Trail Creek at Michigan City : Returning to Fishable Levels

The nice thing about having a small watershed, is the quickness with which the river can return to fishable levels. Unfortunately it didn't return to a low level with time for me to go wet a line. I expect to return to fight with some Skamania as soon as I get the chance. Perhaps Monday.

Here is the gauge, the river may be muddy, but steelhead should be back to predictable locations by tomorrow morning.

See ya out there!

Great Lakes Steelhead Fin Clip Information

This information is from the Michigan DNR, reguarding the fin clips of steelhead stocked between 1999 and 2008. Remember different strains of steehead take from 3 to 5 years to spawn and will spawn more than 1 year. Finding a fin clip and comparing it to fish stocked 3-5 years prior to your catch can help to identify the strain and stocking location of your fish.

This key shows abbreviations of fins for use as a reference to the chart below.

FIN CLIP YEAR AGENCY # STOCKED STRAIN

AD 2008 MIDNR 39,818 MICHIGAN

ADLM 2000 WIDNR 64,000 CHAMBERS CREEK

ADLM 2005 WIDNR 64,873 CHAMBERS CREEK

ADLM 2007 WIDNR 8,060 CHAMBERS CREEK

ADLM 2008 WIDNR 53,380 CHAMBERS CREEK

ADLP 2000 WIDNR 72,000 ARLEE

ADLP 2002 WIDNR 60,000 ARLEE

ADLP 2005 WIDNR 53,035 ARLEE

ADLP 2007 WIDNR 65,871 ARLEE

ADLV 2000 WIDNR 58,000 GANARASKA

ADLV 2003 WIDNR 66,989 GANARASKA

ADLV 2004 WIDNR 63,762 GANARASKA

ADLV 2007 WIDNR 29,624 KAMLOOPS

ADRM 2000 WIDNR 75,000 SKAMANIA

ADRM 2005 WIDNR 75,939 SKAMANIA

ADRM 2008 WIDNR 68,742 SKAMANIA

ADRP 2002 ILDNR 76,000 SKAMANIA

ADRP 2002 WIDNR 62,000 KAMLOOPS

ADRP 2003 ILDNR 75,968 SKAMANIA

ADRP 2004 ILDNR 50,000 SKAMANIA

ADRP 2006 ILDNR 55,201 SKAMANIA

ADRP 2007 ILDNR 57,732 SKAMANIA

ADRP 2008 ILDNR 56,040 SKAMANIA

ADRV 2001 WIDNR 186,000 GANARASKA

ADRV 2005 WIDNR 56,208 GANARASKA

ADRV 2007 WIDNR 68,356 GANARASKA

ADRV 2008 WIDNR 66,299 GANARASKA

BV 1999 WIDNR 66,000 GANARASKA

BV 2002 WIDNR 65,000 GANARASKA

BV 2006 WIDNR 61,533 GANARASKA

DLV 2000 MIDNR 30,253 SKAMANIA

LM 2001 WIDNR 134,000 CHAMBERS CREEK

LM 2003 WIDNR 71,863 CHAMBERS CREEK

LM 2004 WIDNR 71,863 CHAMBERS CREEK

LM 2007 WIDNR 14,830 CHAMBERS CREEK

LM 2007 WIDNR 24,193 SKAMANIA

LMLV 1999 WIDNR 61,000 CHAMBERS CREEK

LMLV 2002 WIDNR 93,000 CHAMBERS CREEK

LMLV 2006 WIDNR 61,828 CHAMBERS CREEK

LP 2001 WIDNR 15,000 ARLEE

LP 2003 WIDNR 29,992 ARLEE

LP 2004 WIDNR 29,992 ARLEE

LP 2006 WIDNR 61,285 ARLEE

LP 2008 WIDNR 59,987 ARLEE

LPRV 1999 MIDNR 17,484 SKAMANIA

LPRV 2007 ILDNR 46,943 ARLEE

LPRV 2008 ILDNR 51,003 ARLEE

LV 2000 ILDNR 88,000 ARLEE

LV 2001 ILDNR 60,000 SKAMANIA

LV 2005 WIDNR 42,363 KAMLOOPS

LV 2006 MIDNR 34,821 MICHIGAN

LV 2007 MIDNR 20,525 MICHIGAN

LV 2008 MIDNR 20,296 MICHIGAN

RM 2001 WIDNR 120,000 SKAMANIA

RM 2003 WIDNR 68,735 SKAMANIA

RM 2004 WIDNR 68,735 SKAMANIA

RM 2007 WIDNR 60,455 SKAMANIA

RMRV 1999 WIDNR 95,000 SKAMANIA

RMRV 2002 WIDNR 171,500 SKAMANIA

RMRV 2006 WIDNR 65,183 SKAMANIA

RP 1999 MIDNR 521,628 MICHIGAN

RP 2000 INDNR 40,021 MICHIGAN

RP 2000 MIDNR 517,917 MICHIGAN

RP 2001 INDNR 40,000 MICHIGAN

RP 2001 MIDNR 567,695 MICHIGAN

RP 2001 MIDNR 36,478 SKAMANIA

RP 2002 INDNR 40,000 MICHIGAN

RP 2002 MIDNR 567,271 MICHIGAN

RP 2002 MIDNR 33,260 SKAMANIA

RP 2003 INDNR 40,000 MICHIGAN

RP 2003 MIDNR 536,706 MICHIGAN

RP 2003 MIDNR 37,415 SKAMANIA

RP 2004 MIDNR 536,704 MICHIGAN

RP 2004 MIDNR 37,415 SKAMANIA

RP 2005 MIDNR 484,196 MICHIGAN

RP 2005 MIDNR 32,358 SKAMANIA

RP 2006 INDNR 40,001 MICHIGAN

RP 2006 MIDNR 29,702 MICHIGAN

RP 2007 INDNR 40,792 MICHIGAN

RP 2007 MIDNR 19,562 MICHIGAN

RP 2007 MIDNR 33,772 SKAMANIA

RP 2008 MIDNR 19,417 MICHIGAN

RPLV 1999 ILDNR 100,000 ARLEE

