Wisconsin Muskellunge Propogation Timeline

Dec 2nd, 2005 by OutdoorsFIRST

Modified Dec 2nd, 2005 at 12:00 AM

For nearly a year now the Wisconsin Muskellunge Restoration Project (WMRP) Team has made claims of extensive muskellunge stock mixing in Wisconsin over the past 100+ years, and have felt that this mixing has affected Wisconsin trophy musky fishing, especially in NW Wisconsin. We are pleased to released the “Wisconsin Muskellunge Propagation Time Line” document today, which substantiates those claims.This “Time Line” is and will be an ongoing “work in progress.” Additional information sources have already been identified, and the information will be added as it is received and/or found. When substantial additions have been made, updates will be published.For additional information on the WMRP, go to: www.WisconsinMuskyRestoration.orgWisconsin Muskellunge Propagation Time LinePrepared by Larry Ramsell, Wisconsin Muskellunge Restoration ProjectNote: Unless otherwise stated, all stocking and egg taking data came from Wisconsin DNR archives.Disclaimer: Wisconsins propagation history is long and complex. Chronicling its history will never be complete, due to the poor or complete lack of record keeping during the first 60 years or so, as well as many gaps thereafter. Continuing attempts will be made to update this timeline as additional information becomes available.1875-1939 – According to the book The Woodruff Hatchery Story (by Arthur A. Oehmcke,1989), stocking was by demand. 1890-1893 That hatchery story also said that stocking that took place was done via railroad car. Fish were loaded into the RR car and distributed at each station and whistle stop.1899 Woodruff Hatchery stocking begins in Wisconsin (Nevin 1901; Webster 1929; Johnson 1978).1899-1938 – Stocking done in the Chippewa River drainage was done primarily with muskies from the Woodruff Hatchery. In 1912 the Fish Commission purchased a new fish car. In 1901 there were 21 muskies captured from Squaw Lake up to 30 pounds, In 1902, 2 million muskie fry were raised at Woodruff for stocking. Eggs were taken from 15 muskellunge to 30 pounds, and the average weight of the six largest was 22 pounds. This was from Tomahawk Lake. In 1904, Carroll Lake produced 17 muskies for egg taking from 17 to 34 pounds and another lake, not named, produced a 52 38 pound muskie that eggs were taken from. According to the DNR, there are no good stocking records prior to 1938.1933 – Beginning of the Wisconsin Conservation Department and “Official” recorded start of stocking of Lac Court Oreilles (Prior stocking done by Wisconsin Fish Commissioner’s-few records extant).1934 – “Lack of knowledge is abysmal. No one has ever made a continuous and intensive study of this fish (Muskellunge) extending over a number of years.” (Harkness 1934).1935 – According to a former WDNR Propagation Manager, “Adult and yearling muskies were removed from Lac Court Oreilles (in Sawyer County) and transplanted into Bone Lake (in Polk County).” He also stated that prior to 1935, the local Warden there had also transplanted muskies into Bone Lake from sources unknown.1936 – Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 30,710 muskellunge stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County. This is the first recorded stocking of Moose Lake. In this data, as with all following Moose Lake data, no source is given. Further attempts to attain this information is ongoing.1937 – Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 340,875 muskellunge fry stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County. NOTE: Muskellunge stocked in northwestern Wisconsin from 1900 thru 1937, by the state, came primarily from the Woodruff Hatchery in the Wisconsin River drainage.1938 – According to the Woodruff Hatchery Story (1989), stocking records for the Woodruff hatchery prior to 1938 were poor, as fish were distributed by train in milk cans for indiscriminate stocking at every station and “whistle stop” and no one was required to sign for them, hence no record of where they were stocked. No State stocking records of 1938 thru 1949 have been found to date. Milk cans were still being used for distribution.1938 – Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 221,040 muskellunge fry stocked in Moose Lake, in Sawyer County.1938-1941 – A muskellunge hatchery was built below the Winter Dam on the Chippewa Flowage, and muskellunge were captured from the Chippewa River below the dam and used for propagation and stocking of muskellunge fry “all over the state” for four years, according to a former WDNR Propagation Manager. He stated that there were; “Lot’s of big fish. 200-300 fish would appear below the dam in spring with no way to get above the dam.” In 1938, it was reported that 38 million muskellunge fry were raised and stocked. 1939 – The Spooner hatchery began raising muskellunge fry and fingerlings of various sizes for stocking in NW Wisconsin. Brood source is unknown at this time. Likely Lac Courte Oreilles. According to a former DNR propagation Manager, several bad years at Spooner necessitated the use of muskellunge fry from the Woodruff hatchery for stocking in the Chippewa River drainage!1939 – Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 150,000 muskellunge fry stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County.1940 – The Spooner hatchery, according to a former WDNR Propagation Manager, was unable to get enough eggs from Lac Court Oreilles for hatchery operations. To try and rebuild the stock there, LCO was stocked “from a bunch of sources.” He also stated that, “We mixed up so many different fish, I don’t how the Geneticists will ever be able to straighten it out.”1940 – Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 375,000 muskellunge fry stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County.1941 – This was the last year for the Winter Hatchery, as the Spooner Hatchery was on-line and raising muskellunge to fingerling sizes (11/2″ to 8″). This Winter hatchery operated for four years.1942 Prior years was fry stocking. In 1942, thousands of muskellunge were raised to fingerlings prior to stocking. Size was 2-6 inches.1943 The Woodruff Hatchery had a total egg failure and eggs for stocking quotas were obtained from the Spooner Hatchery (Chippewa River drainage) and were raised at Woodruff and stocked into lakes in the Wisconsin River drainage. This was the first of five different years of TOTAL egg failure at Woodruff (1943, 1948, 1958, 1961 & 1963) and eggs from Spooner were used! Source: The Woodruff Hatchery Story. 1947 – Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 3000 muskellunge fingerlings stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County.1948 This was the second year of total egg failure at Woodruff and eggs were used from the Spooner Hatchery for stocking in the Wisconsin River drainage. Hatchery egg taking and stocking records prior to 1948, are to date, unavailable, if they even still exist. Prior to 1938, there were few or no records kept of where muskellunge were stocked and few extant records of where eggs were taken from have been found. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Quarts of Eggs Musky Bay LCO 100.563 quarts Big Sisabagama 3.875 ” TOTAL 104.438 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Quarts of Eggs Lac Vieux desert 1.313 quarts Muskellunge 62.281 ” Star Lake 2.438 ” TOTAL 66.32 Quarts taken No State stocking data found.Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 8,062 muskellunge fingerlings stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County.1949 – In 1949, eggs procured for the Woodruff Hatchery for the Wisconsin River drainage, were obtained from lakes in both the Wisconsin River drainage AND the Chippewa River drainage! Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Lac Court Oreilles 40.656 quarts Big Sissabagama 3.313 ” Grindstone Lake 17.031 ” TOTAL 61.00 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Allequash Lake 5.75 quarts *Chippewa River drainage Big Arbor Vitae 4.50 ” Big Lake 3.375 ” *Chippewa River drainage Lt. Arbor Vitae 17.594 ” TOTAL 31.219 Quarts taken No State stocking data found.Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 5,140 muskellunge fingerlings stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County.1950 – In 1950, 15.34% of total number of quarts of eggs taken and used in the Spooner Hatchery came from a known “small-growth” strain of muskellunge from Spider Lake. By egg count (68,000 eggs per quart-Johnson 1958, TB #17 for Spider Lake- vs. 48,000 per quart from other strains) this equated to a total of OVER 25.7% of the total number of eggs used were from Spider Lake! The actual percentage of Spider Lake fish stocked back into the brood stock lakes are likely even higher, due to the far superior survival of this strain according to former DNR Research Scientist Leon Johnson.The Woodruff Hatchery again obtained eggs from lakes in both the Wisconsin and Chippewa River drainages. