spring 2010 michigan trout unlimited newletterion

8/9/2019 Spring 2010 Michigan Trout Unlimited Newletterion

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2/20

2SPECIAL OFFER!

For The Love of TroutBy George A. Griffith

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3/20

3SPRING 2010PUBLISHER

Dr. Bryan Burroughs

MICHIGAN TROUT MAGAZINEP.O. Box 442

Dewitt, Michigan 48820-8820(517) 599-5238

[email protected]

TYPESET & LAYOUT Ron Peckens

Fisheye Internet Solutions & HostingLLC

60 Cloverport Ave.Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307

(248) [email protected]

ADVERTISING Pat HughesThe Creative Group Advertising Inc.

11394 N, Linden Rd., Suite EClio, Michigan 48420

(810) [email protected]

MICHIGAN TROUT UNLIMITED

Chairperson: Kimberly WettonVice Chairman: David SmithTreasurer: Robb Smith Sr.Secretary: Mike Lagowski

Executive Director: Dr. BryanBurroughs

Aquatic Biologist: Kristin ThomasProject Coordinator: Cari Sebright

Huron Pines Americorps Member

Conservation Chair: Tom Quail

Finance Chair: David SmethurstCommunications Chair: Ron Peckens

Membership Chair: Aaron RubelEducation Chair: Mike Mouradian

MICHIGAN TROUT is the officialpublication of Michigan Trout Unlimited.

Copyright 2010. Issuesare mailed to all members of Trout

Unlimited Chapters throughoutMichigan.

Copies for free distribution aremade available throughout the State atvarious locations. Send all editorial and

advertising correspondence to theeditor.

Advertising rate card is available uponrequest. Michigan Trout and Michigan

Trout Unlimited reserves theright to accept or reject proposed

advertisements at their sole discretion.Trout Unlimited Chapter members

shouldsend all changes of address for

subscriptions to Trout Unlimited, 1300N. 17th St., Suite 500, Arlington,

Virginia 22209-2404.

4 Its Always BusyBy Dr. Bryan Burroughs

5 Ways You Can HelpBy David Smethurst

6 The River Keepers Program In-DepthBy Kristin Thomas

7 Get Involved!By Kimberly Wetton

8 Interview w ith MDNRE Director RebeccHumphries

9 Michigan TU Youth Camp

10 Trout Unlimited Fly Fishing School

11 Fish FoodBy Ryan Holem

12 Asian Carp Control

13 CAFOs and Trout

14 Changes coming to Inland TroutRegulations

CONTENTS

In the state where Trout Unlimited was founded, Michigan TU willIn the state where Trout Unlimited was founded, Michigan TU willIn the state where Trout Unlimited was founded, Michigan TU willwork to ensure clean, healthy streams and rivers supporting thrivingwork to ensure clean, healthy streams and rivers supporting thrivinwork to ensure clean, healthy streams and rivers supporting thrivingpopulations of wild trout and salmon for future generations to enjoypopulations of wild trout and salmon for future generations to enjoypopulations of wild trout and salmon for future generations to enjoy

MITU is on Facebook and Tw itter

Communicate with Michigan Trout Unlimited on two of theworlds most active and engaging social networks: Facebookand Twitter. To find us on Facebook, head towww.facebook.com/MichiganTU. Twitter users can find us bypointing their browser to www.twitter.com and searching for

@MichiganTU. These social media tools will allow us to keepyou informed about everything happening at Michigan TroutUnlimited. Give it a shot and let us know what you think.


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4 www.michigantu.orMichigan Trout Unlimited

I m sitting here in my officetrying to write for the magazine,knowing that we are past deadlineand everyone is waiting for me tofinish some writing. However, itssunny out and spring is happeningoutside my window. Themornings are brighter and thedays longer, more and more grassis visible in my yard, flocks ofgeese are returning north, and therivers are rising with snow

melt. To say I have the fishingitch would be anunderstatement. Its nearly all Ican think about. I keep havingdaydreams of all the types offishing I enjoy, all the great trips Ihad last year, and some of thenew expeditions I want to makehappen this year. Its probablythis extensive and detaileddaydreaming about fishing that ispartly to blame for my delays in

meeting the magazine deadline.However, those pleasant day

dream diversions are only partly toblame. Weve been busy. Realbusy. Youd think after nearly 3years in this position now, that Idbe used to just how busy weconstantly are but Im not quiteyet. Ive said it in this columnbefore, but Ill say it again MITUhas a ton of things in theworks. We are constantly striving

to be a better organization than wehave ever been before. We see allthe needs of coldwater fisheriesand understand just what itll taketo meet the challenges ofprotecting and enhancing them forthe future generation. Its busyjust trying to get things in place toramp up our efforts. I know weare as busy as we are because wepush ourselves because ourresources deserve the best. Butits still busy!

As is my custom in thiscolumn, I try to highlight just afew of the literally hundreds ofissues we are working onsimultaneously. First, since thelast issue of this magazine, a lothas transpired with the MichiganDepartments of EnvironmentalQuality and NaturalResources. Per a Governors orderthe two were merged into the new

Department of Natural Resourcesand Environment, and RebeccaHumphires was appointed by theGovernor as the Director of thatnew department. MITU, alongwith numerous partners, wereinvolved in advocacy efforts on thisissue. We advocated against theappointment of Director beingstripped from the NaturalResources Commission andclaimed by the Governor due to

the extra dose of politics that itinjects into fisheries and wildlifemanagement. Wewere also veryinvolved in theformation of themerger plan and thenew paradigmsunder which the newDNRE willoperate. Paramountamong those isworking with groups

like TU as partners forconservation rather than merelystakeholders. We continue to beinvolved with the DNRE as itundertakes implementing theactual merger of the twodepartments at all levels. There imuch work to be done.

