Post by Woody Williams on Dec 14, 2007 14:11:38 GMT -5
Muskie club stocks fish in Barbee Lakes
NORTH WEBSTER — The Hoosier Muskie Hunters purchased and stocked 1,000 muskellunge fingerlings into the Barbee Lakes in Kosciusko County on Dec. 6.
The 7 to 14-inch long fish were purchased for $10,000 from Minnesota Muskie Farm in Alexandria, Minn. The fishing club stocked 200 fingerlings at Kuhn Lake boat ramp and 800 fingerlings were released along the north side of Big Barbee Lake.
"Despite their long trip, the fingerlings responded well when released," said Indiana DNR fisheries biologist Nate Thomas.
"These fish give a much-needed boost to Indiana’s muskie stocking program this year," said Thomas, "Our egg-taking operation at Lake Webster came up short last spring and we had some challenging production problems in our hatchery, so we had fewer muskies to stock. The Hoosier Muskie Hunters helped make up the difference."
According to Thomas, 6,800 muskie fingerlings out of an expected 20,000 were produced at the DNR’s East Fork Hatchery in 2007. As a result, the DNR stocked 851 muskies, one per acre, in the Barbee Lakes in October. The DNR has stocked the Barbee Lakes with as many as 4,255 muskie fingerlings each year for the past several years.
"The willingness of the Hoosier Muskie Hunters to buy more fingerlings for the Barbee Lakes was based on their long-term support and interest in Indiana’s muskie stocking program. They bought and stocked the first 2,500 muskies for the Barbee Lakes in 1998 to get the program going," said Thomas.
Thomas expects DNR muskie production to return to normal in 2008 and additional club purchases will not be necessary.
The Barbee Lakes chain is seven interconnected natural lakes in Kosciusko County. The Hoosier Muskie Hunters is one of 50 chapters of Muskies, Inc., a national conservation organization with over 7,500 members working to conserve, protect and restore North America’s muskie fisheries.
Fish cannot be stocked into Indiana public waters without a permit from the DNR.
NORTH WEBSTER — The Hoosier Muskie Hunters purchased and stocked 1,000 muskellunge fingerlings into the Barbee Lakes in Kosciusko County on Dec. 6.
The 7 to 14-inch long fish were purchased for $10,000 from Minnesota Muskie Farm in Alexandria, Minn. The fishing club stocked 200 fingerlings at Kuhn Lake boat ramp and 800 fingerlings were released along the north side of Big Barbee Lake.
"Despite their long trip, the fingerlings responded well when released," said Indiana DNR fisheries biologist Nate Thomas.
"These fish give a much-needed boost to Indiana’s muskie stocking program this year," said Thomas, "Our egg-taking operation at Lake Webster came up short last spring and we had some challenging production problems in our hatchery, so we had fewer muskies to stock. The Hoosier Muskie Hunters helped make up the difference."
According to Thomas, 6,800 muskie fingerlings out of an expected 20,000 were produced at the DNR’s East Fork Hatchery in 2007. As a result, the DNR stocked 851 muskies, one per acre, in the Barbee Lakes in October. The DNR has stocked the Barbee Lakes with as many as 4,255 muskie fingerlings each year for the past several years.
"The willingness of the Hoosier Muskie Hunters to buy more fingerlings for the Barbee Lakes was based on their long-term support and interest in Indiana’s muskie stocking program. They bought and stocked the first 2,500 muskies for the Barbee Lakes in 1998 to get the program going," said Thomas.
Thomas expects DNR muskie production to return to normal in 2008 and additional club purchases will not be necessary.
The Barbee Lakes chain is seven interconnected natural lakes in Kosciusko County. The Hoosier Muskie Hunters is one of 50 chapters of Muskies, Inc., a national conservation organization with over 7,500 members working to conserve, protect and restore North America’s muskie fisheries.
Fish cannot be stocked into Indiana public waters without a permit from the DNR.