Spiel

I think the general concensus here would be for you to see a Doctor. Nuff said.

I'm glad you found it to be useful.

LMAO....is that how it was for you Pete?

Best wishes to you Bruce, I hope it all goes well and smoothly.

Smelt population explodes in Lake Huron Trend bodes well for diet of game fish species November 4, 2009 Jim Moodie / manitoulin.ca ANN ARBOR, Mich.-Nature, it has been remarked, abhors a vacuum, and that certainly seems to be the case with Lake Huron's endlessly repopulated depths. Alewives, once plentiful in the lake, are now practically gone, while other types of fish-both invasive and native, small and big-seem to be thriving, for better or worse, in their stead. As always, with a system of this size and complexity, where gains in the indigenous fishery are often undercut by the latest new foreign threat-or new pressures wrought by commercial and recreational activities-the picture is mixed. But generally, things look fairly promising for our Sweetwater Sea, judging by the impressions of a research crew that performed a recent checkup on the lake's finny fettle. Earlier this fall, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) vessel The Sturgeon made its annual sweep of Lake Huron, in order to gauge densities of various species via acoustic sounding and mid-level trawls. And while the numbers remain to be crunched, there were some intriguing initial finds. "I can only offer preliminary observations, pending analysis, but one thing we saw was a very large hatch of smelt," said Jeff Schaeffer, a research fishery biologist with the Great Lakes Science Centre in Ann Arbor, Michigan. "They were ubiquitous." Alewives, by contrast, were next to non-existent. "We caught maybe four or five," he remarked. "At the same trawl site, there would be 750 to 1,000 smelt." The 105-foot ship, with a crew of six aboard, spent 30 days visiting "all three basins of Huron for a lake-wide survey," said Mr. Schaeffer. This included "23 transects or sampling stations" that spanned the main part of the lake, Georgian Bay, and the North Channel. While alewives-an invasive type of herring, apparently named for their potbellies-formed a significant part of the diet for salmon, researchers aren't really ruing their decline. Nor are they too concerned about the surge in rainbow smelts, even though this is also a non-indigenous species. "I'm not completely unhappy about it," said Mr. Schaeffer. "As an invader, smelt are less of a problem than alewives." The biggest smelt boom was observed in the main basin of Lake Huron, said the biologist, although the North Channel had "a lot there, too." The more striking development in the North Channel was probably the presence of a different little import. "We noticed a lot of three-spined stickleback," said Mr. Schaeffer. "It's not indigenous to the upper lakes, but it's been around a long time in low numbers." In the past couple of years, the population of this spiky species-which really does sport a trio of dorsal spines, plus bony plates on its flanks-has grown quite rapidly, he said. (Hardcore fish appreciators might be interested to learn that, according to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, "its caudal peduncle may be keeled or it may not." Or not.) As unappetizing as they sound, these crunchy critters are apparently being gobbled up quite readily by bigger fish. "Predators are eating them," said the researcher. "Canadian biologists have noticed this in the stomachs of trout and salmon." A separate analysis of sport fish on the US side of Lake Huron has shown that another invasive species is becoming more commonly ingested. "We did a new study this year where we looked at 2,000 stomachs of salmon, trout and walleye caught by anglers, and found that many of the fish are consuming round gobies," said Mr. Schaeffer. "Walleye and trout, in particular, are feeding heavily on gobies." While baitfish seemed plentiful in the North Channel last fall, when The Sturgeon conducted its previous swing through these parts, by the spring and summer of this year, numbers were generally low across all three basins of Lake Huron. Predators like trout and walleye "apparently responded by eating gobies," said Mr. Schaeffer. The bounteous hatch of smelt this year theoretically bodes well as a future food source for these bigger swimmers-not to mention an enticing catch for net-wielding sports types-"but they're still very small fish, the question we still have is whether they will survive," noted Mr. Schaeffer. At six months old, the baby smelts "are about as long as a little finger and weigh about a gram," said the fishery biologist. "Presumably, if these fish survive, there will be more food for salmon and trout, but I have some reservations. We saw a similar phenomenon in 2005, where there was a strong hatch but few adults materialized, because the mortality was high." The smelt upswing might go some way towards replenishing numbers of baitfish in Huron, but "this is not going to get us out of the woods" on its own, suggested Mr. Schaeffer. Nor should nocturnal scoopers get too excited just yet. "You're not going to see huge smelt dipping as a result of this," he cautioned. There is some encouraging news, though, for anyone who values a resurgence in native species. "We've had good chub