Asian carp DNA was detectedupstream of the electric barrier inthe Chicago ship canal, and then

latter in the nearshore areas ofLake Michigan. MITU was activelyinvolved with our legislators inboth Lansing and in Washington,D.C., as well as our TUcounterparts in other states to tryto force some positive response tothis new finding. We are stillstruggling to get the best responsplan possible. This is as difficult oa political problem aspossible. Some positive actionshave occurred, but not enough is

being done including closing thelocks before the spring migrationsoccur. We continue to work toaffect positive change on thiscomplex issue. For moreinformation about this issue, seethe Asian Carp article in this issueof the magazine, and the AsianCarp webpage atwww.michigantu.org/index.php/

conservation-agenda/asian-carp.

Changes are coming to the

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TLC RanchBird Hunting Preserve

Lake Huron Charter FishingOn-site Lodging available

One mile of private river fishingRick Colonna 989-733-5443

Check our web site for detailswww.tlcbirdpreserve.com


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5 www.michigantu.or

Michigan TU is one of the fewstatewide TU councils that has apaid staffa full-time ExecutiveDirectoran annual budgetanoperating plan. Thanks to theforesight and hard work of manydedicated people beginning withGeorge Griffith and Art Neumannfifty years ago, Michigan TU haswhat it takes today to be the voiceserving the interests of anglers

and the coldwater resources theyfight to protect.

Its up to all of usthe nearly7,000 TU members in Michigantomake sure these efforts continue.Michigan TU leverages the effortsand talents of the chapters, andapplies them to statewide issuesmore effectively than chapters

Members and chapters candesignate a donation to this fundwhose purpose is to provide asustainable source of income toprovide for Michigan TUsExecutive Directors position. Thisis a restricted fund (only incomefrom the fund can be used, not theprincipal itself); currently the fundis not large enough to sustainablyfund the position.

The Executive Director positionis probably the most importantasset that Michigan TU has inachieving its statewide mission toprotect wild trout/salmon andcoldwater habitats. By designatingyour donation to this fund, you arehelping to ensure the long-termfuture ofMichigan TUs voice in allmatters of coldwater fisheriesconservation.

Needs

The River Keepers StreamMonitoring Program is off to agreat start. More than 15 chaptersare participating in 2010. To do allthis monitoring, we needequipment. The more expensiveequipment can be shared betweenchapters, a great way to savemoney and maximize chapterparticipation. Your contributiontoward River Keepers will helpbuy:

1 Backpack Electrofisher: $9,800

1 Backpack accessories: $500

1 Flow Meter: $900

2 Habitat Mapping Kits: $300each

10 Water Temp Loggers: $39each

Donate online using your credcard at www.michigantu.org; or bsending your check to: MichiganTU; c/o Robb Smith Treasurer;2114 7th St.; Bay City, MI 48708If you would like your donation tobe applied to a specific program oproject that Michigan TU is

undertaking, please note that inthe memo field of your check.

could by acting alone.

Your financial support is key.Its very simple: the better fundedMichigan TU is, the more work canbe done to ensure healthycoldwater streams and troutfishing. Michigan TUs finances arenot currently sustainable. We stilldepend on the incrediblegenerosity of a few deceasedTUers that left their legacy and

allow us to provide the level ofservice we currently do.

Every contribution, small andlarge, adds up. There are manyways you can help.

Buy Your Groceries, Save ATrout Stream. This is an easyway to support Michigan TU. ANDIT DOES NOT COST YOUANYTHING. If you do your grocershopping at Kroger or its affiliatestores in the state, your grocery

purchases will earn cash forMichigan TU through thecompanys Kroger CommunityRewards Program. Kroger willdonate 5% of your grocerypurchases each and every timeyou do your shopping. Krogersprogram uses your existing KrogePlus customer cardthere is noseparate card, matching paymentor minimum purchaserequirement. Easy instructions fo

enrolling are on Michigan TUs wesite, www.michigantu.org, at thevery bottom of the homepage.

Michigan Trout Unlimited

SPECIAL NOTE IF YOU ARECURRENTLY ENROLLED:

KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDSREQUIRES YOU TO RE-ENROLLFOR A NEW CYCLE, EFFECTIVEAPRIL 1ST. FOLLOW THESE SAMEINSTRUCTIONS TO RE-ENROLL...PLEASE DON'T LET IT LAPSE.


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Water temperature is veryimportant to the health ofcoldwater streams. Of course, weknow that trout and othercoldwater species cannot survive ifthe water is too warm, but why isthis true? Water temperatureeffects dissolved oxygen level, themetabolic rate of organisms, andfish vulnerability to disease. Coldwater can hold more dissolvedoxygen than warm water, as

stream temperature goes up theavailability of dissolved oxygengoes down. In addition, whenwater temperature is warmer fishrequire more oxygen to function(due to an increased metabolicrate), so not only is there lessdissolved oxygen available, thefish need more to survive. Troutrequire a high level of dissolvedoxygen. Research also shows thatfluctuations in temperature andhigh temperatures make trout

more vulnerable to disease, fungalinfections, and parasites. All ofthis information tells us that warmwater is bad for trout. Whichmeans we need to know how warm

or cold a watershed is tobegin to prioritizeconservation efforts, wecan do a lot of restorationwork in a stream, but ifthe water is too warm wemost likely wont get theresults we want.

