Fish Stocking

Year

Species

Size

Count

2023

Walleye

Fingerling 1 - 3"

7996

2024

Channel Catfish

Advanced Fingerling 4 - 7"

1200

2024

Walleye

Fingerling 1 - 3"

16689

Species

Rank

Fish Status

BLACK CRAPPIE

Average

The black crappie population has had an average rating in recent years. In 2017, the crappie regulation was changed from a 5 fish daily harvest limit to a 25 fish daily harvest limit with no more than 10 fish greater than or equal to 10 inches. The goal of that regulation is to allow the harvest of more of the slower growing black crappie, while maintaining and promoting the population structure of crappie over 10 inches in length. In 2023, the black crappie population was sampled by 21 fish in the spring electrofishing survey and 87 fish in the spring trap net survey. The new regulation will continue to be evaluated.

BLUEGILL

Good

The bluegill population was sampled by 204 fish in the spring electrofishing survey. The current bluegill population is rated as good with the larger fish up to 8.3 inches in length. This population is of moderate density and in good body condition.

CHANNEL CATFISH

Very Good

The channel catfish population was sampled by 29 fish in the 2023 spring trap net survey. The current channel catfish population is rated as good with the larger fish up to 29 inches in length. This population is of moderate density and in good body condition. Little Grassy hatchery stocked 3,000 fish at 6.8 inches in 2022. An annual stocking of non-vulnerable channel catfish has occurred in the recent past. These stockings have established a moderate density population, and the stocking can be adjusted to every other year stocking starting in 2021.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Good

In 2023, spring trapnetting and spring D.C. electrofishing were used to survey the fish population. The largemouth bass population was evaluated by 201 stock size bass from electrofishing. The largemouth bass population appears to be defined by a high percentage of fish from 8 to 16 inches in length with good average relative weights. In 2017, the bass regulation for McMaster Lake was changed from a 3 fish daily harvest limit with only 1 fish greater than or equal to 15 inches to a protected slot length limit from 14 to 18 inches with 3 fish daily harvest limit. The goal of the bass regulation is to increase the density of the bass population from 14 to 18 inches. The 5 year averages from 2011 to 2015 were RSD15 of 23, RSD16 of 15, and RSD18 of 5. And a 5 year average CPUE 1.6 fish per minute over 8 inches with pulse D.C. eletrofishing. The 2022 electrofishing survey showed a decline values. The 2023 values continued this trend. Future surveys will need to evaluate further why the bass population has not started to restructure into the 14 to 18 inch size range. The goal of the protected slot length limit is to create a high density bass population that is composed of fish large enough to be efficient predators upon the panfish and gizzard shad population. The benefit to bass anglers will be more fish surviving past 15 inches to catch, and for the anglers wanting to harvest bass will be the opportunity to still harvest fish under 14 inches.

MUSKELLUNGE

Good

Only a total of 15 muskie were sampled by the spring trapnet survey in 2023. These fish ranged from 31.5 to 45.3 inches long. The sample was composed of 3 males and 1 female. In 2019, 1 of the females had a PIT tag from a historical tagging event. She was originally tagged on 4/3/2006 at a length of 37 inches and 13.5 pounds. On 4/16/2019 she was recaptured at a length of 43.7 inches long and 21.9 pounds. She grew approximately .5 inches and .65 pounds per year over those 13 years. In 2017, the muskie harvest regulation was changed from a 1 fish daily harvest limit over 48 inches, to a harvestable slot from 36 to 42 inches, and 48 inch minimum length limit with 1 fish daily harvest limit. This regulation is an attempt to allow anglers to reduce the density of very slow growing male muskie in McMaster Lake. Muskie have been PIT tagged since 2002 in Lake McMaster. The 2015 fish recaptures showed that males grew on average .52 inches per year and .5 lbs per year, which was based on 3 fish at least 13 years old each. Females grew on average .84 inches per year and .78 lbs per year which was based on 4 fish at least 13 years old each. The 2016 fish recaptures showed that males grew on average .53 inches per year and .42 lbs per year which was based on 16 fish at least 13 years old each. Females grew on average .3 inches per year and .58 lbs per year which was based on 2 fish at least 13 years old each. From 16 PIT tagged male muskie, the length range was 37.5 to 42.3 inches long for fish 13 to 17 years old. 58% (22/38 fish) of the males were from 36 to 40 inches in length. While only 11% (1/9 fish) of the females were from 36 to 40 inches in length. In 2017, only 3 male recaptures were collected. 137 muskie at 11.9 inches in length were stocked in 2015. No muskie were stocked in 2016, 2017 or 2018. Jake Wolf hatchery stocked 136 muskie at 13.5 inches on 9/18/2019. A triennial stocking is now scheduled to maintain a moderate density of healthy muskie.

REDEAR SUNFISH

Good

The redear sunfish population was sampled by 33 fish in the spring electrofishing survey. The current redear population is rated as very good with the larger fish up to 11.1 inches in length. This population is of low density and in excellent body condition. The redear sunfish population started to show very good growth and increases in the size structure at about the same time that zebra mussels were documented in 2021 in McMaster Lake.

WALLEYE

Good

The walleye population was sampled by 4 fish in spring trap nets and 8 fish in the spring electrofishing survey in 2023. The current walleye population is rated as good with the larger fish up to 27.3 inches in length. This population is of low density and in good body condition. No walleye were stocked in 2015 or in 2016, but 8,032 were stocked in 2017, 11,160 were stocked in 2018, 8,351 were stocked in 2019, 8,090 were stocked in 2020, 13,628 in 2021, 9,180 in 2022, and 7,996 at 1.9 inches long in 2023.

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