Now, I know a title like the one above can cause quite a debate about the health and long-term quality of our fisheries here in the state of Michigan, and in fact, has been a highly argued point for much time now across the country. In some cases, we rely on fishermen to take fish from the population. It balances the predator: prey ratio and can lead to a healthier ecosystem in general. This is particularly true with Lake Michigan and some of the introduced species of fish. However, because that pot of coffee is far richer than the one I am choosing to sip from, we will leave the topic of catch and release fishing in the Great Lakes for another conversation.
I'm talking about resident Brown Trout, and for that matter, any trout that does not migrate into the big lake during the summer months. The trout that rely on the single nymph being carried through a stretch of stream by an unexpected change in current. The ones who retreat to the deepest parts of holes and sit immediately behind riffles during the steamy Summer months just to uptake the last bit of oxygen dissolved in the warming creeks. Getting a picture of the fish I'm discussing? These fish are delicate. Brown trout, when speaking of trout species in general, are actually quite tolerant when it comes to change in water temperature and dissolved oxygen content and such (which happen to be related). But one thing that no species of trout can handle is over-fishing and mishandling.
I'm going to start by talking a quick second about the systems this impacts the greatest. I'm going to call these systems "closed," just for reference purposes. Now, when addressing streams, rivers, and creeks, we think moving bodies of water. Those aren't closed right? Well, most of them at some point make their way into a larger river or body of water, such as Lake Michigan. Now, take that same river, creek, or stream and throw a dam in the center of it. Now, the flow, though interrupted yet not blocked, is quite limited. In many cases, the fish though, are blocked completely from traveling to the larger body of water. Continue thinking about this same stream and for the sake of an image, think of it's origin being a swamp with natural springs (we have many of these exact situations here in Michigan!). So, to sum things up, we has a stream with a dam at one end blocking nearly all passage of fish (especially from the lake to the creek) and at the other end, a small swamp with fresh spring water pouring from the earth. This is the "closed" system I am talking about. The trout that live in this system thrive on the food confined to this area (the insects, the sculpin, the darters, etc).
These fish, rely on a good food source or they die. They rely on a cold enough temperature of water or they die. They rely on the water being unpolluted or they die. They rely on overall mineral content to be low enough or they die. These fish are DELICATE. They are just as beautiful as they are precious. So we seek them. This is where I get to the point of my post. These fish have a lot of unseen stresses and impacts on their overall health. It's our duty (if we desire to catch healthy, large, trout) to treat them well. Especially if we catch and release them. If we keep them, the intent is to eat, which is better than a poor release which results in a dead fish lying on the creek bed going to waste. We need to watch our "take" from these closed systems too, because in many of our creeks, a couple of large spawning-age trout can be the backbone of the population for the entire community. Taking too many from a stream can really kill a trout stream. Alright, enough ranting about what we need to do, let's talk basics. If you are releasing a fish, but you feel the need to take a picture (I do this all the time, it's fun!), here are a couple of pointers to help the long-term health of the fish...
- Wet your hands prior to touching trout (This is especially important because their slime acts as a protective barrier and without it, they are susceptible to disease)
- Focus on minimizing time out-of-water (Leave the fish in the net swimming for a moment to continue a flow of water through the gills; water is life!)
- Support the trout by grasping the tail with one hand and balancing the weight of fish under the stomach with a second hand temporarily if you need a picture (I've been told even this should be dodged).
- Pinch barbed hooks to minimize damage to the lips of the fish (Can you imagine tearing a barb through your face?)
- Make certain the fish is doing well prior to letting him/her go. Letting them sit a moment and gather the energy they need makes a world of difference in the release.
-Make the experience quick. This decreases the stress of the fish and they are more likely to bounce-back with limited time captured.