The importance ofwater temperature to thehealth of coldwater

streams make it a keytype of monitoring donethrough the MITU River KeepersProgram. We focus on severaldifferent goals when monitoringtemperature, all of which areimportant. Monitoring may focuson locating coldwater streams,documenting the thermal regimeof a stream (where are cold andwarm sections located), orverifying the temperatureclassification of a stream (is it cold,

cold-transitional, cool, orwarm). Identifying key areas ofcooling and warming help us todetermine restoration andprotection needs for a stream suchas, protecting groundwater inareas of cold water input andidentifying the sources of warmwater and working to mitigatethem (stormwater and runofftreatment, dam removal, etc.). Inaddition, it is important we make

sure coldwater streams areclassified correctly to ensure theyare adequately protected fromgroundwater withdrawal.

So we know why we should

monitor temperature but how dowe do it? Through the RiverKeepers Program we continuouslymonitor in-stream temperatureusing the methods accepted by thDNRE. Water temperature loggerrecord water temperature everyhour for the summer months or aentire calendar year, depending oDNRE and chapter needs. Thedata is then downloaded, shared

with the DNRE, and put into theMITU coldwater database. MITUchapters will then use temperaturdata to identify coldwater streamsand prioritize conservation andrestoration efforts.

Many MITU chapters currentlymonitor water temperature. If yoor your chapter are interested inmonitoring water temperature orwould like more information abouttemperature monitoring please

visit www.michigantu.org/index.php/river-keepers-program/76 or contact KristinThomas (616-460-0477 [email protected]).

Upcoming DatesUpcoming DatesUpcoming Dates

June 26, 2010 - Michigan TU Meeting

Location: RAM Center, Roscommon

September 25, 2010 - Michigan TU Meeting

Location: RAM Center, Roscommon



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7 www.michigantu.or

YOUR RIVERFRONT CONNECTION

Check Our Web Site for Great Trout Fishing Properties!

www.remaxofgrayling.com

Craig HinkleState Licensed Appraise

Broker / Owne(989) 348-744


effective for recent news concerningasian carp, CAFOs and troutregulations. If Michigan TU does nohave your current email address,you are missing a lot of news andopportunities to advocate for ourtrout and salmon. I encourage you

to go to www.michigantu.org andclick on join our mailing list toupdate your email address.

Michigan Trout is now availableelectronically. If you sign-up for thoption, you will receive an emailnotifying you when the magazine isavailable on-line atwww.michigantu.org. Over 200members have already takenadvantage of this green approach tothe magazine, saving Michigan TUmoney that can be used for our

coldwater conservation efforts rathethan paper and postage.

I hope to run into you somewhere this Summer at a class,project, or on the river.andcertainly through email. Good luckwith the upcoming trout season, anremember to join our mailing listand see how you can become moreinvolved.

Peninsula, Ann Arbor and GrandRapids are target areas that willneed volunteers.

Sharing your angling knowledgeis one of several ways to getinvolved with Trout Unlimited. Thereare many conservation issues thatour trout and salmon face inMichigan and you can help. Mostchapters of TU will be participating inRiverkeepers or other streamrestoration activities thissummer. These work days offer achance to get out in the stream andtake part in improving the local troutfishery. Another benefit toparticipating in these projects is anincreased understanding of thetrouts environment holding placesand food sources - which will be

helpful on your next anglingadventure.

Michigan TU recently increasedits communications to membersthrough email. These emails providetimely updates on current issuesbetween publications ofMichiganTrout and are especially importantfor advocacy efforts, which areusually time-sensitive and action-oriented. This effort proved to be

The days are getting longer,snow is melting and the crocus areready to bloom. This means thatstudents from the 100 Salmon in theClassrooms in Michigan will soon bereleasing the fry they raised into alocal stream. It also means that thelong awaited trout season is almosthere. As you prepare for theupcoming fishing season considersigning up for a fly fishing class toimprove your angling skills or

volunteer to share your knowledgewith others. In addition to the longestablished youth and adult campsTU does in Michigan, a new programcalled Project Healing Waters istaking off in Michigan. ProjectHealing Waters is dedicated to thephysical and emotional rehabilitationof disabled active military servicepersonnel and veterans through flyfishing and fly tying education andoutings. Detroit, Saginaw, Upper


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Structurally, how do you envision theDNRE short term, the next 1-5 yearsand longer term, 5+ years, especiallyin light of any future budget cuts?

ANSWER: Currently, we are in theprocess of building the structure of thedepartment based on the blueprintprovided to us in the DNRE TransitionReport. We anticipate this structurelasting a long time. There will be acombination of line divisions, as well assmaller working groups to tackle multi-disciplinary planning. We will implement

the matrix model outlined in theTransition Report that calls for regionaldirectors and citizen advisory councils.This model has worked quite well for theformer DNR in the Upper Peninsula, and Iam excited to be replicating it in otherregions of the state. Bringing policy-making closer to our public andstakeholders will help us all createhealthier ecosystems and a robusteconomy.

Where is the DNRE positioned withthe Asian carp issue?

DNRE is working closely with theGovernors office, the states AttorneyGenerals staff and our Congressionaldelegation to seek immediate actions andpermanent solutions to block Asian carpsentry into the Great Lakes. We haveoutlined a series of actions we believe ournecessary, beginning with emergencyactions to close the OBrien and ChicagoLocks and ending with the ecologicalseparation of the Mississippi River andGreat Lakes watersheds. Weve takenthis argument to all branches of thefederal government, with DNRE staffproviding affidavits in the case before the

Supreme Court, participating in the WhiteHouse Summit and myself and OGLsDeBeaussaert testifying before House andSenate Committees.

What steps can the DNRE take nexton the Asian carp issue?

We will continue to press for actions byfederal agencies. We have providedcomments to the federal agencies on theproposed Framework for Carp Control.We believe that too much of the proposedfederal response has been on short termactions that are not comprehensive and

an unsustainable approach to address theproblem. Were frustrated that thefederal approach includes proposals todivert millions of dollars from efforts toprevent the introduction and spread ofinvasive species towards carp filletpromotions.

