Freshwater Fishing News

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has released its recovery plan for upper Willamette Chinook and steelhead. The plan, prepared jointly with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, calls for improving habitat and hatcheries and reintroducing Chinook and steelhead into habitat above dams in the North and South Santiam, McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette rivers.

Upper Willamette Chinook and steelhead have been listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act since 1999. Dams have blocked salmon from reaching spawning habitat, and agricultural development and urbanization have degraded other habitat in the river. Releases of hatchery fish and both intentional and unintentional catch of salmon have also contributed to the decline of the populations, and have likely reduced their resiliency to natural threats, such as drought, poor ocean conditions and predation.

The plan, a roadmap for public and private entities and individuals, outlines how to restore natural production of spring Chinook and winter steelhead in the Willamette River and its subbasin. The goal of the plan is to rebuild naturally self-sustaining populations that will no longer need federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA estimates the recovery of upper Willamette Chinook and steelhead salmon will take 25 years at the minimum, with a cost of at least $265 million, if the plan’s actions are all implemented.

Adopted earlier in 2011 by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, the plan will also serve as a state conservation plan under Oregon’s Native Fish Conservation Policy. With the publishing of the plan in the Federal Register, it also serves as the official federal recovery plan, required for all species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

The plan and related documents are available on the Fisheries Northwest Region website at http://go.usa.gov/kY2, and at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/CRP/upper_willamette_river_plan.asp.

source: NOAA

Labor Day, Monday Sept. 5, is Pennsylvania’s second Fish-for-Free Day for 2011.

Each Fish-for-Free Day allows anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish with no fishing license required on all Pennsylvania’s waterways. All other fishing regulations still apply.

Visit fishandboat.com/fishforfree.htm to learn more about Labor Day’s Fish-for-Free Day.

This summer a total of 600 Arctic charr were returned to Big Reed Pond as the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife continued its work in a unique reclamation project. Arctic charr found in 12 ponds in Maine are the only known populations of native Arctic charr in the continental United States.

Though the charr were stocked, the multi-year project is not complete. Full success of the project will be realized when Arctic charr successfully spawn in Big Reed Pond and biologists can document survival of any charr resulting from this natural spawning. The associated ecosystem must also be considered, including Big Reed native brook trout and associated native species of dace in some of the tributaries.

The process began more than four years ago, as Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife staff began the laborious process of collecting native fish from Big Reed Pond. They netted native Arctic charr and brook trout and took them to a private hatchery for safe-keeping.

The pond was treated in October of 2010 with the chemical rotenone to eliminate an illegally-introduced population of rainbow smelt, whose competition for food and habitat had resulted in a negative effect on the population of Arctic charr there.

Recovered Arctic charr and brook trout were taken to Mountain Springs Trout Farm in Frenchville, where they were carefully monitored. Their offspring was taken back to Big Reed in early June of 2011, flown in from Bradford Camps on Munsungan Lake to Big Reed Pond.

Big Reed Pond is a 90-acre pond located approximately 45 miles southwest of Ashland, Maine. It is located off of the Pinkham Road, a notable timber road, and sits on a parcel of land owned by The Nature Conservancy.

Arctic charr, also known as “blueback trout” in some circles, are important to Maine for the very same reason they are important to the United States. There are only 12 waters in the entire continental U.S. serving as hosts to the specie and all 12 of those waters are located in northern Maine.

Decades ago, rainbow smelt were illegally introduced into Big Reed Pond. The smelt quickly established themselves in large numbers, large enough that they began to compete with native Arctic charr and brook trout for both food and habitat. Charr population numbers have dropped dramatically, leaving Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fisheries biologists with little choice but to take drastic measure.

Currently, Big Reed Pond is open to open water fishing from April 1st through September 30th, with anglers restricted to the use of artificial lures only. All trout or charr caught must be immediately released alive.

source: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Based on predicted water releases over the coming weeks from Gavins Point Dam, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has decided to hold its paddlefish-snagging season. The season is Oct. 1-31.

The area open to paddlefish snagging is the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam, downstream to the mouth of the Big Sioux River. The Corps, however, is concerned about the stability of rocks along the Gavins Point Dam tailwater area. It anticipates it will prevent access to about 80 percent of the bank area normally open to snagging in the tailwaters.

A buoy line will be strung across the spillway area as the spillway gates will be open and discharging water. This will prevent boat snaggers from accessing this area. The discharge channel below the power plant is closed to snagging from the chalk point to the east end of the concrete wall on the south side of the discharge channel.

Snagging permits were drawn Aug. 29. The application period for paddlefish snagging permits started July 1, when the Missouri River flood was in full force. Game and Parks has received about half as many applications as in recent years. Of the 1,635 resident anglers who applied for permits, 1,520 will receive them, while 80 of the 210 nonresidents who applied will get permits.

About half of the paddlefish snagging that normally takes place in the tailwaters is from boats and about half is from the bank, according to Nebraska Game and Parks.

source: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Along the Mid Atlantic and as far north as Canada, anglers are waiting to see how Hurricane Irene will affect freshwater fishing. In some areas, the storm may actually benefit freshwater fishing while other areas are sure to suffer long term effects.

In most areas, freshwater fishing ground to a halt as residents worked to clear communities and restore infrastructure. Some areas lost roads, bridges, launch facilities and other structure.

In some southern areas, rainfall from Hurricane Irene ended drought conditions that were severely stressing small creeks, rivers and freshwater impoundments.

The rain not only brought water levels back up to normal, but also flushed away excess algae and contaminants. In tidal rivers and creeks, the influx of freshwater lowered salinity levels, which had pushed fish back into inaccessible swamps.

In New Jersey, New York and the New England states, the situation was quite different. As the recovery process unfolded, reports began surfacing of residents finding dead trout and other fish species on lawns, streets and even in flooded basements.

With record setting flash flooding affecting brooks, streams and rivers throughout New England, local fish populations are likely to be hit hard.

Several U.S. Fish and Wildlife fish hatcheries in New England and the Mid Atlantic sustained damage during the storm including facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Initial reports from the Northeast Fishery Center and hatcheries throughout the region indicate a variety of storm-related issues including loss of power and domestic water supply, significant flooding, moderate to severe damage to roads and culverts, downed trees and power lines.