Historically, muskellunge and northern pike moved to shallow waters during the early spring months to spawn. Unfortunately, this annual right of spring was interrupted by modern-day pollution and development that destroyed many spawning areas. To maintain population levels, fisheries managers have had to raise muskellunge and northern pike in hatcheries and stock them in the wild. Restoration projects have been attempted for both muskellunge and northern pike. These projects have entailed activities such as reclaiming swampy and marshy areas to placing certain substrates in areas where fish are thought to spawn.
Substrates are important because they establish an environment for fish eggs.
Some substrates are known to smother eggs, but others provide support and aeration. Some substrates provide oxygen to the eggs, while others take it away. Some substrates are even thought to give off chemicals that inhibit bacterial and fungal growth, thus providing protection to the developing eggs. Artificial plastic plants 4. We constructed this list of substrates from past papers on muskellunge and northern pike breeding biology.