I testified before Congress in Februaryand has been asked by Chair Oberstar toreturn in May for an update to Congress.Until then we will continue to press at allfederal levels for the actions we believeare necessary, working in collaboration

with our partners in Great Lakesprotection at all levels.

MDNRE staff participated in DecembersRapid Response activities, but there arelimits on our ability to repeatedly sendstaff and resources out of state toaddress this issue.

How can the average angler helpadvocate for this issue? How doesthe DNRE propose to educate thepublic about Asian carp?

The DNRE has been educating the public

about Asian carp and will continue to doso through sponsored events such as thestate's Aquatic Invasive SpeciesAwareness Week and Earth Day;information distributed through thefishing guide, Web site(www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing) , andother educational materials; andpresentations at conferences, workshops,and local meetings.

How is the DNRE using biologicalscience and social science in policy-making?

ANSWER: In 1997, the Departmentestablished an ecosystem managementapproach to develop policy and strategiesfor resource planning and management.This process integrates biological, socialand economic factors into acomprehensive strategy, aimed atprotecting and enhancing sustainabilityand productivity of our natural resources.Currently the Department is utilizingstakeholders to develop regionalbiodiversity plans as part of a largerecosystem planning process. Biodiversityplanning will establish a network offunctional representative ecosystems that

will conserve restore and protect thenative biological diversity of Michigan.

The Environmental Advisory Committeehas created a Roadmap to a NewEnvironmental Management Model forMichigan to focus on outcome-basedmanagement. This model promotes theuse of science and collaboration in policydevelopment and program managementIt makes planning a high priority for theDepartment to establish outcome-basedpriorities and foster collaboration.Recently, the department's water

programs have developed Measures forSuccess, a plan that identifies programoutcomes that incorporate biological andsocial issues.

The Department established two CitizenAdvisory Committees (CACs) in the UppPeninsula to more fully involve citizens iproviding input into the Department'spolicy and decision making processes.They help provide the Department withinformation, ideas, emerging trends andinitiatives and provide a vehicle for theDepartment to inform citizens of resourcand environmental issues on a regional

basis. Additional CACs will be establishedin the Lower Peninsula to advise theDepartment on various regional programand policies and identify areas in whichthe Department can be more effective.

How does Michigan effectively helpand make gains in fighting futureaquatic invasive species for the GreaLakes and its watershed?

ANSWER: There are actually two parts tanswering this question. The first is howto prevent future AIS from entering theGreat Lakes, but the second is to manag

or control the spread once they are hereIn some cases, efforts taken to controlthe spread of a new invasive species,including diseases, will sufficiently slowdown the spread of the organism andallow the agency and scientists to findanswers on how to best manage in thepresence of the new invasion. We beliethis has worked very well in the case ofViral Hemorrhagic septicemia. Weworked with the bait industry and tookseveral actions to regulate activities andinform the public in an effort to slowdown the spread of the disease. In the

(Continued on page 1



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On July 11-15, 2010 spend fourdays fishing with us on the AuSable and Manistee rivers at the2010 Michigan Youth Trout Camp.Together we will tie flies, buildspinners, and fish for browns,rainbows and the most beautiful ofall fish, Michigans brook trout. Ofcourse, Trout Unlimited is morethan just a fishing club, so, with

the help of Michigan Department ofNatural Resources andEnvironment Fisheries biologistsand other professionals, we learnhow our rivers work and how toprotect them. We will work withlocal conservationists to completea stream habitat project. Thisyear, campers will sample thestreams macro-invertebrates(trout food) and be introduced toMichigan TUs new River KeepersProgram. At night, we return toour base camp at the Ralph A.MacMullan Conference Center.Well share stories of the daysevents, maybe tie a few flies fortomorrows adventure, and thenclimb into a comfortable bed. Thecamp is designed to give ourcampers and TU volunteerspractical angling and conservationskills they can use on their homewaters.

Since the Michigan Youth TroutCamp began in 1998, over twohundred campers and dozens ofadult volunteers have cometogether in the heart of Michiganstrout country. The camp is open toyoung boys and girls 12 to 16years old. You dont have to be aTrout Unlimited member, anaccomplished angler, or even from

Michigan. You do need an interestin protecting, conserving, andrestoring our coldwater fisheries.Regardless of your skill level orexperience, I am sure you willenjoy your time in camp, andleave as a more knowledgeableconservationist and a betterfisherperson.

Trout Unlimited chapters areencouraged to sponsor campers aspart of their own youth programs.

Chapters are also invited to sendmember volunteers to camp ascounselors, guides, andinstructors. The number ofcampers is limited by the numberof adult volunteers.

This years camp schedule,applications, and additionalinformation are available at theKalamazoo Valley Chapter of TroutUnlimited web site atwww.kvctu.org. The cost for the

2010 Youth Trout Camp is $350per camper. Individual applicationare due by April 15, 2010. Formore information and chapterswishing to make reservations forsponsored campers, please contacKen Nuorala by phone at(269) 731-5137 or Email:[email protected] or Greg Potteby phone at (269) 781-5700 or

Email: [email protected]



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10 www.michigantu.or

Consider for a moment theinvestment you have made in yourfly fishing. Most have a rod, line,reel, waders, vest, flies, leaders,and much more. Yet, there aremany who have made thisinvestment but have failed to makethe most important investment: afly fishing education. Michigan TroutUnlimiteds fly fishing school is not

only the best fly fishing education,its the most fun fly fishingeducation anywhere. Held this yearJune 11 - 13, 2010.

