For most of my Strange Fish Challenge I have used a sunup to sunup 24 hour rule to define a day. I decided to make an exception for Day Six. I had business in Milwaukee and wanted to fish my way back. But given the need for me to actually be helpful packing boxes and such, and the significant drive time from Milwaukee back to Home Base, I decided I'd allow a few hours of fishing in Milwaukee Harbor one day, then a reasonable amount of hours the next day in various sites heading back west. Hey, I'm a fisherman, stories and contests can have details that vary. Buckle up, the Strange Fish Roadtrip is about to begin....
I based my route on three Strange Fish Pilgrimage sites. Two well known, one my own private destination. First up Milwaukee Harbor.
This is a nice place to fish. Lake Michigan has a rather Seven Seas feel to it after messing around with little creeks. There is a long breakwater that goes out and affords many places to fish. You run into interesting people and all of the idle hours fishermen are happy to talk. The Dean of this fraternity (well, there was one bored looking wife too) was an old man from Austria. He had two lines out. His method of detecting a bite was to have the loose line draped around the neck of a beer bottle. Fish bites, beer tips. Both bottles were open and half consumed. This was 9:30 am. This was Milwaukee.
The objective here is invasives. In particular there are Strange Fish that start out in Europe and hitch a ride in the ballast of ships. Like human immigrants traveling down in steerage only the hardy thrive. I was hoping for the notorious Tube Nosed Goby, and for a moment I thought I had one. But this critter, and I caught plenty of them, is a Round Goby. Also invasive, it comes from the Black and Caspian Seas. Pesky little guys, they outcompete the complacent native fish and eat their eggs. The are fun to catch, and decidedly Strange.
I could see other fish gliding around out there but it took me a while to persuade one to bite. And up comes this pretty little thing...
This is a tiny little Brown Trout. Actually also an invasive they were imported from Europe in the 19th century and have done very well in the US. Especially in the Great Lakes where they are thriving and grow to great size. New state records are set regularly. Perhaps I'm just trying to assuage a bit of guilt here. I do try to take good care of the fish I catch and not let photo ops go on too long. But it was a hot sunny day and the little trout buddy seemed a bit sluggish when I got him back into the lake. A sea gull noticed this and dove down like a Stuka. Well, circle of life, gulls gotta eat too. It is part of why I not only buy a fishing license but always get an additional Trout Stamp even though I never fish specifically for them.
Part way through Day Six: Running tally species count: 15. On to the Mukwonago River, home to more fish species than any other body of water in the state!*
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*Well, perhaps excepting the Mississippi. Anything can swim up that. There have been half way plausible reports of Bull Sharks making it up this far!
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