muskie in cook county?

[mad craw 77]

sept, 13th
"Illinois DNR hatchery staff will make history today by stocking 800 12 to 14 inch muskies in the main pool of Busse Lake."


:eek: Did you guys here about this one? It sounds to my like someones little science project just to see what happens.

[maxfish86]

i bet you they don't survive.

[Team KaRu]

i bet you they don't survive.

Why? Not enough baitfish forage?

[fishing3]

Ok...well here is my two cents!

My father ran the boating docks/bait shop at Busse Lake for many years. The fish surveys which occured every summer to measure the quality/quantity of fish were a frightening experience. I'm not sure if they still do them the same way....but I would assume so.

They use electroshocking to shock up the panfish and bass. They shock a specific area, then scoop up the fish with nets....place them all in a tank....bring them back to base....weigh, measure, take scale samples, and release most alive.

Now....the Pike and I would assume also Muskie...were not electroshocked as they didn't "float" when shocked. Therefore, they set up GILL NETS overnight!!! I can tell you that over 6 years, I saw 10 Northern Pike over 15lbs DEAD in the gill nets. I also saw hundreds of dead Northerns, Walleye, and Bass in those same nets. I was told that these "dead" fish gave them a good representation of the current poplulation..and that for every dead one...there were many more alive. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY 15+ LB NORTHERN PIKE AT BUSSE! I saw them with my own eyes....white and dead.

I'd hate to now start seeing dead Muskie in these same nets.

Tom C.