hatches in recent years," noted Mr. Schaeffer. "They have survived and are growing, with the average size in catches being up." And in the southern main basin, at least, "we also saw emerald shiners, which is a very positive sign," he added. This fish might be tiny (six-10 centimetres) but it's a naturally occurring species and an indication of ecological equilibrium. The resurgence of this green-tinged shiner, as with that of the much bigger lake trout, is linked closely to the crash in alewife numbers, according to Mr. Schaeffer. "As soon as the alewife disappeared, we saw the return of emerald shiners and the first evidence in decades of wild lake trout reproducing," he said. The transition was quite dramatic for those studying the lake's fish population. "In 28 years of trawling, we had seen about five baby lake trout," noted Mr. Schaeffer. "In 2004, we caught 22, which doesn't sound like a big number, but if you think about the size of the lake, and multiply that across the whole area, it was a very strong hatch." Those newborn lakers observed five years ago "are now adults showing up in our survey," he said. "The lake trout fishery is not recovered yet, but the signs are all positive. Lake trout appear to be very stable, and may even be increasing." The alewife exit in the earlier part of this decade also cued "the onset of walleye reproduction," Mr. Schaeffer noted. "They are definitely increasing, at least on the US side, where record-high catches in Saginaw Bay began immediately after the loss of alewives." The imports had provided food for some species, including salmon and a certain variety of black bird, but had a detrimental impact on others, as "adult alewives can be quite a voracious predator, and we think they consumed the eggs of walleye," said Mr. Schaeffer. While The Sturgeon has wrapped up its investigative tour for this year, a sister vessel called The Grayling is still combing the lower depths of the lake through bottom trawling, and data collected by each craft will be compiled over the winter months, said Mr. Schaeffer. Between the two types of sampling, "we get a more complete picture," he said, adding that a report on the research will be delivered in March. Meanwhile, The Sturgeon will be parked in Cheboygan, where "a relatively ice-free port" means it can stay in the water year-round. "You do get ice, but it's not thick enough to pose a problem," said Mr. Schaeffer. "It has a massive steel hull." While both ships sail out of Michigan, and receive funding from the US government, the work is undertaken jointly with Ontario, which also contributes financially to the research and often has biologists on board. Mr. Schaeffer said he and his American colleagues "always look forward to the Canadian portion of the trip," as these parts of the lake are particularly beautiful and "we like meeting people up there." The vessel docks each night at various ports, and Mr. Schaeffer's habit is to "go out on the back deck in the morning with coffee," at which point he almost invariably encounters a curious passerby, or five, on the dock. "We have lots of interesting discussions," he said. Canadians tend to be "really friendly," he said, while admitting that he was "yelled at" one time by an Islander who had strong feelings about cormorants. He didn't take it personally, though, and just tried to gently remind this individual that birds are really outside the mandate of the USGS crew. "We try to keep the talk focussed on fish," he said. During the most recent jaunt through the North Channel, "I had a wonderful talk with a First Nation person," he said, concerning the traditional Ojibwe belief in an underwater creature, generally referred to as Mishepeshu. The individual "wanted to know if we ever saw them." The answer was 'no,' but Mr. Schaeffer can't entirely rule out the possibility of such a leviathan existing. "I think it's very likely a spirit animal that isn't detectable by science, but the absence of evidence isn't conclusive evidence of absence," he said. He pointed out that, for years, there had been talk among tribespeople in Africa of a strange creature that was a sort of giraffe-zebra hybrid. Scientists scoffed. "No-one believed it existed; it was legendary," he said. "Finally someone did see one-the okapi." While he's not really expecting a half-lynx, half-snake monster to suddenly become snared in a USGS net, he and his colleagues are always braced for a surprise of some sort, and hope it won't be of the Asian carp variety, a documented oversized nasty that has been making its way up the Mississippi and is now banging at the (electrified) gate of the Great Lakes. "Very often it is our group that is typically the first to find invaders," he said. "And that's one of the reasons we're out there-to assess the fish community, and detect change." So far, though, the so-called flying carp has been blessedly absent in USGS catches. "We've heard recently that it was sighted in the Great Lakes, but who knows," he said. "We've had reports in the past, and it turned out to be the common carp. And even if someone sees one, it doesn't mean it's established." Right now, "there is no evidence of the Asian carp being established," he reassured. "We haven't seen one in our surveys, and we wouldn't be secretive about it if we did."

