Grayling Re-introduction

[chuckinduck]

A couple friends and I enjoyed a day on the mason tract last week and in the middle of the float we got onto the subject of Grayling. Does anyone know if the state has ever looked at the possibility of re-introducing Grayling to the Au Sable, or if its even feasible? It seems like an interesting idea, but with budget cuts and everything, probably not the most feasible thing given the state of our economy. Just curious if its ever been on the table for discussion. It'd be neat to see what could become of it.

[NEMichsportsman]

I was once told that the Ausable is neither cold enough or swift enough for the Grayling anymore. I can't say if it is factual.

Either way like you alluded....I don't think such a project would ever get any gov't funding.

[Frogfish101]

They tried restocking several times, but all attempts failed.

[Linda G.]

Do a search in the DNR site and if you're lucky you'll find something in there about their aborted effort with Montana grayling in the Cedar River here in Antrim County in 1984 and a few other really pristine lakes and rivers. I don't believe the AuSable was one of them, despite the sentiment of it.

The experiment in the Cedar failed miserably, within a year the fish were all gone, victims of the brown trout the DNr had forgotten about...I assume all the other places also failed, as you never hear about grayling anymore anywhere in the state, but they ARE still listed in the fish guide as protected...

[soggybtmboys]

Friend of mine who is a Taxi off the Ausable near Five Channels had told me a very long time ago he was out trout fishing on a very clear, spring fed thus very cold trib of the Ausable had found a few Grayling. The DNR were reportedly present and the Grayling were in distress. When he had asked if he could attempt to catch one, the answer was a very clear no. They had said to him, even though they are going to die, you may absolutely not attempt to catch them out of this hole. The fish died within a few days. Again, this is something that was passed on to me via a conversation with an old friend. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I would find it hard to recant his claim, he is a very stand up guy.

[yoopertoo]

I hate to say this folks but be glad there are no more left. If they still existed the rivers that held them would be regulated nightmares.

Their time has past. They were no doubt "exotic" hold overs from the glacial retreat anyway.

[swampbuck]

Used to catch quite a few in Kneff lake in the early 90's. They didnt reproduce and died out. about 15-16" at peak size

[Hemish]

I heard there's a MI hatchery that's rearing some right now. I know I saw an old MI grayling mount up in NW MI over the winter at a bait shop, pretty cool looking fish.

[back2spool]

I just read something about this.

My details are foggy, but I believe there is a guy out of MSU either interning with the DNR or something and he is doing a pretty comprehensive report on the chances of grayling survival in various MI streams. If I can find it I will report back...

[dansjeep2000]

I just read something about this.

My details are foggy, but I believe there is a guy out of MSU either interning with the DNR or something and he is doing a pretty comprehensive report on the chances of grayling survival in various MI streams. If I can find it I will report back...

I would love to read that.

[back2spool]

In the Autumn 2008 issue of Michigan Trout on page 9 it says:

"The Board of Directors (of the Paul H. Young TU) selected Ralph Tingley to receive a $1,000 research grant to help defray the costs associated with his research project. Mr. Tingley is a Grad Student at MSU who is performing a state-wide analysis to determine whether suitable stream habitat still exists for the Arctic Grayling in Michigan. It is hoped that his research will create a new analytical approach that may be used for other fish species and stream types...."

[2PawsRiver]

Found a little bit of info, but not a link. If anybody stumbles acrros a direct link for contributions, I'd appreciate it.:)

[back2spool]

The contact on the article is Bob Thorsen

bthorsen@paulyoungtu.org

I am sure if you contact him he will be able to set something up!

[woodie slayer]

i know kneff lake east of grayling used to have em. the sign asstill posted at the lakle with regulations the last time i was there

[MEL]

Grayling need a very clean, very cold stream. They also do not compete well with Browns and Brookies. So a stream that would hold a reproductive
population of Grayling would have to be void of other species. Im sure there are suitable streams here in Mi. for them but for the most part they are gonna be thriving Brook and Brown streams. DNR would have to decide
if they want to destroy a Brook/Brown stream to manage it for Grayling.
I've always thought it would be great if we could re-introduce them and have a fishable population, but who want to sacrifice their Brookie stream?

[jellybread]

Evaluation of the Reintroduction of the Arctic Graying into Michigan Lakes and Streams
(http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/Research/abstracts/1985abs.htm)

Michigan Grayling - Only a Memory (http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364_18958-53612--,00.html)

[CL-Lewiston]

Go to the Gulkana River, AK and catch all you want.

