ROSE LAKE - 2006 FISHERIES SURVEY REPORT
Mark A. Tonello
Rose Lake is a 370-acre natural lake in northwestern Osceola County, near Leroy, Michigan. It is the largest lake in Osceola County. Rose Lake has two main basins, and a small, weedy bay. Maximum depths in the basins are around 30 feet, and in the bay around 10 feet. The substrate present in the lake is mostly sand, with silty sand and detritus in the weedy shoreline areas. The shoreline is highly developed with many homes surrounding the lake, with only a few scattered parcels of undeveloped land. There is an Osceola County park located on the north side of the lake with a campground and a boat launch. Rose Lake is in the Pine River subwatershed of the Manistee River watershed. The Rose Lake outlet flows into the East Branch of the Pine River. A lake-level control structure on the outlet was installed in 1957.
The first recorded fish stocking of Rose Lake took place in 1937, when bluegill and walleye fry were stocked. Stocking of bluegill and walleye continued until 1942, and a one-time plant of largemouth bass fingerlings took place in 1941. Walleye were again stocked in 1954, 1959, 1976, 1978, and 1979. A northern pike spawning marsh was operated between 1957 and 1962, with fair results. A more consistent walleye stocking program was initiated in 1985. Since then, walleye fingerlings have been stocked in 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2006. Other management actions for Rose Lake include the installation of brush shelters in 1949. In
2003, due to angler complaints regarding overabundant small northern pike and poor growth rates, the minimum size limit on northern pike was removed and the bag limit changed to five per day.
File information indicates that Rose Lake may be prone to fish kills. A substantial 1938 winter kill is discussed by Brown (1940), and fish kills were observed in June of 1972 and June of 1981. In the June fish kills, the primary victims were small bluegills, but small numbers of other species were noted as well. The most likely cause of the two summer fish kills on Rose Lake was oxygen depletion caused by algae blooms.
Fisheries surveys have been conducted by M])OC (the Michigan Department of Conservation, the precursor to today’s MDNR) and !VIDNR in the following years: 1938, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1966, 1975, 1984, 1994, and 2002. The 2002 survey was a general fisheries survey of Rose Lake involving gill nets, trap nets, fyke nets, and electrofishing (Tonello, 2002).

2006 Fisheries Survey
In June of 2006, Rose Lake was stocked with 41,498 spring fingerling walleye. To assess the success of the stocking effort, we performed a Serns Index electrofishing survey on Rose Lake on 9/18/2006. With the Harrietta boomshocker boat we shocked four miles of Rose Lake shoreline, Unfortunately, no young of the year walleye were captured or observed, and only one adult walleye (23”) was caught. Based on this we assumed that the June spring fingerling stocking effort likely was not successful. However, we did have fall fingerling walleye available, so in October of 2006, we stocked 10,662 fall fingerling walleye into Rose Lake. The fall fingerlings were roughly 4” in length.

Management Direction
1. Although only one walleye was captured in this survey, Rose Lake should continue to be managed as a stocked walleye lake. Walleye reports from anglers have been positive regarding Rose Lake, and the stunted bluegils should provide an adequate forage base. Therefore, MDNR Fisheries Division will stock Rose Lake with spring fingerling walleyes at a rate of 75/acre (27,750), every other year. The previous prescription called for 100/acre (37,000) every third year. Hopefully by stocking every other year, we can establish more year classes and ultimately get better survival. The next scheduled stocking effort for Rose Lake is scheduled for 2008.

2. MDNR Fisheries Division will continue to support the Rose Lake Association in their efforts to create a more balanced aquatic macrophyte community in Rose Lake.

3. MDNR Fisheries Division will also continue to work with MDEQ to protect any and all remaining riparian wetlands around Rose Lake. The wetlands around Rose Lake are an extremely critical component of a healthy ecosystem. They provide habitat for a variety of mammals, birds, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, etc., and therefore add biological productivity to Rose Lake. The wetland in question helps to maintain and improve the water quality of Rose Lake by removing excess nutrients, reducing biological oxygen demand, and removing suspended solids and pollutants. Many wetlands around Rose Lake have already been lost, and all efforts should be made to protect and preserve those that remain so that Rose Lake will provide quality recreation for generations to come.

References
Tonello, M. A. 2002. Lake surveys: Rose Lake, 2002. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Cadillac.