Maybe a brown.

The second fish is definitely not a rainbow!

B.C. judge to head salmon inquiry Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009 Mark Hume and Bill Curry / Globe and Mail In this 2006 file photo, B.C. sockeye salmon gather in the shallows of the Adams River near Chase, B.C. northeast of Vancouver. / REUTERS British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Bruce Cohen has been appointed to head a sweeping judicial inquiry into the collapse of the most important salmon run on the West Coast. Justice Cohen will investigate "the causes for the decline of Fraser River sockeye salmon including, but not limited to, the impact of environmental conditions, aquaculture, predators, diseases, water temperature and other factors that may have affected the ability of sockeye salmon to reach traditional spawning grounds or reach the ocean." Details of the inquiry were being released this morning in Vancouver by Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's decision to hold the inquiry is being called a last, best hope to avert a fisheries disaster on the West Coast. “This is our chance to save B.C. salmon from going the way of Atlantic cod,” Phil Eidsvik, a spokesman for the B.C. Fisheries Survival Coalition, said Thursday after Mr. Harper's surprise announcement in Ottawa. “It's a slim chance, but it's great news because we know there are ways to protect and save the run,” he said. “We know the department has been unable, for whatever reason, to do it – and only an inquiry will get to those reasons.” The announcement, which will be fleshed out Friday by Stockwell Day, the regional minister for B.C., could have immediate political impact because the salmon crisis is a key issue in Monday's federal by-election in New Westminster-Coquitlam. NDP Leader Jack Layton is arriving Friday to campaign over the weekend with his candidate, Fin Donnelly, a strong environmental advocate who once swam the length of the Fraser River to underscore the plight of salmon and who has been calling for an inquiry. Demands for an inquiry escalated this fall after the Fraser River sockeye run collapsed – with only about one million fish returning to spawn when between 10 million and 13 million had been expected. Mr. Harper made the announcement in the House of Commons. “We are very concerned about the low and falling returns of sockeye salmon in British Columbia,” he said, adding that Mr. Day would provide details today. “[He] will be making an announcement outlining the terms of reference for a judicial inquiry, as well as the judge who will lead that inquiry,” Mr. Harper said. The public inquiry will be mandated to report back to the government on or before May 1, 2011. It will have complete authority to hold hearings, summon witnesses and gather evidence as needed. “An inquiry has access to all DFO documents and they can bring people in and they testify under oath, with the chance of going to jail if they lie,” Mr. Eidsvik said. “And a judicial inquiry is the only format for that to happen. It gives us the best chance to get at the truth as to what's happened to our salmon runs.” Alexandra Morton, an independent scientist, said the inquiry needs to examine in detail the reasons why some 130 million salmon smolts, which migrated out of the Fraser, never returned from the ocean. “The establishment of a judicial inquiry into the management of the Fraser River sockeye fishery gives new hope for the future of a great salmon river,” said Conservative MP John Cummins, who has long sought just such an investigation into DFO. “We face a disaster of epic proportions on the Fraser. In six out of the last 11 years the fishery has been closed. Tens of thousands of B.C. families have suffered as a result,” he said. The Conservatives had promised an inquiry into B.C.'s salmon fishery before – during the 2006 campaign – but Vancouver Island North Tory MP John Duncan said the initial resistance to the idea that surfaced then has since passed. “We now have the circumstances where it's not about finger pointing any more. It's about getting to the bottom of what's actually going on,” he said, explaining that at the time of the original commitment there was some resistance from the fishing industry and first nations. But he said that has changed . Clarence Pennier, Grand Chief of the Stó:lô Tribal Council, welcomed the announcement, saying native communities along the Fraser are in “despair” over the failure of the sockeye run. “We are in the dark as to why the sockeye runs didn't make it back to the river. We are still looking for the answers and this is why we support a judicial inquiry,” Chief Pennier said. Rafe Mair, a public commentator and environmental advocate, said with pressure building for an inquiry, Mr. Harper had no choice but to act. “I don't think they are really taking any political risks here,” he said. “I don't think people would blame Harper for the crash.… they would, however, pin it on him if he didn't have an inquiry. He had to do it.” Alex Rose, author of Who Killed the Grand Banks: The Untold Story Behind the Decimation of One of the World's Greatest Natural Resources , said an inquiry could help reshape DFO and alter the fate of B.C. salmon. “I applaud Mr. Harper on this decision,” he said. “It's long overdue and I hope we get the chance to look at the failed mechanisms in DFO, a department I consider intellectually bankrupt.”

Carp barrier maintenance not just Corps' problem, official says Nov. 6, 2009 Dan Egan / Journal Sentinel A lot of noise has been made in recent weeks about President Barack Obama's $5 billion Great Lakes restoration plan, but nobody in the federal government right now is willing to spend a penny so necessary maintenance can be done on the Asian carp barrier built to keep the jumbo jumping fish from spilling into Lake Michigan. The electric barrier, located about 20 miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, was turned on last April but requires regular maintenance every six months. Biologists liken it to an oil change in a car, and to do the work the barrier needs to be shut down for a day or two. The problem is the carp are now swarming within about a mile of the barrier, so to keep the fish from swimming past the barrier during the down time, fish poison needs to be dumped in the canal. The cost to poison the canal is estimated to be about $750,000, and U.S. Army Corps officials say they don't believe it is their responsibility to pay that bill. "That is not a task that the Corps normally does and the best way to address the threat of Asian carp of getting into Lake Michigan (during the barrier shutdown) is through multiple agencies," said Col. Vincent Quarles of the Army Corps' Chicago office. The Environmental Protection Agency recently received $475 million to begin Great Lakes restoration work, but at this point that agency, or any other state or federal agency, isn't stepping forward to spend the money everyone agrees needs to be spent to protect the lakes. The EPA's point person for Great Lakes restoration, Cameron Davis, declined to comment for this article. The situation has the people who are fighting to keep the fish from invading the world's largest freshwater system at wits' end. "It's frustrating as hell," Phil Moy, a University of Wisconsin Sea Grant biologist who is the co-chairman of the advisory panel that is helping the Army Corps with the barrier, said this week. "In a time when you're throwing around millions and millions of dollars for (Great Lakes restoration), you'd like to see a tiny little piece of that sent our way." Quarles said he doesn't believe the barrier is in imminent danger of breaking down, but he conceded nobody really knows how the $9 million contraption is holding up until they can turn it off and get a look under the hood. "I'm sure once we shut it down we'll learn a lot," he said.

I agree with you 100%. As a full size van driver this happens to me all the time and I really like it when they only travel a block then stop to wait for traffic to clear so they can make a left hand turn.

You've likely got all the help you need here Ryan and then some. Good luck.

