The reason I feel a need to write this, and why I should give out information about a very sensitive rare fish population, is simple. We can't let these fish go ignored. With a lot more awareness, the last few sea run brook trout streams within their southern range hopefully won't just vanish like they did in every RI and CT sea run trout stream, and most Long Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine coastal streams. These are special, magical, beautiful fish. But Before I talk about my visit to Red Brook I have to say one last thing.
Please don't put any more pressure on these fish. They can't handle much. Red Brook is a popular fly fishing destination, and quite frankly it shouldn't be. By all means, visit Red Brook at the Lyman Reserve, but if you can help it, do as much looking and as little fishing as you can. Because I was with Geoff, who carries a tag reader, I was able to help with the conservation effort by catching some fish. But most of you who are reading this, aside from a handful of specific individuals (you know who you are), really ought to consider the needs of the fish, maybe catch one or two to get a close look at these amazing specimens and then spend the rest of your time enjoying the stream in other ways. I'm not trying to insult anyone. These fish just don't need to be caught more than they already are.
As we walked our way between spots Geoff told us some of the history of Red Brook and the Lyman Reserve and pointed out some of the conservation work that had been done.
Geoff got first crack at the next hole. It didn't take him long to hook a beautiful, perfect salter brookie and bring it to net. Noah and I got our first in person look at an anadromous char.
A little further downstream I got another take, and once again the fish made his way back without being netted.
Eventually I did get one to net. Two actually. And one was tagged. It is so cool to be able to contribute a little bit to the data
After a bit the tide was coming up, so we went downriver to the tidal section. I really wanted to encounter a brook trout in salt water, and it turns out I didn't have to wait long. The first fish that gave my fly a sniff was a little striped bass. The second, one of the most incredible char I have ever seen. It was a big bronze colored kyped up male. And he was huge, well into the teens. Geoff and I spent the next 45 minutes trying to catch that fish, and no, we were not successful. But I was thrilled to see a big salter like that. Actually in salt water and feeding on peanut bunker. It seemed so wrong, yet brook trout had been doing this all over the east coast for thousands of years before Europeans came and ruined everything. We said goodbye to Geoff, who stayed there chasing the Moby Dick of Cape Cod salter. Our third stop of the day showed me saltwater clearer than I'd ever seen before, but we'll get back to that tomorrow night.
Thanks for writing this.
ReplyDeleteMonths ago I found the links on your page about Salters and became utterly fascinated. Yes! We need to do whatever we can to save these last streams from extinction.
Thanks Gios.
DeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteHow is the eastern cottontail restoration going?
Beautiful area.
I'm not sure exactly, though we did walk by on of the cleared areas and Geoff mentioned it.
DeleteAwesome post. I have fished that stream and others years ago..Some truly special places..yet fragile..Moby dick not (most dick) You might want to fix that typo-mistake..
ReplyDeleteHa! Thanks. I corrected that repeatedly, my phone was very insistent that I couldn't possibly want to type Moby Dick. I thought I had finally won the battle... I guess not!
DeleteYour request that the rest of us not fish the Red Brook was elitist. It came across as "Do what I say, not what I do!" And I know from talking to you in E.H. High that you are not. So I was a little disappointed when I read that, not that I will ever fish that particular stream. Fly fishermen have to be on guard about coming across as elitist fishing snobs, as too many fit that description which can turn off Joe Six-pack who fishes with lures, or God forbid, BAIT! We have to remember who supports the restoring, stocking, and enjoying of our natural resources. It's not just fly fishers that practice catch and release. It's all of us who spend time and money on outdoor activities.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have missed my point a bit, and I apologize if I was unclear. It is not at all elitist because I think fly fisherman and spin fisherman have an equal right to try to catch Red Brook wild char. I have absolutely no problem with spin fisherman who are following the rules. I'll draw the line a bait for trout because, one, it is illegal on Red Brook, and two, it is proven to cause higher mortality rates in released fish.
DeleteMy point here is simple. These fish can't handle being over pressured. I fished it on this trip with Geoff in part because my doing so would help the on going study of these fish, and my writing about them would help raise awareness. I encourage everyone who is able to visit Red Brook, but unless you feel it would be of benefit to this stream and it's fish, which already suffer from fishing pressure, I would also encourage you to admire the fish from a distance. I certainly won't be fishing Red Brook without a friend with a tag reader present, or as a volunteer for the regular surveys done there. I feel I did the best I could writing this post and upon going back I feel there is nothing I need to change, and I would appreciate it if you would re-read some parts of it.
I did not miss your point at all. I just disagree about anyone except a person that is somehow connected with a certain conservation project should not fish for or pressure these fish. Now let's be honest, if you or Geoff wanted to find fish for a tag study, controlled electro-fishing is the most effective and widely used method. I'm willing to say that I think that while your goal is admirable, your explanation or excuse is less so. But keep up your work.
DeleteI sill disagree. Electro fishing is costly both in time, effort, and money, and therefore can't be done that frequently. It is also far more damaging to stream bed and plant growth. That's why two anglers who regularly work at Red Brook and fish there, Geoff Klane and Justin Fleming, were given tag readers. It gives a far more comprehensive look at the movements, growth rate, and general health of the fish and the stream.
DeleteI'm not asking everyone to stop fishing Red Brook, I'm trying to encourage those who do or those who are thinking about visiting there to do so in a manor that doesn't unnecessarily pressure the fish.
A beauty of a stream and so glad it is being taken care of. A salt brookie is special.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the trip!
Tie, fish, write and photo on...
Special indeed! I'd call them unique, but pretty much every char species has figured out how tasty salt water baitfish are!
DeletePressure in and of itself does not harm fisheries, the wrong pressure does. There are many fisheries in the country that see far more traffic than Red Brook, and they do just fine. Sure there may be some aesthetic damage to the fish, and even some level of riparian damage, but done properly high levels of fishing pressure can be of relatively low impact. What the pressure at Red Brook does however, is help police the stream as a result of what are for the most part law-abiding low-impact anglers being present a high percent of the time. My preference is always to go after high-impact uses such as bait, treble hooks, multiple hook lures, barbed hooks, overplaying, harvest, redd-raiding, etc. This is the real enemy, not barbless single-hook lure C&R pressure. But I get what RM meant, and I believe he was misunderstood to at least some degree. The message is take care of this rare and unique resource, something we should all be able to agree on. Red Brook is an absolute success story, a rare total-solution management plan, and a yet-to-be-replicated resource in MA, RI, CT or NH.
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving it a read for me Bob Mallard!
Delete