Michigan Trout Unlimited
MICHIGAN Trout
Michigan TU Chapter Updates
12 Adams Chapter
Spring 2021
Like most chapters across the country, 2020 was a challenging year for the Adams Chapter. Before the first lockdown, the Chapter engaged members in a youth and community fly tying day in February 2020. In addition, the Chapter engaged in an outreach effort in the greater angling community of Traverse City by having a presence at the city’s 2020 Fly Fishing Film Festival. As spring rolled in and restrictions came into effect, virtually all of the Chapter’s activities and projects were canceled. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, its conservation work continued through planning and partnership to remediate an old instream sand trap site on the North Branch of the Boardman River (shown above). Restoration work on this site will commence in 2021. Summer 2020 on the Boardman River brought the discovery of a population of rainbow trout prevalent throughout the section upstream of the Union Street Dam. Plans to study and calculate the presence of this population are slated as a top priority for 2021. Fall brought the Chapter back together (at safe distances) to plant over sixty trees and over one hundred live willow stakes along a stretch under restoration after removing the Sabin Dam. Pine River Chapter The Pine River Chapter has a tree-planting project in the works for the banks of Cole Creek, a tributary of the Manistee River, where a road has been closed because of removing a failed culvert. The planting is for bank stabilization. Seedlings will include dogwood and cedar, along with ninebark, an upright, spreading, dense shrub with arching branches reaching six to ten feet tall and wide. This spring’s seedling planting project will involve TU volunteers and thirty to forty high school students from the Agriscience and Natural Resources class of Wexford/Missaukee Career Technical Center. The class instructor, Mark Johnson, is the Chapter’s vice-president. The Chapter’s Silver Creek project, a tributary of the Pine River, has been delayed with design changes regarding multi-bank stabilization on state land. The design modifications still need approval from the state before work can begin. The groundwork for the project should start sometime in mid-February to March. This first stage of the three to four-year bank restoration project will be assisted by multiple partners, including the MDNR Recreation Improvement Fund, Pine River Watershed Enhancement Fund, Pine River Association, Lake County Community Foundation, Trout and Salmon Foundation, Michigan Fly Fishing Club, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, and Challenge Chapter of TU.
by Joe Barker
Grayling has been informally known as a “Kids Only” fishing area for decades. A project is coming together to restore instream fish habitat and promote access to this part of the river for family fishing in an easygoing, less technical environment. Part of the plan is to develop a nature trail system for hiking. The MasonGriffith Founders Chapter is working with riparian landowners, including Crawford County, the City of Grayling, Crawford Au Sable Schools, and Munson Healthcare, as part of a county recreational plan. The plan aims to improve stream conditions and ultimately showcase the trout angling opportunities in the East Branch from the Grayling Fish Hatchery to the confluence with the mainstream, ultimately making the river available to all anglers from novices to veterans of fishing. This effort is inspired by the city of Grayling’s Community Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Greenway Plan, which states: “The Au Sable River forms the backbone of the community’s greenway system. The river is a nationally recognized recreational asset. The creation of linear parkways and trails along the Au Sable presents opportunities to connect parks, schools, institutional facilities, residential areas and the downtown. Natural areas within the City offer a close-by escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life, where residents can enjoy the beauty of nature, mixed with the sounds of birds and running water.” Charles Fellows Chapter Over the past several years, the Charles Fellows Chapter’s focus has moved toward improving youth outreach. They continue to focus on their bi-annual F.A.M. Fishing Camp, a full scholarship two-and-a-half-day event for a youth and a parent/guardian to spend time together to learn about local watersheds, rivers, and conservation and to spend quality time together on the water. The Chapter decided it was important to create time for family bonding, knowing most youths need an adult with them while fishing. The Chapter’s next camp is slated for June 2022.
The Pine River Area Chapter has canceled its spring banquet for 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The May banquets usually host 125-175 people and serve as fundraisers for youth programs, conservation work, and adult programs. A 2022 banquet is being planned.
The Chapter has also made an effort to sponsor more Salmon in the Classroom programs. This program has created some great relationships between the Chapter and some local schools and teachers. The Salmon in the Classroom program can be a time-consuming program for teachers to take on, but teachers that enjoy it have made a perennial commitment. This year a program began at Rolland-Warner Middle School in Lapeer, where the Chapter is sponsoring three tanks. The Chapter also supports a tank at Grand Blanc East Middle School where, despite remote learning, the program is up and running, and the teacher is integrating the salmon into his remote learning lessons. The Chapter purchased all the expendable tank supplies for the programs and plans to attend a fish release in May. In the warmer months of spring, the Chapter is developing plans to cooperate with other chapters to support conservation efforts.
Mason-Griffith Founders Chapter
Miller-Van Winkle Chapter
The East Branch Au Sable River below the fish hatchery in
Though the ongoing pandemic has made such events more