Beautiful... X 10

LOL....That's just nuts.

MNR_netting in Mindemoya Lake shows less walleye,new smelt presence October 28, 2009 Jim Moodie / manitoulin.ca LAKE MINDEMOYA-Recent netting by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in Lake Mindemoya suggests that walleye numbers are down while smelt are suddenly present. While the two aren't necessarily connected, and more study is required before an assessment of either trend is possible, each development has piqued the interest of the researchers and leaves room for armchair theorists to wade in while awaiting an official conclusion. Over four days in mid-October, fisheries workers with the ministry's district office set a dozen gill nets at various locations in the lake in order to get "a snapshot of what the lake supports," explained biologist Wayne Selinger, adding that the "site locations were picked randomly, so we weren't targetting a particular habitat." Nor was the catch limited to a certain type of fish. "These are experimental nets, which are not like commercial fishing nets," pointed out Mr. Selinger. "They're designed to catch not just sports fish but the gamut of sizes and species, so you get a picture of the whole fish community." That said, the main focus of the undertaking-as its official name, Fall Index Walleye Netting, would imply-was to gauge the health of the walleye, or pickerel, population. It's an exercise that the MNR carries out every four or five years, with the last study of this type occurring on Lake Mindemoya in 2005. Before that, there were similar net surveys carried out in 2001 and 1995. Lake Mindemoya was getting due for another such sweep, but it was fast-tracked as a result of issues raised. "We could have done this next year," said Mr. Selinger. "But based on a number of concerns that were expressed, we decided to step it up." The sense among many anglers, and their representative voice in the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM), has been that the number of walleye in Lake Mindemoya has dwindled in recent years, with one theory for that decline being the impact of zebra mussels. "It's one of the concerns," admitted Mr. Selinger. "We know for a fact that they have been introduced within the last decade, and no doubt that will result in changes to the fishery, but we have to get a handle on what that impact is." Walleye are a key part of the Mindemoya fishery, and, unlike Lake Manitou and Lake Kagawong, have never been stocked here. "In my estimation, Mindemoya is the only native walleye population on the Island," said Mr. Selinger. He'd like to see it remain a natural, self-sustaining fishery, believing that "natural recruitment" is preferable to planting fish in the lake. At this point, it is premature to make any firm comment on the state of the walleye fishery, or its main threats, as the information from the index netting remains to be analyzed. "We have to get the fish aged and compare the data to past surveys, as well as to other lakes in the Northeast," said Mr. Selinger. This process, he warned, will take several months. In general, though, "the numbers are down a bit relative to earlier surveys, and we're concerned about that," conceded Mr. Selinger. "Once we get into the data, we'll understand more why this is happening." Fish caught in the gill nets were measured for length and weight, said the biologist, "and for walleye and perch, we also look at sex and maturity." Ovaries have additionally been preserved to study egg production, and age will be determined by analyzing an inner ear bone, known as the otolith, that was removed following the collection of the samples. In case you're trying to picture how the fish are now faring in the lake, minus a few ovaries and inner-ear parts, we might as well state the obvious: none of these scooped-up swimmers actually survived to be returned to their element. "People get concerned about this, but the alternative is trap netting, which is much more labour-intensive and provides less information," said Mr. Selinger. "The number of fish taken is very low compared to what the lake in theory can spare, and the data is used for the betterment of the fishery over time." Over four days, the MNR crew hauled up a total of 500 fish, and that included "all species," stressed Mr. Selinger, not just walleye. White suckers made up a significant portion of the catch, along with lake herring and whitefish. Bass were relatively few, but that's less a statement on their presence in the lake than their body shape. "They don't net very well, which is good," said the biologist. The one surprise was the appearance of rainbow smelts among these other finny kin. The small, non-indigenous fish has been established in both Lake Manitou and Lake Kagawong, but had not previously been thought to inhabit Lake Mindemoya, said Mr. Selinger. "Frankly when I first saw them I didn't twig to it right away, until one of the local gentlemen reminded me that they're not supposed to be here," said the biologist. He can't say categorically that the species was never in Lake Mindemoya in the past, but it appears that they have arrived recently. "They weren't present in 2005 (when the last index netting occurred)," noted Mr. Selinger. "And I've talked to other folks in the Mindemoya area who say they weren't there before." He suspects the smelts found their way into the lake through a careless use of bait or perhaps someone washing a catch from another spot, and losing (or deliberately dumping) a few in the process. "Smelt are harvested during the spawning run, and the eggs and milk will remain viable for days," noted the fisheries expert. The smelt run on Manitoulin makes for a popular angling (well, scooping) activity each spring, and these sardine-like swimmers make good eating not just for people, but pickerel, Mr. Selinger admitted. Still, "it's an addition to the lake that will carry an effect, and the consequences are rarely beneficial." As edible as the silvery little newcomers may be, "I don't think people would trade walleye for smelt," suggested the biologist. Still, he said he has to "dig deeper on this" before he can assess how recent, and widespread, the smelt invasion might be. Reaching a determination on the size and health of the walleye population will also take some time. But while numbers of the sport fish are likely to prove fewer than in the past, this doesn't necessarily mean a crisis. "There are still lots of walleye," said Mr. Selinger, adding that, based on the ones observed in the recent netting, they "are in excellent health, and good-sized fish." His hunch is that growth rates are, in fact, improving, although he stressed that "this is speculation at this point." Fall is the best time to conduct walleye netting since, due to the drop in surface temperature, "they are distributed across the lake instead of clumped up," he explained. The nets "fish the bottom" of the lake, he noted, but the MNR crew didn't focus on the deepest-or shallowest, for that matter-part of the water body. Of the 12 nets set at mid-month, a third were placed in shallow water, another third in deep water, and the remaining four "at mid range," he said. The work was done in consultation with the UFGCM, and with notification provided to the M'Chigeeng First Nation, while use of the Pirate's Cove resort was granted to the MNR crew for docking and fish-cleaning purposes. Mr. Selinger said the three-person MNR team put in long days of 12-14 hours, and had to haul up the nets by hand, in rather grim weather at times, yet he didn't characterize this as arduous work. "It's nice to be working outside," he said. The trio made a point of staying clear of the area where the usual perch anglers were congregated, and in general, felt the project proceeded without ruffling any feathers, or fins. "I think folks understood why we were out there," said Mr. Selinger. Of the fish caught, and sacrificed in the name of science, a lot were provided as food to the M'Chigeeng First Nation, while others were doled out among "some of the local folks" inhabiting the rest of the lake, said Mr. Selinger. Unfortunately, federal health legislation prevents the donation of such a harvest to an organization like Manitoulin Family Resources or Community Living Manitoulin, as has occurred in the past. Still, most of the take ended up on a plate, or in a freezer for future consumption, which is the MNR's preference, as "we don't want to see it go to waste," said Mr. Selinger. He acknowledges that some observers might still question the need for fish to be sacrificed en masse, but in his view "it's a drop in the bucket compared to what the lake should sustain and what recreational fishing takes," and will ultimately assist in the preservation of the resource. Aerial surveys of angling activity, along with creel censuses, can provide some useful information, but neither yields the sort of specific, biological data that is required to properly evaluate the fishery and plan its future. "I'm convinced this is the best tool," said Mr. Selinger. He noted that, apart from gaining a clearer picture of walleye dynamics, "we will have some good information on perch as well, which is another bread-and-butter fishery." And samples from the netting will additionally be shared with the Ministry of the Environment for analysis of contaminants, for its Guide to Eating Ontario Sports Fish program. The downside of such a thorough assessment is that an immediate prognosis on the pickerel situation will not be possible. It takes time to sift through the data, crunch the numbers, and come up with a report. Mr. Selinger said it will take three-six months before all the information is compiled and properly analyzed.

