Inland Lakes ConventionBoyne Mountain Resort
28 April 2016
Kevin Wehrly
Fish-Habitat Relationships
• Physical
What is Fish Habitat?
• Chemical • Biological
Why is Habitat Important?
Multiple views of Habitat
• Temperature
• Morphology
• Water quality
• Cover/shoreline
Important Habitat Features
Temperature
Climate
Summer Temperature
warm
cool
Growing Season
long
short
Winter Duration
short
long
Lake Depth
cold
cool
warm
warm
Water Quality
• Productivity
• Abundance
• Growth
Alkalinity
Nutrients
• Clarity
• Vegetation
• Oxygen
Oxygen Depletion
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
400 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
Dep
th (feet)
TemperatureOxygen
Oxygen Depletion
Cover/Shoreline
• Reproduction
• Growth
Woody Cover
Shoreline Armoring
Quantifying Fish-Habitat Relations
Species Habitat Requirements
Walleye
Walleye Coldwater
Bluegill Largemouth
Justus von Liebig1803‐1873
• Area > 500 acres• MeanT < 62 F• Secchi < 12 feet• Oxygen
Walleye
• Area > 1,000 acres• DegDay < 3,900• Depth > 30 feet• Oxygen
Coldwater Fishes
• DegDay > 3,900• MeanT > 62 F• Area < 1,000 acres
Largemouth Bass
• Temperature
• Morphology
• Water quality
• Cover/shoreline
Important Habitat Features
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