Often likened to the tropical beauty of the Caribbean Sea, Torch Lake is Michigan’s second-largest lake with a massive expanse of 75,000 km2 (18,500 acres) of pristine blue waters. Torch Lake exhibits unique geological properties that lend to a highly specialized ecosystem. Aside from being the longest lake in Michigan, Torch Lake boasts a terrifying maximum depth of 235 ft (71.6 m) – crowning it as the deepest inland lake in the state. The shallow, sandy littoral zone often drops off abruptly, and the deep waters inhibit the lake from freezing over.
Torch Lake is home to numerous large, cold-loving fish species that live deep in the water column. Though there’s no shortage of aquatic giants lurking around Torch Lake, the lake is generally inhospitable to smaller fish. In recent years, Torch Lake has faced riparian (shoreline) deforestation, which has limited refuge and spawning sites for small species. For this reason, several fish shelters have been established throughout the lake.
Furthermore, Lake Torch’s crystal-clear waters are highly deceptive, and many sports fish found here are susceptible to heavy metal and toxin accumulation from land runoff and nearby industrial activity. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services 2022 Eat Safe Fish Guide advises limiting the intake of brown trout, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch, as well as completely avoiding consumption of lake trout.
Torch Lake Fish Species
1) Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
Lake trout belong to the genus Salvelinus, also known as the char. They are large, elongated fish mottled with yellow or cream spots along the length of their brown or green bodies and on the base of their fins. You can distinguish lake trout from other char by their forked tails and the absence of pink spotting. Lake trout thrive in the cold, well-oxygenated depths of Torch Lake, preferring temperatures below 60°F (15.6°C), though they may migrate to more shallow areas during the fall spawning season and the spring. Lake trout are indiscriminate in their feeding habits, eating other fish, crustaceans, plankton, insects, birds, and small mammals. They even occasionally cannibalize smaller members of their own species!
The lake trout population in Torch Lake consists of a mixture of native populations and hatchery stock. Lake trout have astoundingly lengthy lifespans, living up to as long as 60 years, and their massive bodies make them well-loved game fish across the northern United States and Canada. The minimum size limit for keeping lake trout caught in Torch Lake is 15 inches (38.1 cm). Anglers should also be mindful that lake trout in Torch Lake carry excessive concentrations of dioxins, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services advises against consuming them.
2) Brown trout (Salmo trutta)
Brown trout sport irregular, dark brown dots along their light-colored bodies, that range from a bright yellow-brown in wild fish to a dull silver in hatchery fish. Commonly confused with the Atlantic salmon, brown trout can be differentiated by their square caudal fins and elongated mouths that extend posteriorly behind the fish’s eye. They average 12 – 18 inches (30.5 – 45.7 cm) in length, though the Michigan state record for brown trout is a whopping 43.75 inches (111.13 cm)!
These fish were introduced to Michigan in 1883 and were first reported in Torch Lake in 1930. They are a choice target for anglers, notorious for presenting a challenging catch. When fishing for brown trout, use live bait in deep waters to get an eager bite, though you may also get lucky and spot a trout close to the water’s surface on a cold day. Like lake trout, brown trout in Torch Lake accumulate harmful toxins, and it is recommended that fishers significantly limit their monthly intake of this fish.
3) Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
The rainbow trout, also known as the redband, is one of the most beautiful fish to look out for at Torch Lake, where it was first introduced in 1933. The rainbow trout’s narrow body fades from brown or dark-olive on its back to a silvery white underside. It dons small, dark spots along its sides and back, and on its mildly forked tail fin. The truly defining feature of this species is the iridescent pink streak from which its name is derived. This band runs along the side of the body from the operculum (gill cover) to the tail. The richness of this streak varies between individuals depending on their diet, ranging from a pale pink to a striking reddish purple.
Rainbow trout in Michigan spawn in cool spring weather when females dig nests, known as redds, in which they lay their eggs. After eggs are laid, they are fertilized by males. Rainbow trout typically prefer to spawn in shallow water.
Rainbow trout are popular game fish, famed for their mild “fishy” flavor and high nutritional content. They are low in fat and calories, but rich in nutrients. Visitors to Torch Lake may also encounter steelheads (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus), an anadromous subspecies of the rainbow trout.
4) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Torch Lake houses one of Michigan’s top Atlantic salmon fisheries and some of the most gargantuan Atlantic salmon in the world, including a record-shattering 26-pound (11.8 kg) catch in 2010! Atlantic salmon are sensitive to degrading environmental conditions and are therefore considered bioindicators of freshwater systems. This means that their health serves as an indication of the level of pollution in a water body. In freshwater, Atlantic salmon have brown backs dotted with dark speckles, forked tails, and dark pectoral fins. They are much larger than trout, averaging from 1.2 – 1.5 m (3.9 – 4.9 ft) in length.
Atlantic salmon are spectacularly exciting catches and angler favorites, celebrated for their versatility in the kitchen and high protein content. Be wary though – Torch Lake has a strict limit of 3 fish per day, with a minimum size of 15 inches (38.1 cm) each.
5) Rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris)
Also known as the rock perch or red eye, the rock bass is a notable member of the sunfish family, the Centrarchidae. This deep-bodied fish has striking red eyes and a yellow-brown or olive back that fades towards the underside. Rock bass have spotted brown scales running along the length of their bodies, often giving the appearance of dark stripes. They also have a large, characteristic dark patch on their gill covers.
Rock bass reside in shallow water and congregate at Torch Lake’s few shallow shoreside areas. Males of this species are loving fathers and dig nests in the lake’s substrate, where they protect eggs until they hatch. Male rock bass may also utilize empty nests previously created by other sunfish. Aside from practicing superb parental care, rock bass are also highly intelligent fish and impressive foragers, capable of remembering where they can find food based on visual landmarks.
6) Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
Michigan is nationally acclaimed for its abundant and astonishingly behemoth smallmouth bass populations. This is good news for anglers looking for an exhilarating smallmouth hunt – as bass are always willing to bite a wide range of baits and fight passionately on the line. Smallmouth bass in Michigan typically range from 8 – 15 inches (20.3 – 38.1 cm) long, with dark vertical bands lining the sides of their yellow-brown bodies. Dark brown stripes on their heads radiate outwards from their reddish-brown eyes to the gill covers, and young fish have an orange streak at the base of the tail fin.
Even though smallmouth bass are one of Torch Lake’s most sought-after sports species, these fish face ecological pressures from predators and competition for limited shallow-water (littoral) resources. Outside of catch and release seasons, the daily possession limit of smallmouth and largemouth bass in Michigan is 5. The Michigan Eat Safe Fish Guide also advises fishers to limit their intake of smallmouth bass caught in Torch Lake, as they may accumulate mercury.
7) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Largemouth bass are slightly bigger than smallmouths, reaching an average of 16 inches (40.6 cm) long at maturity. They have deep bodies with brown to light green backs and light undersides. Largemouths usually have a thick, dark green band running anteroposteriorly from the eye to the base of the tail fin. If you catch a bass at Torch Lake and are unsure whether it’s a smallmouth or a largemouth, just remember that largemouths have an elongated jaw that extends beyond the back of the eye, as well as a clearly divided dorsal fin.
Like smallmouths, the largemouth bass is a warm water species that rarely swims below 20 feet due to its limited tolerance for cold temperatures. They are best fished for near the shores of Torch Lake, rather than deep within the water column. Here, largemouths feed unselectively on prey, grabbing at anything from crayfish, amphibians, other fish, and even snakes if they happen to catch any! While they are usually aggressive feeders with a big appetite, largemouths cease feeding when spawning or in very low temperatures.
8) Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)
As the name suggests, lake whitefish are a nondescript, coldwater species with long, silvery bodies and black or black-tipped fins. Though sometimes difficult to discern from similar species, lake whitefish are recognized by their small heads and comparatively large bodies, as well as a hump that often develops behind the head in adults. They range from 14 – 22 inches (35.6 – 55.9 cm) long, and visitors to Torch Lake can look out for them slowly swimming deep below the water’s surface during foraging. They feed primarily on small prey such as zooplankton (specifically Diporeia spp.), fish eggs, smaller fish, tiny crustaceans (Amphipoda and shrimp), and the aquatic nymphs of burrowing mayflies (Hexagenia spp.).