Some of you may think that theTrout Unlimited school is only forthe novice who wants to beat thelearning curve and get started right.Well it is the fastest way to learn thebasics and get into the river andenjoy the sport. But its also a wayfor experienced fly anglers toimprove existing skills and to learn

more advanced techniques. Yes, theschool focuses on basic informationand skills. But we also teachexperienced anglers how to do thethings they never had the time oropportunity to learn. We add newweapons to your fly fishing arsenal.And we do it several ways. First,the basic curriculum covers manyaspects of fly fishing you may neverhave fully studied. For example,Albright, arbor and perfection loopsare knots even basic students learn

wind, the rod, the guide, and thefish, This is an all too commonscenario. And, the same story isplayed out every summer on ourgreat trout streams.

Why not make an investment inlearning how to use the tacklebetter this year? Learn the knotsyou never learned. Find out how todo a reach cast to both sides and h

the target. Finally conquer the windand reach the target in allconditions. Learn once and for allwhat the major hatches are, thetime of day they emerge, and thekind of water they emerge from. Siat dinner with an instructor who hafished Patagonia, or landed a sailfison a fly. Find out where and when tvisit Montana to fish. Learn how toapproach a 10-pound brown trout iNew Zeeland. The TU instructorshave been there and done that! Its

a resource that is rare and preciousMake the investment today.

For the last nineteen years,Shooting Lines has been dedicatedto helping you become a better flycaster. This column is no exceptioThe TU School is a great opportunitto become a better fly caster andangler regardless of yourexperience. I hope youll takeadvantage of it.

at the school and yet manyexperienced anglers never learnthem. When its time to learn somebasic stream entomology, youll doit in the stream. If youve neverhad a lesson on the reach cast, thenthe TU School can surely help youmake longer drag-free floats. Betterstill, the dry fly demonstration onthe Boardman River will help you

position yourself in the river tomaximize that float. In fact, all ofthe in-stream demonstrations willhelp you identify the best holdingwater, read the water better, andlearn to fish dry flies, nymphs andstreamers more effectively.

Imagine the angler who justspent $3,500 to fish in the Caribeanfor a week, and packed another$2,500 of fly tackle into his bags.Heres an angler who is reallyexcited to fish. But when the guidesays, Permit! Two oclock! 70feet!, the angler throws a tailingloop about 50 feet into a pile whilethe fish lazily swims off into the salt.In frustration, our angler curses the

If you need to throw it farther, more

accurately, with more confidence,

and with greater success, then you

need to reserve a space in the 2010

Trout Unlimited Fly Fishing School!


By Dave Leonard


11/20


Pitchers and catchers havereported to Major League Baseballspring training, which means onething: trout season is right aroundthe corner. Its time to get out yourfly boxes and prepare your openingday lineup card.

This season, make sure yourarsenal includes a couple of DarkHendricksons, preferably in sizes12-16. Dark Hendricksons are

excellent imitators of the adultstage of the mayfly Ephemerellasubvaria, which is generally one ofthe first obvious hatchesencountered on Michigan troutwaters. If the weather is right, theHendrickson hatches as early asmid-April in Lower Peninsula watersand as late as June in the UpperPeninsula. The month of May is thesafest bet throughout the state.

Hendricksons cannot tolerate

poor or even marginal water qualityand require well-oxygenated waterin the 50-60F range. Most expertsclassify this invertebrate as ascraper. That is, the larval (akanymph) stage primarily feeds onalgae and detritus it scrapes offsubstrate such as rocks, gravel, and

It is important to note that maland female Hendricksons vary incolor during the dun stage. Malesare usually brownish while femalestend to be gray, so make sure to

stock the fly box with multiplecolors. Dont forget to include somesize 12-16 Hendrickson nymph andemerger versions in case the fishare selecting these over the duns ospinners.

Ed McCoy, a guide with HawkinOutfitters([email protected]) inTraverse City offered the followingtip to fishing the Hendrickson hatchFishing Tandem rigs during a hatcis a good way to improve yoursuccess especially during anemergence. I like to fish a dunpattern with a dropper tied off thebend of the hook (about 24 long)

to an emerger pattern or agreased nymph (apply fly

floatant). Remember to let yourpresentation swing out and acrossthe current at the end of your driftas this can sometimes elicit a strikewhen a dead drift presentation failsto do so.

drowned timber common in waterswith high quality trout habitat.

At the conclusion of the nymphstage, E.subvaria wiggles out of itsnymphal skin and is considered asubimago, or dun, as they arecommonly referred to by anglers.

The length of the dun stage variesfrom minutes up to 48 hours. It isinteresting to note that mayfly dunsare coated with microscopic,

hydrophobic (water resistant) hairscalled microtrichia. Experts suggestthat the microtrichia help themayflies stay on top of the waterwhile emerging from the nymphstage. Floating downstream on thewaters surface, the winged, butusually-not-sexually-mature dunneeds some luck to avoid predationby fish and birds before crawlingonto terrestrial vegetation near the

waters edge.

The dreams of trout anglers aremade of what happens next. MatureE.subvaria, now called imagos, takeflight and mate in the air. Femalesthen lay eggs on the water surface.Once their job is done, both sexesfall to the water a final time,earning the nickname spinners.

E.subvaria nymph E. subvaria dun (female) Size 12 Dark Hendrickson

Photo credits and special thanks to Brian Bielecki of Nomad Anglers (fly) and Jason Neuswanger ofTroutnut.com (nymph & dun). All photos used with permission. Content supplemented by Merrit and Cummins

An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Third Edition, 1996. Fish Food is a new feature inMichigan Trout. Let us know what you think via email ([email protected]) or Twitter (@MichiganTU).