Last, enjoy trout fishing. This can be the most rewarding and peaceful kind of fishing a person can do. Enjoy the sights, the sounds, and the abundance of beauty nature has to offer us.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD ANY IDEAS/ EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE TO THIS LIST. WE ALL WANT HEALTHY FISH. WE LOVE TO FISH! HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE WHO IS GETTING INTO TROUT FISHING. THANKS FOR READING!
I'm talking about resident Brown Trout, and for that matter, any trout that does not migrate into the big lake during the summer months. The trout that rely on the single nymph being carried through a stretch of stream by an unexpected change in current. The ones who retreat to the deepest parts of holes and sit immediately behind riffles during the steamy Summer months just to uptake the last bit of oxygen dissolved in the warming creeks. Getting a picture of the fish I'm discussing? These fish are delicate. Brown trout, when speaking of trout species in general, are actually quite tolerant when it comes to change in water temperature and dissolved oxygen content and such (which happen to be related). But one thing that no species of trout can handle is over-fishing and mishandling.
I'm going to start by talking a quick second about the systems this impacts the greatest. I'm going to call these systems "closed," just for reference purposes. Now, when addressing streams, rivers, and creeks, we think moving bodies of water. Those aren't closed right? Well, most of them at some point make their way into a larger river or body of water, such as Lake Michigan. Now, take that same river, creek, or stream and throw a dam in the center of it. Now, the flow, though interrupted yet not blocked, is quite limited. In many cases, the fish though, are blocked completely from traveling to the larger body of water. Continue thinking about this same stream and for the sake of an image, think of it's origin being a swamp with natural springs (we have many of these exact situations here in Michigan!). So, to sum things up, we has a stream with a dam at one end blocking nearly all passage of fish (especially from the lake to the creek) and at the other end, a small swamp with fresh spring water pouring from the earth. This is the "closed" system I am talking about. The trout that live in this system thrive on the food confined to this area (the insects, the sculpin, the darters, etc).
These fish, rely on a good food source or they die. They rely on a cold enough temperature of water or they die. They rely on the water being unpolluted or they die. They rely on overall mineral content to be low enough or they die. These fish are DELICATE. They are just as beautiful as they are precious. So we seek them. This is where I get to the point of my post. These fish have a lot of unseen stresses and impacts on their overall health. It's our duty (if we desire to catch healthy, large, trout) to treat them well. Especially if we catch and release them. If we keep them, the intent is to eat, which is better than a poor release which results in a dead fish lying on the creek bed going to waste. We need to watch our "take" from these closed systems too, because in many of our creeks, a couple of large spawning-age trout can be the backbone of the population for the entire community. Taking too many from a stream can really kill a trout stream. Alright, enough ranting about what we need to do, let's talk basics. If you are releasing a fish, but you feel the need to take a picture (I do this all the time, it's fun!), here are a couple of pointers to help the long-term health of the fish...
- Wet your hands prior to touching trout (This is especially important because their slime acts as a protective barrier and without it, they are susceptible to disease)
- Focus on minimizing time out-of-water (Leave the fish in the net swimming for a moment to continue a flow of water through the gills; water is life!)
- Support the trout by grasping the tail with one hand and balancing the weight of fish under the stomach with a second hand temporarily if you need a picture (I've been told even this should be dodged).
- Pinch barbed hooks to minimize damage to the lips of the fish (Can you imagine tearing a barb through your face?)
- Make certain the fish is doing well prior to letting him/her go. Letting them sit a moment and gather the energy they need makes a world of difference in the release.
-Make the experience quick. This decreases the stress of the fish and they are more likely to bounce-back with limited time captured.
Last, enjoy trout fishing. This can be the most rewarding and peaceful kind of fishing a person can do. Enjoy the sights, the sounds, and the abundance of beauty nature has to offer us.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD ANY IDEAS/ EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE TO THIS LIST. WE ALL WANT HEALTHY FISH. WE LOVE TO FISH! HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE WHO IS GETTING INTO TROUT FISHING. THANKS FOR READING!