Hobbies And Interests
Game Fish
Among the game fish in Lake Michigan are the walleye, which gains lengths of up to 25 inches and weighs from 1 to 5 pounds. Its skin on the back is olive or golden brown to yellow and it is yellowish white on its underside. It is also known as the walleye pike, pickerel or dore, among other names. The muskie is another fighter. Its proper name is muskellunge and it can reach a length of 5 feet and weigh more than 40 pounds. It is noted by dark-colored bars on a light-colored background of silver-green or light brown.
Good Eating
A Lake Michigan fish that has a reputation for being tasty is the northern pike, also called jack or pickerel. The northern reaches a top weight of 8 pounds and can grow to 30 inches. It is spotted by the dark shades of green to olive to brown on its back and upper sides. It is lighter on its lower sides, turning to a cream or milk white hue on its belly. There are many other edible species in the lake, including several trout and salmon.
Familiar Names
Other species found in Lake Michigan that may be familiar include the Atlantic salmon, coho salmon and Chinook salmon along with brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, and rainbow trout. Others are the smallmouth bass, the white perch and the yellow perch.
Other Species
Some interesting species found in Lake Michigan include crawfish, which can grow to 16 inches; the freshwater sponge, which is silver with a pink and purple iridescence; the sea lamprey, a 12- to 20-ounce eel, which boasts metallic violet sides; and the minute zebra mussel, which achieves a fingernail length.