Michigan’s Four Lakes fishery is showing early signs of recovery six years after the May 2020 dam failures flooded Midland and Gladwin counties, according to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources survey.
DNR crews captured nearly 1,500 fish from 30 species in Sanford Lake after the lake returned to its legal summer level, including a 27-inch walleye and an unexpected brown trout. Minnows and shiners dominated the catch, pointing to a rebound at the bottom of the food web.
A related survey on Secord Lake took about 1,300 fish from 15 species and was dominated by bluegills. The Four Lakes system includes Secord, Smallwood, Sanford and Wixom on the Tittabawassee and Tobacco rivers.
Biologists said sportfish present before the dam failures were found again except muskellunge, which can be harder to sample in shallow gear. Final survey reports are expected later in the winter.