Torch Lake boasts all the conditions a lake whitefish could ask for, and the population in the lake is self-sustaining through natural reproduction. Torch Lake produces above-average lake whitefish, and whitefish fishing tournaments are an enjoyable attraction to stop by. Though lake whitefish are lauded as one of the most mouth-watering freshwater species, whitefish in Lake Torch contain high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, so it’s best to avoid making this catch a frequent dinner staple.
9) Lake herring (Coregonus artedi)
You may know the lake herring by its more popular nickname – the cisco – though the term “cisco” also refers to several species in the salmon and trout family. Both lake herring and lake whitefish are silvery fish belonging to the genus Coregonus, and may be difficult to differentiate. You can tell lake herring apart from their relative species by looking at the lower jaw, which is the same length as or protrudes beyond the tip of the snout.
Another way to identify lake herring is by the time of day when they are caught. Lake herring are most likely to be hooked during the day and are rarely caught after dark, meaning that a fish caught in the evening or night is probably a lake whitefish.
Not only are ciscoes important economic contributors through recreational and commercial fisheries, but they are also ecologically significant as a forage species. They feed primarily on zooplankton, smaller fish, and aquatic insects like the nymphs of the burrowing mayfly (Hexagenia spp.) and the minnow mayfly (Siphloplecton spp.). They are key prey species for bigger fish like lake trout, burbot, northern pike, and Atlantic salmon. Torch Lake enforces a daily catch limit of 5 lake whitefish and lake herring.
10) Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
The yellow perch is an angler favorite in Michigan, belonging to the perch family of fish (Percidae). Compared to other common species in Torch Lake, yellow perch are minuscule fish, averaging 4 – 10 inches (10.2 – 25.4 cm) long. Their bodies are golden-yellow, with 6 – 8 broad vertical bars decorating their sides from the front base of the dorsal fin to the base of the caudal fin.
Yellow perch prefer warm waters and can be found near the shores of the lake. They rely on sunken vegetation and debris for reproduction, which is often limiting in Torch Lake due to its sparsely populated riparian. With no shortage of colossal predators lurking about, yellow perch in Torch Lake have to stick together. They are a schooling species, meaning that they habitually congregate in large groups. Curiously, not only will yellow perch form schools with each other, but they will even huddle together with other small fish species swimming around!
Being a front-runner prey species in Torch Lake, young yellow perch have poor survival rates. In response, adult yellow perch tend to lay copious amounts of eggs to increase the number of fry that make it to adulthood. Aside from predator threats, the yellow perch’s mating season is dependent on environmental temperatures, and climate change is expected to affect how they spawn in the future.
11) Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)
Along with smallmouth bass, muskellunges, more commonly known as muskies, are one of the superstar fish that anglers passionately hunt down in Torch Lake. They are the largest members of the Esocidae, or the pike family, and Torch Lake is revered for its exceptionally enormous muskies. In fact, Torch Lake once held the Michigan state record with a massive 50-pound 8-ounce (22.9 kg), 55-inch (139.7 cm) catch in 2009. Muskies are solitary, aggressive, predatory fish that have earned the impressive title of “top predators” in their ecosystems. This gargantuan fish won’t hesitate to pounce on any meal it sees, even if that means attacking a fish bigger than itself! In Torch Lake, muskies enjoy preying on smallmouth bass, rock bass, yellow perch, and juvenile Atlantic salmon.
There are two subspecies of muskellunge in Michigan – the Great Lakes muskellunge (E. masquinongy masquinongy) and the northern muskellunge (E. masquinongy immaculatus). Torch Lake has stringent regulations for muskie fishing, in which licensed anglers are only allowed to keep one muskie per year, which must be reported to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Additionally, muskies caught in Torch Lake must measure a minimum of 50 inches (127 cm) to be kept by fishers. Catch and release is permitted for muskies year-round unless the lake is otherwise closed for fishing.
