Research
The Pomme de Terre Chapter of Muskies Inc. supports conservation practices, especially catch and release, and research based on sound scientific merit, and carried out by authorized federal or state agencies, and appropriate academic institutions. We are committed to the abatement of water pollution, maintenance of records for muskies' habitat, growth, and range, and the dissemination of Muskie information.
Our chapter works closely with the Missouri Department of Conservation in improving and maintaining the five Muskie Lakes in Missouri. Chapter fundraisers go directly to these projects and we help other chapters through donations when necessary to maintain their muskie fisheries.
Chapter members participate in Missouri's Show Me Project. The Show Me Muskie Project is a statewide volunteer muskie angler catch reporting system that was initiated by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1996. The purpose of the project is to gather catch data useful to fisheries management biologists and to help evaluate the department’s muskie plan. The plan provides a framework for developing and maintaining high-quality muskie fishery for anglers in Missouri. All Muskie fishermen are invited to participate.
To learn more or to participate go to: https://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/species/muskellunge/muskellunge-show-me-project
Multiple times in the past the chapter has donated fiche nets to the MDC to be used in their spring netting projects. Nets are used to capture breeding muskies and to do census studies for Missouri muskie lakes.
Donated money to Muskies Inc. to support the 2016 Muskie Symposium. This symposium brought together well-known biologists from North America who presented over 65 abstracts for the purpose of sharing their research related to muskie conservation.
In 2018 donated five Boga grips to better handle netted muskies. Resulted in safer handling both for the handler and the fish
Participated in drafting the Missouri Department of Conservations Muskie Management Plan for 2018 to 2027. Chapter members provided input in the plan that the MDC uses as the guide to provide muskie fishing opportunities for the next 10 years here in Missouri.
The chapter is participating with shared funding and volunteer labor on an ongoing study to determine better stocking rates and calculate age and growth data for Hazel Creek Lake. This project could then be replicated on any of the other muskie lakes in the state, allowing biologists to better manage our muskie populations across the state. Additionally, a future desired effect could be muskie stocking rates specific to each of the five muskie lakes as opposed to statewide stocking rates for all lakes.
This study involves the use of PIT Tags (Passive Integrated Transponder). Pomme chapter volunteers and the MDC crew work together to measure, weigh & determine the sex of the captured muskies. The information is then recorded while the MDC crew inserts the PITT tag. The tag is scanned was to get the fish number to add to the database of the tagged muskies.
This project was started in 2022. And the tagging will conclude in 2025. Chapter members fishing Hazel Creek have a PIT Tag reader and record lengths and dates of catch to add to the growth rate study. Any Muskie anglers fishing Hazel Creek also have access to a Pit Tag Reader and can contribute to the project. Beyond 2025, any captured or caught muskies will be scanned for a tag, and growth information will be added to the study.