12/20


Over the past four months, an unprecedented levelof attention has been directed at preventing the entryof the Asian carp into the Great Lakes from theMississippi River basin. In the metropolitan Chicagoarea, century-old canals and locks connect the twowater systems in a way that Mother Nature neverintended.

Thanks to intense public pressure from Great Lakesstakeholders, the federal government has provided thefunding and authority to federal agencies to prevent thecarps entry into Lake Michigan. A comprehensiveaction plan, the Asian Carp Control Strategy

Framework, was established. The Asian Carp RegionalCoordinating Committee (Army Corps of Engineers; USEPA; US Fish & Wildlife Service; Coast Guard; IllinoisDNR) will oversee the Implementation of its short-termand long-term control measures. The web site,www.asiancarp.org, provides detailed information aboutthe control plan and current news.

Experts have warned for years of the devastatingimpact the colonization of the Asian carp would have onthe Great Lakes ecology. The epicenter of this threat isthe $7 billion sport fishing industry on the GreatLakes. All fish species and aquatic habitats would beharmed including coldwater habitat, trout and salmon.

Despite this threat and the economic harm it wouldhave in all the Great Lakes, local economic interests inthe Chicago area (tour boat/commercial bargeoperators; sewer/water authorities) have resisted theproposed control measures. Controversy surrounds justhow close the carp is to escaping into LakeMichigan. eDNA sampling of the Chicago canals hasrevealed evidence of the carp above the electricalbarriers and in the waters of Lake Michigan, yet noactual fish have been found despite intense efforts tocatch them.

Michigan stakeholders (Attorney General Cox;

Governor Granholm; Michigans U.S. Congressionaldelegation; MDNRE) have played a significant role inpressing for strong control measures and insisting on a

zero tolerance goal. MichiganTU has been a big part ofthe effort as well including intense involvement byExecutive Director Bryan Burroughs; emailcommunications with TU members statewideencouraging advocacy with their Congressionaldelegation and Attorney General Coxs web site petition(www.stopasiancarp.com); and coordinating anationwide Action Alert by TU National(www.tu.org>Conservation>Action Center>ActionItems).

Asian Carp control is one of the priority issues ofMichigan TUs Conservation Committee. To keep abreaof these issues as they pertain to protecting ourcoldwater fisheries and habitats, go to Michigan TUsweb site, www.michigantu.org, and look for the linksunder Latest News. To find out how you can getinvolved on this important issue, contact Tom Quail,Michigan TU Conservation Chair; [email protected].



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For the past year or so, MITU hasprovided information in each issue ofthis magazine on the subject of troutregulations proposals andchanges. This background informationcan be found online atwww.michigantu.org in our past issuesof this magazine (under the MichiganTrout link), or underConservation

resource management. The processof trying to improve the decade-old

existing regulations is ongoing, andMITU has been involved every step ofthe way.

What makes the process sochallenging is the many definitionsMichigan anglers and fisheriesmanagers use to define

improved (regulations). To manypeople that appears to mean simpleror easier to understand. Greatamounts of time have been spentdiscussing the differences between

simpler regulations and regulationsthat are easier to understand, and

various approaches to make themeasier to understand. Others believe

improved means managing for agreater diversity of fishing experiences(including catching lots of fish, orcatching larger fish versus beingable to harvest more fish). Often,but not always, these definitions canbe exclusive of each other and that iswhen the difficulty arises.

The Coldwater RegulationsCommittee is a group of stakeholderswith interests in coldwater fisheries

that have been meeting with theDNRE Fish Division to discuss theregulations and attempt to putforward the best changespossible. To date, most of thiscommittees time has been spent onways to make the general regulationseasier to understand. Norecommendations are final at thispoint, but we believe several changesare possible that will make the

regulations easier tounderstand. Examples includemaking rainbow trout minimumlengths consistent across all generalregulation types; making all salmonspecies, as well as lake trout andsplake minimum lengths consistentacross all general regulationtypes. The committee has also beenworking through, and continues tostruggle with the possible move from4 general types to 3 types. Norecommendations have been formedon that matter to date.

We have also just begun theprocess of possibly adding newsections of stream to the list ofwaters managed by Gear-Restrictions. The DNRE solicitednominations from the public, andreceived just over 500nominations. DNRE biologists arenow in the process of providing theirsuggestions and justifications forsupporting or rejecting all thenominations. They expect to havethis task completed by the end ofMarch. At this point, the Coldwater

Regulations Committee (includingMITU), will meet and discuss allnominations and biologistssuggestions directly with theDNRE. This will take place at the endof April. Following that, the DNRE wihold local meetings at variouslocations across Michigan, to give thepublic an opportunity to voice theiropinions about gear-restricted watersnominations. Look for these to occur

in middle to late May. After thesemeetings, nominations may again betweaked to reflect this publiccomment, and its possible that moreregional meetings may be held for thpublic. Eventually, its the DNREsintent to bring forward theirrecommendations for regulationschanges, and gear-restricted watersadditions to the DNRE Director andNatural Resource Commission duringthe fall, for approval and time forthem to take affect for the 2011fishing season. Of course, public

comment on these will also be openduring the NRC process as well. So,lots of opportunities still exist for youto voice your opinion on regulationchanges. And of course look formore detailed information on theproposed changes in the next twoissues of this magazine and online. Ifwe dont already have your email make sure we do so you can receivetimely news related to this issue (signup at www.michigantu.org).



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Great news regarding thevoice for coldwater conservationin our state! The MichiganSupreme Court has agreed tohear the Anglers of the Au Sable'sappeal in its case against Merit

Energy and the DEQ regardingKolke Creek. The Anglers filed itsrequest with the MichiganSupreme Court last summer andMichigan TU filed an Amicus Briefin support of the Anglers'. Thecourt's January 29, 2010 orderaccepted Michigan TU's AmicusBrief and, based upon all thedocuments submitted, the Courtagreed to hear the Anglers'appeal.

