DNR Geneva Lake WI fish survey report

[Lee Borgersen]

DNR Geneva Lake fish survey report

2009 GENEVA LAKE FISH SURVEYS

2009 Spring Fyke Net:  Twenty 4 and 3 foot fyke nets were set at 31 locations between March 25 and April 24 for a total effort of 523 fyke net days.  We measured, weighed, and marked 357 northern pike and 548 walleye.  Northern pike ranged in length between 10 inches and 35 inches.  Walleye size structure was excellent with many fish in the 22 - 26 inch size range.  We sampled a couple of walleyes that were 30 inches long and weighed 13 pounds.  Female walleyes and northern pike were marked with a right pectoral finclip and males were marked with a left pectoral finclip.

 Spring Electrofish I:  Two electrofishing boats were used to sample the entire shoreline (20.2 miles) on April 27 and April 28.  This was done to look for walleye and northern pike that had been finclipped during the fyke net survey in March and April.  We used the number of finclipped walleyes and northern pike that we caught to estimate the number of adults in the population.  The estimated number of adult walleye in Geneva Lake was 2,699, and the estimated number of adult northern pike in the lake was 2,751 or about .5 adult walleye and northern pike per acre.

 Spring Electrofish II:  An electrofishing boat was used to sample 10.1 miles of shoreline on May 28, June 3, and June 4 in order to collect data on largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and panfish.  We collected largemouth bass between 7.5 and 19.5 inches long and smallmouth bass between 6.7 and 18.5 inches long.  Yellow perch were between 3.2 and 9.4 inches long.  Rock bass were between 4.8 and 9.7 inches long.

 Fish Sample for VHS and Contaminants:  We collected a total of 170 fish to test for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, including 60 rock bass, 60 yellow perch, 30 bluegill, 10 pumpkinseed, and 10 northern pike.  All fish tested negative for VHS.  Nine walleye, 4 rock bass, and 2 black crappie were sent in for contaminant analysis and results are pending. 

 Fall Electrofishing:  We plan to electrofish 10 miles of shoreline in October to look for Young of the Year walleye and collect tissue samples for genetics analysis.

 FISH STOCKING Odd year stocking quotas are 189,000 small fingerling walleyes.

Every year stocking quotas are 27,000 large fingerling lake trout, and 27,000 large fingerling brown trout.

Fish stocked over the last 5 years were:

 2005 - 16,412 brown trout;  31,122 lake trout; 238,132 walleye.

2006 - 12,000 brown trout;  26,749 lake trout.

2007 - 26,310 brown trout;  0 lake trout;  0 walleye.

2008 - 28,000 brown trout;  0 lake trout.

2009 - 0 brown trout;  26,305 lake trout;  0 walleye. No walleye or lake trout were stocked in 2007 due to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia. 

No walleye were stocked in 2009 due to failures at the hatchery. I have requested a off year stocking to make up for what has been missed.

MUSKELLUNGE STOCKING Still a work in progress. 

Doug Welch WDNR Senior Fisheries Biologist (262)884-2364       

 
 

[MTCOMMER]

Sounds like the lake is doing pretty well, some nice Walleyes and pike.  Its good to hear they didnt find any VHS, lets hope it can stay like that. 

Hell, this those numbers on the Walleyes i might have to take a little trip out there in the summer!  Catch me that 13 pounder and some nice eaters!