RPLV 2005 MIDNR 32,776 MICHIGAN

RV 2001 ILDNR 46,000 ARLEE

RV 2003 WIDNR 60,397 KAMLOOPS

RV 2004 WIDNR 60,397 KAMLOOPS

RV 2006 WIDNR 58,570 KAMLOOPS

RV 2007 WIDNR 31,344 KAMLOOPS

In addition to the information in my last blog post, I have come across this "Michigan" strain of steelhead. Having never angled the waters of Michigan for steelhead I havn't run across this strain (yet). Here is the information I have to share with you.

Michigan : "winter-run" steelhead : This strain arrose from introductions of anadromous steelhead which occured sometime between 1876-1914. Original plants were likely from gametes collected from natural runs of steelhead in the State of California. These early stocked fish naturalized and maintain significant runs in the Little Manistee River. Gamete collection for hatchery rearing was initiated by the State of Michigan in the mid-1960s. These fish return to rivers in late-fall or early spring and typically spawn from March through May.

Lake Michigan Steelhead Strain Information

I, like many other curious anglers do research to figure out when their favorite fish are spawning in creeks, streams and rivers all along the great lakes. When it comes to Steelhead, anglers have the advantage of being able to fish for this glorious gem of a salmonid almost year round. Here is some information from the Wisconsin DNR on three of the most heavily stocked species of Steelhead.

Skamania : "Summer Run Steelhead" - This strain was developed at the Skamania hatchery in the state of Washington. Wisconsin originally obtained eggs from Indiana, but now takes the eggs from adults returning to Wisconsin streams. The spawning migration begins in late June and early July. The good stream fishing doesn't begin until the water temperatures start to cool, usually in mid-September. Spawning occurs from mid-December through mid-March with the peak occurring in January and February. The majority of spawning fish are four and five year olds. Four year old fish average 28" and 8 pounds, while five year old fish average 32" and 12 pounds.

This is a photograph of a Skamania strain Steelhead from Trail Creek Indiana, which I landed in late July of 2009, it was 26" long and weighed between 6 and 7 pounds:

Chambers Creek : "Winter Run Steelhead" - This strain originated at Washington's South Tacoma Hatchery. Eggs for our program were originally obtained from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The spawning migration starts in late fall and continues through winter and early spring. Some of the best stream fishing is during mid-November through December and again in March and early April. The majority of spawning adults are three and four year old fish. Three year Chambers Creek Steelhead average 25 inches and 6 pounds while four year Chambers Creek Steelhead average 29 inches and 9.5 pounds.

This photograph is of a Chambers Creek strain Steelhead from the Milwaukee Harbor, caught through the Ice in February of 2009. It was 27" long:

Ganaraska River : "Winter Run Steelhead" - This strain of Steelhead originated on the west coast and has since become naturalized in Lake Ontario. It uses the Ganaraska River on the north shore of the lake for spawning. Although referred to as a spring-run fish in Ontario, the Ganaraskas stocked in Lake Michigan also contribute to the fall and winter stream fishery. Strong pulses of these fish run up the rivers from November to December and again from late March through April. Peak spawning time extends from April to early May. This is the lasts strain of rainbow trout to leave the stream and has extended the fishing opportunities an extra 2 to 4 weeks. Returning adults average 23 inches at age 3 and 26 inches at age 4.