In addition to the issues raisedin the Anglers' request to appeal,this Order paves the way forconservation groups in the stateto submit opinion briefs on thefollowing issues:

1. Whether Merit EnergyCompany, defendant in theunderlying case, could begranted the right to dischargewater on land owned by thestate;

; or Brian Considine, the attorneywho filed MITUs motion andAmicus Brief with the SupremeCourt (248.642-2531;[email protected]).

2. What test should be applied todetermine whether and theextent to which Merit maydischarge water;

3. Whether the plaintiffs (Anglersof the Au Sable, Mayer Family

Investments, LLC, and theNancy A. Forcier Trust) have acause of action under thestates environmentalprotection law againstMDNRE; and

4. Whether the Nestle andPreserve the Dunes courtcases were correctly decided.

Michigan TUs involvement inissues like this means that the

interests of coldwater resourceswill be heard. These are far-reaching legal issues that havelong-lasting impact on our abilityto protect and conserve coldwaterresources and the groundwaterthey depend on.

If you have questions theselegal issues, contact BryanBurroughs, MITU ExecutiveDirector (517.599-5238;[email protected])


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A retired US Fish and Wildlifefisheries biologist who ledrestoration efforts on the ManisteeRiver. He was also a leader in landconservation in northern MichiganThis concept has spreadthroughout Michigan and astatewide coalition of watershedrestoration groups was formedunder Joes leadership. He servedas a scientific advisor to MichiganTU.

The founder of the Anglers ofthe Au Sable who led battles thatset statewide precedents and a TULife member. He recruitedfisherman to the effort to protectthe Au Sable, but other rivers aswell. A Fly Rod and Reel Anglerof the Year, Rusty was recognizedthroughout the country for hisleadership and in the fly fishingcommunity. Visit the Headwaterschapter web sitewww.headwaterstu.org for furtherdetails.

A longtime leader of MichiganTU Bob joined TU in 1959 shortlyafter it was founded. He served asPaul H. Young chapter secretary,vice president and finally presiden

in 1974. He was State CouncilChairman between 1976-78. Hewas a national director from 1977thru January 1982. He served asTUs Resident Agent until2004. Having a cottage on thePere Marquette, he also focused,as an individual, on habitatimprovement, hatchery issues, ancanoe and public access topics onthat watershed .

www.michigantu.or

This past year our community of coldwater conservationists lost several individuals that gave extraordinaryeffort to conserving, protecting restoring and sustaining the resources we all cherish. The following peoplewere important leaders in these efforts, and accomplished tremendous things. It is not our intent to providextensive obituaries, but rather to quickly highlight their contributions and thank them one more time fortheir hard work.

A passionate conservationist,leader of men, and mentor to all,Harold was the founder of the RifleRiver Watershed RestorationCommittee and raised over

$1,000,000 to fund thoseefforts. Harold led the MershonChapter of TU into decades ofprojects resulting in significantlylower water temperatures andcleaner water in the Rifle. Haroldmade people energetic TUvolunteers. Even after his death,he made a difference, when hedirected donations to the MershonChapter.

He was a member of the"greatest generation", as a Navyenlistee on the USS Missouri. Mikewas also the Leon P. MartuchChapter representative to MITUCouincil for many years. He wascommittee chair of the BarblessHook, the birthplace of TroutUnlimited, an avid worker onstream projects, past officer of theChapter, avid fly fisherman,custom rod builder and most of alla friend to all who knew him.

A memorial service is to be

held on May 23, 2010 at the L. P.Martuch Memorial Property on theCedar River.


A long time leader of the AdamsChapter in Traverse City, Billserved as Chapter President thelast ten years. He also served onMichigan Trout Unlimiteds State

Council, where he always askedprobing and thoughtful questions.During Bills time as Chapter Presi-dent, the Chapter was involved inthe community discussions on re-moving dams on the BoardmanRiver. Removal of most of themwill restore miles of the river toproductive trout waters.


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Facebook and Twitter accountswhich have attracted over 500 neconservationists into ourcommunications loop; we aresending biweekly newsletters viaemail to every member thatprovides their email or to non-members that join our mailing listat www.michigantu.org; and weare continuing to try to improvethe utility of the content in thismagazine.

These are just a few of thethings we are working on, buthopefully illustrate the diversity ofefforts we are undertaking. Improud of the work we have beendoing, but also aware of just howmuch more we still need to do. T

is a grassroots organization fullydependent on the work ofvolunteers. The number of issueswe can take-on, and the amount osuccess we can have on them isdependent on how many memberwe have actively contributing tothe mission in any number ofways. If you are ready to giveyour time to coldwater fisheries we have a spot ready for you onthis team.

I hope you have a greatSpring, and great fishing! Bryan

inland streams trout fishingregulations; it remains to be seenwhat those changes will be butchanges are coming thisyear. MITU has been engaged forthe last year or so with the DNREFish Division to discuss possiblechanges to the decade oldregulation framework. Undercurrent discussion are both theGeneral Types and the Gear-Restricted Types. During themonth of May there should bemore clarity on what some of theproposals will be, and there will belocal meetings in various places inMichigan to discuss these possiblechanges. Well continue to keep

you up to date. More informationon this subject can be found atwww.michigantu.org/index.php/

conservation-agenda/conservation/54-resource-

management .

