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Friday, 04 April 2008 |
By B.J. BETHEL
Assistant Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — The catch at Grand Lake St. Marys has been down in recent years, but local fishermen hope the trend is beginning to reverse itself.
Many factors play into how many fish there are in the lake, but recent trends have the pendulum swinging back in favor of local fishermen.
“We’ve been on a down cycle on this lake,” said Brenda Manning, a member of The Outdoorsman. “I think we should be turning and heading back up. With the wish we’ve been seeing, that’s where we are headed. It’s early to know yet, but there seems to be more activity. The guys out there are catching more fish. Hopefully that’s a good sign.”
Crappie have been active so far in the early spring. Manning said the crappie she has seen have varied in size, which is a good indication of how the hatching has been going. The fish have been found in shallow water of approximately a foot and a half.
A catfish tournament a week ago featured a winner who caught 35 total pounds from eight fish. The tournament featured 55 teams. The tournament was just the first of the year with another scheduled for April 12.
“If the weather had been decent it would have been better,” Manning said. “It is really early.”
Manning said the amount of people fishing on the lake has been down, due mainly to the weather. Temperatures have been down and the sun scarce through March and early April. But the overcast weather could offer opportunities.
“For our town, traffic is very weather related,” Manning said. “But the catfish will do better on days when it’s windy and stormy.”
Bluegill also have been active. Manning said someone brought in a 1 pound bluegill this week, which is fairly large for Grand Lake St. Marys.
Manning said she hopes activity would stay strong when spawning starts.
“It’s related to water temperature,” Manning said. “I don’t know what it is now, but when it hits 65 degrees, that’s when they spawn. It’s a little early yet, but it can occur anytime this time of year.”
The turn around at the lake is credited to several factors. There are several new channels along the lake and flood and drought activity has leveled off.
The spillway, which is still relatively new considering the life of the lake, is having an impact. Walleye also have been stocked in the lake.
“It’s been inconsistent on the lake itself and we are leveling out now,” Manning said. “If we have some good spawning years in that will be a good sign.” |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 April 2008 )
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