Fall 2006
Well here we are -- well into the summer's fishing (after a VERY DISMAL ice fishing season!). Several fishermen that I've talked to said they should have left their boats in for the winter! So far this summer, the fishing has been great (maybe because of all the fish that weren't taken in the winter?).
At the end of June and early July the walleyes were biting pretty good, with most catches coming in late evening in about 10-15 feet of water. Good baits were leaches, minnows, and jigs. The walleyes were running around 17-18 inches long (these are from our 2003 stocking of 3,500 fingerlings). By the way, this is a very good growth rate -- the DNR average growth for this area would put them at 16 inches or less! If you are in the right place, there was also a bunch of crappies competing for your baits. This year has been one of the most active crappie bites I've seen out here. Most are running around 9-11 inches, with an occasional 12-14 inch fish.
Bass are in great supply, but seem to be a little smaller than in past years. I've been experimenting with a new "drop-shot" rig with rubber worms -- the first time I tried it I had 14 bass on -- unfortunately, I lost several of the bigger ones! Pete Tochman and Dennis Glasgow went out with me one evening. Dennis' favorite fish story is, "I've lived out here for over 15 years and the biggest fish I ever caught was 14 inches!" Well, we helped him net a 20-inch bass that evening. Of course, now it's "the biggest fish ever caught in this lake!" But, that's Dennis for you! I also noticed on the cover of the recent Michigan Outdoor News paper a picture of Wynter Cheyenne Mortz, age 8, who caught two bass at the same time on a rubber worm on Lake Somerset! Good catch Wynter!
Bluegills have been hitting all summer -- and the one's from the deeper water (12-18 feet) have been averaging 7-8 inches, with an occasional 9-inch fish. The redear sunfish that we stocked in 2002 appear to be doing well. I've seen several 9-10 inchers, plus a lot of smaller ones 4-6 inches, so they seem to be reproducing successfully. Who knows, maybe we'll get a pretty good redear fishery in the future?
The pike bite has slowed down considerably with the warmer water. However, pike fishing improves as the water cools down in the fall. Right now the thermocline is about 14 feet down, so many of the fish are below that depth. You should also realize that this thermo acts as a barrier to the colder bottom layer of water. This lower layer will run out of oxygen in mid August and will not support fish until the water cools and mixes in the fall. Contrary to what some people around say -- this is only a late summer natural phenomenon -- the oxygen comes back in late fall and stays until the following late summer. In other words, don't let people tell you the lake has no oxygen on the bottom!
As to future stocking -- the plan is to get some walleye this fall, and then continue with our plan to stock a mix of pike and walleye next year. If pike are not available, we will stock either more walleye or more redears. Overall this plan seems to be working well in improving the overall fishery on the lake. I've spoke with people from other area lakes who have had their fish stocking monies cut and the fishery has declined big time (less big fish and many more stunted panfish). Unfortunately, this will take several years to correct!
I plan to put some of the lake fishery stuff (stocking records, fish species in Lake Somerset, fish pictures, past reports, water quality data, etc.) in some binders and leave them in the association office for any one to view. Hopefully, I can get this together this fall. Let me know if anybody has any additional ideas, or pictures they would like to include. My phone number is 688-3384, or email grausch@comcast.net.
Good luck fishing!
George Rausch
A map furnished by George Rausch showing Lake Somerset with depths indicated.
A chart furnished by George Rausch showing the history of fish stocking in Lake Somerset since 1984 is available as an Adobe PDF.