In case you werent aware

[Doeslayer]

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/walleye-love-perch-too-much-so-michigan-expanding-walleye-fishing
Isnt really ice season then but pertains to fisherman in general.... Boy what a madhouse it will be next year

[SKIFFLAKEJIMMY]

interesting.

[Bucket Rump]

Any theories as to why the walleye catch rate has dropped per the article?  Fisherman hours on the Bay has remained consistent but catch rate is notably lower when walleye population is higher than ever.  Perch numbers down, but what about gizzard shad and gobies?

[Doeslayer]

I cant see how they can possibly know catch rates are down.... Seems impossible to know ... Especially when everyone i know has been murdering them

[Wgorby]

Will def take some fishing pressure off the Detroit River come April 2023. 

[MC_angler]

I cant see how they can possibly know catch rates are down.... Seems impossible to know ... Especially when everyone i know has been murdering them

Creel surveys. It's not rocket science!

If you interview thousands and thousands of anglers during each fishing season it's a relatively simple exercise to arrive at estimates of fishing effort, catch, etc.

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79236_80248---,00.html




Also remember that anglers tend to be self selective and hang out in similar groups - for every group of experienced guys that's hammering them, there's a group of newbies or casual folks that aren't catching squat.