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Grindstone Lake 18.467 quarts Big Spider Lake* 10.875 ” NOTE: 15.34% of total quarts taken** Lac Court Oreilles 41.562 ” TOTAL 70.904 Quarts taken *Determined (by WDNR study) to be a “small-growth” strain of muskellunge. **By actual egg count, Big Spider Lake contributed OVER 25.7% of eggs used! Woodruff Hatchery Squirrel Lake 13.25 quarts Pokegama Lake 14.125 ” *Chippewa River drainage Irving Lake 10.063 ” Muskellunge 17.875 ” Lac du Flambeau 7.125 ” *Chippewa River drainage TOTAL 62.438 Quarts taken Spooner stocking data: Note: 25.7% of hatchery production was with Spider Lake eggs and a likely even higher % were stocked back into the brood stock lakes Bone and LCO due to the superior survival of Spider Lake strain muskellunge. All were fingerlings 1 1/2″ & up to 8 (size dependent upon date stocked). Ashland County: Bayfield County: Chippewa County: Augustine Lake 500 Pike Lake Chain: Chain Lake 866 Bear Lake 350 Buskey Lake 194 Chip. Riv/Jim F. 130 E. Fork Chip. River 400 Millicent Lake 746 Cornell Flowage 1920 East Twin Lake 200 Hart Lake 530 Fisher River 100 English Lake 476 Crow Lake 316 Jump River 428 Gallilee Lake 430 Eagle Lake 296 Long Lake 2100 Gordon Lake 210 Flynn Lake 336 Lake Wissota 11,118 Mineral Lake 510 McGary Lake 200 Pelican Lake 160 Upper Ghost 706 Spillerberg Lake 140 Torch River Flowage 100 Upper Clam Lake 300 Clark County: Douglas County: Eau Claire County: Black River 1000 Aminicon Lake 724 Altoona Lake 1884 S. Fk. Eau Claire River 1600 Dowling Lake 264 Eau Claire Lake 2400 Lyman Lake 670 Eau Claire Riv. 500 All Lake Superior Drainage lakes! Polk County: Rusk County: Taylor County: Bone Lake 3448 Amacoy Lake 632 Jump River 200 Big Falls Flow. 760 Mondeaux Flow 970 Clear Lake 340 Spirit Lake 720 Chippewa Riv 1500 Island Lake 1040 Lt. Riv & Mud L 874 McCann Lake 874 Port Arthur Fl. 748 Potato Lake 978 Pulaski Lake 220 Sand Lake 378Washburn County: Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.:Shell Lake 4862 Barber Lake 500 Barker Lake 450Trego Flowage 774 Lac Couderay 9650 Big Round Lake 6800Big MacKenzie Lake 1934 Big Sand Lake 1960 Big Sissabagama 1660 Big Spider Lake 3000 Black Lake 240 Blaisdell Lake 680 Callahan Lake 250 Chief Lake 4600 Chip. Flowage 10,000 Chip R. b/l Arpin 800 Chip R. b/l Chip Fl 800 W. Fork Chip. R. 600 Connors Lake 820 Crane Lake 970 Evergreen Lake 320 Fishtrap Lake 330 Flambeau R @ 8 mi. 800 Flambeau R 800 Ghost Lake 700 Grindstone L. 6600 Hunter Lake 225 Island Lake 140 Lake OPines 580 Lt. LCO 380 Lt. Sisabagama 600 Lt. Spider 470 Lost Land Lake 4050 Lower Clam L. 420 Mason Lake 360 McDonald Lake 250 Moose Lake 4050* North Lake 140 Ole Lake 170 Partridge Crop 100 Placid Lake 200 Radisson Flow. 1600 Teal Lake 2070 Teal R. Flow. 230 Tiger Cat Flow. 3500 Whitefish Lake 1700 *Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 3,925 muskellunge fingerlings stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County in addition to DNR stocking. 1951 – In 1951, the Woodruff Hatchery again used eggs obtained from both major Wisconsin river drainages. Production numbers were derived from muskellunge actually raised. Although not noted in the information below, according to a the Woodruff Hatchery Story, thousands of fingerlings were raised to 8-12 inches in length before stocking after 1950. These were used in Oneida, Price and Vilas Counties to restock native muskie lakes that had been overrun by northern pike (note: prior to 1941, northern pike were raised at the Woodruff hatchery and stocked into muskie lakes. This created a huge problem that led to research that determined that pike introduced into muskie waters that previously had none, led to the demise of the native muskellunge there. From 1941 to 1964, over 43,000 yearling 12 muskies were stocked to try and overcome this problem. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Actual # of Musky fry raised Grindstone Lake 1,232,685 Lac Court Oreilles 2,068,622 TOTAL 3,301,307 Musky fry raised Woodruff Hatchery Actual # of Musky fry raised Big Arbor Vitae 1,269,197 Flambeau Lake 510,548 *Chippewa River drainage Long Lake 129,885 Sand Lake 1,553,075 TOTAL 3,462,705 Musky fry raised Spooner stocking data missing.Data from Moose Lake Improvement Association: 2,140 muskellunge fingerlings stocked in Moose Lake in Sawyer County.1952 – In 1952, the Woodruff Hatchery again used eggs obtained from both major Wisconsin river drainages. Production numbers used quarts of eggs taken and not actual numbers of muskellunge raised. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Quarts of Eggs Grindstone Lake 27.438 quarts Lac Court Oreilles 47.625 ” TOTAL 75.063 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Quarts of Eggs Big Lake 12.281 quarts* Clear Crooked 1.00 ” Flambeau Lake 9.00 ” *Chippewa River drainage Lt. Arbor Vitae 22.875 ” TOTAL 45.156 Quarts taken Spooner stocking data missing.1953 – In 1953 the Spooner Hatchery again used eggs totaling nearly 12% from the “small-growth” Spider Lake stain of muskellunge, and the Woodruff Hatchery again used eggs obtained from both major Wisconsin river drainages. Stocking data indicates the actual number of fish raised and stocked. Egg taking data Spooner Hatchery Grindstone Lake 32.062 quarts L. Court Oreilles 47.125 ” Sand Lake 1.687 ” Spider Lake 7.750 ” NOTE: 8.75% of total quarts taken* TOTAL 88.624 Quarts taken*By actual egg count, Spider Lake accounted for nearly 12% of total eggs used (see 1950 for additional details) Woodruff Hatchery Minocqua T-fare 3.312 quarts Squirrel Lake 10.594 ” Rice Lake 5.531 ” *Chippewa River drainage Sugarbush Lake 4.093 “* ” ” ” Big Arbor Vitae 7.093 ” Crawling Stone 1.938 ” *Chippewa River drainage Fence Lake 5.125 ” * ” ” ” Muskellunge 44.281 ” Sand Lake 37.969 ” TOTAL 119.936 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Ashland County: Barron County: Bayfield County: Augustine Lake 500 Bear Lake 885 Upper Ghost 703 Bad River* 475 White Bass 298 Bear Lake 350 Chippewa Riv. 400 Little Clam Lk. 346 Upper Clam Lk. 390 Gallilee Lake 430 Gordon Lake 310 Mineral Lake 510 Spider Lake 170 East Twin Lake 200* Lake Superior drainage! Burnett County: Chippewa County: Douglas County: Des Moines Lk. 442 Fisher River 700 Lyman Lake 692 Holcombe Flow. 8600 Mud Riv/Bear L. 196 Long Lake 2162 Paint Flowage 360 Yellow Riv. Fl. 550 Polk County: Price County: Rusk County: Bone Lake 3450 Buss Lake 340 Chain Lake 880 Butternut Lake 1925 Chippewa Riv. 2170 Deer Lake 280 Clear Lake 340 N. Fk. Flambeau 580 Lake Flambeau 3360 S. Fk. Flambeau 1500 Flambeau River 795 Jump River 335 Island Lake 1040 Long Lake 450 Ladysmith Flow. 510 Tucker Lake 500# McCann Lake 222 Prentice/Duroy 578 Sand Lake 378 Elk Lake 168 Long Lake 872 Wilson Lake 608 Sailor Flowage 310 Solburg Flow. 520 Thompson Lk. 220 Soo/Weimer 1650# Stocked from a private (unknown) hatchery.Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.:Barber Lake 508 Barker Lake 432 Black Lake 250Big Sisabagama 1760 Blaisdell Lake 686 Boos Lake 76Callahan Lake 204 Chippewa Flow. 16,114 Chip Riv b/l Arpin 400Chip Riv b/l Winter 400 Chippewa Riv. 610 W. Fk. Chip Riv. 300Lower Clam 406 Connors Lake 818 Crane Lake 970Lake Couderay 9650 Evergreen Lake 320 Fishtrap Lake 330Flam. Riv @ 8mi 800 Ghost Lake 750 Grindstone Lake 6608Holly Lake 158 Hunter Lake 225 Lake OPines 575Lost Land Lake 2604 Mason Lake 360 Mud Lake 176North Lake 28 Big Ole Lake 166 Lt. Sisabagama 650Couderay Riv. 262 Radisson Flow. 1600 Teal Riv. Flow. 192Tiger Cat Flow. 1520 Taylor County: Washburn County: Jump River 175 Shell Lake 4865 Mondeaux Flow. 780 Spirit Lake 550 1954 – In 1954, the Spooner Hatchery used eggs from an even “smaller-growth” strain of muskellunge from Callahan Lake where muskellunge were found to be less than 30 in length at 20 years of age!Tthe Woodruff Hatchery again used eggs from waters of both major Wisconsin river drainages. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Bone Lake 2.375 quarts Callahan Lake* 2.00 ” NOTE: 3.6% of total quarts taken** L. Court Oreilles 50.625 ” Sand Lake 12.50 ” TOTAL 67.50 Quarts taken *Determined (by WDNR studies) to be a “very small-growth” strain of muskellunge, with some individual not reaching 30 inches in 20 years of growth.**By actual egg count, Callahan Lake accounted for 4.15% of eggs taken (see 1950 for details). Woodruff Hatchery Big Sand Lake 1.468 quarts Fence Lake 3.187 ” *Chippewa River drainage Gunlock Lake 2.50 ” * ” ” ” Muskellunge 30.594 ” Rice Lake 2.344 ” * Trout Lake 3.125 ” *Chippewa River drainage TOTAL 43.218 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County: Augustine Lake 500 Upper Ghost Lk 534 Des Moines Lk 442 Bad River* 350 White Bass Lk. 298 Bear Lake 350 Chippewa Riv. 400 Little Clam Lk. 340 Upper Clam Lk 390 Gallilee Lake 430 Mineral Lake 510 Spider Lake 170 East Twin Lk. 200 *Lake Superior drainage! Chippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County: Fisher River 60 Dowling Lake 292 Bone Lake 12000 fry Holcombe Flow 600 Bone Lake 1011 Paint Flowage 70 Yellow Riv. Fl. 60 Rusk County: Price County: Taylor County: Big Falls Flow 80 Bass Lake 25 Jump River 18 Chain Lake 94 Butternut Lake 150 Mondeaux Flow 38 Chippewa Riv 200 Dardis Lake 35 Spirit Lake 313 Clear Lake 340 N. Fk. Flam. R 75 Flambeau Riv. 90 N Fk Fl ab. Fif. 40 Island Lake-Ylgs 30 N Fk Fl b/l Fif. 100 Island Lake 100 Grassy Lake 25 Ladysmith Fl 512 Jump River 40 McCann Lake 33 Long Lake Boyds 450 Mud Lake 28 Sailor Creek Fl. 40 Port Arthur Fl 80 Solberg Lake 150 Potato Lake 99 Thompson Lake 35 Sand Lake 44Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont. Sawyer County cont.Black Lake 50 Blaisdell Lake 34 Boos Lake 8Chippewa Flow 700 Callahan Lake 70 Callahan Lake 10000 fryChip Riv b/l Arpin 20 Chip Riv b/l Winter 20 W. Fk Chip Riv (Meadow Lk) 130Connors Lake 91 Lt. Sisabagama 80 Radisson Fl 30Lac Court Oreilles 482 Teal Riv. Flow. 20 Mud Lake 18Lt. LCO 100 Evergreen Lake 40 Fishtrap Lake 16Fl Riv @ 8 mi 40 Holly Lake 158 Island Lake 208Island Lake 7 Lake OPines 29 Mason Lake 40McDonald Lake 12 Moose Lake 412 Whitefish Lake 206North Lake 28 Big Ole Lake 16 Couderay Riv 160 Big Sand Lake 200 Lt. Spider Lake 48 Teal Lake 177 Upper Twin Lake 205 Lac Court Oreilles 242,000 fry on 5/26Lac Court Oreilles 912,251 fry pm 6/1 Note: Most of the above stockings were lower numbers due to stocking of advanced fingerlings in October. 