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Michigan Department of Natural Resources Barry County (T3N, R10W, Sec.27) James L. Dexter Jr. Environment Hall Lake is a natural lake which has been enlarged with a small dam.
It is located in west-central Barry County within the Yankee Springs Recreation
Area. It lies about 6 miles south of the town of Middleville and about
1 mile east of Gun Lake. Rolling hills and sandy soils characterize the geography of the area
(see map of Hall Lake). The watershed
is predominantly a mixture of mature oak and pine forest. It lies in a
soil association dominated by Coloma-Boyer-Spinks, which are moderately
sloping to steep, excessively drained sandy soils on outwash plains and
moraines. There are several small springs that feed the lake and one unnamed
warmwater outlet at the dam located in the southeast corner of the lake.
The outlet stream runs west and becomes a tributary to Gun Lake. It is
also the source of water for the Gun Lake's Association's walleye rearing
ponds, cooperatively operated with the DNR. Gun Lake's water eventually
flows to the Kalamazoo River watershed of Lake Michigan. Originally, Hall Lake was only about 8 acres in size with a maximum depth
of about 6 feet. When the county built Gun Lake Road, the outlet culvert
was placed high enough to flood 42 acres. The addition of a dam in 1965
made the lake deep enough to stop once-common winter fish kills, but the
lake only increased by 4 more acres, to its present size of 46 acres. The vast majority of the lake could be considered shoal area, as the
deepest water is 20 feet. Before the dam was added, the maximum depth
was 12 feet. Organic materials are the predominate bottom type, but there
are some marl areas in the deeper portions of the lake and some sandy
bottom on the western shores. Submergent and emergent vegetation is common.
There are many submerged stumps and logs in the shallower half of the
lake due to impounding. Water quality conditions were surveyed August 8, 1992. There was a slight
brown color to the water, but it was quite clear with a Secchi disk reading
of 10 feet. Within the water column, alkalinity ranged from 119 to 133
ppm, and pH from 8.5-9.0. These values indicate that the water is hard
and well buffered. The water temperature at the time of this survey varied
from 72F at the surface to 66F at the bottom. There was no evidence of
a thermocline. Dissolved oxygen levels were above 4 ppm from the surface
to 13 feet deep. Below 13 feet oxygen levels dropped to 1 ppm. Similar
water quality conditions were noted in surveys conducted in 1973 and 1985.
My overall impression of the water quality is that it is very good. There is no development at Hall Lake as it lies entirely within the Yankee
Springs Recreation Area. It is accessed by boat anglers from the south
shore of the lake, off Gun Lake Road. The access site is dirt, well-maintained,
and has room for several vehicles and trailers. Shore fishing access is
also good, especially on the south and west shores, as the woods are mature
with little underbrush to interfere with casting. According to historical records, Hall Lake has been actively managed
by the state since 1955, when a winterkill was investigated. Examination
of the lake at ice out in 1955 revealed a moderate kill had occurred,
which included many bluegill and largemouth bass, and some yellow perch,
lake chubsuckers, and shiners. Other fish noted as present at that time
included northern pike and pumpkinseed. Dead bass averaged 13 inches in
size, while bluegill averaged 7 inches. Winter fish kills were also noted
in 1956 (2,000 largemouth bass fingerlings were re-stocked in Hall Lake
in 1957), and again in 1958. In 1962, northern pike, largemouth bass,
and bluegill were restocked to replace continued winter mortalities. These
species were stocked once again in 1966 after a complete chemical renovation
was conducted in October 1965. The renovation complemented rebuilding
of the outlet structure to raise the water level, thereby enhancing recreational
opportunities and alleviating frequent winterkills. This construction
was completed in 1967. A fishery survey 10 months after the reclamation indicated that the kill
was not total, as pumpkinseeds, lake chubsuckers, and bullheads were collected.
