DNR to Expand Whitefish Egg Collection on Lake Michigan
Michigan wildlife officials are collecting whitefish eggs more often and in new locations as Great Lakes populations decline.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Fishing
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Will Michigan's whitefish egg collection succeed in reaching its 40-50 pair goal?
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources plans to expand whitefish egg collection in Lake Michigan, with collection expected to begin around the week of Thanksgiving, November 23. The effort focuses on waters from roughly Manistee south, particularly near Saugatuck.
Why it matters
Whitefish populations in the Great Lakes have dropped in recent years, and fisheries professionals link the decline to invasive dreissenid mussels that have altered the food web so whitefish offspring do not survive. Collecting and raising eggs at hatcheries is one way state officials are working to support the population.
The DNR has room for about 40 or 50 pairs of whitefish at its hatchery, and the collection may be completed in a night or two if conditions are favorable. Total egg yield and the precise population change were not reported.
The players
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The state agency responsible for managing Michigan's fish and wildlife, fisheries, and public lands, including hatchery operations and Great Lakes stocking programs.
Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery
A Michigan state hatchery that raises whitefish eggs to the eyed egg stage as part of the state's fish propagation efforts.
Jordan River National Hatchery
A federal fish hatchery in Michigan that receives disease-free whitefish eggs for further rearing.
The details
DNR staff collect ripe male and female whitefish to fertilize eggs. Fertilized eggs are raised at the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery to the eyed egg stage, and disease-free eggs are then transferred to the Jordan River National Hatchery.
Timeline
Collection is expected to start around the week of Thanksgiving, November 23, 2026.
Collection may need to continue into the second week of December 2026.
Seasonal Patterns
The whitefish egg collection extends the existing Michigan DNR and Jordan River National Hatchery stocking program by collecting broodstock more often and from new Lake Michigan locations in response to declining Great Lakes populations. Collection timing is tied to the fall spawning season that the hatcheries have long relied on.
Anglers and residents along Lake Michigan from Manistee south, especially near Saugatuck, may notice DNR crews collecting whitefish during the fall spawning period. The effort is intended to help sustain whitefish fishing across Michigan's Great Lakes waters over time.
The takeaway
Declining whitefish reproduction shows how invasive mussels can reshape an entire Great Lakes food web, and hatchery programs are one tool being used to respond. Following DNR updates can help anglers and residents track how the effort develops.
What happens next
Egg collection is expected to begin around the week of Thanksgiving, November 23, 2026, and may continue into the second week of December 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Fishing for related Michigan angling and fish-management coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WPBN.
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Will Michigan's whitefish egg collection succeed in reaching its 40-50 pair goal?
