As we take the week off to celebrate Groundhog Day (or something), we're re-airing this conversation with James Kessler of NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab. In it, Stuart and Carolyn speak with James Kessler of the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab about lake ice coverage, spaghetti diagrams, and shoveling snow for ice hockey. Enjoy!

Stuart, Megan, and Natty speak with John Schmidt, program manager of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers' 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative. They also discuss different things you can drink, if you want.

Show links:

• https://gsgp.org/projects/100-great-lakes-fish/
• https://fiskurleather.com/
• https://theaquaborne.com/gallery
• https://www.collab.is/english
• Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians https://www.gtbindians.org 
• https://michiganadvance.com/2025/08/14/in-peshawbestown-the-grand-traverse-band-puts-fish-waste-to-use/
• https://www.mannysdeli.com/
• https://www.xiancuisinechicago.com/west-loop
• https://www.johnnys-beef.com/
• https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/fishing/black-lake

Stuart and Megan speak with Bill Pringle of the Detroit Historical Society and Dossin Great Lakes Museum. 

Links:

• Dossin Great Lakes Museum | Detroit Historical Society
• Detroit Historical Society
• JW Westcott
• Detroit River Watch Webcam
• Doorway to Freedom – Detroit and the Underground Railroad
• Freedom Seekers curriculum connects students to the Underground Railroad, Great Lakes and science
• Detroit Institute of Arts Museum
• Outdoor Treasures | Detroit Historical Society
• Mudgie's Deli
• Belle Isle Conservancy

Our annual awards show, or, quite possibly not the least prestigious podcast-related awards ceremony there is. No show notes to avoid spoilers!

Stuart and Megan discuss fish passage projects with Jeff Tyson of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Also, bears and salmon!

Links:

• What is the 'salmon cannon' and how do the fish feel about it? | Fish | The Guardian
• Fat Bear Week
• Brown Bear Cam - Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park | Explore.org
• Webcams - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)
• Great Lakes Fishery Commission - Fish Passage
• Metroparks recommend replacing Flat Rock Dam with rock arches that maintain reservoir - Great Lakes Commission

Each November, we love to feature nonprofits who are doing wonderful work throughout the Great Lakes. This year, we speak with Sandy Wynn-Stelt and Tony Spaniola of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, and Betsy Maher and Em Racine of Save the Dunes. We hope you are as inspired as we were!!

*Apologies for the audio issues: Carolyn edited the episode. Please do not judge Stuart or Sandra.
Submit nominations for The Lakies!!

Links:

• Great Lakes PFAS Action Network
• PFAS Contamination in MI takes Center Stage on Capitol Hill | Council of Michigan Foundations 
• PFAS advocates have got some federal 'wins' recently, what's next? 
• On the Rise Bakery - Capuchin Soup Kitchen  
• Sprinkles Donut Shop 
• Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park 
• Au Sable - Huron-Manistee National Forests 
• Past episodes on PFAS
  • 52: Let's Buy a Vowel Here
  • We Can't Measure Them All
  • Teach Me About the Great Lakes | Biomagnifying in the Food Chain
  • Teach Me About the Great Lakes | Diner Tuna is the Best Tuna  
  • Teach Me About the Great Lakes | Massive Piles of Petroleum Coke 
• Make a donation to Save the Dunes for Giving Tuesday 
• Vote for Save the Dunes at Blue Chip Casino Trees of Hope (see picture on social media)
• Follow on social media: https://www.facebook.com/savedunes/ and https://www.instagram.com/savethedunes/
• Sign up for Save the Dunes enewsletters
• Save the Dunes Website, home to upcoming events, action alerts, Save the Dunes history and more! 
• Panini Panini 
• Joe's Bread
• Tiny's Coffee Bar
• FLUID Coffee Roasters   
• Marquette Park — Visit Miller Beach | Gary Indiana 
• Indiana’s Cowles Bog | A Protected Natural Sanctuary 

Megan and Renie speak with Michael Gemmell of Parks Canada about the establishment of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, and are introduced to a delicious treat. 

Correction: Ashley Eaton works with Lake Champlain Sea Grant and not Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Links:

• Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area 
• Lake Superior Circle Tour 
• National Marine Conservation Areas System Plan 
• The Gunilda Shipwreck: Tales from the Depths | Northern Ontario Travel 
• Lake Superior Lighthouses 
• The surprising, shocking, startling, astonishing story of Silver Islet 
• The Sumptuous History Of The Thunder Bay Persian Roll | Flavour Network 

Our fourth annual Halloween special

Megan and Carolyn talk with Dana Castle about anglers in the St. Clair-Detroit River System, the importance of creel surveys, some incredible restoration projects, and donuts but not for breakfast. 

Links: 

• Great Lakes Science Advisory Board | International Joint Commission
• New publication: Angler dynamics in the St. Clair-Detroit River System after decades of change - ScienceDirect 
• Lake St. Clair
• St.Clair - Detroit River System Initiative
• Frequently Asked Questions About the Detroit and St. Clair River Fish Spawning Reef Projects   
• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 
• What Dana works on now: Natural Rivers 
• Clam Lake Beer Company
• The Painted Lady Saloon 
• Johan's Pastry Shop - Petoskey Area 

What are the aquatic invasive species that Great Lakes experts wish you knew more about? Megan and Carolyn discuss with TMATGL all-stars El Lower, Katie O'Reilly, and Brian Roth.

Links:

• Past episodes featuring today's guests 13: It Smells Like Science, 27: The Claws Have the Sweetest Meat, 46: It's All Stuff That I've Eaten, Teach Me About the Great Lakes | 55: Ask Dr. Fish, Ask Dr. Fish, Teach Me About the Great Lakes | A Really Nice Thickness of Cheese
• Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) 
• New state-record flathead catfish weighs in above 64 pounds 
• Marmorkrebs (Procambarus virginalis)
• Marbled crayfish becomes plentiful species thanks to genetic mutation  
• Marbled crayfish raises eyebrows, and concerns | Great Lakes Now  
• Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
• Keep, Cool, Call: What to do if you capture a black carp 
• Lake Michigan Quagga Mussel Density 
• Signal crayfish | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
• New invasive crayfish found in Minnesota | UMN Extension  
• Research reveals hope for managing invasive red swamp crayfish | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
• Invasive Crayfish Collaborative: Prevention, Regulations
• National Invasive Species Awareness Week: Water hyacinth - MSU Extension
• Article: Pretty but problematic: Aquatic plants to avoid   
• GLANSIS: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory - Ann Arbor, MI, USA 
• Invasive water hyacinths are effective at removing microplastics, study finds
• Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) | Minnesota DNR
• Grant supports educational resources for Chicago area boaters, harbormasters, shoreline property owners | Illinois  
• Ballast Water - Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System
• How Invasions Happen: Aquariums 
• Bellflower Restaurant
• The Bread Company
• Phở Số 1 
• Belle Isle Conservancy 
• Bradford Beach | Travel Wisconsin 
• Bellaire Chamber of Commerce 
• Honourable mentions for titles: These are not small fish; Catch ‘em and keep ‘em; Perpetual crayfish machine; It’s very, very pretty, it’s really hard to kill; If you’re not sure what it is, take it off your boat