Operation Spawning Fish

From staff reports

The Glen Lake Association aims to improve fishing in the Glen Lakes this year. The key to improving Glen Lake’s natural warm water fish populations, such as perch, pike, and bass, is a good spawning habitat, writes Rob Karner, project manager for the Association and biologist and teacher at the Leelanau School. This winter, Karner and his son Jesse — also a freshwater biologist and also working on behalf of the Association — applied for a $150,000 matching grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Division to improve the local fish-spawning habitat. They are still awaiting the capital.

The project spearheaded by the Karners would enhance fish passage between the Glen Lakes and both Brooks Lake and Day Mill Pond — west of Little Glen Lake and across M-109 near the Dune Climb. Dredging existing canals would improve access to more complex and suitable spawning habitats because the fish cover provided in these smaller lakes is more abundant than what the Glen Lakes offer, meaning greater movement of warm water fish between these lakes.

Connecting these three lakes would require an M-109 culvert and some canal dredging but would not necessitate removing any dam structures.

The Karners maintain that their project would enhance the fishery by stocking rainbow and lake trout, improve aquatic connectivity among all basins within the Glen Lake watershed and restore aquatic habitat values within the watershed. In addition, this habitat restoration could benefit a variety of other fish species, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and a variety of minnow species.

The National Park Service VIP program (Volunteer in National Parks) would aid certain aspects of the project, since the Day Mill Pond is located in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Students from The Leelanau School and Glen Lake, as well as members of the Glen Lake Association, would also volunteer time.

Day Mill Pond was once attached to Little Glen Lake by wetlands before the Park filled in the area to establish a recreational area and beach access across the road. M-109 currently separates the two bodies of water, with the exception of a small culvert, approximately three feet in diameter, that doesn’t allow adequate fish passage.

According to DNR fish biologist Todd Kalish, Day Mill Pond offers an optimal spawning and rearing habitat for a variety of fish species, particularly northern pike and yellow perch, and every effort should be made to enhance fish passage from Day Mill Pond to Little Glen Lake. By constructing a bridge eight feet wide by four feet high, fish would be able to access Day Mill Pond as a spawning habitat.

An interpretive, elevated boardwalk and information kiosk are being considered in this area to encourage public interest and create a better nature observation venue.

To date, the Glen Lake Association has raised $24,000 of $75,000 needed for matching funds from the DNR. To help project manager Rob Karner raise the rest, contact him at rkarner@leelanau.org.