The muskellunge population in Escanaba Lake has been unregulated by angling size, season or bag limits from 1946 through 1981. To evaluate changes in the population under those conditions, the harvest, yield and exploitation of wild and stocked muskellunge were analyzed for the period 1946-1981. Collection of pertinent data was facilitated by a compulsory permit-type creel census in effect during the entire 36 year period. Harvest for fish age I and older averaged 25 fish annually over the entire period. From 1956 through 1981, the estimated population and exploitation rate for age II and older muskellunge averaged 47 fish and 29% respectively. For age IV and older fish during t his same period the mean annual harvest was 6 fish and the yield 70 pounds; the population estimate averaged 25 fish and the exploitation rate 29% Yearling stocking were nine times more effective at adding fish to the creel than fingerling stockings. Thirteen percent of the harvested muskellunge were creeled during the closed season for muskellunge on other Wisconsin waters and only 5% of the muskellunge were part of a bag containing more than one muskellunge. Only 23% of the total number of muskellunge harvested in this period were 30.0 inches or longer. The Escanaba Lake muskellunge population did not exhibit reductions in population size or annual harvest during the 36 years of angling without restrictions on size, season or bag.
Catch and Release Muskie Fishing – Let Them Go – Let Them Grow