1955 – In 1955, the head of the DNR wanted to stop stocking muskies and rely on natural reproduction. Pressure from Madison continued to allow the stocking. The Woodruff Hatchery obtained eggs from a lake in the Lake Superior/Great Lakes drainage. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Lac Court Oreilles 40.30 quarts taken TOTAL Woodruff Hatchery Lac Vieux desert 5.10 quarts Lt. Arbor Vitae 20.60 ” Muskellunge 16.40 ” West Bay 5.70 ” Lake Superior/Great Lakes drainage TOTAL 47.80 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery:Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 1000 May Buffalo Lake 296 May Des Moines Lake 442 MayAugustine Lake 78 Sept. Buffalo Lake 26 Sept Des Moines Lake 442 JuneBad River* 950 May Upper Ghost 1412 May Des Moines Lake 30 JulyBad River* 61 Sept. Upper Ghost 50 Sept. Bear Lake 700 May White Bass Lk 596 May Bear Lake 50 Sept. White Bass Lk 50 Sept.Chippewa Riv. 800 MayChippewa Riv. 63 Sept.Lt. Clam Lake 680 MayLt. Clam Lake 51 Sept.Upper Clam Lk 780 MayUpper Clam Lk 59 Sept.Gallilee Lake 860 MayGalilee Lake 50 Sept.Gordon Lake 628 MayGordon Lake 47 Sept.Mineral Lake 1020 MayMineral Lake 62 Sept.Spider Lake 340 MaySpider Lake 26 Sept.East Twin Lk 400 MayEast Twin Lk 30 Sept.*Lake Superior drainage!Chippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Holcombe Flow 8600 May Dowling Lake 584 May Bone Lake 3450 MayHolcombe Flow 8839 June Dowling Lake 44 Oct. Bone Lake 3450 JuneHolcombe Flow 2150 June Bone Lake 862 JuneHolcombe Flow 1290 Oct. Bone Lake 132 Sept.Price County: Rusk County: Taylor County: Bass Lake 332 May Big Falls Flow. 1520 June Jump River 22 Oct.Bass Lake 25 Sept. Big Falls Flow. 104 Sept. Butternut Lake 2310 May Chain Lake 1760 May Butternut Lake 2888 June Chain Lake 132 Sept. Butternut Lake 347 Sept. Chip. River 4270 MayDardis Lake 562 May Chip. River 533 JuneDardis Lake 41 Sept. Chip. River 353 Oct.Deer Lake 562 May Clear Lake 680 JuneDeer Lake 41 Sept. Clear Lake 51 Sept.N. Fk. Flam Riv a/b Fif.2000 May Lake Flambeau 7560 JuneN. Fk. Flam Riv 250 June Lake Flambeau 119 Sept.N. Fk. Flam Riv 225 Sept. Lake Flambeau 537 Oct.S. Fk. Flam Riv b/l Fif. 664 May Flam Riv T. Apple Dam 1590 JuneS. Fk. Flam Riv 375 June Flam Riv T. Apple Dam 119 Sept.S. Fk. Flam Riv 225 Sept. Island Lake 2340 JuneGrassy Lake 272 May Island Lake 160 Sept.Grassy Lake 25 Sept. Ladysmith Flowage 1024 JuneJump River 770 May Ladysmith Flowage 76 Sept.Jump River 40 Sept. McCann Lake 444 JuneLong Lk. (223 ac.) 900 May McCann Lake 37 Sept.Long Lk. (223 ac.) 68 Sept. Port Arthur Flowage 1500 JuneElk Lake 336 May Port Arthur Flowage 112 Sept.Elk Lake 25 Sept. Potato Lake 264 Sept.Long Lk. (436 ac.) 900 May Sand Lake 756 JuneLong Lk (436 ac.) 68 Sept. Sand Lake 57 Sept.Wilson Lake 1216 May Jump River 500 JuneWilson Lake 90 Sept. Jump River 37 Sept.Sailor Cr. Flow. 610 May Mondeaux Flowage 1000 JuneSailor Cr. Flow. 47 Sept. Mondeaux Flowage 200 Sept.Solberg Lake4720 May Mondeaux Fl. 252 Oct.Solberg Lake 570 JuneSolberg Lake 354 Sept.Thompson Lake 440 May Thompson Lake 33 Sept.Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.:Barber Lake 1016 May Black Lake 500 May Blaisdell Lake 1372 MayBarber Lake 35 July Black Lake 13 July Blaisdell Lake 40 JulyBarber Lake 76 Oct. Black 38 Oct. Blaisdell Lake 103 Oct.Callahan Lake 408 May Chip Riv b/l Arpin 800 May W Fk Chip Riv/Mea. 1220 MayCallahan Lake 30 Oct. Chip Riv b/l Arpin 153 June W Fk Chip Riv/Meadow 92 Oct.Lower Clam Lk 812 May Chip Riv b/l Winter 800 May Connors Lake 1726 MayLower Clam Lk 60 Oct. Chip Riv b/l Winter 60 Oct. Connors Lake 205 JuneCrane Lake 1940 May Lac Court Oreilles 9650 May Evergreen Lake 640 MayCrane Lake 243 June Lac Court Oreilles 9642 June Evergreen Lake 2412 JuneFishtrap Lake 660 May Flam Riv @ 8 mi 800 May Evergreen Lake 48 Oct.Fishtrap Lake 21 July Flam Riv @ 8 mi 60 Oct. Ghost Lake 1416 MayFishtrap Lake 50 Oct. Island Lake 280 May Ghost Lake 196 JuneLake OPines 1150 May Island Lake 10 July Ghost Lake 106 Oct.Lake OPines 86 Oct. Island Lake 25 Oct. Lost Land Lake 5208 MayMason Lake 720 May Mud Lake 352 May Lost Land Lake 651 JuneMason Lake 54 Oct. Mud Lake 26 Oct. Lost Land Lake 69 JulyNorth Lake 860 May Big Ole Lake 332 May Couderay River 524 MayNorth Lake 42 Oct. Big Ole Lake 25 Oct. Couderay River 39 Oct.Radisson Flow 3200 May Big Sisabagama 1660 May Lt. Sisabagama 1200 MayRadisson Flow 400 June Big Sisabagama 2075 June Lt. Sisabagama 150 JuneRadisson Flow 240 Oct. Tiger Cat Flow 3000 May Lt. Sisabagama 92 Oct.Upper Twin Lake 4000 May Tiger Cat Flow 380 June Whitefish Lake 1712 MayUpper Twin Lake 500 June Tiger Cat Flow 98 Oct. Whitefish Lake 1712 JuneLittle Spider Lake 940 May Teal Lake 3962 May Whitefish Lake 96 Oct.Little Spider Lake 70 Oct. Teal Lake 494 June Teal Riv Flow 384 May Teal Lake 69 July Teal Riv Flow 29 Oct.1956 – Another documented stocking of known mixed and slow growing Big Spider Lake fish into northwestern Wisconsin broodstock lake Lac Court Oreilles and future brood stock lake, Bone Lake. This stocking of Big Spider Lake muskellunge exhibited “slow growth and exceptional survival”. (Johnson 1971). Most of the 3,700 muskellunge stocked into Lac Court Oreilles in 1956 were from the Spider Lake eggs (Johnson 1971; Techinical Bulletin #49). 31.2% of the eggs used in the Spooner Hatchery in 1956 were from Spider Lake and due to far greater survival, likely equated to a far higher percentage of Spider Lake fish being stocked into the brood stocks lakes. Again, the Woodruff Hatchery used eggs from a Chippewa River drainage lake. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Lac Court Orielles 7.88 quarts Big Sissabagama .62 ” Ghost Lake .20 ” Grindstone 20.37 ” Spider Lake 9.31 ” NOTE: 24.26% of hatchery total quarts*. TOTAL 38.38 Quarts taken *Spider Lake contributed 31.2% of the total egg take. Woodruff Hatchery Minocqua T-fare 2.60 quarts (tigers) Allequash Lake 5.25 ” *Chippewa River drainage Big Arbor Vitae 6.00 ” Muskellunge 31.44 ” TOTAL 45.29 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: All stockings are with advanced fingerlings in September or October unless otherwise noted.Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 50 Buffalo Lake 31 Des Moines Lake 442 JuneBad River* 47 Upper Ghost 70 Des Moines Lake 44 Oct.Bear Lake 35 White Bass 329 Chippewa Riv 40 Lt. Clam Lake 34Upper Clam Lk 39Gallilee Lake 43Mineral Lake 51Spider Lake 25East Twin Lake 29*Lake Superior drainage!Chippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Holcombe Flow 739 Dowling Lake 35 Bone Lake 3450 JuneLong Lake 216 Bone Lake 345 Oct.Price County: Rusk County: Taylor County:Butternut Lake 231 Big Falls Flow 76 Jump River 20Deer Lake 30 Chain Lake 88 Mondeaux Flow 98N Fk Flam Riv 100 Chippewa Riv 213 Spirit Lake 70S Fk Fl R a/b Fif 183 Clear Lake 34 Grassy Lake 25 Flam Riv @15 mi 80 Jump River 33 Island Lake 125Long Lake 45 Jump River 25Phillips Fl/Duroy 48 Ladysmith Flow 51Weimers Flow 165 McCann Lake 50 Potato Lake 100Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.: Barber Lake 508 June Barker Lake 50 Blaisdell Lake 686 June Black Lake 250 June Chip R b/l Arpin200 June Black Lake 25 Oct.Blaisdell Lake 68 Oct. Chip R b/l Winter 40 Oct. Lower Clam Lk 40 Connors Lake 81 Lac Court Oreilles 2356 June W. Fk Chip R 61 Lac Court Oreilles 400 Sept. Crane Lake 370 June Lac Court Oreilles 422 October Crane Lake 97 Oct. Flam Riv @ 8 mi 40 Ghost Lake 70 Grindstone Lake 1789 June Evergreen Lake 32 Grindstone Lake 660 Oct. Hunter Lake 255 June Island Lake 140 June Hunter Lake 25 Oct. Island Lake 25 Oct. Moose Lake 393 North Lake 28 Big Ole Lake 25 Couderay Riv 262 June Lt. Round Lake 29 Fishtrap Lake 330 June Lake OPines 57Fishtrap Lake 33 Oct. Mason Lake 36Couderay Riv 26 Oct. Big Sisabagama 1660 JuneLt. Sisabagama 600 June Big Sisabagama 166 Oct.Lt. Sisabagama 60 Oct. Big Spider 302 Tiger Cat Flow. 152 Whitefish Lake 1712 JuneW Fk Chip R/Meadow 25 Whjtefish Lake 171 Oct. Radison Flowage 1600 June Teal River Flow. 25Radison Flowage 160 Oct. 1957 – In 1957, the Woodruff Hatchery again took eggs from a Chippewa River drainage lake, and also one landlocked lake. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Connors Lake 1.02 quarts Crane Lake (Chip) 4.71 ” Grindstone Lake 5.57 ” Lac Court Oreilles 23.19 ” Radison Flowage 4.82 ” TOTAL 39.31 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Squirrel Lake 18.85 quarts Big Muskellunge 28.18 ” *Chippewa River drainage Lt. Arbor Vitae 27.05 ” Escanaba Lake 2.45 ” Landlocked TOTAL 76.53 Quarts takenStocking data-Spooner Hatchery:Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 1500 June Buffalo Lake 882 June Des Moines Lake 1323 JuneAugustine Lake 50 Sept. Buffalo Lake 30 Sept. Des Moines Lake 56 Sept.Bear Lake 1050 June Upper Ghost 2118 June Dike 6 Crex Mead. 102,399 fryBear Lake 35 Sept. Upper Ghost 70 Sept. Chippewa River 1200 June White Bass Lk 896 JuneChippewa River 40 Sept. White Bass Lk 30 Sept.Lt. Clam Lake 1020 June Lt. Clam Lake 34 Sept.Galilee Lake 1290 June Galilee Lake 43 Sept.Mineral Lake 1530 JuneMineral Lake 51 Sept.East Twin Lake 600 JuneEast Twin Lake 25 Sept.Chipppewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Cornell Flow 3762 June Amnicon Lake 2538 June Bone Lake 11,328 JuneCornell Flow 130 Aug. Amnicon Lake 84 Aug. Bone Lake 100 AugustLong Lake 6486 June Lyman Lake 2132 JuneLong Lake 228 Aug. Lyman Lake 71 Sept.Price County: Rusk County: Taylor County:Bass Lake 504 June Chain Lake 2640 June Jump River 400 JuneBass Lake 25 Sept. Chain Lake 90 Sept. Jump River 50 Sept.Butternut Lk 6930 June Chip. River 6405 June Mondeaux Fl. 1940 JuneButternut Lk 200 Sept. Chip. River 213 Sept. Mondeaux Fl. 243 Sept.Dardis Lake 828 June Clear Lake 1020 June Spirit Lake 1440 JuneDardis Lake 30 Sept. Clear Lake 35 Sept. Spirit Lake 204 Sept.Deer Lake 834 June Lake Flam. 10,080 June Deer Lake 30 Sept. Lake Flam. 336 Sept.N Fk Flam R 3000 June Island Lake 3120 JuneN Fk Flam R 100 Sept. Island Lake 104 Sept.S Fk Flam R 4500 June ump River 750 JuneS Fk Flam R 70 Sept. Jump River 25 Sept.Long Lake 1350 June McCann Lake 664 JuneLong Lake 45 Sept. McCann Lake 25 Aug.Musser Fl 3060 June Potato Lake 2694 JuneMusser Fl 75 Sept. Potato Lake 90 Sept.Elk Lake 504 June Thornapple Fl 1284 JuneElk Lake 25 Sept. Thornapple Fl 43 Sept.Long Lk#2 2619 June Wesley Lake 272 JuneLong Lk#2 90 Sept. Murphy Flow 200 Sept.Wilson Lake 1824 June Flambeau Flow 43 Nov.Wilson Lake 60 Sept. Solberg Flow 7080 JuneSolberg Flow 106 Sept.Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.: Washburn County:Barber Lake 1524 June Blaisdell Lake 1372 June Shell Lake 15,556 JuneBarber Lake 50 Sept. Blaisdell Lake 686 July Shell Lake 510 Sept.Chip. Flow. 35,040 June Blaisdell Lake 68 Sept.Chip. Flow. 1477 Oct. Chip R b/l Arpin 1200 JuneChip R b/l Winter 1200 June Chip R b/l Arpin 40 Sept.Chip R b/l Winter 40 Sept. W. Fk Chip R 1830 JuneConnors Lake 2454 June W. Fk Chip R 61 Sept.Connors Lake 81 Sept. Lac Court Oreilles 29,950 JuneFishtrap Lake 990 June Lac Court Oreilles 965 Oct.Fishtrap Lake 33 Sept. Flam R @ 8 mi 1200 JuneGhost Lake 1416 June Flam R @ 8 mi 40 Sept.Ghost Lake 70 Sept. Grindstone Lake 333 Sept.Hunter Lake 675 June Island Lake 420 June/JulyHunter Lake 25 Sept. Island Lake 25 Sept.Lake OPines 1725 June Mason Lake 1080 JuneLake OPines 57 Sept. Mason Lake 36 Sept.North Lake 840 June Big Ole Lake 488 JuneNorth Lake 28 Sept. Big Ole Lake 25 Sept.Couderay Riv 986 June Radisson Flow 4800 JuneCouderay Riv 26 Sept. Radisson Flow 168 Sept.Big Sisabagama Lk 4157 June Little Sisabagama Lk 1500 June/JulyBig Sisabagama Lk 166 Sept. Little Sisabagama Lk 60 Sept.Big Spider Lake 470 June Little Spider Lake 869 JuneBig Spider Lake 57 Sept. Teal Lake 5928 JuneTeal Riv Flow 576 June Teal Lake 197 Sept.Teal Riv Flow 30 Sept. Tiger Cat Flow 576 June Tiger Cat Flow 152 Sept. 1958 – 1958 was the third year for total egg failure at the Woodruff Hatchery and once again eggs were obtained from the Spooner Hatchery (Chippewa River drainage) and raised at Woodruff and stocked into Wisconsin River drainage waters.Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery Lyman Lake 3 quarts Island Lake 16 Rusk County Black Lake 1 Ghost Lake 10 Grindstone 6 TOTAL 36 Quarts Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County: Augustine Lake 250 June Buffalo Lake 296 June Des Moines Lake 450 June Augustine Lake 50 Sept. Buffalo Lake 29 Sept. Des Moines Lake 45 Sept. E Fk Chip Riv 200 June Upper Ghost 706 June E Fk Chip Riv 40 Sept. Upper Ghost 70 Sept. Lt Clam Lk 170 June White Bass Lk 298 June Lt Clam Lk 34 Sept. White Bass Lk 29 Sept. English Lake 240 June English Lake 48 Sept. Galilee Lake 215 June Galilee Lake 4 Adult Sept. Galilee Lake 43 Sept. Mineral Lake 255 June Mineral Lake 51 Sept. E Twin Lake 100-2 June E Twin Lake 25-9 Sept. Chippewa County: Polk County: Price County: Holcombe Flow 4300 June Bone Lake 2705 June Bass Lake 170 J/July Holcombe Flow 860 Sept. Bone Lake 264 Aug. Bass Lake 25 Aug. Butternut Lake 1155 June Butternut Lake 600 July Butternut Lake 231 Aug. Deer Lake 280 J/July Deer Lake 28 Sept. N Fk Flam R 500 June N Fk Flam R 100 Aug. S Fk Flam R 750 June S Fk Flam R 150 Sept. Grassy Lake 140 J/July Grassy Lake 25 Sept. Jump River 170 June Jump River 34 Sept. Phillips Fl/Duroy 3700 J/July Phillips Fl/Duroy 540 Sept. Soo Lake 1225 June Soo Lake 165 Sept.Rusk County: Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.Chain Lake 660 J/July Barber Lake 255 June Blaisdell Lake 345 JuneChain Lake 88 Sept. Barber Lake 51 Oct. Blaisdell Lake 69 Oct.Chip Riv 170 June Chip Flow 60 Oct. Chip Riv b/l Arpin 200 JuneChip Riv 214 Oct. Chip R b/l Winter 200 J Chip Riv b/l Arpin 40 Oct.Clear Lake 255 J/July Chip R b/l Winter 40 Oct W Fk Chip Riv 305 JuneClear Lake 34 Sept. Connors Lake 820 June W Fk Chip Riv 61 Oct.Lk Flambeau 1680 June Connors Lake 82 Oct. Crane Lake 913 JuneLk Flambeau 336 Sept. L. Couderay 1000 Oct. Crane Lake 99 Oct.Flam Riv 500 June Evergreen Lk 210 June Fishtrap Lake 165 JuneFlam Riv 80 Sept. Evergreen Lk 32 Oct. Fishtrap Lake 33 Oct.Island Lake 1180 June Fl Riv @ 8 mi 200 June Ghost Lake 710 JuneIsland Lake 104 Sept. Fl Riv @ 8 mi 40 Oct. Ghost Lake 70 Oct.Jump Riv 250 June Grindstone Lk 6610 June Hunter Lake 115 JuneJump Riv 25 Sept. Grindstone Lk 660 Sept. Hunter Lake 25 Oct.Ladysmith Fl 520 June Island Lake 70 June Lake OPines 350 JuneLadysmith Fl 52 Sept. Island Lake 25 Oct. Lake OPines 58 Oct.McCann Lk 175 J/July Lost Land Lk 2610 June Mason Lake 230 J/JulyMcCann Lk 25 Sept. Lost Land Lk 261 Sept. Mason Lake 36 Oct.Potato Lk 675 June Moose Lake 3940 J/July Mud Lake 180 JunePotato Lk 90 Sept. Moose Lake 394 Sept. Mud Lake 25 Sept.T-Apple Fl 215 June North Lake 280 June Big Ole Lk 170 JuneT-Apple Fl 43 Oct. North Lake 28 Oct. Big Ole Lk 25 Oct.Murphy Fl 200 Oct. Couderay Riv 135 June Radisson Fl 800 June Couderay Riv 27 Oct. Radisson Fl 160 Oct. Lt. Round Lk 300 June Big Sisabagama 1660 June Lt. Round Lk 30 Oct. Big Sisabagama 160 Sept. Lt. Sisabagama 300 June Big Spider Lk 3034 June Lt. Sisabagama 60 Sept. Big Spider Lk 300 Oct. Teal Riv Flow 200 June Tiger Cat Flow 889 June Teal Riv Flow 25 Oct. Tiger Cat Flow 150 Oct. Upper Twin 2000 June W Fk Chip R 1710 June Upper Twin 200 Oct. W Fk Chip R 170 Oct. Taylor County: Washburn County: Jump River 100 June Shell Lake 4870 June Jump River 90 Sept. Shell Lake 487 July Mondeaux Fl 485 June Shell Lake 270 Sept. Mondeaux Fl 350 Sept. Spirit Lake 360 June Spirit Lake 300 Sept. 1959 – In 1959, the Woodruff Hatchery again took eggs from a Chippewa River drainage lake. The Spooner Hatchery deviated from the normal brood stock lakes, Bone and Lac Court Oreilles, and took eggs from two lakes that had been created from the brood stock lakes and one native lake. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Island Lake 16.43 quarts Ghost Lake 3.04 ” Shell Lake 17.29 ” TOTAL 36.76 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Bearskin Lake 14.38 quarts Big Muskellunge 2.68 ” *Chippewa River drainage Lt. Arbor Vitae 35.70 ” Hatchery Pond #10 1.16 ” Hatchery Pond #13 .80 ” TOTAL 54.72 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery:Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 250 June Upper Ghost Lk 353 June Des Moines Lk 225 JuneBad River* 200-12 Oct. Des Moines Lk 1300 Sept.Bear Lake 175 June Johnson Lake 1550 JuneChip. River 200 JuneEast Twin Lk 100 JuneEast Twin Lk 25 Oct.Lt. Clam Lake 170 JuneLt. Clam Lake 35 Oct.Upper Clam Lk 195 JuneUpper Clam Lk 40 Oct.English Lake 480 Oct.Galilee Lake 215 JuneMineral Lake 255 June*Lake Superior drainageChippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Long Lake 1081 June Amnicon Lake 423 June Bone Lake 1725 JuneLong Lake 500 July Amnicon Lake 84 Oct. Bone Lake 345 Oct.Long Lake 241 Oct. Dowling Lake 146 June Dowling Lake 30 Oct. Lyman Lake 356 June Lyman Lake 71 Oct.Price County: Rusk County: Sawyer County:Bass Lake 170 June Chain Lake 800 June Barber Lake 225 JuneBass Lake 25 Oct. Chain Lake 80 Oct. Barber Lake 50 Oct.Butternut Lake 1155 June Chippewa River 1070 June Blaisdell Lake 325 JuneButternut Lake 1075 July Chippewa River 500 July Blaisdell Lake 70 Oct.Butternut Lake 231 Oct. Clear Lake 350 June Chippewa Flow 3285 JuneDardis Lake 276 June Clear Lake 35 Oct. Chippewa Flow 770 JulyDardis Lake 25 Oct. Lake Flambeau 2500 June Chip R b/l Arpin 200 JuneDeer Lake 280 June Lake Flambeau 336 Oct. Chip R b/l Arpin 40 Oct.Deer Lake 25 Oct. Flambeau River 800 June Chip R b/l Winter 200 JuneN Fk Flam Riv 500 June Flambeau River 800 July Chip R b/l Winter 40 Oct.N Fk Flam Riv 500 July Island Lake 1040 June W Fk Chip River 305 JuneN Fk Flam Riv 100 Oct. Island Lake 1040 July W Fk Chip River 60 Oct.S Fk Flam Riv 750 June Jump River 250 June Connors Lake 410 JuneS Fk Flam Riv 750 July Jump River 250 June Connors Lake 80 Oct.Musser Flow. 510 June McCann Lake 230 June Crane Lake 445 JuneMusser Flow. 510 July McCann Lake 25 Oct. Crane Lake 100 Oct.Wilson Lake 304 June Potato Lake 855 Sept. Lac Court Oreilles 1000 Oct.Wilson Lake 304 July Thornapple Fl. 215 June Evergreen Lake 950 Oct.Round Lake 756 June Fishtrap Lake 165 JuneRound Lake 756 July Taylor County: Fishtrap Lake 35 Oct.Round Lake 151 Oct. Jump River 100 June Flambeau Riv 200 JunePike Lake 1468 June Jump River 96 Oct. Flambeau Riv 146 Oct.Pike Lake 146 Oct. Mondeaux Flow 485 June Ghost Lake 355 JuneTurner Lake 157 June Mondeaux Flow 414 Oct. Ghost Lake 75 Oct.Turner Lake 157 July Spirit Lake 360 June Grindstone Lk 4950 JuneTurner Lake 31 Oct. Spirit Lake 311 Oct. Grindstone Lk 4950 JulySailor Creek Fl. 200-10 Sept. Hunter Lake 115 JuneSolberg Lake 1800 June Hunter Lake 25 Oct.Solberg Lake 60 Oct. Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.:Island Lake 70 June Lake OPines 290 June Lost Land Lake 2000 JuneIsland Lake 25 Oct. Lake OPines 60 Oct. Lost Land Lake 261 Oct.McDonald Lake 246 Sept. Moose Lake 3000 June Mud Lake 180 JuneNorth Lake 280 June Moose Lake 394 Oct. Big Ole Lake 170 JuneNorth Lake 30 Oct. Couderay Riv. 270 June Big Ole Lake 25 Oct.Radisson Flow. 270 June Couderay Riv. 30 Oct. Little Round Lk 300 JuneRadisson Flow. 160 Oct. Big Sisabagama 830 June Little Round Lk 30 Oct.Lt. Sisabagama 300 June Big Sisabagama 166 Oct. Big Spider Lk 2250 JuneLt. Sisabagama 300 Oct. Lt. Spider Lake 235 June Big Spider Lk 300 Oct.Teal Lake 1488 June Lt. Spider Lake 47 Oct. Teal Riv. Flow. 100 JuneTeal Lake 200 Oct. Tiger Cat Flow. 325 June Teal Riv. Flow. 25 Oct.Twin Lake 864 June Whitefish Lake 900 June Twin Lake 170 Oct. Whitefish Lake 168 Oct. 1960 – In 1960, the Spooner Hatchery obtained nearly 27% of its eggs from the “very small-growth” strain of muskellunge in Callahan Lake. This stock is considered to be smaller growing than even the Spider Lake strain. According to a former WDNR Propagation Manager, “We never should have taken eggs from Mud/Callahan.” And again, the Woodruff Hatchery took eggs from two Chippewa River drainage lakes. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Callahan Lake* 8.67 quarts NOTE: 20.62% of total quarts taken.** Island Lake 10.62 ” Grindstone Lake 15.19 ” Clear Lake 1.31 ” Shell Lake 6.25 TOTAL 42.04 Quarts taken *Determined (by WDNR studies) to be a “very small-growth” strain of muskellunge, with some individual not reaching 30 inches in 20 years of growth. **Nearly 27% of eggs used were from Callahan Lake (see 1950 for details). Woodruff Hatchery Minocqua T-fare 6.50 quarts Squirrel Lake 34.66 ” Allequash Lake 27.75 ” *Chippewa River drainage Big Muskellunge 6.37 ” * ” ” ” Lt. Arbor Vitae 19.31 ” Trout Lake 1.44 ” *Chippewa River drainage Hatchery Pond #12 2.50 TOTAL 98.53 Quarts takenStocking data-Spooner Hatchery:Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 500 June Upper Ghost 706 June Des Moines 5525 JuneAugustine Lake 100 Oct. Upper Ghost 140 Oct. Des Moines 426 Oct.Bad River* 200 Sept. Bear Lake 350 June Bear Lake 70 Oct.Chippewa Riv 400 JuneChippewa Riv 80 Oct.East Twin Lake 200 JuneEast Twin Lake 50 Oct.Lt. Clam Lake 340 JuneLt. Clam Lake 68 Oct.English Lake 380 JuneEnglish Lake 340 Oct.Galilee Lake 430 JuneGalilee Lake 86 Oct.Mineral Lake 510 JuneMineral Lake 102 Oct.Spider Chain 250 JuneSpider Chain 50 Oct.*Lake Superior drainageChippewa County: Polk County: Price County:Holcombe Flow 4300 June Bone Lake 3450 June Bass Lake 170 June Holcombe Flow 1000 Sept. Bone Lake 345 Oct. Bass Lake 25 Oct.Holcombe Flow 722 Oct. Butternut Lake 2300 June Butternut Lake 230 Oct. Deer Lake 280 June Deer Lake 28 Oct. N Fk Flam Riv 800 June N Fk Flam Riv 200 Oct. S Fk Flam Riv ab Fif 150 Oct. S Fk Flam Riv b/l Fif 1500 June Grassy Lake 140 June Grassy Lake 25 Oct. Jump River 340 June Jump River 34 Oct. Wilson Lake 608 June Wilson Lake 60 Oct. Round Lake 1200 June Round Lake 250 Oct. Pike Lake 1160 June Pike Lake 300 Oct. Turner Lake 280 June Turner Lake 62 Oct. Sailor Creek Fl 500 Sept. Wiemer Lake 1650 June Wiemer Lake 165 Oct.Rusk County: Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.:Bass Lake 200 Aug. Barber Lake 510 June Blaisdell Lake 690 JuneChain Lake 880 June Barber Lake 51 Oct. Blaisdell Lake 69 Oct.Chain Lake 88 Aug. Chip Riv b/l Arpin 400 June Chip Riv b/l Winter 400 JuneChain Lake 88 Oct. Chip Riv b/l Arpin 40 Oct. Chip Riv b/l Winter 40 Oct.Chip River 2140 June W. Fk Chip Riv 610 June Connors Lake 820 JuneChip River 214 Oct. W. Fk Chip Riv 61 Oct. Connors Lake 82 Oct.Clear Lake 340 June Lac Court Oreilles 1000 Aug. Fishtrap Lake 330 JuneClear Lake 34 Aug. Flambeau River 400 June Fishtrap Lake 33 Oct.Flambeau Riv 800 June Flambeau River 40 Oct. Ghost Lake 710 JuneFlambeau Riv 80 Oct. Island Lake 140 June Ghost Lake 71 Oct.Island Lake 1040 June Island Lake 140 Oct. Hunter Lake 230 JuneIsland Lake 104 Aug. Lake OPines 580 June Hunter Lake 25 Oct.Island Lake 104 Oct. Lake OPines 58 Oct. Lost Land Lake 13 Oct.Jump River 250 June McDonald Lk 2220 June Lost Land Lake 1 Nov.Jump River 25 Oct. McDonald Lk 750 Aug. Mason Lake 1080 Sept.Ladysmith Fl 512 June Mud Lake 180 June North Lake 280 JuneLadysmith Fl 51 Oct. Mud Lake 25 Oct. North Lake 28 Oct.McCann Lake 230 June Couderay Riv 270 June Radisson Flow 1600 JuneMcCann Lake 232 Aug. Couderay Riv 30 Oct. Radisson Flow 160 Oct.Murphy Flow 200 Sept. Lt. Round Lake 300 June Big Sisabagama 1660 JunePotato Lake 900 Aug. Lt. Round Lake 30 Oct. Big Sisabagama 166 Oct.T-Apple Flow 430 June Lt. Sisabagama 575 Sept. Teal Riv Flow. 200 JuneT-Apple Flow 43 Oct. Teal Riv Flow. 25 Oct.Sand Lake 400 Oct.Taylor County: Washburn County:Jump River 200 June Shell Lake 4870 JuneJump River 80 Oct. Shell Lake 21 Sept.Mondeaux Fl. 970 June Shell Lake 700 Oct.Mondeaux Fl. 375 Oct. Trego Flowage 387 JuneSpirit Lake 720 June Trego Flowage 387 Aug.Spirit Lake 320 Oct. Spooner Flow. 77 Oct. 1961 – In 1961, the Woodruff Hatchery again took eggs from a Chippewa River drainage lake. According to the Woodruff Hatchery Story, Woodruff raised 5 tons of muskellunge from 1961 to 1964. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Bone Lake 27.38 quarts Barber Lake 9.25 ” Mason Lake 11.75 ” Shell Lake .87 ” TOTAL 49.25 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Carroll Lake .87 quarts Minocqua Lake 2.00 ” Allequash Lake 19.13 ” *Chippewa River drainage Big Arbor Vitae 5.66 ” TOTAL 27.66 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 500 June Upper Ghost Lake 706 June Lake 26 5000 JuneAugustine Lake 500 Sept. Upper Ghost Lake 84 Sept. Lake 26 1220 Sept.Bad River* 200 Sept. Bad River* 35 Sept.E Fk Chip. Riv. 400 JuneE Fk Chip. Riv. 40 Sept.Lt. Clam Lake 340 JuneLt. Clam Lake 34 Oct.Upper Clam Lk 390 JuneUpper Clam Lk 64 Oct.English Lake 620 JuneEnglish Lake 240 Oct.Gallilee Lake 430 JuneGallilee Lake 43 Sept.Mineral Lake 510 JuneMineral Lake 51 Sept.Spider Chain 250 JuneE. Twin Lake 200 JuneE. Twin Lake 25 Oct.*Lake Superior drainage.Chippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Long Lake 2162 June Amnicon Lake 846 June Bone Lake 17,250 JuneLong Lake 216 Sept. Amnicon Lake 168 Oct. Bone Lake 1,862 S/Oct. Dowling Lake 292 June Dowling Lake 58 Oct. Lyman Lake 712 June Lyman Lake 142 Oct.Price County: Rusk County: Washburn County:Bass Lake 170 June Bass Lake 200 Lge. Sept. Shell Lake 4870 JuneBass Lake 25 Sept. Chain Lake 4400 June Shell Lake 1447 S/Oct.Butternut Lake 2310 June Chain Lake 176 S/Oct.Butternut Lake 231 Sept. Chippewa R. 2140 JuneDardis Lake 276 June Chippewa R. 215 Sept.Dardis Lake 30 Sept. Clear Lake 1700 JuneDeer Lake 280 June Clear Lake 68 S/Oct.Deer Lake 30 Sept. Lk Flambeau 2260 JuneN Fk Flam Riv 1000 June Lk Flambeau 336 Sept.N Fk Flam Riv 100 Sept. Flambeau R. 800 JuneS Fk Flam Riv 1500 June Flambeau R 30 Sept.S Fk Flam Riv 150 Sept. Island Lake 5200 JuneWilson Lake 608 June Island Lake 212 S/Oct.Wilson Lake 60 Sept. Jump River 250 JunePike Lake 7340 June Jump River 25 Sept.Pike Lake 146 Sept. McCann Lake 1150 JuneRound Lake 9560 June McCann Lake 50 S/Oct.Round Lake 151 Sept. Murphy Flow. 200lg Sept.Turner Lake 1670 June Potato Lake 900lg. Sept.Turner Lake 31 Sept. Pulaski Lake 220lg. Sept.Sailor Cr. Flow. 550lg. Sept. T-Apple Fl. 430 JuneSoo Lake 1650 June T-Apple Fl. 43 Sept.Soo Lake 165 Sept. Sand Lake 1890 June Sand Lake 189 Oct.Taylor County: Washburn County: Sawyer County:Jump River 200 June Shell Lake 4870 June Barber Lake 510 JuneJump River 98 Sept. Shell Lake 1447 S/Oct. Barber Lake 51 Sept.Mondeaux Fl 970 June Blaisdell Lake 690 JuneMondeaux Fl 511 Sept. Blaisdell Lake 70 Sept.Spirit Lake 720 June Chip R b/l Arpin 400 JuneSpirit Lake 373 Sept. Chip R b/l Arpin 40 Sept.Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.:Chip R b/l Winter 400 June W Fk Chip R 610 June Connors Lake 4100 JuneChip R b/l Winter 40 Sept. W Fk Chip R 61 Sept. Connors Lake 82 Sept.Lac Court Oreilles 1958 S/Oct. Crane Lake 970 June Flam R @ 8 mi 400 JuneGhost Lake 6608 June Crane Lake 100 Sept. Flam R @ 8 mi 40 Sept.Ghost Lake 71 Sept. Grindstone Lk 6608 June Upper Holly Lk 71 Aug.Hunter Lake 230 June Grindstone Lk 661 S/Oct. Upper Holly Lk 25 Sept.Hunter Lake 25 Sept. Island Lake 140 June Lake OPines 580 JuneLost Land Lake 2604 June Island Lake 25 Sept. Lake OPines 60 Sept.Lost Land Lake 260 Sept. Mason Lake 4000 June McDonald Lake 740 Sept.Moose Lake 3936 June Mason Lake 1080 Sept. Mud Lake 180 JuneMoose Lake 393 Sept. North Lake 280 June Mud Lake 25 Sept.Big Ole Lake 170 June North Lake 30 Sept. Couderay Flow 270 JuneBig Ole Lake 25 Sept. Radisson Flow 1600 June Couderay Flow 30 Sept.Lt. Round Lake 1500 June Radisson Flow 160 Sept. Lt. Sisabagama 600lg. Aug.Lt. Round Lake 50 Sept. Spider Chain 3024 June Teal Lake 1976 JuneTeal River Flow 200 June Spider Chain 302 Sept. Teal Lake 197 Oct.Teal River Flow 25 Sept. Lower Twin Lk 442 June Whitefish Lake 1712 JuneEvergreen Lake 940 Sept. Lower Twin Lk 244 Sept. Whitefish Lake 190 S/Oct.Clear Lake 300 Sept.1962 – In 1962, the Spooner hatchery took eggs from a Lake Superior/Great Lakes drainage lake, and the Woodruff Hatchery took eggs from two Chippewa River drainage lakes. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Amnicon Lake 14.219 quarts Lake Superior/Great Lakes drainage Bone Lake 23.125 ” Lost Land Lake 21.062 ” TOTAL 58.406 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Allequash Lake 13.25 quarts *Chippewa River drainage Big Muskellunge 23.624 ” * ” ” ” Lt. Arbor Vitae 16.125 ” Squirrel Lake 12.281 ” TOTAL 65.28 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 500 June Upper Ghost Lake 706 June St. Croix River 300lg. Sept.Augustine Lake 50 Oct. Upper Ghost Lake 125 Oct. Bad River* 200 Oct. Chippewa Lake 100,000 MayBear Lake 350 JuneBear Lake 35 Oct.E Fk Chip Riv 400 JuneE Fk Chip Riv 40 Sept.Lt. Clam Lake 340 JuneLt. Clam Lake 34 Oct.English Lake 480 JuneEnglish Lake 48 Oct.Mineral Lake 510 JuneMineral Lake 51 Oct.Spider Chain 250 JuneSpider Chain 25 Oct.E Twin Lake 200 JuneE Twin Lake 25 Oct.