Chairman’s Report

It may seem like an eternity, but it has only been about 18 months since a novel virus changed how we all live, work, and play. Now, through the power of science and vaccines, we are emerging from isolation much like the X Brood of 17year cicadas. This transition back to a post-COVID world was made clear when my friend Steve remarked on a recent local fishing trip, “Do you realize that we are traveling unmasked together on our way to fish the Muskegon River?” His comment hit home because COVID infected me in January, traveling unmasked to fish the Muskegon River in the same vehicle with another friend named Steve, who, as it turned out, was unknowingly COVID positive and passed it on to me. Maybe the moral of this story is to be wary of anyone named Steve?

While the past year had its challenges, I want to thank all of our Michigan TU chapters for adapting to the restrictions by engaging members through Zoom-based events ranging from fly-tying demonstrations/classes and presentations from popular fishing guides to discussions on conservation efforts by members of the Michigan and National TU teams and representatives of agencies such as the Michigan DNR.

I also applaud those chapters that held successful fundraisers, including online auctions and swap meets. It was great to see that several chapters could execute riparian tree and shrub plantings, river/stream cleanups, temperature monitoring, and invertebrate studies, albeit in a socially distanced fashion. To chapter leadership, I thank you for your creativity and all you accomplished in challenging times and look forward to future successes your teams will achieve now that vaccinations are increasing and restrictions relaxing, allowing life slowly to get back to normal.

As reported in the spring issue of Michigan Trout, your Michigan TU team took full advantage of an abundance of stay-at-home office time and developed work plans, and secured permits and grants, setting the stage for a productive 2021 fieldwork season. At the top of the list is

by Tom Mundt

the restoration effort on the Upper Manistee River lead by Aquatic Ecologist Kristin Thomas. Fieldwork has begun with interns collecting baseline data to support the installation of large woody habitats as well as gathering post-cut data for hinge-cut structures within the river. This team will also start monitoring the impacts of actions taken to date. The Michigan TU team is finalizing plans to remove a dam along a tributary of Big Creek near Luzerne this summer. Stay tuned for reports on both projects in future issues of Michigan Trout magazine.

There are other signs that life is getting back to normal. The first is the Michigan TU Fly Fishing School, which was held in June at Ranch Rudolf in Traverse City, Michigan, after a one-year hiatus. The second sign is that our team is planning the Aquifer Club outing, an annual event held in August (except last year) to thank those who donated at least $1,000 to support Michigan TU’s efforts. I want to thank the nearly 40 Aquifer Club members who donated over $98,000 last year to support your team’s legislative/ policy work. If you are interested in learning more about or becoming an Aquifer Club member, please visit the Michigan TU website or contact our fundraising chair, Jim Cantrill.

On the legislative front, Michigan TU played a key role in helping Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Dam Safety Taskforce craft dam safety and operating policies and guidelines. Your team has also worked with the appropriate state agencies to develop fishing regulations that will protect sportfish (lake trout, salmon, steelhead, walleye, perch, etc.) from commercial harvesting.

This issue of Michigan Trout spans a wide range of topics, including a thought-provoking interview of the newest NRC Commissioners by Bryan Burroughs and a treatise on fishing “The Ubiquitous Scud” by fishing guide Jay Allen. Glen Blackwood reviews two books; Josh Greenberg’s new book, Trout Water: A Year on the Au Sable and Kevin Feensta’s first book, Matching Baitfish. There is also an article authored by TU National’s Eastern Angler Science Coordinator Jake Lemon on temperature mapping and environmental DNA tracing for brook trout within the White River watershed. There are many other interesting articles as well.

In closing, welcome back to the path to a normal life, have a great trout season wherever your travels may take you, and enjoy the summer 2021 issue of award-winning Michigan Trout magazine.