By David Fleet
Editor
Ortonville — Local trout are surviving but numbers are low.
Jason Gostiaux, Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist for the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit recently completed a study of the Kearsley Creek.
A team from the DNR recently completed a fish count over about 1,000 feet of the Kearsley Creek south from the Oakwood Road bridge south. A total of 32 brown trout were netted ranging from 5-13 inches with an average just over 8 inches each.
“It’s not the best number, but the Kearsley Creek is one of the few trout options in this area of the state,” said Gostiaux.
For good trout streams about 1,000 fish per mile are needed. The Kearsley Creek is about 190 trout per mile with a range of 50 to 400 trout per mile.
This May, 1,500-2,000 yearling Gilchrist Creek Brown Trout were stocked in the Kearsley Creek at the Oakwood Bridge. The number is down from about 6,000 released in years past which had included planting at the east branch of the Kearsley Creek at Kent Road, and Countyline near Washburn roads.
“Natural reproduction is just not happening,” he said. “Right now it’s, put, grow and take.”
In addition, Paint Creek and the Clinton River will also receive trout as part of the Lake Erie Fish Management waterway.
“There are not many trout options in this area of the state,” he said. “The Kearsley Creek has a marginal habitat for trout.”
Kearsley Creek factors that hinder trout growth are warmer water temperatures, water depth and development along the banks reducing the tree cover.
“It’s been many decades since the shoreline has been natural,” he said. “But there is no data to suggest pollution is a factor in the creek.”
Other factors include a lack of groundwater feeding the creek impacting the temperature.
Trout have been stocked in Kearsley Creek since the 1980s. By June or July the fish will be legal size to be kept.