News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Vera Schultz, a volunteer at the Michigan Brown Trout Festival in Alpena, readies the leaderboard that will list the largest fish caught during the tournament. Local fishing experts say they expect many different types of fish to be caught, with lake trout and walleye being the most prevalent.

ALPENA — It may be called the Michigan Brown Trout Festival, but anglers fishing this week in the tournament will surely catch a variety of fish.

According to local fishing experts, brown trout may be the most difficult fish to locate and hook, but they expect many lake trout, steelhead, walleye, and salmon to be netted and weighed in.

Tim Cwalinski, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Senior fisheries biologist, said he expects fishing this year to be on par with the last several years.

He said coho, king, and Atlantic salmon will find their way into fisherman’s boats, and lake trout and walleye will probably be the most prevalent species that go on the scales during the nine-day tournament.

Cwalinski said he doesn’t anticipate a high number of brown trout caught however.

“Diversity,” Cwalinski said. “That is what I expect fisherman to see a diversified catch. We have seen more brown trout the last few years, which isn’t really saying a lot. I think if someone catches a brown trout they should get an award because there aren’t many out there.”

Ed Retherford, charter captain on the Trout Scout, has been a charter captain for decades and spends countless hours fishing on Lake Huron in and around Alpena.

He said walleye fishing has been slow of late because of cooler than normal temperatures, but large lake trout are in abundance miles from shore in deep water. He said fishermen who venture further north to Presque Isle and Rogers City will have better luck landing salmon and steelhead.

“That is where we are getting what I call silver fish,” Retherford said. “Because it is a no boundaries tournament. People are getting them from the Nordmeer to Rogers City.”

The Nordmeer is a shipwreck about seven miles northeast of Thunder Bay Island and a popular place for anglers to try their luck.

Retherford said he believes brown trout are making a comeback in Lake Huron near Alpena and he expects there will be several that will fill the leaderboard during the tournament.

He said this year, he has seen many brown trout caught, including some large ones.

“It will all depend on the water temperatures and if they can stay between 58 and 62 degrees at about the 40-foot range and they’ll catch fish,” he said. “Not a lot, because there hasn’t been a lot being planted, but so far this year I’ve seen three that were at least 13 pounds and other nice ones.”

Fishing in this year’s festival begins today and concludes on July 24. Fish will be weighed in throughout the day, with many of the fishermen showing off their catch late in the afternoon and early evening. Watching weigh in is free for the public to view.