Research shows substantial improvements to Detroit River Thursday, October 29, 2009 Jim Kasuba / thenewsherald.com RIVERVIEW — There was a time when Detroit River and Lake Erie pollution was so bad it served as a punch line for comedians. But most environmentalists would agree that there is nothing funny about the degradation of one of this area’s most precious resources, or the resultant endangerment of certain fish and bird species. The good news is that the river, and, in particular, a Downriver portion of it, appears to be on the rebound. Recent research reveals that the Detroit River has experienced substantial improvement of environmental quality over the past 35 years that has resulted in dramatic improvements in the local fishery. Scientists have documented the recovery of walleye from crisis levels in the 1970s and a return of lake sturgeon and lake whitefish to the river after several decades of absence. American and Canadian research and monitoring under the Huron-Erie Corridor Initiative has shown that, in general, environmental pollution is no longer limiting the fishery and that lack of proper spawning habitat is now the factor most limiting fish productivity. Scientists and managers are now able to restore habitat that was historically lost through building and dredging of shipping channels, and lost through waterfront developments. BASF Corp., a worldwide chemical company with a plant in Wyandotte, recently constructed nearly an acre of habitat for walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and lake sturgeon in the Trenton Channel near the company’s Riverview property. In the spring, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey fishery biologists collected walleye and lake sturgeon in spawning-ready condition at this new habitat site. Biologists say the lake sturgeon, a remnant of the dinosaur age, is a key indicator of ecosystem health and is considered a keystone species by scientists and fishery managers. Monitoring will continue to track fishery use and reproductive success at this site in the future. Last year, BASF completed an environmental remediation project at this property in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The project laid the foundation for the fish habitat restoration in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River. The Detroit River and Lake Erie are considered to be the walleye capital of the world. It is estimated that walleye fishing brings in more than $1 million each spring to the Downriver economy and walleye fishing tournaments on the Detroit River have offered more than $500,000 in prize money. In one notable event, FLW Outdoors has held the Chevy Open bass tournament on the Detroit River and offered $1.5 million in prize money and resulted in bringing in between $4 million and $5 million to the Detroit metropolitan area. “This fish habitat restoration is the culmination of over 35 years of pollution- prevention and -control programs that is helping to enhance and sustain our internationally recognized fishery,” U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-15th District) said. “This is truly significant for our region because it supports the vital Michigan tourism economy, encourages further outdoor recreation, and helps our businesses attract and retain the next generation of employees by improving quality of life.” J.D. Purvis, general manager of BASF’s Wyandotte site, said the company is proud of its long-term record of environmental protection, social responsibility and economic success. “This fish habitat restoration project in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River supports our commitment to protecting the environment and quality of life for the community, and to fostering economic vitality in the Downriver area,” Purvis said. The Detroit River holds the distinction of being part of North America’s only International Wildlife Refuge and only international heritage river system.

