NANFA Mailing List Archive: Re: NANFA-L-- NANFA-L Stonefly survey

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=20
Trout are king in Michigan. The Pacific Salmon put in the great lake =
are a mammoth tourist industry. The Clinton River a hundred years ago =
was a trout stream and still has I believe native brook trout in a few =
cold bog tributaries. In the 1950's it was a sewer most of the =
communities then dumped totally untreated sewage into it. Last spring =
1000's of steal heads returned for the first time. Steel heads are =
right up there with white tail deer in this state. If the DNR believes =
they can stock trout here it will make it far more protected from =
development then it is today. That means the darters will also still be =
there. Below is an E-mail from-in-state fisheries biologist to the CRWC =
discussion page.=20

Greeting river enthusiasts,
I have some good news I wanted to share on this cold (that may be the=20
understatement of the day) winter day. We (MDNR-Fisheries) have been=20
able to direct more steelhead to the Clinton River, beginning this=20
year. I regularly get questions on why the Clinton River gets so few=20
fish given the amount of fishing effort it gets. Basically, our=20
hatcheries are-in-full capacity for steelhead, so the only way to get=20
more steelhead in one river is to take them from another. As you can=20
imagine, that is a very difficult task. In Southeast Michigan, we=20
have 4 rivers that get stocked annually with steelhead; Huron River=20
(60,000), Clinton River (15,000), Mill Creek (15,000), and Belle=20
River (12,000). The Huron River got a big increase in stocking when=20
the fish ladder over the Flat Rock Dam was completed, opening up=20
steelhead fishing all the way to the Belleville Dam. This stocking=20
is fixed. That leaves Mill Creek and Belle River.

We always questioned whether the Mill Creek and Belle River stockings=20
were the best use of a limited resource, because we got very few=20
reports from anglers using these rivers. This contrasts to the=20
extensive use we know we get on the Clinton. A few years ago we did=20
a creel survey on Mill Creek and Belle River to evaluate the use of=20
these rivers during the steelhead run. The results confirmed our=20
suspicion that very few people are using these fisheries. Therefore,=20
we are going to cannibalize some of the steelhead from these rivers=20
to add to the Clinton River stocking. Beginning this spring, the=20
Clinton River will get 25,000 steelhead, and Mill Creek will be=20
reduced to 10,000 steelhead and Belle River to 7,000. The bottom=20
line is a 40% increase in steelhead stocking on the Clinton River=20
beginning this year. =20

I know I have talked to some anglers who have this spring highlighted=20
on their calendars. Remember that in spring 2003 we were able to=20
stock a total of 30,000 (double the regular number) steelhead. This=20
is the first spring that we expect to see these fish returning. That=20
may warm you up a little, anticipating this springs fishery. =20

Finally, we are going to be conducting a creel survey on the Clinton=20
River this March/April. I hope that everyone that is contacted to=20
participate in the survey will assist us. The better data we have to=20
document the use of the fishery, the more likely we will be=20
successful in support for the river.

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Greeting river=20 enthusiasts,
I have some good news I wanted to share on this cold = (that may=20 be the
understatement of the day) winter day. We = (MDNR-Fisheries) have=20 been
able to direct more steelhead to the Clinton River, beginning = this=20
year. I regularly get questions on why the Clinton River gets = so few=20
fish given the amount of fishing effort it gets. Basically, = our=20
hatcheries are-in-full capacity for steelhead, so the only way to = get=20
more steelhead in one river is to take them from another. As = you can=20
imagine, that is a very difficult task. In Southeast Michigan, = we=20
have 4 rivers that get stocked annually with steelhead; Huron River=20
(60,000), Clinton River (15,000), Mill Creek (15,000), and Belle =
River=20 (12,000). The Huron River got a big increase in stocking when =
the fish=20 ladder over the Flat Rock Dam was completed, opening up
steelhead = fishing=20 all the way to the Belleville Dam. This stocking
is = fixed. That=20 leaves Mill Creek and Belle River.

We always questioned whether = the Mill=20 Creek and Belle River stockings
were the best use of a limited = resource,=20 because we got very few
reports from anglers using these = rivers. This=20 contrasts to the
extensive use we know we get on the Clinton. = A few=20 years ago we did
a creel survey on Mill Creek and Belle River to = evaluate=20 the use of
these rivers during the steelhead run. The results=20 confirmed our
suspicion that very few people are using these=20 fisheries. Therefore,
we are going to cannibalize some of the=20 steelhead from these rivers
to add to the Clinton River = stocking. =20 Beginning this spring, the
Clinton River will get 25,000 steelhead, = and Mill=20 Creek will be
reduced to 10,000 steelhead and Belle River to = 7,000. =20 The bottom
line is a 40% increase in steelhead stocking on the = Clinton River=20
beginning this year.

I know I have talked to some = anglers who=20 have this spring highlighted
on their calendars. Remember that = in=20 spring 2003 we were able to
stock a total of 30,000 (double the = regular=20 number) steelhead. This
is the first spring that we expect to = see=20 these fish returning. That
may warm you up a little, = anticipating this=20 springs fishery.

Finally, we are going to be conducting a = creel=20 survey on the Clinton
River this March/April. I hope that = everyone=20 that is contacted to
participate in the survey will assist us. = The=20 better data we have to
document the use of the fishery, the more = likely we=20 will be
successful in support for the river.

Greeting river enthusiasts,
I have = some good=20 news I wanted to share on this cold (that may be the
understatement = of the=20 day) winter day. We (MDNR-Fisheries) have been
able to direct = more=20 steelhead to the Clinton River, beginning this
year. I = regularly get=20 questions on why the Clinton River gets so few
fish given the amount = of=20 fishing effort it gets. Basically, our
hatcheries are-in-full = capacity=20 for steelhead, so the only way to get
more steelhead in one river is = to take=20 them from another. As you can
imagine, that is a very = difficult=20 task. In Southeast Michigan, we
have 4 rivers that get stocked = annually with steelhead; Huron River
(60,000), Clinton River = (15,000), Mill=20 Creek (15,000), and Belle
River (12,000). The Huron River got = a big=20 increase in stocking when
the fish ladder over the Flat Rock Dam was = completed, opening up
steelhead fishing all the way to the = Belleville=20 Dam. This stocking
is fixed. That leaves Mill Creek and = Belle=20 River.

We always questioned whether the Mill Creek and Belle = River=20 stockings
were the best use of a limited resource, because we got = very few=20
reports from anglers using these rivers. This contrasts to the =
extensive use we know we get on the Clinton. A few years ago = we did=20
a creel survey on Mill Creek and Belle River to evaluate the use of=20
these rivers during the steelhead run. The results confirmed = our=20
suspicion that very few people are using these fisheries. = Therefore,=20
we are going to cannibalize some of the steelhead from these rivers =
to=20 add to the Clinton River stocking. Beginning this spring, the =
Clinton=20 River will get 25,000 steelhead, and Mill Creek will be
reduced to = 10,000=20 steelhead and Belle River to 7,000. The bottom
line is a 40% = increase=20 in steelhead stocking on the Clinton River
beginning this = year. =20

I know I have talked to some anglers who have this spring = highlighted=20
on their calendars. Remember that in spring 2003 we were able = to=20
stock a total of 30,000 (double the regular number) steelhead. = This=20
is the first spring that we expect to see these fish = returning. That=20
may warm you up a little, anticipating this springs fishery. =20

Finally, we are going to be conducting a creel survey on the = Clinton=20
River this March/April. I hope that everyone that is contacted = to=20
participate in the survey will assist us. The better data we = have to=20
document the use of the fishery, the more likely we will be =
successful=20 in support for the river.