoas, and more.
Grow plenty so you’ll have enough to enjoy as cut flowers and even more to dry for crafting wreaths, garland, flower spheres, and adding to dried arrangements. Harvest strawflowers when two to three layers of their petal-like bracts have unfolded but the center is still tightly closed. The flowers will continue to open as they dry so waiting too long results in a more open bloom. Harvest regularly to encourage even more flowers.
Recut the stems at an angle and place the strawflowers in fresh water and condition them in a cool, dark place for a few hours or overnight when using in fresh arrangements.
Hang the stems in bundles upside down in a warm, dry place when preserving them dried. You may opt to remove the stem and replace it with florist wire if you plan on using the dried strawflowers in a wreath or an arrangement where a stem is needed. As the flower dries, it secures the wire in place. Remove the flowers from the stems once dried if you plan on using just the flowers in crafting projects.
Discover the beauty and many uses of strawflowers this fall. Then next season be sure to start early and grow even more to enjoy all season long.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD and instant video series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Suntory Flowers for her expertise in writing this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
