Keeping Steelhead Rainbow Trout in the Saugeen River For Future Generations
Tip of the hat to Ken “Creekman” Davis for illustrating the latest California WaterBlog with his 35-second video of salmon spawning in Putah Creek. In an early December survey, Ken found that an estimated 200 salmon came to spawn in the stream – by far the most in more than 30 years on annual surveys. UC Davis fish biologist Peter Moyle couldn’t be happier: http://bit.ly/1FfRiD2
Posted by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences on Thursday, March 12, 2015
A very long four days, working with the Ontario Steelheaders with our annual spring adult steelhead trap and transport program on Ontario’s Saugeen River. We trap 1,000 pre-spawn adults at Denny’s Dam and drive and trailer them 50 miles upriver to the Beatty Saugeen and it’s great spawning waters. We only lower the trap twice a day for only an hour and trap an average approximately of 500 plus fish a day in the two lifts. We can only handle 50 fish in each of the 3 trailers a trip. It took a little more than five days to capture the thousand adults. Adults average 7 pounds plus, but we always see fish over 15 pounds. Lots of tough work on the boys and their trucks. The fish are driven to the Beatty and tubed into the stream. Next up, we stock 50,000 yearling smolt next week. The Saugeen now see runs of 40,000-50,000 adults yearly due to volunteer efforts. Some of us are getting a little old for this type of workout.
Spring is in the air and the Ontario Steelheaders / Lake Huron Fishing Club members started yesterday afternoon with their annual Saugeen River adult steelhead transfers. Just the first test lift yesterday. The trap was down for only two hours and 200 fish were captured and 150 transferred by trailer 40 miles upriver to the promised spawning grounds. The next few days will see a thousand trailered and thousands simply checked and allowed to pass through Denny’s Dam. What a miracle program…The estimated spring and fall runs now ranges from 40,000 – 50,000 fish.
Happy Spring! Yesterday was first day of spring for 2015. While Michigan seems to be getting steelhead runs in their rivers, Lake Huron tribs in Ontario may have to wait a bit longer.
As the News and Media Director of the Ontario Steelheaders, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Rodney (ROD) Jones one of our longest and dedicated members, will be presented with the “Canada’s Recreational Fisheries Award.”
The Award recognizes his outstanding contributions to promote the interests of recreational fishing in Ontario and improve recreational fisheries on the Saugeen River watershed. His leadership has made a significant contribution to recreational fishing and fisheries conservation in Canada. The Award ceremony place and time will be announced at a later date.
A letter is attached for all to read signed by the Honourable Gail Shea, P.C., M.P., Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada.
Best Regards,
David Allen
The MNR has released an annual guide to the rules and regulations for recreational fishing in Ontario. The guide contains information about recreational fishing licenses, open seasons and zones and catch limits, as well as up-to-date fishing regulations for each fishing zone. See Zone 16 for Saugeen River regulations.
The Big Thaw! Spring Is In The Air! And the boys have been busy getting ready for the annual spring yearling steelhead stocking on the Saugeen River. It’s one hell of a lot of work in the cold confines of the hatchery making sure the Saugeen continues to be known as one of the best big steelhead rivers on the continent. It’s called commitment and lot’s of it by a group of volunteers in the Ontario Steelheaders and the Lake Huron Fishing Club. Once you strip and fertilize wild steelhead eggs you have to feed and raise the little creatures for one full year at the LHFC’s Kincardine hatchery. Then just before stocking, the chunky 8 Inch smolt have to have their adipose fin removed for future identification. That’s Fifty Thousand plus fish that have to be manually clipped one at a time….AND THAT’S ONE HELL Of A CHORE and you only have to experience it to believe it. Great work guys and a special thank you for creating this great sport fishery! Right fish, Right Genetics, Right release size, Right stocking location, Proper Imprinting…again thank you!
