Paint Creek Catch & Release Petition

[Woodland Rivers]

Here is the story fellow anglers! It has been brought to my attention year after year after year that too many trout are taken not only during the opener but all season long. It is very true that as anglers we pay for an annual fishing license and that we have the right to catch and keep but we are looking at a fragile system with very good natural reproduction. Personally I do not care for the taste of brown trout and even though rainbow trout may be good to eat at times it may be better on a dinner menu from a fine restaurant than fallen victim from the aquatic environs of the Paint. We now have gear restricted waters from Gunn Rd to Tienken as many of you know, but how do these fish have a fighting chance when productive water for angling is found elsewhere as well and may be easier to fish? The point here is that we have a sustainable urban trout fishery and the broods are often taken as trophy fish and one may argue if you take a few broods it allows another trout to slide into its habitat and may become the dominant. However, its a double edge sword as the brood or larger mature fish may be genetically more capable of living through adverse conditions and therefore creating very healthy and viable off spring and may also add some goodness to the genetic pool and increase survivorship. If we whack a few and let the smaller fish move in it may or may not become the dominant and survive and we may have low production because of its age and sexual maturation level. These fish find a way to cohabitate through various dependent and independent variables and although natural selection is most present, environmental adaptation is ultimately the strategy that prevails! We are looking at creating a catch and release stretch from Tienken to Main St in Rochester Michigan. This report given here will serve as a petition that many anglers and myself will present to the Michigan DNR. We will most likely have an active panel present at a later date with discussion to move this plan into action. What I am asking from you the Paint Creek angler is to consider adding some feed back to this restriction and/or add your name and e-mail address and a simple Yah or Nay for this taking place. We are hoping to get at least 25 names and e-mails so that we can approach the DNR or other agencies with this public interest. So far we have onboard the following folks: Yugo, Mario, Jarvis and a few other including myself; Kip Lowrie. I have also spoken to many others on the water that feel this is a great idea and most important for our fishery! Please take the time to add your feedback and your vote. Thank you and have a wonderful Catch & Release Season!

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It is important to understand this for considering a C&R or Gear Restricted section on Paint Creek:

PLEASE READ IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF CATCH & RELEASE or GEAR RESTRICTED!!

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/F ... 2406_7.pdf

Well said Kip, I totally agree!

[Woodland Rivers]

Don't we ultimately want to have an ecologically stable gem in SE Michigan that thrives and teams with wild trout? In other words should not the DNR realize that a natural balance aside from sport fishing with a food web dynamic constructed in the aquatic environment is awesome and therefore provides nutrient recycling and overall health of the stream. Granted insects and other critters add to this but the fish help control an over abundance of aquatic life and add again to the food web dynamic. Without fish species such as trout we would have perhaps an imbalance of biological conditioning and the mortality of fish leads to forage for not only certain insects but to birds and other animals. The fish add phosphorous and nitrates to to the system that bacteria thrive on (denitrifying bacteria). This is the good bacteria that ultimately create a buffer for clean water and growth from what I understand. Over harvesting of fish creates a shift in the ecobalance of the system. Also, if more property owners are aware of the fish and their presence in the system than perhaps less herbicides, pesticides and other lawn care chemicals for instance will be leached into the system. In a lentic system this causes algae blooms known as microsystis. Not good as it is toxic and smells bad! Since the flowing water purifies itself every few feet as it tumbles this is not an extreme issue in a lotic system like the Paint but the point here is that if bugs take over and mosquitos and other biting insects become more populated without the control of fish you can bet that land owners will be calling Rose Exterminator to create yard side bug control that means chemicals that are ultimately bad for the system! We only have what, 13 miles of creek here and in thirteen some miles we could have a severe impact on biota if there is not a natural balance. Natural is good in my opinion! We could even stop the stocking efforts or decrease it and the reproductive success may be enough to support good life of trout. Certainly, we could have the carp, minnows, chubs, bluegill, etc. but when they feed on whats abundant what slides in to control them, the Angler? Personally I'd rather catch and release trout!

**Vote 'Yes' on Paint Creek Catch & Release!
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=3870

what a great fishery this has becoming and catch and release makes for even better times down the road for our kids. A big Yes from me Kip.

[Woodland Rivers]

Mark, thank you for your 'yes' vote on this proposal but please also vote on the above polls. Thank you!

First of all I would like to say that I'm a big supporter of C&R, and have been preaching this philosophy along the banks of Paint Creek for years. But I fear this could turn into a flies only gear restriction debate, which I would not support at this time. Even though some of my favorite stretches of water are flies only, and 95% of my fishing time is spent with a fly rod in hand. Paint Creek can be a very productive spinner fishery "with barbs pinched", and some of the upper creek is hard or next to impossible to fish with a fly rod. My love of Trout fishing had its beginnings with a 5 ft spinning rod, and even though these outings are few and far between, I still enjoy having the option of using a spinning rod. Saturday was a prefect example of this, when I took my four year old daughter out to catch her first trout, hoping that this more productive method of fishing would be the right way to introduce a child with a short attention span to the sport. You do have my vote and support, but please take this into consideration.

[Woodland Rivers]

Thank you 'Stoned Fly' and yes I agree with you...we don't need to make it a flies only section at this time as I personally feel that all methods of fishing when done right are completely acceptable. Please submit your vote on the above poll. Thanks again!

[Woodland Rivers]

Thank you for all of the votes thus far folks but please make your 'vote' known with a follow up message on this thread as well as your name and e-mail if you wish so that we can validate this proposal to the DNR. Thank you and long live the urban trout!

[Woodland Rivers]

Some Urban Paint Creek trout thus far from this season...trout are surviving and thriving and they will mature if we let them. Lets practice C&R!

I vote yes on the C&R for Paint creek...

I am in for C&R for PC

[Woodland Rivers]

It is important to understand this for considering a C&R or Gear Restricted section on Paint Creek:

PLEASE READ IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF CATCH & RELEASE or GEAR RESTRICTED!!

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/F ... 2406_7.pdf

Yes, catch and release and gear restrictions

[Woodland Rivers]

Tony,

We could most likely have one or the other only. We are striving for C&R but may have to settle for a Gear Restricted section if even feasable or possible. There are many parameters that the DNR takes into account from what we are learning and river miles, seasonal temps, etc. play an important factor in this.

Kip, I voted a while ago! I think I am no.9 I think it is a great idea! I really enjoy knowing I can travel 30 min. from my city home and catch trout. Paint Creek is also a great place to practice for new fly fisherman like myself to prepare for the bigger rivers in Michigan. Keep pushing for success on this issue! What can I do to help!
Steve Mangas