star trib leech article

[deepportage01]

Bill what is the next step in this cormorant thing we can talk and make all the posts we want but stil nothing is being done. i would like to see a bounty on them.you are right it is not just leach lake there are many lakes in the state with cormorants yes leech has alot of them but what about the 500 acere lake with 300 or 400 cormorants....

[Slim Pickens]

These are all interesting posts and seems to be a sensitive subject for most. Since I have had a place on leech(4yrs.), all I"ve herd is that the fishing is no where near the level it was in years past. I do believe the "evil bird" has contributed to the problem, BUT, I have also herd the theories: of the crayfish, of the milfoil, of the water getting clearer. So which is the problem and which is just a good excuse. Or are they all the cause. I've read posts from people that there fishing trips were great and also the oppisite. To me that seems normal anywhere. If the fish don't just jump in the boat one after another it is a bad day?. to me that is nonsense. to me, you need to try a new spot or go a little deeper than you normally would or try a new presentation. The crappies on red lake this past winter were not as active. Is it because they are all gone, or the weather or what next. I believe things go in cycles and I believe the cormorants might have done something, but I'll still go out every weekend I'm up there but suprisingly walleye is not the only fish in the lake and if they don't bite I've got crappies, bass, northerns, and the trophy muskies....

[Bill Powell]

I don't know about other areas but the people that work in the Grand Rapids fisheries will try to answer any question that they can. Most all fisheries have many meetings each year if you are really concerned about a body of water it is up to you to get to the meeting or atleast E-mail them with your concern they will reply as soon as possible. With all the budget cut or state has made it is very hard for them to keep up with every thing. In our area we have about a 1000 fishable lakes plus many more small waters there is no way a half dozen fisheries employes can keep up with everything thats happening. So if you see something thats changing let them know so it can get checked out and documented. As sportsmen and parents its our duty to help out.

Bill Powell

[wallegator]

You make a very good point about the cormorants making the walleyes move, and effecting areas of fishing on the lake. I am not stirring the pot, just providing some statistics that I have found. It is also true that only 3% of a diet can hurt a population, but 0.1% is still a far way from 3%, but I do understand what you are getting at BK. As far as the Oneida Lake studies, after consulting with a biologist hired to study previous cormorant effects and populations, they felt that the most convincing Oneida study was the one with minimal effects. But I understand where personal opinions and biases can differ on interpretations.

I do thank you guys for your responses and do not want you to take offense to my posting. It is great to get other "informed" opinions on the cormorant issue.

I too see the easiest way out is to cull the cormorant population, because that will not have a detrimental effect to them and it may help the problem, it just becomes difficult for the DNR when they have to deal with other groups that will protest the killing of animals without strong scientific justification.

[USDA3]

I just thought I would point those who would like more knowledge on the subject in the right direction.

This is a link to the NWRC (National Wildlife Research Center) with several studies presented at a symposium in WI in 1997,

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc/symposia/cormorants/with_pics.html

This Link provides a little more information about what is going on at Leech,

http://www.llojibwe.com/llojibwe/pdfs/Cormorant%20management%20and%20research%20on%20Leech%20Lake.pdf

[Gofishleech]

Thanks for the link USDA3 !!!

[snowmaster113]

kill all the (Contact US Regarding This Word) birds!!!!!!!!!!!