Bluegill also survived. An angler interviewed during the survey had an
8.5-inch bluegill, and indicated he had caught other large bluegills earlier
in the year. Electrofishing and netting surveys were conducted on Hall Lake during
the late 1960s and early 1970s to follow the progress of the renovation.
Throughout this time period the lake provided a very good winter fishery
for northern pike. However, reports from anglers and conservation officers
indicated that the quality of the fishery collapsed during the winters
of 1974 and 1975. A 1976 survey found bluegill and largemouth bass growth
rates to be well below state average rates. Because of these results,
another chemical reclamation was conducted in September 1977. An extensive
fish kill was obtained. Largemouth bass and bluegill fingerlings were
stocked soon after the treatment, followed by more largemouth fingerlings
in 1978 and 1979. In addition, for some undocumented reason, 800 yearling
brown trout were stocked in 1979. Four electroshocking surveys were conducted between 1978-1983 to follow
up on the reclamation. While largemouth had good growth rates during these
surveys, bluegill growth slowed to almost 2 inches below state average. In 1987, DNR Fisheries research personnel recommended Hall Lake as a
candidate for a study on stunted bluegill lakes and possible management
techniques for improving the fishery. Even though Fisheries Division supported
this, and conducted a 1988 spring evaluation (bluegill were still growing
well below state average), Parks Division and Law Enforcement Division
did not support the use of Hall Lake in the proposed project. The park
manager suggested that the lake was popular with kids, and that they didn't
mind catching small bluegill. Due to this opposition, Fisheries Division
subsequently dropped this lake from consideration. In 1992 a full survey of the lake was conducted, primarily to evaluate
stocking of northern pike. A total of 2,860 northern pike spring fingerlings
had been stocked into Hall Lake between 1984-1991. This survey was conducted
using two standard trap nets (6'x3'x1.5" mesh), two full-size fyke nets
(small mesh), four experimental gill nets (125', six mesh sizes), and
a boomshocking boat (240-V DC, nighttime). Several species of fish were collected during this survey that were not
introduced by the state (Table 1). These species included pumpkinseed,
yellow perch, black crappie, green sunfish, rock bass, yellow and black
bullhead, and golden and common shiners. Bluegill, yellow perch, pumpkinseed,
and largemouth bass were the species of greatest importance. Bluegill were the most abundant fish caught in terms of number and weight.
Even though over 40% of the bluegill were of acceptable size (>6.0
inches), the overall mean growth index for bluegill was almost 1.0 inch
below state average. Using Schneider's Index (1990) for bluegill ranking,
the population ranked poor to average. Yellow perch were collected in good numbers, with representatives from
ten age classes. Perch growth was at the state average rate (Table 2),
and over 90% of the catch reached an acceptable size (>7.0 inches). Largemouth bass and black crappie were also growing at state average
rates. Few older largemouth bass were collected. Only 3 of 401 largemouth
were legal size (>12.0 inches). Black crappie were not very abundant,
with only age group II being collected in significant numbers. Three northern pike were collected, all from the 1989 stocking. There
was no evidence of natural reproduction of this species. Pike were growing
well above the state average rate. Recruitment rates of bluegill and yellow perch to the first few age classes
was variable and low (Table 3). This may be related to sampling gear efficiencies,
but I doubt it, as all gear types were deployed. Longevity of adult bluegill
and yellow perch is very satisfactory. Black crappie also exhibited typical
variability in recruitment, with a very strong 1990 year class and a missing
1988 year class. Largemouth bass exhibited strong survival characteristics
through age III, but had very poor survival rates after that. Northern
pike recruitment appeared to rely entirely upon our stocking efforts. Fishing at Hall Lake can be a very pleasurable experience. Pleasant landscapes
and good water quality will be preserved because there is no development
in the watershed and it is entirely state owned. Access is assured by
Yankee Springs Recreation Area. Bluegill, yellow perch, and largemouth
bass should continue to provide good fishing, although there are not many
big fish available to anglers, except for perch. Hall Lake will continue to be managed as a warmwater fishery. Currently,
our only management practice at this lake calls for continued stocking
of northern pike to provide an additional large predator for anglers to
catch. In the past, successful pike stockings have been very popular with
anglers who fish this lake. However, no pike have been stocked since 1991
due to the collapse of the pike rearing program at Wolf Lake State Fish
Hatchery (the solar facility has been out of order). We should also consider a low level introduction of flathead catfish
into this lake to promote better bluegill growth. Flathead catfish introduction
for small bluegill control appears to be working in some test lakes in
west Michigan. If the pike program continues to falter, we should stock
flatheads into Hall Lake at the rate of 2-4 pounds per acre. (The test
lakes are being stocked at a higher rate, 5-10 pounds per acre, because
they are more productive than Hall Lake). The present fishery is better and more stable than any in the past. Improvements
can probably be continued by stocking rather than resorting to chemical
reclamation. Even though there are dozens of warmwater lakes in the area
available to anglers, this one has good access, has very pretty surroundings,
and keeps many anglers-especially young ones-quite happy. Our management goal into the next century will be to maintain or enhance
the present fishery without having to resort to chemical reclamation.
