By Louie Stout

Big Bluegill

There’s a movement afoot within the Michigan DNR to give more attention to the state’s panfish population.

And why shouldn’t there be more attention? Panfish, especially bluegills, are the most popular fish within inland waters.

Southwest Michigan biologist Matt Diana recognizes that and recently conducted a survey of state anglers to see if there was support for a more diverse management beyond statewide bag limits.

The survey indicated some anglers were in favor of even more restrictive bag limits on some lakes and better protection of larger size panfish.

Diana certainly isn’t proposing such changes on all lakes, but on a few targeted lakes that need more management control. He’s specifically interested in lakes with good panfish growth and those in which bluegills are stunted and over populated.

He plans to present his information to a statewide DNR biologists meeting with hopes of gathering support from other biologists to move forward with some experimental research projects.

Diana looked at what Illinois and Wisconsin have been doing research-wise and felt Michigan should be doing a lot more than it has done with panfish evaluations.

“We evaluate panfish populations in Michigan but don’t have a means of managing them other than stocking walleye,” he said. “I’d like for us to implement panfish management in a more science-based way.”

Illinois, Wisconsin and, most recently, Minnesota have added special limits on lakes with built-in controls and found promising results.

“I’d like to look at how harvesting (too many) larger panfish can hurt a fishery,” he says. “Studies have shown that if you’re harvesting larger males off the nest that younger fish become more competitive reproductively and you wind up with more smaller fish. The goal wouldn’t be to reduce harvest but to shift.”

Interestingly, he said the survey showed support for more restrictive bag limits.

“The biggest reason people panfish is to catch enough for a meal and the second reason was to catch big fish,” he said. “We don’t want to restrict the number that you can catch.”

Michigan currently has a 25-fish panfish bag limit. That includes bluegill, redear, rock bass and other sunfishes.

Give Michigan credit for looking ahead and attempting to assess populations of its most popular fish.

Indiana, on the other hand, has no bag limit on bluegill but does on other panfish species. Officials say there is no scientific evidence that bluegill need restrictions.

If Michigan proceeds with experimental projects that prove bigger ‘gills can be managed, perhaps Hoosier biologists will take a closer look at their current regulations.