Why Report Your Muskie Catches!

---

Fish Reporting and the Future of Muskie Fishing in Ohio.

The reporting of muskie catches is vital to the continued success of muskie fisheries in Ohio. Data reported by anglers about their muskie catches is the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s primary tool for collecting data on muskie fisheries.  Reporting of muskie catches helps the Ohio Division of Wildlife effectively manage muskie fisheries by evaluating muskie stocking success and monitoring the numbers and sizes of fish caught throughout Ohio.

The Ohio Huskie Muskie Club, Inc. (OHMC) encourages all anglers to report their muskie catches with the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Muskie Angler Log (MAL).  The MAL is a secure online fishing database designed by the Ohio Division of Wildlife in partnership with Ohio muskie anglers.  The MAL allows anglers to conveniently add, search, and edit information about personal trips and muskie catch details, find information on muskie fishing in Ohio, share muskie photos, see current catch totals from across the state, and more… The MAL was designed and tested with the input of volunteers solicited from Ohio’s muskie clubs to ensure it would be a useful resource for muskie anglers. 

The Muskie Angler Log replaces the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Muskie Scale Program, which began during 1960 as a tool for collecting muskie catch information from anglers. The scale program was highly successful and provided the Ohio Division of Wildlife with important muskie catch information such as: date and reservoir name of muskie catch, fish length, catch-and-release rates, and a scale sample , which was used to estimate muskie age and growth. Over 42,000 catch records were recorded since 1960. Because of this substantial amount of data collected since 1960, Ohio’s fishery biologists are now able to estimate muskie age and growth on current and future reported muskie without the need for additional scale samples.  During 2008, the Ohio Division of Wildlife released a new catch reporting system, the Muskie Angler Log. 

The MAL continues the great partnership that was developed between the Ohio Division of Wildlife and Ohio’s muskie clubs.  In the MAL, anglers still provide the Ohio Division of Wildlife with the same critical basic catch information as they did with the scale program (minus the scales), but now anglers can also enter in more detailed information about their catches, such as lures used, weather and water conditions, time of day caught, and fish depth.  In turn, the MAL provides valuable muskie catch information to Ohio Division of Wildlife fisheries biologists to maximize muskie fishing opportunities.

In addition to reporting information on the days when an angler does catch a muskie, anglers are encouraged to report information on those days when he/she does not catch muskie, as well.  The reporting of these non-catch days greatly enhances the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s ability to accurately estimate catch rates of muskie.  The reporting of all lengths of muskie caught is also encouraged and provides biologists with more accurate catch information.

OHMC requires that muskie must be reported within the MAL to be eligible for awards or free memberships.  In addition, a free membership application must be filed directly to OHMC to complete the free membership application process.

For those who are not computer savvy, catch data can be submitted to the Muskie Angler Log using postage paid postcards available at most boat ramps at lakes with muskie, or by writing the ODNR Division of Wildlife at one of the district offices: 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus 43215; 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay 45840; 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron 44319; 360 East State Street, Athens 45701; 1076 Old Springfield Pike, Xenia 45385.

 

To get more information or join the Muskie Angler Log visit http://www.ohiodnr.com/muskielog

OHMC MUSKIE RETURNS:
As a critical part of muskie management, the sizes of caught and kept fish are reported. These data can be implemented by the angler to identify yearly cycles and trends.

2005 Angler Scale Sample List:
Click here to view the list of anglers who turned in the scale samples for the year 2005.  

Click on the link below to view. Please allow for extended download time.
Returns for 1999

3-31-99 4-24-99 5-31-99

6-30-99 7-30-99 8-31-99

9-30-99 10-31-99 11-30-99

12-31-99

Returns for 2000

3-31-2000 4-30-2000 5-31-2000

6-31-2000 7-31-2000 8-31-2000 9-30-2000

10-31-2000  11-30-2000  12-31-2000   Final Count

Returns for 2001

4-30-2001 5-31-2001 6-31-2001

7-31-2001 8-31-2001 9-30-2001

10-31-2001 11-30-2001 12-31-2001

Returns for 2002

4-30-2002 5-30-2002 6-30-2002

7-31-2002  8-31-2002  9-30-2002

10-31-2002 11-30-2002 12-31-2002

Returns for 2003

4-30-2003 5-31-2003 6-30-2003

7-31-2003 8-31-2003 9-30-2003

10-30-2003 11-30-2003 12-31-2003

Returns for 2004

4-30-2004	7-31-2004	10-31-2004
5-31-2004	8-31-2004	11-30-2004
6-30-2004	9-30-2004	12-31-2004

Returns for 2005

5-31-2005	8-31-2005	11-31-2005
6-31-2005	9-30-2005	12-31-2005
7-31-2005	10-31-2005

Returns for 2006

Returns for 2007

Jun 2007	Jul 2007	Aug 2007
Sept 2007	Year End 2007

Returns for 2008

Jun 2008	Jul 2008	Aug 2008
Sept 2008	Year End 2008

Returns for 2009

Jun 2009	Jul 2009	Aug 2009
Sept 2009	Year End 2009

Ohio Muskie Stockings
One of the secrets for successful  Muskie fishing is to know the lakes and there past stockings.  So click on the baby muskie and view the stockings for Ohio Lakes.
           Click On The Muskie!

If you would like to read a  paper prepared by the Ohio Division of Natural Resources on size limits, we have a reprint posted.  This document is from 1988. Reprint

*Some of the Scale Return Files will be in a .PDF format.  If you do not have Adobe Reader to view the files, it is free to down-load.