The alewife population has been shrinking steadily over a long period of time, and recent trawling results show this trend to be continuing. In fact, the number of alewives brought up in the nets was in the bottom five for as long as these surveys have been going on.

What was learned is that the large 1998 year-class of alewives is fading away, and while some younger fish are present to replace them, they are not numerous or large enough to make up for the loss. As Illinois DNR fishery biologist Dan Makauskas said, "Small alewives do not grow big fish."

ALIEN INVASION
Of continuing concern in Lake Michigan, and indeed all of the Great Lakes, is the ongoing invasion of exotic species brought to our shores by foreign shipping. To stabilize their load, cargo ships flood the bottom of the hull with fresh water in their homeports. When these ships enter freshwater ports here in the U.S., they discharge this ballast water to reduce their draft and enable them to navigate shallow rivers and lakes. Any exotic species of plants or animals that may have been sucked into the ship's bilge is now dumped into American waters, where in far too many cases, they thrive and compete with native species for food and breeding habitat.

Recently, yet another invasive species of freshwater shrimp has been found in the Great Lakes (Hemimysis anomala) in the ship canal at Muskegon, Michigan. This new addition brings to 183 the number of invasive species to have been transplanted into a body of water that comprises 95 percent of all the fresh water in North America. Exotic aquatic species are being introduced into the Great Lakes at an average rate of one species every 6 1/2 months.

Some of the most problematic of these critters are the zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water fleas, river ruffe, gobies and Asian carp. Since this new invader is a meaty and nutritious tidbit, perhaps it will complement the food chain and to some extent offset the damage being done by many of the others. But whether we like it or not, the Great Lakes are fast becoming duplicates of Eastern Europe's Caspian Sea and Baltic Sea. That's not a good thing.

Our legislators have been dragging their feet for years over effective legislation designed to prevent ballast water discharges into our freshwater systems. The simplest answer would be to require all incoming ships to discharge their freshwater ballast at sea and replace it with salt water. If that were done, any freshwater organisms would die when pumped into the salty sea, and any oceangoing critters taken in would similarly perish when expelled into fresh water. Problem solved.

However, while such legislation is in effect, it exempts ships that claim they are carrying cargo but have no ballast. The U.S. Coast Guard is charged with enforcement of this requirement, but they are also overloaded with Homeland Security assignments, and any ship wishing to avoid the time-consuming hassle of exchanging ballast water at sea simply claims that exemption and carries on. Ninety percent of incoming freighters do this, effectively frustrating the intent of the law. Several states have enacted more restrictive measures in an attempt to stem the flood of exotics, but it is unclear if they have the authority to so regulate international commerce.

As the matter now stands, hearings are under way, proposed legislation languishes in committees, speeches and promises uselessly fill the air, and the stream of exotic creatures flows on -- unabated. Like Jerry Seinfeld would say, "Yada-yada-yada!"

LET'S GO FISHIN!
Now in midsummer, nearly all the Lake Michigan salmon and trout will be found well offshore. Let's go find them.

Lake trout are conveniently schooled on the bottom in 100 to 120 feet of water. Small brightly colored spoons or large flies behind size O silver dodgers will take them. Keep your baits on the bottom and your boat speed below 1.6 knots.

Brown trout often come into 30 to 35 feet of water over rocky bottoms to feed early and late in the day. If you can pinpoint such a feeding area, you could make very good hauls using shiny spoons trolled far behind downriggers. I would try the Lake Forest pumping station south of Waukegan or the rocky reefs near Winnetka Harbor.

Cohos, chinooks and rainbow trout will be congregated in 90 to 130 feet of water from Chicago to the Wisconsin state line. You must realize these fish are relating to the presence of baitfish and they will move on a nearly daily basis with the food. You will need to accumulate all the current information you can in order to go right to the fish each morning. On-the-water contacts are great. Another source of contacts and information is Salmon Unlimited of Illinois at www.salmonunlimited.com, or call them at (773) 736-5757.