It was late afternoon, a Friday. I was working on my third glass of Italian Barolo, a medium bodied red, visiting with friends around our office conference table. “What made you take up wine making? I’m sure it isn’t an abundance of spare time,” Rick, a friend and fellow trout fisherman asked, cradling a glass of Cabernet. “That’s true. But a guy can only tie so many flies during the winter before he goes blind or acquires a permanent hand cramp. Another night scrunched over my tying bench could disrupt my already questionable sanity.” It was a good question. What...
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Asian Carp update from Michigan TU
The following note comes from the Michigan TU Conservation Committee … “Here is some important information for TU members and chapters regarding efforts to prevent the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin. As you may have heard in the news recently, the US Supreme Court dismissed the last of the lawsuits filed by Attorney General Mike Cox, refusing to review the nearly 100 year old court decision which allowed the water diversion at Chicago that became what is now the Sanitary and Shipping Canal. So, where do we go from here?
Summer Work Schedule – Volunteers Needed!
Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited Summer 2010 Conservation Project Schedule Coldwater River The Schrems chapter has been blessed with two large grants for river restoration and habitat improvement on the Coldwater River. We have received a $20,000 grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and another grant for $40,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. We have partnered up with the Coldwater River Watershed Council, the Kent County Drain Commissioner and FTC&H on this project. We will be restoring and adding habitat to 2,500 feet of stream on the Dolan Property. This will be a large woody debris...
SWMTU looks to turn barren stretch of Coldwater River into trout haven
From Sunday’s Grand Rapids Press Victor Skinner | The Grand Rapids Press FREEPORT — The Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited chapter plans to transform a featureless 2,500-foot stretch of Coldwater River into ideal trout habitat using recent grants. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program awarded the chapter $40,750, and another $20,000 grant came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners in Fish and Wildlife program. The funds will be used to bury numerous 18-inch tree trunks along a barren section of riverbed east of the Baker Avenue bridge near Freeport. The project, funded and...
Record 86 salmon released
On May 1st, students from Lowell High School’s three Ecology & NaturalResouce management classes of teacher (and former Schrems board member) Tammy Coleman, released a record 86 Chinook Salmon into the Flat River just upstream from the Grand River. > Read the article from the Grand Rapids Press. The salmon were raised from their egg stage in Mrs. Coleman’s classroom throughout the school-year as part of the Salmon-in-the Classroom program of Trout Unlimited. Lowell HS is one of the five area school participating in the SIC program thanks to the a grant from Schrems WMTU for start-up equipment. Two addition schools will...
Rogue River Clean-up May 15th
Kudos to Schrems TU member Ryan Burke and the Central Rockford Neighborhood Association for coordinating a Rogue River Clean Up! The clean-up is scheduled for May 15, (May 22nd if it’s raining). Everyone is to meet at 9:00AM in the parking lot behind Chase Bank in downtown Rockford. There will be a picnic BBQ lunch afterwards at Richardson-Sowerby Park. For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Ryan at [email protected] When signing up please indicate the extent to which you are familiar with the river and whether or not you have waders and/or a canoe. This is necessary so that...
SWMTU receives $40,000 to restore Coldwater River
The Schrems West Michigan TU chapter was awarded $40,750 today by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program to improve habitat on the Coldwater River. The grant will fund restoration of 2,500 feet of habitat in the Coldwater River to reduce bank erosion and enhance populations of trout and other wildlife. The Sustain Our Great Lakes program is a public–private partnership coordinated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and funded by ArcelorMittal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.D.A Forest Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This year, additional...
Trout Unlimited Brokers Dam Removal Agreement on Pigeon River
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 6, 2010 Honorable Dennis F. Murphy of the Otsego County Circuit Court today signed an interim order in which Golden Lotus, Inc. agreed to remove a private dam on the Pigeon River that it owns and maintains on its Song of the Morning Ranch property in Otsego County. The agreement is in response to a release of water and sediment from the dam in June 2008, which resulted in environmental damage on the Pigeon River. Golden Lotus also agreed to pay $150,000 as mitigation for alleged damages and DNRE investigation costs. Removal of the private dam...
Penoyer Creek drying up?
Late last week, SWMTU member Brian Gorman contacted the chapter about seeing low stream levels on Penoyer Creek, a tributary to the Muskegon River. He described the creek as nearly dry near Basswood Road with small pools of water where trout were concentrated. (link to Penoyer Creek map) At the Muskegon River, the creek seemed to be flowing normally. Thanks to his detailed information and quick email, SMWTU has begun tracking down the source of the problem. On Sunday, board member Rob Fox took some photos of the creek and you can clearly see how low the water is. According...
Time to get your new fishing license
A friendly reminder that Michigan fishing licenses expire today. If you are fishing tomorrow, you’ll need a new license. Get one online here: http://www.mdnr-elicense.com/welcome.asp
2010 banquet a big success
SWMTU thanks all those who supported the 2010 banquet, through their attendance, efforts or donations. Without their support, the Chapter’s efforts to conserve cold water resources in Michigan wouldn’t be possible. Photos You can see some photos from the banquet here. Award winners M. C. Bud Kanouse Award – Glen Blackwood Cornelius M. Schrems Award – Dick Norton C. R. Evenson Award – Oak Brook, Ill. Chapter of Trout Unlimited Cornelius M. Schrems Scholarship – Corey Higley Donors 2/90 Sign Systems Abel Reels Alder Creek Enterprises – Ron Barch Artisan Cooking School Baldwin Bait & Tackle – Steve Fraley Baldwin...
Vote online for the Quaker Brook Project!
Our friend and conservation partner Josh Zuiderveen of Streamworks LLC has been working on a restoration project for the Quaker Brook. Quaker Brook is a degraded trout stream that feeds the Thornapple River. Here is a write up by Josh; Quaker Brook is a coldwater trout stream in the Thornapple River watershed. DNR fisheries agent Scott Hanshue rates Quaker high on his priority list for restoration efforts and conservation practices, because of its cold water fishery value and its degraded state. The Barry Conservation District is a finalist in the running for a MillerCoors grant to bring much needed financial resources...
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