We have also been hard atwork on trying to improvemanagement practices atconcentrated animal feedingoperations (cafos), so catastrophicfishkills caused by the waste they

produce are prevented in thefuture (for more information see

Its Always Busy... (Continued from page 4) www.michigantu.org/index.php/

conservation-agenda/cafo). Ournew strategic plan is nearlycomplete, and will guide ourproactive and deliberate efforts tomeet the increasing challengescoldwater fisheries will bepresented with. This has taken alot of effort to create, but will beabsolutely essential to achievingour mission and having the bestcoldwater fisheries possible. TheRiverKeepers program is taking offin full force this spring-fall, withmost of our chapters participatingin at least one type of datacollection. This information,collected by members, will formthe very basis for all planning and

efforts MITU undertakes in thefuture. Plus its fun Iencourage you to get out and takepart in the program with your localchapter (www.michigantu.org/index.php/river-keepers-program).And you might have noticed ourincreased efforts to provide youwith more effective and timelycommunications on coldwaterconservation issues. The websiteis as filled with more interestingand fresh content than it ever has

been before; we have set up


At the time of assembling this issue of MichiganTrout magazine, there is very little informationavailable for public distribution. Litigation isunderway, and for the past several months we havebeen engaged in an effort to negotiate a settlement

to the case. MITU continues to devote significantresources to the case and are optimistic aboutachieving a satisfactory outcome. If and when newinformation becomes available on this case, we willprovide communication regarding it via emailnewsletters, and our website, and eventually ournext issue of Michigan Trout. If you are interested ireceiving timely electronic updates on this case andother issues MITU is working on please visitwww.michigantu.org and click on the link Join ourmailing list.


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meantime, there have been significantadvances made in approaches for testingfor the disease, understanding of how thedisease is transferred, and how to bestmanage against it in aquaculturefacilities. All of this knowledge andinformation helps better inform us for

addressing the next invasion.

In terms of actions taken for theprevention of new aquatic invasivespecies, it is a matter of balancing thethreats and the risks with the desires ofsociety. We know that ecologicalseparation of the Chicago Sanitary andShipping Canal will provide the greatestreduction in threat for the potential ofnew invasions either up from theMississippi system or from our systeminto that system. We will need tocontinue to manage all of the potentialvectors and avenues for aquatic invasive

species.

The primary goal of Michigans aquaticinvasive specie program is to identify andblock pathways used by aquatic invasivespecies to enter the state or spreadwithin the state. A concurrent goal is toprevent establishment of new invasivespecies if prevention plans fail. The goalsare accomplished through regulations,education, research, coordination, earlydetection, rapid response, andassessment.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will

be providing up to five years of federalfunding for Michigans aquatic invasivespecies program. During that time,Michigan intends to use the federal fundsto establish a more formal, cohesiveprogram, update the aquatic invasivespecies state management plan,implement top priority actions in theplan, and set in place a sustainablesource of funding for the program.

Michigan would welcome engagement byTrout Unlimited in the effort to set inplace a sustainable source of funding forstates aquatic invasive species

prevention program.

How can or should the invasivespecies problem and the future of theGreat Lakes be brought in to focusfor the next gubernatorialcandidates?

ANSWER: Michigan has been a leader inthe prevention of aquatic invasive speciesentering the Great Lakes and spreadingwithin the state through litigation,regulation, education and policydevelopment. These actions and policieshave been important in protection of the

Interview with...(Continued from page 8) was a tremendous fly fisherman, and ofmy great disappointments, actually, isthat I never got him to teach me more othe technique. I was always the one whwent out with him, though, and my jobwas to paddle the very tippy canoe, andhe would fish from the bow. We oncewent out on a lake near where we lived

Oakland County, where I grew up, and iwas a very warm night with the sun justabout to set and thick clouds ofmosquitoes came out over the lake andwere feeding on us. As the sky started tturn crimson with the sunset, my fatherlanded a monster largemouth bass withhis old fly rod. It was an amazingmoment because you could literally heathe fish coming up from the water. It is treasured memory for me of beingoutdoors with my father.

Finally, what would be your advice tyoung people who will be the next

guardians of the future of Michigannatural resources?

ANSWER: Take time to enjoy it. If youhave the chance to get outdoors with awilling mentor, take advantage of it.These are the memories you will carrywith you. Definitely find the time and geoutdoors to enjoy what Michigan has tooffer.

economy and natural resources of theGreat Lakes region. Michigan residentsshouldnt assume that all candidates arecommitted to or fully understand thosepolicies. Those who are concernedshould help educate candidates at alllevels and educate themselves about thepolicies proposed by those candidates. TU

is a respected voice at the national, stateand local level and its members can playa key role in educating candidates fornational, state and local officers.

Can you pinpoint the top three areasof concern that Michigan TU shouldfocus on from your perspective?

ANSWER: In my view, TU needs to focuswith the total conservation community onhow we drive conservation in this state,especially by being citizen advocates. TUalso needs to be engaged at the statelevel with work the DNRE is doing on

habitat and regulations. And, again, onthe local level with habitat projects andwhat is going on in different regions ofthe state with fish and water qualityissues. TU is a long-respectedorganization at all three levels ofgovernment federal, state and local.Continuing their work at those levels willbe key to conservation in Michigan forcurrent and future generations.

As Director, how do you feelMichigan TU can bestpartner with theDNRE, from both a

dialog and resourceperspective?

ANSWER: TU shouldengage in dialog at thestate and national levelbecause it is one of theconservationorganizations thatunderstands the bigpicture of fisheries andwater quality issues andhow they areinterrelated. Again,Michigan TU needs to

engage at the statelevel by continuing tohelp the DNRE work onregulations and at thelocal level with projectsand habitat concerns.

What is your favoritenatural resourcesmemory in Michigansgreat outdoors?

ANSWER: Im not sure itis my favorite, but it ismy most vivid. My dad

www.michigantu.orMichigan Trout Unlimited


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