I think in the last 10 years we're seeing more lamprey in southern Lake Huron than we had, say, 10 years ago.
When we fish in the wintertime, we fish probably about 25 miles north of Sarnia. We get right in the middle of the lake, so it would be pretty much straight off Bayfield or Grand Bend, right in the middle of the lake, right on the international boundary line, 130 or 150 feet of water. We would average, probably some days, just one or two, and some days four or five.
I'd say we would see 20 lampreys a week. Most of them, when they come up, try to drop off just as you're coming around the puller. Sometimes they'll fall off right there. Most times they come around the puller and the guys get them.
As for actual wounding rates, it's hard to tell. On the whitefish, it's easy to tell. You'll see where the lamprey was on there and just let go, because you have the nice circle where the lamprey was, but it just didn't quite break the skin. I don't know if they come off because we're pulling them off, but the further south you come, the less lamprey you see.
When we fish trap-nets right close to shore, Grand Bend, right down into Sarnia, you might see one lamprey every two or three weeks.