This photograph is of a Ganaraska strain Steelhead from Oak Creek caught in early May, it measured 25" and weighed just shy of 5 pounds:

Steelhead are native to the western United States but are a vital part of the Great Lakes fishery and have been naturalized in lake Ontario. There are other strains such as the Kamloops and Arlee steelhead which are stocked further north. The brood stocks for these three strains are currently at Kenosha and Racine, and the Racine Root River Steelhead Processing Facility processes many steelhead, brown trout, and salmon (both Coho and Chinook) each year. The weir at that facility has a glass window and it is an amazing spectacle to see so many large rainbow trout in such a small area. After they are spawned out by volunteers and members of the DNR they are released back to the water, where they continue their fight upstream, only to return to Lake Michigan when it is all over.

The glorious details of the gill plate of a spawning male steelhead.

An angler's catch of the morning laying in shallow water.

Trail Creek Flash Flood : 48 cfs - 837 cfs in under 5 hours

Dan and I were planning on a return trip to the Trail Creek in Michigan City tomorrow to get at some more steelhead. Unfortunatly this super precise downpour practically only rained on the creek this evening and ruined our chances.

Take a look.

The storm.

The resulting 6 foot rise in the creek within just a few hours. Flash Flood warning was very accurate.

Here is that warning.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED AN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...    

NORTHERN LA PORTE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST INDIANA UNTIL 930 PM CDT    

AT 637 PM CDT WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER NORTHERN LAPORTE COUNTY. RAINFALL REPORTS OF OVER 3 INCHES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.     

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...    

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THESE STORMS WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL  CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY  ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND OTHER  LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

Hold on tight steelhead... we'll be back to get after you when this mess clears up.  I'll have to think up something else to do tomorrow I suppose.  Shoot.

Here is the aftermath of that warning.  It is now a flash flood statement:

TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REPORTED   STRANDED VEHICLES IN THE MICHIGAN CITY AREA AND SOME ROADS ARE   CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO AN   INCH ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA WITH TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS   NEAR 5 INCHES POSSIBLE. RUNOFF FROM THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE   PROBLEMS UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT. 

Trail Creek Steelhead : Michigan City : 7/27/2009

The day started at 2:30 a.m. the alarm clock went off, I threw on my swim suit and cloths, and hopped in the car, met a friend or three and got on the highway by 3:00 a.m. out of Chicago and on down to Michigan City to fish for Skamania Steelhead on Trail Creek.

At first light this is what Trail Creek looked like, a golden green wonderland, with silver bullet steelhead waiting to be hooked. I was with a friend of mine, Dan, fishing here on this stretch, and 2 more of my friends, Mike and Keith could be found elsewhere on Trail Creek today.

It wasn't too long before I hooked into my first Skamania, it was a beauty of a Steelhead. It took a little 2 foot hop in some rapids and that was the last I saw of it.

I later switched to a personal favorite lure that has produced for me when all else fails, and on the 2nd or 3rd cast, I hooked a 26" female Steelhead, an eventful 5 minutes fight ensued.

At the end the steelhead was in the net, but I had stripped to that swimsuit, and swam across the river with my rod above my head to free the Steelhead from the tree it had kindly wrapped my line around several times. This one doubled the prior Steelhead jump of 2 feet, it's fist hop was an easy 4 foot launch. It actually woke Dan up with that jump, he was napping next to the creek for a bit. Getting up at 2:30 isn't easy.

Within 5 minutes, while I was dripping in my swimsuit and explaining how I got to be that we, Dan's rod literally doubled over and I shouted fish on. He had a bull of a Steelhead, I believe it was a male. His didn't jump but it pulled up and down stream a couple of times before I was able to wrestle it to a stop so we could remove the hooks.

Dan hooked up one more time on what looked to be an orange bodied, gold bladed rooster tail with brown hackle. Unfortunatly that Skamania took a jump and kindly spit the spinner back at Dan.

Here Dan and I are with our lovely Skamanias.

All in all a lovely day in Michigan city, angling for these beautiful Skamania Steelhead, one of the most areal fighters of the Great Lakes fish. Happy to have made it out there. Mike's photographs from his recent Steelhead outings can be found at his frequently updated (and very informative) blog, here.

Thanks for reading, I'd love to spend all these hot summer mornings pitching things between fallen logs, over rocks, and down rapids with hopes that the surface of the water will suddenly erupt as a Steelhead bursts to such great heights. Amazing. See ya out there!

Great Lakes Angler off to Crystal Lake, Michigan

Great lakes angler gets in the car at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow to make the 5 hour drive to Crystal Lake, Michigan, which used to be a fantastic perch fishery, as well as a producer of huge lake trout and at one point, Coho salmon. It is now, like so many other places... not any of those. It does have a huge amount of mean rock bass though. We'll see if I can't find a little school of perch swimming around somewhere.

