This week, Crossroads at Big Creek hosts the final program in the Fish Tales Lecture Series, featuring one of our favorite presenters, Dr. Dan Isermann. His topic — “Movement and Mixing of Smallmouth Bass Spawning Groups in Green Bay” — centers on a fish perfectly designed for our waters.
Smallmouth bass flourish in the rocky habitat that defines much of Green Bay. They prefer reefs and shoals of limestone — technically dolostone — along with glacial rock piles, deep breaks, and clear water for spawning. The Niagara Escarpment along the western side of the Door Peninsula provides exactly that combination. It’s no wonder Green Bay has become nationally known for its bass fishery.
Many people assume fish simply scatter eggs and swim away — and usually, they are correct. Most egg-laying species (an estimated 79%) do not guard their young…