[Chinookhead]

Grayling need a very clean, very cold stream. They also do not compete well with Browns and Brookies. So a stream that would hold a reproductive
population of Grayling would have to be void of other species. Im sure there are suitable streams here in Mi. for them but for the most part they are gonna be thriving Brook and Brown streams. DNR would have to decide
if they want to destroy a Brook/Brown stream to manage it for Grayling.
I've always thought it would be great if we could re-introduce them and have a fishable population, but who want to sacrifice their Brookie stream?

I don't think that brookies would be much of a problem.....the ausable had lots of both.....though I could see the browns causing the grayling problems b/c browns are not native where grayling are native. I would definitely be for terminating a non-native species like browns. Many streams in Alaska have good populations of rainbows and grayling like the gulkana already mentioned. One of the major impediments for grayling like many of the native michigan species that are not doing well is that grayling need access to the entire stream (ie. no dams). Anyone who has fished grayling knows that they woudl have to be heavily regulated b/c they are one of the easiest fish to catch fish out there....and tasty at the same time (fresh, but they don't stay well). I'd love to see them back in Michigan...they were so much fun for me and my father in Alaska.

[Apache Trout3]

I don't believe brookies were native to the Ausable. The only watershed Brookies were indegenous to in the lower peninsula was the Muskegon. I may be wrong but I do not believe the Ausable is part of the Muskegon watershed. Sadly the day of the Grayling are long gone for the Ausable. The timber industry is probably to blame for its demise - habitat loss.

I have also enjoyed catching Grayling. In Yellowstone I hiked into Grebe Lake and caught a handful.

SAd.

[Boardman Brookies]

I talked to a CO and he told me that Brook Trout are native to the UP and possibly some small creeks in the extreme Northern tip of Michigan. It was the loss of habitat due to logging that was the beginning of the downfall of the Grayling. I would love to see them make a comeback. Someone said so what that they were just displaced fish from the last ice age. Maybe so, but if not for man they would still be in Michigan.

[Ralph Smith]

If they need a cold swift stream, I would think the Sturgeon would be a good choice. That sucker is darn right cold, even in July and August. May have some trouble with the other species, would just have to try and stock enough, and repeat it for several years until they can try to take ahold.

[Huron River Dan]

In the Manistee back in the 80's I believe...

Dan

[itchn2fish]

I talked to a CO and he told me that Brook Trout are native to the UP and possibly some small creeks in the extreme Northern tip of Michigan. It was the loss of habitat due to logging that was the beginning of the downfall of the Grayling. I would love to see them make a comeback. Someone said so what that they were just displaced fish from the last ice age. Maybe so, but if not for man they would still be in Michigan.
What you say about native brookies & grayling is true. And brookies & lakers evolved from Arctic Char when the galciers receded and left this species land-locked.

[jeffm]

If any of you enjoy a good read about the Ausable back in the day of the Grayling, and other oldtime things that had to do with the old river system,
Indians, early man, logging, 1911 fire, Dams, salmon being introduced and reintroduced a century later.....


I just got done reading a book called "Along the Historic Riviere auxSables"

Good reading if you are a Ausable fanatic like me.:fish:

[tingleyr]

Hello All
My name is Ralph Tingley and as has been mentioned, I am conducting a study to examine whether habitat suitable for the Arctic grayling exists within Michigan. I was very happy to recieve support from the Paul H Young Chapter of TU and I am continuing my research this year at MSU. The project itself aims to help expand ways to examine habitat for threatened or locally extinct species, without immense time or cost. If you would like to know more about the project or the history of the grayling within Michigan, feel free to send me a message and we can chat. I like to know what interest lies within the state in regards to the Arctic grayling. Currently, no grayling are being raised within Michigan(to the best of my knowledge), but they were onced raised at the Grayling Fish Hatchery. Most of the streams above the Muskegon River were believed to support grayling historically, while only one stream (the Otter River) in the U.P. was known to. This was actually the last stream in Michigan to hold the species as well. The reasons for extinction of the species vary, but most likely have to do with many of the reasons mentioned in this thread.

[2PawsRiver]

Hello Ralph, and welcome to MS.com. Wouldn't it be something to run across some secluded section of water that still held a small population..........always nice to wish.

Good luck and I would enjoy hearing how the research is going.:)