*Lake Superior drainage.Chippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Axe Handle Lake 112 Oct. Amnicon Lake 260,000 May Apple River Fl 1200 JuneHolcombe Flow 8600 June Apple River Fl 333 Oct.Holcombe Flow 2125 Oct. Bone Lake 273,000 May Bone Lake 6900 June Bone Lake 370 Sept.Price County: Rusk County: Taylor County:Butternut Lake 2300 June Bass Lake 200 Aug. Jump River 200 JuneButternut Lake 231 Oct. Chain Lake 880 June Jump River 55 Oct.Deer Lake 280 June Chain Lake 88 Oct. Mondeaux Fl 1580 JuneDeer Lake 30 Oct. Chippewa R 2140 June Mondeaux Fl 1580 Oct.N Fk Flam Riv 1000 June Chippewa R 214 Oct. Spirit Lake 720 JuneN Fk Flam Riv 100 Oct. Clear Lake 340 June Spirit Lake 200 Oct.S Fk Flam Riv 1500 June Clear Lake 34 Oct. Hulls Lake 30 Aug.S Fk Flam Riv 150 Oct. Lk Flambeau 3360 JuneGrassy Lake 138 June Lk Flambeau 336 Oct. Washburn County:Grassy Lake 25 Oct. Flambeau R 800 June Shell Lake 4870 JuneJump River 334 June Flambeau R 80 Oct. Shell Lake 400 Oct.Jump River 33 Oct. Island Lake 1040 JuneMusser Flow 1020 June Island Lake 104 Oct.Musser Flow 102 Oct. Jump River 250 JuneWilson Lake 608 June Jump River 25 Oct.Wilson Lake 60 Oct. Ladysmith F 512 JunePike Lake 1712 June Ladysmith F 51 Oct.Pike Lake 150 Oct. McCann Lk 230 JuneRound Lake 1468 June McCann Lk 44 Oct.Round Lake 146 Oct. Murphy Fl 200 Aug.Turner Lake 314 June Potato Lake 900 JuneTurner Lake 35 Oct. Potato Lake 90 Oct.Sailor Cr. Flow 438 Oct. Pulaski Lake 220 Oct.Solberg Lake 1180 June Sand Lake 378 JuneSolberg Lake 118 Oct. Sand Lake 37 Oct.Soo Lake 1650 June T-Apple Fl 430 JuneSoo Lake 165 Oct. T-Apple Fl 43 Oct.Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.:Barber Lake 510 June Blaisdell Lake 690 June Chippewa Flow 125 Oct.Barber Lake 164 Oct. Blaisdell Lake 69 Oct. Chip R b/l Arpin 400 JuneChip R b/l Winter 400 June W Fk Chip R. 610 June Chip R b/l Arpin 40 Oct.Chip R b/l Winter 40 Oct. W Fk Chip R 61 Oct. Connors Lake 820 JuneLac Court Oreilles 1000 Sept. Evergreen Lk 940 June Connors Lake 82 Oct.Fawn Lake 180 June Evergreen Lk 94 Oct. Ghost Lake 710 JuneFawn Lake 54 Oct. Upper Holly Lk 70 Oct. Ghost Lake 213 Oct.Hunter Lake 230 June Island Lake 140 June Lake OPines 580 JuneHunter Lake 25 Oct. Island Lake 25 Oct. Lake OPines 58 Oct.Lost Land Lake 270,000 June Mason Lake 1080 Sept. McDonald Lake 740 Sept.North Lake 280 June Couderay Fl 270 June Radisson Flow 1600 JuneNorth Lake 84 Oct. Couderay Fl 27 Oct. Radisson Flow 160 Oct.Lt. Sisabagama 600 June Teal Riv Flow 200 June Upper Twin Lk 1775 Oct.Lt. Sisabagama 180 Oct. Teal Riv Flow 60 Oct. Whitefish Lake 1712 JuneLt. Round Lake 300 June Whitefish Lake 514 Oct.Lt. Round Lake 30 Oct.1963 – In 1963, the Woodruff Hatchery took eggs from two Chippewa River drainage lakes. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Upper Clam Lake 5.126 quarts Bone Lake 28.624 ” Grindstone Lake 5.875 ” Land (Lake) O’ Pines 13.00 ” Lower Clam Lake 1.813 ” Shell Lake 4.125 ” TOTAL 58.563 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Riley Lake 3.875 quarts Roberts Lake 1.063 ” Big Bearskin Lake 4.872 ” Carroll Lake 4.004 ” Seventeen Lake .781 ” Allequash Lake 7.876 ” *Chippewa River drainage Big Arbor Vitae 1.188 ” Big North Twin 5.00 ” Big Sand 1.75 ” Muskellunge 12.845 ” Trout Lake 15.187 ” *Chippewa River drainage TOTAL 58.441 Quarts taken Stocking data-Spooner Hatchery:Ashland County: Bayfield County: Burnett County:Augustine Lake 500 June Upper Ghost Lake 180 June St. Croix River 300lg. Sept.Augustine Lake 100 Sept. Des Moines Lk 5000 JuneBad River* 200 Sept. Des Moines Lk 1200-10 Sept.Bear Lake 250 June Bear Lake 70 Sept.E Fk Flam Riv 80 Sept.Lt. Clam Lake 340 JuneLt. Clam Lake 68 Sept.Upper Clam Lk 22,903 MayUpper Clam Lk 390 JuneUpper Clam Lk 900 JulyUpper Clam Lk 78 Sept.English Lake 480 JuneEnglish Lake 96 Sept.Mineral Lake 510 JuneMineral Lake 102 Sept.Spider Chain 250 JuneSpider Chain 50 Sept.E. Twin Lake 220 JuneE. Twin Lake 44 Sept.E Fk Chip Riv 400 JuneChippewa County: Douglas County: Polk County:Holcombe Flow 1720-9 Sept. Amnicon Lake 846 June Bone Lake 129,471 fry MayLong Lake 532-10 Sept. Amnicon Lake 168 Sept. Bone Lake 3450 JuneWesley Lake 86-12 Sept. Dowling Lake 292 June Bone Lake 950 July Dowling Lake 58 Sept. Bone Lake 690 Sept. Lyman Lake 712 June Lyman Lake 73 Sept.Price County: Rusk County: Taylor County:Bass Lake 170 June Bass Lake 200-9 Sept. Jump River 65-9 Sept.Bass Lake 34 Oct. Chain Lake 176-9 Sept. Mondeaux Fl 416-9 Sept.Butternut Lake 2310 June Chippewa Riv 428-10 Sept. Spirit Lake 229-9 Sept.Butternut Lake 462 Sept. Clear Lake 68-9: Sept.Dardis Lake 276 June Lk Flambeau 672-10 Sept.Dardis Lake 54 Sept. Flambeau Riv 160-9 Sept. Washburn County:N Fk Flam Riv 1000 June Island Lake 208-9 Sept. Shell Lake 19,683 fry MayN Fk Flam Riv 200 Sept. Jump River 50-10 Sept. Shell Lake 4870-21/4 JuneS Fk Fl R a/b Fif 1500 June Ladysmith Flow 100-12 Sept. Shell Lake 875-3 JulyS Fk Fl R a/b Fif 75-10 Oct. McCann Lake 46-9 Sept. Shell Lake 974 Sept.S Fk Fl R b/l Fif 225 Oct. Murphy Flow 200-9 Sept. Grassy Lake 138 June Potato Lake 180-9 Sept.Grassy Lake 26 Sept. Pulaski Lake 44-12 Sept.Jump River 334 June Sand Lake 76-9 Sept.Jump River 18-10 Oct. T-Apple Flow 86-12 Sept.Jump River 48-11 Oct.Musser Flow 1020 JulyMusser Flow 204 Oct.Phillips Fl/Duroy 578 JunePhillips Fl/Duroy 114 Sept.Deer Lake 280 JuneDeer Lake 56 Sept.Wilson Lake 608 JuneWilson Lake 120 Sept.Pike Lake 1468 JunePike Lake 292 Sept.Round Lake 1512 JuneRound Lake 302 Sept.Turner Lake 314 JuneTurner Lake 62 Sept.Sailor Cr. Flow 500 JuneSailor Cr. Flow 100 Oct.Solberg Lake 1180 JuneSolberg Lake 236 Sept.Wiemer Lake 1650 JuneWiemer Lake 330 Sept.Sawyer County: Sawyer County cont.: Sawyer County cont.:Barber Lake 510 June Blaisdell Lake 690 June Brunet Flowage 270-9 Sept.Barber Lake 102-9 Sept. Blaisdell Lake 138-9 Sept. Chippewa Flow 14 Oct.Chip R b/l Winter 400 June W Fk Chip Riv 610 June Connors Lake 11,000fry MayChip R b/l Winter 80-9 Sept. W Fk Chip Riv 122 Oct. Connors Lake 820-21/4 JuneLac Ct. Oreilles 1000-9-11 Sep Evergreen Lake 940-12 Sept. Connors Lake 960-3 JulyFawn Lake 180 June Flam R @ 8 mi 400 June Connors Lake 1000-9-11 Sept.Fawn Lake 36 Oct. Flam R @ 8 mi 80 Sept. Grindstone Lk 27,682 fry MayUpper Holly Lk 70-9 Sept. Hunter Lake 230 June Grindstone Lk 6600 JuneIsland Lake 140 June Hunter Lake 46-9 Sept. Grindstone Lk 1500-3 JulyIsland Lake 28-9 Sept. Lake OPines 58,584 fry May Grindstone Lk 1320-9 Sept.Lost Land Lake 961 Oct. Lake OPines 580-21/4 June Mason Lake 1080-10 Sept.McDonald Lk 3000-21/4 June Lake OPines 940-3 July North Lake 280 JuneMcDonald Lk 740-9 Sept. Lake OPines 116 Sept. North Lake 21-10 Oct.Couderay Riv 270 June Radisson Flow 1600 June North Lake 35-11 Oct.Couderay Riv 54 Oct. Radisson Flow 320 Oct. Lt. Sisabagama 200-9 Sept.Spider Chain 3024 June Teal Lake 1976 June Lt. Sisabagama 306 Oct.Spider Chain 151-10 Oct. Teal Lake 100-10 Oct. Teal Riv Flow 200 JuneSpider Chain 453-11 Oct. Teal Lake 294-11 Oct. Teal Riv Flow 10-10 Oct.Whitefish Lake 1712 June Lt. Round Lake 300 June Teal Riv Flow 30-11 Oct.Whitefihs Lake 211 Oct. Lt. Round Lake 45-11 Oct. Whitefish Lake 127-10 Oct. Lt. Round Lake 15 Oct.Whitefish Lake 104 Oct.NOTE: This is the last year for full Stocking data in this document. The balance through 2004 is available on Excel Spread sheets from the DNR or the WMRP. 1964 – In 1964, the largest fish ever netted in Bone Lake, was captured. It was 54 inches long(Musky Hunter magazine, 1998). Since that time, netting survey’s of Bone Lake of over 3,700 muskies produced NONE over 50 inches, and 2,885 angler caught and registered muskies from Bone Lake have produced ONLY two over 50 inches. In 1964, the Woodruff Hatchery took eggs from three lakes in the Chippewa River drainage. A new hatchery was built in Woodruff. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Big Mackenzie 4.00 quarts Bone Lake 29.5 ” Lac Court Oreilles 33.0 ” Shell Lake 2.50 ” TOTAL 69.00 Quarts taken Woodruff Hatchery Squirrel Lake 11.937 quarts Sweeney 1.125 ” Allequash Lake 12.125 ” *Chippewa River drainage Big Muskellunge 6.156 ” * ” ” ” Lt. Arbor Vitae 8.188 ” Muskellunge 32.50 ” Wolf Lake 2.063 ” *Chippewa River drainage TOTAL 74.094 Quarts taken Partial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 4,100 fingerlings (5 to 8″) and 125,000 fry Butternut Lake 2,800 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 1,000 ” ” Big Spider Lake 3,600 ” “1965 – Egg taking data for 1965 is missing for the Woodruff HatcheryEgg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 20 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 34 TOTAL 54 Quarts Partial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 4,985 fingerlings (5 to 8″) + 129,471 fry Chippewa Flowage 3,550 ” ” Grindstone Lake 7,920 ” ” W. Fork Chip. River 732 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 2,000 large fingerlings1966 – In 1966, the actual number of muskellunge raised was again used. In Sawyer County, the five lakes eggs were taken from were combined. Again, the Woodruff Hatchery took eggs from three Chippewa River drainage lakes. Egg taking data: Spooner Hatchery Actual # of Musky fry raised Bone Lake 2,463,535 Island Lake 570,152 Crane/Crystal/ Chip/Blueberry/ Barber Lakes 206,916 Shell Lake 133,482 TOTAL 3,374,085 Musky fry raised Woodruff Hatchery Actual # of Musky fry raised Lt. Green Lake 288,442 Non native lake Squirrel Lake 898,039 Big Arbor Vitae 193,337 Big Muskellunge 324,871 *Chippewa River drainage Allequash Lake 178,803 * ” ” ” Big Sand Lake 29,312 Lt. Arbor Vitae 561,203 North Twin Lake 90,867 Trout Lake 257,934 * Chippewa River drainage TOTAL 2,822,808 Musky fry raised Partial stocking information-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 1,000 fingerlings (5 to 8″) + 200,000 fry Moose Lake 1,200 ” ” Butternut Lake 4,000 ” ” Grindstone Lake 2,000 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 01967 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 46 QuartsGrindstone Lake 1 Lost Land Lake 2 TOTAL 49 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 1,275 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Chippewa Flowage 4,500 ” ” W. Fork Chip. River 732 ” ” Grindstone Lake 1,800 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 2,000 large