You best be paying attention too Simon or you'll be "getting schooled" by this cute little fella. Future heart breaker and angling ace!

Scrappy chinook excel at fall runs for spawn migration time Trout MCT News Service October 21, 2009 / chicagotribune.com PETOSKEY, Mich. _ The fish jockeyed for position in the run, their every move magnified in the small, clear stream. With thick, green shoulders and sides of tarnished silver, they dodged and weaved like linebackers on a blitz. The call had come from the ultimate coordinator, Mother Nature. It's one these fish _ chinook salmon _ have heeded well for tens of thousands of years. Come late September, time is short for migrating salmon. Time to get upstream, time to spawn, time to die. The urge has not only served the chinook during time: It's allowed them to assume the top predator spot far from their native Pacific Ocean home. It's with good reason the fish is also known as the "king" salmon. In Lake Michigan, the chinook has established itself with a large, naturally reproducing population even as forage fish levels drop and efforts to restore native lake trout are failing. In dozens of tributaries along Michigan's western shore, chinook stage impressive spawning migrations each fall. Here on the banks of the Boyne River, the scene could be from a remote stream in the Pacific Northwest: The gin-clear water flows between evergreen-covered shores and over rounded stones and sand bars. Every couple dozen yards a chinook is visible, fanning out a redd or holding in the current. "It's such a beautiful little river," said Tony Petrella, a fly-fishing guide and writer from Gaylord, Mich. "It holds trout year-round. Then in fall we get this salmon explosion." I fished the Boyne recently with Petrella and P.J. Perea of Edgefield, S.C., to get a sense of the salmon phenomenon on the "other side of the pond." We drifted flies like stone fly nymphs and marabou streamers and egg patterns at the hulking fish. On about my 10th drift in a run with a half-dozen finning salmon, my fly line hesitated. I lifted to immediate and unmoving resistance. The fish then powered upstream and into a logjam; my attempt to turn it resulted in a snapped leader. "That's why it's nice to have a thousand flies," said Petrella. The Boyne is by no means a major Lake Michigan tributary. Its main stem flows for about 20 miles; over much of its length it is no wider than a city street. The water is named after the River Boyne in Ireland. Other Michigan rivers like the Muskegon and Manistee have much larger runs of salmon. But it's arguably more enjoyable to fish a small, clear water river by wading. The Boyne is at the northwestern edge of the "mitten" of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. In terms of latitude, it's across from Washington Island in Door County. It's a world apart as far as the salmon are concerned. A suite of non-native trout and salmon, including chinook and coho salmon, brown and rainbow trout, have been stocked in Lake Michigan annually since the late 1960s. The lake's native top predator_the lake trout_had collapsed by then under deteriorating environmental conditions and mortality related to invasive sea lampreys. The lake trout's demise occurred as numbers of invasive alewife skyrocketed. The small, silver forage fish died-off in the millions each year, fouling beaches from Kenosha to Door County. The non-native trout and salmon were placed in the lake to feed on the alewife and provide a sport fishery. The move has been hailed as one of the most successful in the 20th century Great Lakes fishery management. Not only were alewife reduced to non-nuisance numbers, a thriving charter and sport fishery took hold in harbors around the lake. Despite decades of intensive stocking and millions of dollars in research and management efforts_including ongoing sea lamprey control_by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the lake trout has failed to re-establish a naturally sustaining population in Lake Michigan. The chinook is an entirely different story. Tough, adaptable and aggressive, the fish has become "naturalized" to the lake and now reproduces naturally in impressive numbers. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, natural reproduction of chinook has continually increased over the last few decades and current estimates suggest naturally-produced smolts account for approximately 50 percent of the annual chinook salmon recruitment in Lake Michigan. Biologists derive such estimates by looking for a chemical marker in the bones of fish that return to rivers to spawn. For tracking purposes, oxytetracycline is added to the water in hatcheries; fish reared in such conditions can be differentiated from wild-spawned fish. For 2007, the numbers look like this: 3.4 million hatchery-raised chinook were stocked in Lake Michigan and an estimated 3.6 million chinook entered the lake via natural reproduction, almost all in Michigan streams. Most tributaries on the Wisconsin side are too warm, too low in oxygen or lack the necessary bottom substrate to allow migrating trout and salmon to naturally reproduce. So although large numbers of chinook, coho, browns and steelhead return to our rivers on spawning migrations, very few smolts result. Here on the Boyne, the spawning is not in vain. Female chinook turned on their sides and shimmied, clearing depressions for eggs. Males hovered nearby, ready to spread milt. In the clear water, the fish often veered away from our offerings. Big, colorful flies tended to elicit and strongest flight response. Small egg patterns resulted in the most hook-ups. It's easy to snag big fish in skinny water; about half of my hook-ups were "foul." Most such fish were on the line only for a brief "rodeo." But over three hours of fishing, I landed four chinook that struck the fly. Chinook are legendary for their power and stamina, and even now, in the last chapter of life, they fought long and hard. Some anglers kept their one allowable daily bag limit. I released mine to the river. In my book, the tenacious survivors had earned the right to finish their journey.

