Can you eat cisco

Increased nutrient levels accelerate plant and algae growth, which in turn drives greater decomposition below the thermocline of stratified lakes, depleting oxygen required for cisco to thrive. Inland lakes that do retain high water quality are often stocked with trout, which also require cold oxygenated water, or other gamefish.

Stocking predators or competitors is also recognized as the cause of cisco decline in some inland lakes. The cisco is one of the few species that is sought by recreational anglers and commercial fishers, in addition to being an important forage fish. Marys River and certain inland lakes. Teardrop jigs and small baits like waxworms or wigglers are effective through the ice and in open water.

Fly fishing can be effective during the Hex hatch annual mayfly emergence. As this article is being typed, genetic testing is being done on these larger-than-normal ciscos in the northeastern sector of Lake Michigan to determine their roots.

Like any cisco, these big bay fish eat minnows and insects wafting through the upper reaches of the water column. But Hettinger says earlier studies have shown the invasive round goby to be one of their main food sources. Overall, cisco populations are cyclical, often rising and falling opposite of their distant whitefish cousins.

In fact, the larger of this cisco strain look nearly identical in form to lake whitefish; the position of their mouth being the easiest determining factor when depicting between the two. And ciscos seem to be adapting better to the massive changes occurring in the Great Lakes than most any other whitefish species.

Retired charter captain Jay Frolenko is no stranger to trolling for just about any species that swims in the Great Lakes, including trout, salmon and walleye.

And his catch results have been staggering, with limit catches for three anglers that would be 36 fish landed in just hours.

Nearly identical to his trout and salmon charter trips past, Frolenko uses spoons pulled behind downriggers, leadcore and wire line when trolling for ciscoes. Also similar to fishing salmon, Frolenko finds trolling speeds of 2. And despite the studies that prove cisco are eating more bottom dwelling round gobies than anything else, the captain says the higher the fish are in the water column the more active they are. And ciscos are relatively easy to spot on sonar as they tend to congregate in massive schools.

They have a similar look on a sonar screen as walleyes, but will be seen in more massive quantities. Cisco are members of the Salmonidae family, which includes trout, salmon, lake whitefish and char.

Ocean herring belong to the Clupeidae family, which includes alewife, shads, sardines and menhadens. Many names for the same fish: Lake herring, cisco, tullibee, bluefin , Coregonus artedi used by the science crowd , adikamig Ojibwe. Wisconsin Sea Grant supports scientific research, education and outreach to foster the wise use, conservation and sustainable development of Great Lakes and coastal resources.

Please visit , follow us on social media and become part of the sustainability conversation. Mercury is the chemical of concern. Biology and History Ciscoes eat zooplankton, insects and smaller fish. Selecting and Preparing Recipes Cisco are tasty and versatile. Try these recipes!