Stocking of predators will contribute to the fishery for those species,
and may improve the bluegill fishery by enhancing the growth and size
structure of the bluegill population. Obstacles to obtaining this goal
are: 1) failure to raise northern pike at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery
for stocking and 2) Parks Division possibly not supporting introduction
of flathead catfish. Report completed: December 23, 1996. Schneider, J.C. Classifying bluegill populations from lake survey data.
MDNR Fisheries Division Technical Report 90-10. Ann Arbor. Table 1.--Number, weight, and length (inches) of fish collected
from Hall Lake with trap, gill, and fyke nets and DC boomshocker, May
4-6, and May 21, 1992.
Table 2.--Average total weighted length (inches) at age, and growth
relative to the state average, for fish sampled from Hall Lake with all
gear, May 1992. Number of fish aged is given in parentheses.
Table 3.--Estimated age frequency (percent) of fish caught from
Hall Lake with all gear, May 1992.
Barry County (T3N, R10W, Section 27) MANAGEMENT PLAN based on Status of the Fishery Resources Report 96-6 James L. Dexter Jr. Our fisheries management goal into the next century will be to maintain
or enhance the present fishery and enhance bluegill growth rates without
having to conduct a third chemical reclamation. There are two options
for obtaining this goal. Option 1 is to manage for northern pike by continuing the request for
spring fingerlings; they would be stocked at the rate of 7/acre/year.
While pike stocking most likely will not cause any substantial change
in the growth rates of other game fish in Hall Lake, pike would provide
an additional predator for anglers and would help maintained the present
fishery. If pike cannot be obtained for stocking, then we will proceed
to option 2. Option 2 is to implement flathead catfish introduction. As a first step,
the concept should be discussed with Parks Division. If there is a reasonable
climate for this introduction, the next step is to obtain flathead catfish
adults (15-20 inches long) from the Kalamazoo River for stocking into
Hall Lake for bluegill control. Flatheads would be stocked at the rate
of 2-4 pounds per acre. If flatheads are stocked, it will be preceded by a trapnet survey to
assess the bluegill population. This would be followed with similar surveys
3 and 5 years after the introduction to assess flathead effects on bluegill
size, growth, and number. If flathead catfish are not stocked, but northern pike stocking resumes,
assessment surveys will be conducted at the usual 6-year intervals. We do not anticipate any obstacles to achieving our management goal.
Water quality is good, fishing is good at present, but it could be better.
If neither options 1 or 2 are accomplished, then we can probably expect
the fishery to slip to a poorer quality, similar to what was experienced
before the last chemical reclamation. Anglers should not expect a yield of flathead catfish from Hall Lake.
This would be considered an experimental introduction and the catfish
would be protected from harvest. If northern pike are stocked, I would
optimistically expect 20-25% to be harvested at legal size at the rate
of 2-3 pounds per acre.
Last Update: 08/05/02
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