'Mother lode' of lures Angler hauls in massive snag of lures from Cowee Creek Friday, October 23, 2009 By Abby Lowell / JUNEAU EMPIRE When a boat anchor didn't dislodge a ball of lures rooted on the bed of Cowee Creek, David Athearn fashioned a makeshift grappling hook, looped it onto the bumper of his SUV and pulled the tangle - which had been deviling anglers all season - from the water. What emerged was a ball of neon pink, chartreuse and yellow Pixee spoons tangled among a mess of monofilament fishing line, lead weights, leaves and twigs. "Up this thing comes, it was about four feet long and just this ganglia of hooks, and lures and flys and various assortments," Athearn said. Picking lures in Cowee Creek is a pastime Athearn has pursued for "quite a few years." It was an annual outing he and his friend "CMO" (See-mo) would organize in an effort to clean up the popular fishing area north of Juneau. "We'd take big black plastic garbage bags and pick up the pop bottles, beer cans, and Pixee spoon wrappers and all the things that people leave on the banks," he said. But just over a year ago CMO, his full name being Craig M. Olson, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A month later in August, he died. The pair had been friends for more than 30 years. They hiked, picked mushrooms together and picked lures together. "We were, you know, outdoor buddies," Athearn said. In memory of his friend, Athearn decided to continue the annual Cowee Creek lure pick. And this year he hauled in the largest catch yet. It's been dubbed the "mother lode." In all, the wad contained exactly 100 variations of Pixee spoons, spinners, lead weights, egg clusters, hoochies and flies. It took an afternoon and a pair of wire clippers to deconstruct the monofilament and wire leaders holding the lures together. But most of the hooks had rusted away, Athearn said. "Monofilament, though, is like Cher's reconstructed cheek bones, they're forever." But this wasn't the most unusual thing Athearn has pulled from the creek. "You find a lot of interesting stuff that cretins toss into the river," he said. He's found a television, for instance. And on one occasion a pay phone. Athearn remembers hauling the receiver out of the water, holding it out towards Olson, who was spotting from the bank, and said, "It's for you!" Over the years Athearn said the picking has gotten easier. The popularity and strong fishery of the creek has certainly added to the amount of lures and other types of debris he's found in the area. "The amount of lures in the creek (is increasing) and unfortunately runs the gambit from beer bottles, beer cans to disposable diapers," he said. "It is a thing that irritates and somewhat angers me. But people are going to be people, and I just do what I can to alleviate (the litter) a little bit." But what is one to do with all these lures? Athearn chooses to "pay it forward." He gives those he doesn't need or want to friends or local families who will in turn refurbish them. But the rest he puts through "rehab" by shining them up and adding new hooks. "Come next year, I'll be using them," he said. And when the season wraps up in the fall, more than likely Athearn will be out at Cowee Creek again, picking lures. "It's something I will always continue to do as long as I'm in the upright-and-locked position and able to do that sort of thing," he said. "It's enjoyable, I supply myself with lures and it kind of cleans the creek up a little bit too."

Scugog sinks Port Perry Marina boat launch Township adamant that launch not part of waterfront redevelopment Oct 22, 2009 Chris Hall / newsdurhamregion.com PORT PERRY -- Scugog's ambitious plans for a new-look Port Perry waterfront does not include a marina boat launch, councillors told a shoreline business owner on Monday. Appearing before Scugog's councillors, John Mackey pitched an appeal to Township officials, asking they reconsider their plan to remove the boat launch located beside his Water Street business. As part of Scugog's massive waterfront redevelopment plan, the municipality is planning to rebuild and extend a lakefront boardwalk along the shores of Lake Scugog -- including a stretch of walkway past the Port Perry Marina and north past the Scugog Memorial Public Library. During his Oct. 19 deputation, however, Mr. Mackey stressed the importance of a boat launch to his business. "A boat launch is critical to the operation of Port Perry Marina," said Mr. Mackey, who has leased the marina property from the Township for nearly a quarter century. Talks between Mr. Mackey and the municipality on a lease extension, for as long as 20 years potentially, are currently underway. If the Township was to eliminate the marina boat launch, said Mr. Mackey, the waterfront business would have to make some tough decisions regarding its bottom line and customer service. He noted it would take additional time and/or staff resources to launch and retrieve boats if staff had to travel to the municipal boat launch to the north of the marina. Mr. Mackey also noted having a launch at the marina is handy for boat repairs, snowmobiles in need of fuel and for those renting vessels from Port Perry Marina. Even Scugog has taken advantage of the marina boat launch in the past, said Mr. Mackey, pointing out the weed harvester hired by the Township made use of the private launch. "Surely ... (redevelopment planners) can blend a boat launch at Port Perry Marina in a way that fits into the waterfront development plan," said Mr. Mackey. When asked how the loss of the launch might impact his business, Mr. Mackey said it's unlikely his business would suffer much, but that his operational costs could soar. "Eventually, yeah, the customers would have to absorb some of the cost," he said. Mr. Mackey's plea, however, appeared to fall on deaf ears. Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce asked staff if Mr. Mackey was made aware from the start of the waterfront project that his marina business could be impacted. In response, Gene Chartier, Scugog's commissioner of planning and public works, noted that Mr. Mackey was told the Township may wish to eliminate the boat launch. Mayor Pearce added that the municipality "thought you understood" the direction Scugog was taking when Mr. Mackey moved a portion of his business to the Hwy. 12 corridor. "As much as we all want to see your business continue ... there's a new vision for the downtown and it's less industrial," she said, adding that an auto parts store on the waterfront should also see the writing on the wall. "If we can't come to some sort of an agreement, we may have to look at how to manage a marina. Times have changed for the waterfront," said the mayor. "As we move forward 20 years and out, we may want a municipal marina that's more fitting for a downtown location," she continued. "We thank you for all you do in the community but I think the vision is going to stay intact." A clearly disappointed Mr. Mackey acknowledged the redevelopment plan and noted he embraced the municipality's downtown vision. When quizzed by Ward 3 Councillor Lynn Philip Hodgson if the Township would provide Mr. Mackey any compensation, Mayor Pearce shot back that exclusive negotiating rights to run the municipal marina "is pretty good compensation" and added that such agreements "should be going out for" everyone to bid on.

