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Author Topic: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question  (Read 3795 times)

Offline velocty98

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Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« on: Jan 10, 2009, 06:49 PM »
Do any of you guys fish for trout or salmon in Gull?  There arent too mank trout lakes in the KZOO area.  It sounds like a lot of fun doing some deep water jigging for Lakers or catching some nice bows.  Any toughts or input would be greatly appreciated.

Offline superslabs

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #1 on: Jan 10, 2009, 07:38 PM »
There are no Lake Trout in Gull. The DNR says the salmon are all gone. Some people say different. Rainbows not sure, never heard of any taken.
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

Offline Swift

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #2 on: Jan 10, 2009, 08:04 PM »
DNR quit stocking Trout in a fair number of SW MI lakes ~ 15yrs ago. Unfortunate, they're a blast through the ice and were targeted fairly hard. Those Salmon plantings in Gull virtually killed the Smelt fishing, doesn't sound like they're back to anywhere near the old numbers yet.

Offline superslabs

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #3 on: Jan 10, 2009, 08:09 PM »
I read a while back that the DNR had no plans of planting salmon in the again. I sure hope they don't.
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

Offline jig-o-matic

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #4 on: Jan 10, 2009, 09:09 PM »
I do believe there are lakers in Gull. A couple of the guys that fish the same tournament circuit I do troll for them.

Offline wmu1989

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #5 on: Jan 11, 2009, 11:25 AM »
There ARE Lake trout as well as browns and rainbow in Gull Lake. I caught five Lake trout ln Nov. while jigging for smallmouth in 25 fow

Offline superslabs

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #6 on: Jan 11, 2009, 02:46 PM »
Do you think there numbers are worth ice fishing for?
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

Offline superslabs

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #7 on: Jan 11, 2009, 03:31 PM »
Gull Lake Stocing Since 1979  DNR Website

4/12/1988 Rainbow trout  6,018 Length 6.28
4/15/1993 Rainbow Trout 21,600 Lenght 7.28
4/11/1994 Rainbow Trout 15,00 Lengh 6.4
3/28/1996 Rainbow Trout 12,491 Lenght 5.84
10/16/2006 Lake Trout 100 Lenght 29.25
10/25/2006 Lake Trout 19 Lengh 29.25
10/25/2006 Lake Trout 161 Lengh 26.51
4/19/2007 Lake Trout 245 Lenght 25.2

It seems that DNR belives the smelt numbers are now high enough to saport a breeding Lake Trout poupulation. This also means the smelt fishing is probably about as good as its going to get.


The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

Offline velocty98

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #8 on: Jan 23, 2009, 09:49 PM »
Those are some monster lakers!  What's the best bet- bouncing a big swedish pimple off bottom tipped with a shiner head?  It would be really fun to catch one on a tipup!  :)

Offline superslabs

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #9 on: Jan 24, 2009, 07:02 AM »
Live Smelt on a tipup slip rig. That would be a leader, swivel, bead, 1oz egg sinker. Send it to the bottom. Gray shinners will work if you can't find smelt.
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

Offline velocty98

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #10 on: Jan 24, 2009, 08:34 AM »
It would probably have to be a shiner; I'd have a hard time parting with a smelt!  ;D

You said gray shiner.  Is that the "run of the mill" kind you find at any bait shop?

Offline dennisthemence

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #11 on: Jan 24, 2009, 08:35 AM »
i live on gull and a few lakers are being taken throu the ice. mostly by pike fisherman. rainbows and browns are being planted every year, just a few thousand each year. i believe it's every 3 yrs. the dnr repalaces the broodstock out at wolf lake hatchery and put the lakers they have on hand in to gull. they have done this ever since i can remember and i'm 53.

as for the salmon there are no more plants going on in gull. and the last one that i heard of being caught was last yr. throu the ice. so the question to ask is- is there really any salmon left??- just remember these are alantic type fish, they don't spawn and then die after 3-4yrs. they can spawn more than once, even thou it is rare. so maybe there can be a few, just don't count on it.

Offline dennisthemence

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #12 on: Jan 24, 2009, 08:37 AM »
velecty, no they are not. but they are common in the bigger shops. because they are used for walleye also.

Offline dennisthemence

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Re: Gull Lake Trout & Salmon Question
« Reply #13 on: Jan 24, 2009, 08:42 AM »
also would like to say a word about the smelt. 1st. there was more than one reason for the die off in gull in the mid to late 80's that cause the smelt to disappear. the salmon were the last straw. it took a decade of work and money to get the smelt back. several failed plants and teveryone had even given up on it when all of a sudden there they were. so we need to remember that they may not be there forever, but lets enjoy why'll we can.

 



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