Fishing Murray Lake

Murray Lake delivers Michigan's hottest muskellunge catch-and-release action with 584 fish caught in 2005 - higher than any other inland muskie fishery surveyed. The 320-acre horseshoe-shaped lake drops quickly to 72 feet with steep drop-offs and only 30% of water less than 15 feet deep. Muskies range 19-41 inches with no legal fish yet, since the oldest stocked fish were only age 7 in 2005. Growth starts strong but slows as muskies age due to limited large forage - white suckers make up less than 1% of biomass. Bluegill fishing stays hot with 11,436 harvested and 37,983 released, though anglers release 3 undersized fish for every keeper due to slow growth (index -1.2). Most bluegills reach harvestable size at age 6 then get harvested before age 7 under intense fishing pressure of 71.7 angler hours per acre. Black crappie provide the best panfish opportunity with 98% legal size and above-average growth, concentrated during spring spawning. The lake holds a rare population of state-threatened cisco restricted to the 18-26 foot depth zone where summer temps stay at 68°F or less. Sand and marl substrates dominate shallow areas while peat and organic bottom covers deeper water. The hypolimnion goes anoxic below 27 feet by September, concentrating fish in the thermocline. This oligotrophic system's low nutrient levels (phosphorus 7-10 ug/L) limit overall fish production, while predators make up over 60% of biomass - an imbalance that reduces prey fish growth rates. DNR plans to reduce muskie stocking to improve the predator-prey balance and protect the cisco population.