Preliminary Comparison of Inland Michigan Fish Assemblages on Artificial Reef and Natural Habitats in 2024 Fall Sampling

Hunter Hinds^1,2,* and Kevin Kapuscinski^1,2

¹School of Natural Resources, College of Great Lakes Ecology and Education, Lake Superior State University, 650 W. Easterday Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. ²Center for Freshwater Research and Education, College of Great Lakes Ecology and Education, Lake Superior State University, 100 Salmon Run Way, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. *Corresponding author.

Northeastern Naturalist, Volume 33, Issue 2 (2026): 197–207

First published early online: 24 May 2026

Abstract
Implementation of artificial habitat is a common management practice used to enhance fisheries; however, evaluation of these habitats is often lacking. During the past 50 years, the US Forest Service created artificial reefs across 12 lakes in the Hiawatha National Forest to benefit Sander vitreus (Walleye) spawning, but these reefs may have altered community structure by replacing natural habitat for native fishes. Therefore, we examined differences in species richness, relative abundance, and assemblage structure of fishes on and off these artificial reefs across 4 lakes in the Hiawatha National Forest during early fall of 2024. We set fyke nets and minnow traps overnight for 24 hours at 1 artificial habitat and 1 natural habitat within each lake. We identified and counted all fishes at each habitat type, and then compared mean species richness, mean relative abundance, and assemblage similarity among sites. Mean species richness was moderately lower at artificial reef sites, and relative abundance did not differ between habitats. Differences in fish assemblages were generally greater between habitat types (even within lakes) compared to habitat types among lakes. Certain species, particularly Perca flavescens (Yellow Perch) were far less abundant at artificial habitat sites than at natural sites. Comparatively, many centrarchid species (e.g., sunfish, crappie, bass) were more abundant on artificial habitat sites. Resource managers should consider benefits to target species and potential unintended consequences to non-target species before installing artificial reefs in inland lakes.

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