fingerlings Butternut Lake 480 fingerlings (9″) 1968 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 63 QuartsTOTAL 63 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 800 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 1,000 ” ” Grindstone Lake 1,000 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 01969 – In the 1969 Esocid Culture Workshop, Art Oehmke, WDNR found: “The average size of female muskellunge (used for spawning purposes) in 1965 was 33.9 inches at the Woodruff Hatchery. The average growth rate was found to be 30 inches at five years, varying with forage, however five years was considered a good average for maturity. They also took viable sperm from 24 inch, four-year old males. Females were found at maturity to normally be 30 inches plus, and five years old, with their size range being 28 inches to 34 inches. Males were somewhat smaller at maturity, 24 inches to 28 inches.” Oehmcke further stated: “Records not only show best size range, but also show that fish from one lake in Onieda County consistently produced the best percentage hatch and fry survival. This was not a case of preferential care of eggs or fry, Squirrel Lake fish produced better eggs.” His speculation as to the reason for Squirrel Lake egg success was that this lake was not stocked for many years, other lakes were stocked indiscriminately and strains were mixed. Without the benefit of the considerable number of scientific studies that have been done more recently, he personally felt that all muskellunge, Wisconsin, Great Lakes, Ohio and Chautauqua, were the same, and hence he had no reason for concern of mixing.In 1969, the Woodruff Hatchery raised 193,301 muskellunge fingerlings.Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 29 QuartsButternut Lake 2 Chippewa Flowage 2 TOTAL 33 Quarts Partial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 836 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 500 ” ” Chippewa Flowage 2,518 ” ” + 40,600 fry Grindstone Lake 1,650 ” ” Spider Lake 751 ” ” W. Fork Chip. River 100 fingerlings (11 to 15″)1970 The Woodruff Hatchery raised 2,126,674 muskellunge fingerlings from 1970-1988.Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 25 QuartsBig Moon Lake 1 Chippewa Flowage 10 TOTAL 36 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Bone Lake 1,134 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 800 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 0 Moose Lake 200 ” “1971 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 20 QuartsChippewa Flowage 13 TOTAL 33 Quarts Partial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Butternut Lake 1,750 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Flambeau Flowage 5,650 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 11,000 ” ” Moose Lake 200 ” “1972 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 10 QuartsChippewa Flowage 3 Lac Court Oreilles 15 Cedar Lake 4 TOTAL 32 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Flambeau Flowage 4,500 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 500 ” ” Grindstone Lake 1,600 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 1,000 ” ” Spider Lake 800 ” ” W. Fork Chip. River 201 ” “1973 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 18 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 9 TOTAL 27 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Flambeau Flowage 3,004 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 800 ” ” Grindstone Lake 600 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 500 ” ” + 242,000 fry1974 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 16 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 11 TOTAL 27 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Flambeau Flowage 2,500 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 2,000 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 94 ” ” + 315,000 fry Spider Lake 175 ” “1975 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 15 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 20 TOTAL 35 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Flambeau Flowage 3,500 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 1,158 ” ” Grindstone Lake 986 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 1,000 ” ” +102,600 fry Spider Lake 35 ” ” Bone Lake 500 ” ” + 70,000 fry1976 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 24 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 17 TOTAL 41 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Spider Lake 1,350 fingerlings (5 to 8″) St. Croix River 400 ” ” Mississippi River drainage. Flambeau Flowage 1,000 ” ” Butternut Lake 1,000 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 2,080 ” ” Grindstone Lake 700 ” “1977 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 19 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 20 TOTAL 99 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Flambeau Flowage 2,500 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 2,500 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 37,000 ” ” Chippewa Flowage 3,500,000 fry1978 Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 17 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 42 TOTAL 59 QuartsPartial stocking data-Spooner Hatchery: Flambeau Flowage 5,900 fingerlings (5 to 8″) Butternut Lake 4,300 ” ” Spider Lake 2,000 ” ” Lac Court Oreilles 4,300 ” ” + 1,000,000 fry Bone Lake 125,000 fry1979 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 17 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 36 TOTAL 53 Quarts1980 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 18 QuartsLac Court Oreilles 18 TOTAL 36 Quarts1981 Over 17.2% of eggs used in the Spooner Hatchery in 1981 came from Callahan Lake, known to be some of the slowest growing muskellunge in existence!Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Callahan Lake 5 Quarts Small growth strain = 17.2% of total eggs taken.*Lac Court Oreilles 34 TOTAL 39 Quarts*See 1950 for details.1982 – Nearly 14% of the eggs used in the Spooner Hatchery in 1982 came from Callahan Lake, known to be some of the slowest growing muskellunge in existence!Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 5 QuartsCallahan Lake 5 Small growth strain = 14% of total eggs used.Lac Court Oreilles Lake 36 Lake Winter 3 TOTAL 49 Quarts*See 1950 for details.1983 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 8 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 28 TOTAL 36 Quarts1984 – Minnesota Begins Performance Evaluation of Four Muskellunge strains, two Minnesota strains, Mississippi River/Leech Lake and Shoepac Lake, and two Wisconsin strains, Lac Court Oreilles and Minocqua Lake, in two Minnesota Lakes (Younk et.al. 1992). Study ends in 1992 finding that the Mississippi River strain grows fastest, is heaviest at length and reaches the largest sizes at every age studied.Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Big MacKenzie Lake 8 QuartsGrindstone Lake 5 Lac Court Oreilles Lake 31 TOTAL 47 Quarts1985 – Mississippi River/Leech Lake strain muskies stocked in Nancy Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin, were found to have faster than average growth rates than those reported for Wisconsin muskellunge in 1985 (Margenau et al. 1997). The first season Nancy Lake was open to angling, a ten+ year old 54 1/2 inch 38 pound muskellunge was harvested, along with several other 50 inch + muskellunge harvested and/or released.Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 17 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 26 Whitefish Lake 2 TOTAL 45 Quarts1986 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 13 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 24 TOTAL 37 Quarts1987 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 18 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 10.4 TOTAL 28.4 Quarts1988 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 22 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 5 Wapogasset Lake 13 TOTAL 40 Quarts1989 – Minnesota begins stocking of Mississippi River strain fish exclusively. (MN DNR stocking records), excluding Wisconsin Border waters. Wisconsin border waters would start receiving Mississippi River strain muskellunge in 1992).Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 13 QuartsWapogasset Lake 8 Butternut Lake 2 Lac Court Oreilles Lake 15TOTAL 38 Quarts1990 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 19 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 22 Nancy Lake 4 (for stocking back into Nancy Lake)TOTAL 43Quarts1991 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 13 QuartsChippewa Flowage 2 Lac Court Oreilles Lake 22TOTAL 37 Quarts1992 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 30 QuartsYellow Lake 4 Lac Court Oreilles Lake 8TOTAL 42 Quarts1993 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 23 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 7TOTAL 30 Quarts1994 – Mississippi strain muskellunge are known to reproduce in Nancy Lake in Washburn County (Margenau et al. 1997, RR #175; Damman 1994). Spooner Hatchery renovation. Chippewa River drainage stocking done with fish from the Woodruff Hatchery and Wisconsin River drainage fish!Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Lac Court Oreilles Lake 3 QuartsTOTAL 3 Quarts1995 – Largest Muskie surveyed in the Spooner Hatchery brood stock lake, Bone Lake, was 46 inches long (Musky Hunter magazine. 1998).Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 11 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 16 Lake Winter 16 TOTAL 43 Quarts1996 – Wis DNR finds that Great Lakes strain Muskellunge in Wisconsin’s Long Lake brood stock lake, are “growing considerably faster than the Wisconsin Average. Six year old males averaged 34.3 inches, while females of the same age averaged 41.1 inches. (Belonger 1996; Musky Hunter magazine 1996). WDNR crews have taken Great Lakes muskellunge to 53 inches and 48 pounds during fall walleye population surveys (Small 2004). Wisconsin DNR documents “genetic factors also contribute to the small size of fish”. (Margenau et al. 1996).Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 8 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 20 TOTAL 28 Quarts1997 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Lac Court Oreilles Lake 22 QuartsTOTAL 22 Quarts1998 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 12 QuartsLac Court Oreilles Lake 14 TOTAL 26 Quarts1999 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Lac Court Oreilles Lake 20 Quarts Big Sissabagama Lake 11 TOTAL 31 Quarts2000 – A review of the Woodruff hatchery sheets, discovered that in 2000, the Woodruff hatchery stocked 2000 muskies into the Spooner hatchery BROOD STOCK LAKE, Bone Lake. In addition, they stocked 1,014 into the Chippewa Flowage, among others. Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 30 QuartsTOTAL 30 Quarts2001 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 24 QuartsTOTAL 24 Quarts2002 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 20 QuartsTOTAL 20 Quarts2003 – Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 22 QuartsTOTAL 22 Quarts2004 – In addition to the Woodruff hatchery doing some stocking in the Spooner hatchery waters of the Chippewa River drainage, there were 17 lakes in Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas county that were stocked from the Spooner hatchery mixed small strain stock into the Wisconsin River drainage waters in 2004. Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 21 QuartsTOTAL 21 Quarts2005 – Largest FEMALE netted from the Bone Lake brood stock was 45 1/2 inches long. In test netting of Leech Lake muskies in Wisconsin’s Nancy Lake, one MALE was 46 inches long. A former WDNR propagation manager, when interviewed in 2005, appeared a bit disgusted about using Bone as a brood lake when he asked us “What’s the biggest Musky ever caught out of Bone Lake?”When reviewed, the sheets from the Spooner hatchery (Chippewa River drainage), it was found that there were 6 waters in the Wisconsin River proper, and its drainage lakes to be stocked with mixed stock muskies from Bone Lake on the schedule for the 2005 cycle year.The information from the Woodruff hatchery shows the reverse is scheduled; the stocking of Woodruff hatchery muskies into many of the Chippewa River drainage lakes and river segments, and the Great Lakes drainage, and many more waters were involved.A quick and cursory look shows that at least 3 Great Lakes waters were scheduled in 2005 with “unspecified strain” from the Woodruff hatchery, along with 13 waters in the Chippewa River drainage. This includes, as has been the case “every year” except one in at least the last five years (don’t currently have any records any further back-one year it was in a connecting lake), The Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. The TFF, is one of the remaining “true” trophy potential lakes left in the state, which has produced two verified muskies over 50 pounds in the distant past (1962 & 1969). Egg taking data:Spooner Hatchery:Bone Lake 19 QuartsTOTAL 19 QuartsNotes: According to Johnson (1981), Lac Court Oreilles was stocked annually from 1933 to 1966, and again from 1971 on. Johnsons notations on Lac Court Oreilles stocking since 1933 (official record keeping began with the advent of the Wisconsin Conservation Department), and likely at least occasionally since 1899 from the Woodruff Hatchery, these muskies of unknown origin had to come primarily from the lakes of the Wisconsin River drainage and the Woodruff hatchery until at least 1938. In 1939, muskellunge propagation began at the Spooner hatchery (Johnson 1958).Since Bone Lake has “been managed for muskellunge since 1935.” (Cornelius & Margenau 1999), if there were any stockings into Bone Lake in 1935 thru 1938, they would have had to have come from direct transfers of netted fish from Lac Court Oreilles, in addition to the “Warden stocked muskies prior to 1935. After the initial stocking, Bone Lake could have also received muskies from Wisconsin River drainage stock via the Woodruff hatchery as well. Due to the poor stocking records of that period, we will likely never know. What we do know though, is that despite good size production from there, the LCO stock was likely not pure in 1935, and when fish were netted from LCO for stocking into Bone, it is reasonable to assume that at least some of those fish were fish of the Wisconsin River drainage after “at least” two years, and likely some of 36 years of stocking LCO from the Woodruff Hatchery took place.Of course that is not the only time Wisconsin River drainage muskies were stocked into LCO, or Bone Lake for that matter. And conversely, Chippewa River drainage muskies into Wisconsin River drainage waters from the Spooner Hatchery, INCLUDING some Big Spider Lake “small-growth” strain muskies, AND some Callahan Lake “smaller-growth” strain muskellunge on seven different occasions. Allow me to quote Oehmcke (1989):”Intermittent mortalities of muskellunge fry besieged the old Woodruff Hatchery between years of good musky production from 1950 to 1964 (actually 1943 to 1964, i.e., 1943, 1948, 1958, 1961 and 1963). This necessitated THE TRANSFER OF BACK-UP EGGS and or FRY FROM SPOONER to assure a continuing production from Woodruff ponds. Conversely, several bad years at Spooner REQUIRED TRANSFERS OF WOODRUFF SURPLUSES (to Spooner).”In the Epilogue of his book, Oehmcke (1989) is dismayed by the degredation of the northern lakes, and feels that stocking is far more important now than it was in 1900. Perhaps it is best to quote directly:”Fortuitously, the initial mission – stocking – perceived by the early fish commissioners, is of higher priority today than it was in 1900. Present day anglers would have slim pickings were it not for that early decision and for the DNRs current fish planting program.” Unfortunately, the trend of reduced stocking, invasion of northern pike into many native muskellunge lakes, and stocking of the mixed strains, could spell the imminent doom of Wisconsins muskellunge fisheries, especially the trophy fisheries!We are indeed fortunate that the catch and release ethic took hold in the latter 1900’s, especially with the 40% reduction in muskellunge stocking due to budget cuts in 2004 and change to alternate year stocking, including lakes that could benefit from continued yearly stocking.The current state of our brood stock is being looked at. To return to the “glory days,” the Wisconsin DNR decision makers will hopefully, with the information presented herewith, acknowledge that over 100 years of stock “mixing” has indeed likely created a statewide “hatchery strain” of muskies. Genetic testing will likly confirm this. Only the finding and use of pure or nearly pure native stocks, or “selective egg taking” from remnant large growth potential, native stocks, should be done for native self-sustaining waters absent of pike. Those native waters with no hope of return to self-sustaining status, and native and non-native waters containing pike, should be stocked with a strain of muskellunge that have historically co-existed with pike. And an immediate switch to the only known pure stock of large strain muskies left in existence, the Mississippi River strain, should be used for non-native waters in the Mississippi River drainage waters, and likewise, Great Lakes strain muskellunge should be used in all Great Lakes drainage waters. We should begin as soon as possible. Wisconsin Musky Tourism and future trophy muskie fishing depends on it to return Wisconsin to its rightful place in the musky world!References:Cornelius, R.R., T.L. Margenau. 1999. Effects of Length Limits on Muskellunge in Bone Lake,Wisconsin. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 19:300-308, 1999Damman, L. 1994. Personal communicationJohnson, L.D. 1958. Pond Culture of Muskellunge In Wisconsin. Technical Bulletin Number 17Johnson, L.D., S. Nels Editor. 1971. Growth of Known-Age Muskellunge in Wisconsin and Validation of Age and Growth Determination Methods. Technical Bulletin Number 49Johnson, L.D. 1981. Comparison of muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) populations in a stocked lake and unstocked lake in Wisconsin with notes on the occurrance of northern pike (Esox lucius). Fisheries Research Report 110. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WisconsinMargenau, T.L., D.A. Hanson. 1996. Survival and Growth of Stocked Muskellunge: Effects Of Genetic and Environmental Factors. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Research Report 172Margenau, T.L., David A. Hanson. 1997. Performance of Leech Lake, Minnesota, Muskellunge in a Wisconsin Lake. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Research Report 175Oehmcke, A. 1969 (in) Proceedings of the 1969 Esocid Culture Workshop at Put-In-Bay,Ohio, September 24 & 25, 1969Oehmcke, A. 1989. The Woodruff Hatchery StoryOehmcke, A. 2005. Personal recorded communication with WMRP Team memberYounk, J.A., R.F. Strand. 1992. Performance Evaluation Of Four Muskellunge Esoxmasquinongy Strains In Two Minnesota Lakes. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Investigational Report 498 Note: Unless otherwise stated, all stocking and egg taking data came from Wisconsin DNR archives.Completed November 2005.

Wisconsin Muskellunge Propogation Timeline

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