Fisheries

Bag Limits | Stocking | Crappie Survey | Fisheries Report | Electrofishing

Pan Fish & Walleye Bag Limits

Pan Fish
The daily panfish bag limit for the Pike Lake Chain (PLC) is: 25 panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, sunfish, crappie and yellow perch) may be kept, but only 10 of any one species. These regulations are PLC specific. Please refer to Wisconsin Fishing Regulations 2020-2021 for total daily bag limits and total possession limits for the entire state.

Walleye
The walleye bag limit for 2020 season (April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021). No minimum length limit, but only 1 fish over 14″ is allowed and the daily bag limit is 3. That is the daily total for all 4 lakes combined. These regulations are PLC specific. Please refer to Wisconsin Fishing Regulations 2020-2021 for total daily bag limits and total possession limits for the entire state.

2017 Black Crappie Survey

As reported by Jeff Scheirer (Fisheries Biologist) WDNR: Fyke nets set for black crappies in Oct 2017 showed a strong year class growing toward the sizes that anglers like to catch and eat. Right now we’re estimating their ages from ear bones extracted from a sample 9 – 11 inches long. Unless these crappies are very old, panfish anglers should enjoy good fishing for crappie 10 inches and longer in the next several years.

Electrofishing

Despite the pandemic, fall electrofishing surveys were performed on Pike Lake by the Wisconsin DNR and on Round Lake by the Forest Service Team. Reports will be posted as soon as they are received.

Stocking

Musky Stocking
Fall 2015, 400+ musky fingerlings were released in the PLC. Stocking will continue every 2 years at a ratio of 1 fish for every 4 acres per lake. 2015 numbers released were: 182 – Round Lake, 201 – Pike Lake and 37 – Turner, 0 – Amik Lake, 0 – Tucker Lake

Fall 2017, 11″ Large Fingerlings were released in the PLC. 37 – Round Lake, 37 – Pike Lake and 8 – Turner, 0 – Amik Lake, 0 – Tucker Lake. See Gallery for pictures.

Walleye Stocking
Many people ask why the DNR or the Lake Association does not stock walleyes. The Pike Lake Chain has a natural reproduction of walleyes so it is advisable that we DO NOT stock additional walleyes. Research has showed that stocking walleyes on top of natural reproduction may compromise the genetics of the “native” fish. Please read more about walleye stocking in the 2015 Fish Management Plan.

Pike and Round lakes continue to be surveyed as control lakes for an ongoing study on Walleye. The study is following lakes with similar Walleye ‘conditions’, some of which aren’t being stocked, i.e. Pike and Round, and other lakes which are being stocked.

The DNR did electroshocking in September 2016 to evaluate the walleye growth and population as a control body of water. Early data show some improvement in the numbers of overall larger fish.

Pike Lake Chain Fisheries Report

The DNR set fyke nets on Opening Day of fishing this year to complete scheduled surveys, later than normal due to ice out time. They also did the recapture sample by electro-fishing on the following Monday and Wednesday, which will yield current year estimates of adult Walleyes in all four lakes to compare with the goal that is set in the Fishery Management Plan. A very large Sturgeon was also caught and released in one of the fyke nets.

There will be a DNR creel clerk on our chain from May until October and also from Dec. 1st (or when ice forms) until the end of game fish season. The primary mission is to count fishing outings and is done twice each shift. They will not be stopping at every boat that is fishing to conduct interviews.

Tribal members took the following Walleye and Musky numbers from our chain this Spring :

Pike Lake: 133 of 216 allotted and 1 of 7 Musky

Round Lake: 300 of 301 allotted and 1 of 7 Musky

Amik & Turner Lakes: None

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