MIKE BRAUN Petition seeks more muskies

An Ohio fishing club's quest to have the state resume stocking Pymatuning Reservoir with advanced fingerling muskies is not likely to happen anytime soon, according to a Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife official.
Cleveland Chapter 23 of Muskies Inc. posted a petition online requesting that Ohio restart its stocking activities at the northeast Ohio lake that straddles the border with Pennsylvania. Muskies Inc. is a national organization to promote muskellunge fishing.
The petition
The petition states: "... the state of Ohio has ceased to stock muskellunge in Pymatuning. This has occurred just as the lake is returning to its prominence as one of the nation's top muskie lake. Yes, [Pennsylvania] is still stocking, but the effectiveness of their program is questionable due to the releasing of fish too small to effectively survive in any numbers. Ohio releases advance fingerlings and has had a very high success right with their stockings. We have a petition requesting that the ODOW reconsider their position and at the very least, place Pymatuning on the surplus stocking list."
John Navarro, administrator for Ohio's fish hatchery program under the DOW, said that Ohio's stocking program at Pymatuning has ended.
"We stocked for five years per an agreement with Pennsylvania," he said. "Ohio, as of now, is not stocking Pymatuning."
Navarro also explained that a staffing situation and rehabilitation of a building at an Ohio hatchery have curtailed the state's muskie culturing.
"We've got away from intensive culturing," he said. "We're now raising muskies outside, and it is much less labor intensive." He added that the muskies produced outside are healthier, larger and more in tune with their natural surroundings than those raised previously inside in a more intensive atmosphere.
Downside
The only downside, he said, is that the current method produces fewer fish.
"In order to stock Pymatuning we would have to stop stocking at the eight other Ohio lakes, and we don't want to do that," Navarro said.
Currently, Ohio stocks advanced fingerlings at the following lakes and reservoirs: West Branch, Leesville, Peidmont, Salt Fork, Clearfork, Alum Creek, Caesar Creek and Cowan. In fact, more than 16,000 eight- to 12-inch muskie fingerlings were stocked into these lakes in September and October.
Navarro said that, usually, there are leftover muskies and those are more than likely to be stocked in Lake Milton.
"We usually hit [Milton] every year," Navarro explained. "But not in 2002; production was horrible."
He added that the DOW heard from area anglers about the lack of muskies to stock Milton in 2002 . "It's not an official stocking, but we like to hit that lake when possible," he said.
Navarro said it is still possible that the Pymatuning stocking issue could resurface.
Key point
"We might revisit that in the future," said. However, staffing is a key point and there's no telling how that may turn out, he added.
Navarro also said Pennsylvania is still stocking Pymatuning with muskies and that state's activities should suffice.
Muskellunge are a native fish to Ohio and are known as an aggressive predator and a strong fighter when hooked.
The Muskies Inc. petition can be viewed at www.petitiononline.com/ PYMAMUSK/petition.html.
braun@vindy.com