12) Northern pike (Esox lucius)
Northern pike, also known simply as pike, are ambush predators, using their powerful tails to generate explosive power and propel themselves to capture unsuspecting prey. Pike are unmistakable fish – characterized by long, flattened snouts equipped with knife-like teeth. They have elongated, green bodies mottled with pale spots and silvery bellies. The northern pike’s short dorsal fin is unusually posterior and nearly in line with the anal fin.
The northern pike is another top predator, its diet consisting almost entirely of other fish like burbot, whitefish, and even juvenile pike, though it may also feed on amphibians, crustaceans, aquatic insects, or small mammals and birds. They are solitary, territorial fish that can live up to twenty years old. Pike are also delectable table fare, though their bodies are coated in a thick, mucous film that must be thoroughly cleaned before cooking. Torch Lake has a daily catch limit of 2 pikes measuring at least 24 inches (61 cm) in length.
13) Burbot (Lota lota)
The burbot is an eccentric, eel-like fish that resides in the cool, benthic depths of Torch Lake. Their olive bodies range from 15.7 to 39.4 inches (40 to 100 cm) long and are decorated with irregular dark blotches. They have flattened heads with a single barbell protruding from the lower jaw, two dorsal fins with the anterior being much shorter than the posterior, and a rounded, fan-like caudal fin. Looks aren’t the only thing that’s bizarre about this fish! Burbots have unusual breeding behavior, spawning during the cold, late winter, and early spring.
Burbots are the only freshwater members of the cod order, the Gadiformes. Though they are a disappointing catch for some anglers, those in the know seek out burbots for their delectable meat and nutritious livers. Still, burbots are slippery and can be difficult to handle, which has led to their tongue-in-cheek nickname in Michigan, “lawyers”.
Burbots are a frequent topic of systematic debate, and many taxonomists believe they should be classified together with the cod family, the Gadidae. Furthermore, some taxonomists argue that some burbots constitute a completely different species depending on their geographic range.
14) Deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii)
Deepwater sculpin are a rare fish to spot in Torch Lake, having adopted a lifestyle in the cold, abysmal depths of their home waters. The name “deepwater” is no joke, as these fish often prefer to live in complete darkness! Deepwater sculpin are a small species, averaging between 2 – 5 inches (5 – 12.7 cm) long. Their tiny bodies and benthic preferences aren’t the only things that make deepwater sculpin hard to find – when threatened, these elusive fish bury themselves in the sand or hide behind rocks.
Deepwater sculpin have yellow to brown bodies with two dorsal fins with a large gap in between them. Like many benthic fish, deepwater sculpin are highly adapted to life on the lake floor. They have a broad, flat head that tapers to a narrow tail, allowing them to lie flat on the bottom of the lake. They also sport broad, fan-like pectoral fins that help them paddle along the lake floor. Deepwater sculpin feed on small, bottom-dwelling aquatic invertebrates like zooplankton (Diporeia spp. and Mysis spp.), lake fly larvae (Chironomidae), and seed shrimp (Ostracoda).
If you think that deepwater sculpin have a prehistoric look, that’s because they’re what ichthyologists (or fish scientists) refer to as a relict fish species! Relict fish, also known as glacial relicts, are isolated populations of a species originating from the last ice age that have been left in habitats that are different from their usual range.
15) Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)
The round goby is a severely invasive species in North America that outcompetes native fish and preys on the nests of vulnerable species, for example, the deepwater sculpin. Like the deepwater sculpin, the round goby is a small, benthic fish with a flat head and paddle-like pectoral fins, but it can be distinguished by its fused pelvic fins and the large dark patch on its first dorsal fin. Their bodies are yellow to brownish-gray in color, and adults are often speckled with irregular dark markings.
Though the round goby was first found in North America in the 1990s, it was only recently discovered in Torch Lake in 2018. Round goby compete directly with deepwater sculpin for lake-floor spawning sites, fiercely driving away the more timid sculpin. A male goby digs his nest in the sand, where multiple females may lay eggs in a single nest. One nest can contain up to 10,000 eggs and is guarded devotedly by males.
Though their introduction has been overwhelmingly negative, round goby have had limited benefits to the ecosystems that they have invaded. Firstly, they feed on zebra mussels, another invasive species. In addition, they serve as prey for popular sports fish in Torch Lake, including the smallmouth bass and lake trout.