Taking to the waters of Rice Lake after dark offers peace and solitude October 31, 2009 TERRY CURTIS / www.northumberlandtoday.com Night time, autumn walleye. Is there a more relaxing, peaceful way to fish? Not in my books. For years and years now my father, Leo, and I have been fishing night biting fall walleye along the shoreline in the shallows of Rice Lake, unhindered by other boats and noise, sometimes the only boat on the water. And, I might add, with great success. It seems Dad and I aren't the only ones who enjoy the solitude and peaceful waters at this time of year. The walleye aren't shy at all and move right up into the shallow water right along the edges of the remaining docks in the lake. In fact, we often catch them in three feet of water or less. That's not a misprint. Three feet of water or less! With no boat traffic or swimmers on the lake at this time of year, the walleye feel perfectly safe following the perch right up on shore and that's where we concentrate on catching them. Forget the weed clumps and edges you should be fishing in daylight hours for walleye in seven or eight feet of water. The walleye will vacate these areas just around dusk, moving to the shallow water and feeding there in short binges until about first light. Dad and I slow troll these shallows and it's a very, very rare occasion when we don't get a quick limit of fish. Hey, it's not rocket science. The walleye follow their food source and at this time of year it's right up tight to shore. The trick is to match the food the walleye are hitting and in the Kawartha Lakes you can bet its mostly perch or black and silver minnows. For that reason, we always, always use 3 1/2" Original Floating Rapalas. I prefer the silver/black combo while he prefers the perch pattern. That said though, when a full moon occurs, I live and die by the gold/fluorescent red hues especially when fishing after ten P. M. For some reason walleye can't resist them on a full moon. Why? Beats me, all I know is it's the hottest ticket in town for about four or five nights before the full moon and about three nights after when fishing late nights. Seven-foot medium heavy action rods and 10-lb. monofilament line are our gear of choice. A little "TIP" for you though. Place a #8 split shot about 14 inches up from the lure (it makes the RAPALA wiggle more) and never, never use a leader or swivel with these baits. Tie directly to the lure so you get the most action out of it. Oh, and if you really want to get a hard hit reach up ahead of your reel and give the line a couple of hard tugs every few minutes or so. Any following walleye will almost immediately whack your lure because when you jerk on the line it makes the bait wobble and flutter like an injured minnow and that is precisely what old Mister Marble Eyes wants. An easy snack. Hey, why waste all that time and energy chasing lively darting minnows when there's a sickly, slow moving one right there? Also, when you get a walleye, turn your boat around right there and then and troll back through the same water you just covered. Walleye don't travel alone and Dad and I often catch all of our fish in one very tiny area by doing this, sometimes in a one hundred foot stretch of water. If one fish is there feeding you can bet it will have company because there is a food source in that location that drew it in. If, after catching a few walleye in one area and the bite suddenly dies, carry on trolling along the shoreline. The fish will move along these shallows following the perch and minnows as they move. Move slowly and quietly and you'll soon discover the next feeding site as well. One last thing. Well, almost. Do yourself a favour and don't troll along steep banks. The walleye won't usually be there at night this time of year. Instead, fish shallow sandy, pea gravel areas. That's key to your success as is the importance of having working lights on your boat, a smooth running motor and all your safety gear. It's very cold out there at night, safety is very important. Each angler should carry their own flashlight too, not just for unhooking fish and line foul-ups but just in case ones dies. It usually happens when you need one the most! Been down that road too often! Lastly, before you head out for these tasty late-night treats, do yourself a real favour. You can thank me later. Purchase a bag of Darryl Cronzy's breading and batter mix. I've tried and tasted countless fish batters over the years and last week I gave this one the taste test on some fresh perch. How good is it? I had to count my fingers when I got done eating!

What, no brussel sprouts?

I'm feeling a little ill just reading the last 5 pages........

Thanks for the chat folks. I feel so vacant now.

I'd say that's excessive. The guy probably has a testosterone deficiency!

You can evacuate your potty mouth in chat.