Here's the lake 165 feet deep at its deepest, and averaging more than 70 feet deep, its a beautiful and "crsytal" clear lake, 20 feet of visibility is common. I'm excited to camp on the beach, fish from the row boat, and just enjoy my time in the sun... err I mean rain this weekend.

Lake Michigan Stonehenge?

Since July fishing has been slow here in Chicago, with the Perch season closed for another week, and Trout and Salmon out of reach, I've been delving into archives of some of my favorite great lakes news sources and here's another find.

Mark Holley, an underwater archeology professor (I'd have taken that class in a second in college if it was offered) at Northwestern Michigan College discovered a series of standing stones under the waters of lake Michigan. Some of them are arranged in a circle, and one of which appears to have carvings of a mastodon on it.

Here is a photograph of the Mastodon Carving in question.

A huge discovery in North American Archeology. This sonar they're using to find these things is mighty cool, I'd love to make images with that thing, I've always had my eyes plastered to the depth finders of any boat I've been in, watching the bottom contours. The photographs are interesting if nothing else.

This one is a pile of sunken boats and cars. Pretty cool.

You can read more of this article over at BLDGBLOG.

Assault on a Bait Ball

This is why I strive to find a way to get my hands on underwater camera gear. I want photographs of Salmon and Trout going at a bait ball of Alewifes, I've seen them get active and chase schools around and I've even seen a pod of them thrash the top of the water only to have a big Chinook burst through the surface chasing them.

This photography speaks for itself. Click here to check out the rest. Some of the best underwater stuff I've ever seen.

This weekend I'm headed to Crystal Lake Michigan. I may do a little bit of fishing, but nothing more than shooting a few RockBass in a barrel or drifting for perch. I'll likely stop in Indiana and scout for some Steelhead spots for next week. Photographs and reports will follow the weekend. Enjoy yours, I'll enjoy mine.

In Search of Steelhead, The Quest Begins

There was a time last fall, living 6 blocks from the Milwaukee River, when I could throw on my boots, sling a messenger bag on my shoulder with a long fishing rod sticking out of the top, bundle up as tight as I could, and go stalk steelhead on cold November mornings between classes.

I remember over the course of about a week a little slot of ice, 2" wide at first, growing each day, formed along the banks of the river. I had my 2 holes, I'd bike there, slide down the frozen bank by the road where I locked my bike. Jot across the Oak Leaf Trail, a bike path, and continue my slide down another icy bank to the riverside. I would then pick my first hole, shoot through the rapids a few times, usually I'd hook up right away. If not, I'd change presentations a time or two and hike down to my next spot.

Near the end of the aforementioned week locked my bike up, slid through fresh snow, and arrived, to my horror, at the edge of the river only to look down on one continuous pane of ice. I could close my eyes and see the steelhead holding in eddies under the ice, feeding on whatever was left bouncing down the river bottom. I remembered reaching from limb to limb, pulling myself up the slick hill thinking "maybe it will thaw! I'll go check the weather!" but sure enough, when winter comes in Wisconsin, it stays.

That day I thought about the spring run, in which I had some success this year, landing my first fly rod steelhead, hooking up to chrome beauties in the Root River, and tangoing with them in Oak Creek. That run was blown out most of the time by big spring rains. My steelhead lust would have to wait... until now. Reports are good that Skamania, the big daddy of the stocked Great Lakes strains are in. Throwing big acrobatics in with bulling, line ripping, drag screaming runs, every hook up promises to be a battle.

Here is a photograph from Today, it got my blood pumping without hesitation. This fellow, by the tag cichlidfinder on Windy City Fishing bagged 4 of these beauties this morning.

I, along with my recent, and good, friend Mike P., who has a new fishing blog as well, found here. Will be headed on down to the Tributaries to put ourselves in the photographs holding the Steelhead. I hope to bring them to you by next week. In fact I'll do my best to do so. Hope to see you out there!

-Tom

Fisch Franke : Living Trout Poster

Tom Chandler, over at the Trout Underground, displayed this clip from youtube over at his top shelf trout angling blog.

Quite an interesting idea to draw people to a storefront. The clearly farm raised trout make for a quick eye catcher to draw people into eating at this German seafood restaurant.

Fishing's been slow for the great lakes angler lately. I'm buried up to the top of my waders in the job hunt, and havn't been able to put those waders where they belong... in the river. Soon the browns and kings will fill with roe, change from chrome bullets to darkly colored bulls, and I'll be waiting for them with rod in hand. Until then... see ya out there.