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Maumee River "Meet Your Stream" Dates in April, May

Started by Guest_farmertodd_* , Jan 25 2007 11:41 AM

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11 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_farmertodd_*

Guests

Posted 25 January 2007 - 11:41 AM

Hello Folks,

I don't know if this could coincide with the trip to the ol Muddy Maumee that was in planning or not... But I could use some help this spring in a couple of programs I'm running at Side Cut Metropark during the peak of the Walleye Run. I have interpretative signage and small aquariums that were developed or bought with a NANFA Education Grant.

The plan is to have some fish on hand that aren't found in the lower Maumee, that we collect in the morning or the day before. We'll have a shelter house and all the fixins (like electricity), so we can really go nuts with all the species we would like to display. Then we'll do seining demonstrations and display the catch. I have a 30' bag seine, which if you've never used one before, you won't believe how many suckers you've been missing with your regular seine lol. There is a downside to this though... It's name is the gizzard shad hehheh.

Anyway, it should be a lot of fun, and if I can get some volunteers now, that would be awesome.

The dates are April 21st (Walleye Festival) and May 12th (Toledo Naturalists Association).

I will post the Travellin' Fish Show signage on a separate thread so people can see it. Might stimulate some thoughts about customizing it for other watersheds.

Thanks, and hope to see you out!
Todd

#2 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 25 January 2007 - 01:00 PM

I can likely help with the April one, the May one I might be in the process of moving by then but if I'm around I'll help out then too.

#3 Guest_Histrix_*

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Posted 25 January 2007 - 02:28 PM

I would be theoretically be interested, but I need to get my schedule in order and see when my finals are scheduled.

#4 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 27 January 2007 - 12:53 PM

As long as you don't mind having a young kid around I would like to help you with this as long as nothing comes up in between. So as of now you can plan on me coming as long as you won't mind having me around. Oh one more thing...as of now I have no equipment. I am sure I will have SOMETHING by then though. Let me know what I should invest in first. I also don't have waders.

Chad

#5 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 27 January 2007 - 01:41 PM

Waders first, other equipment can be shared for these group outings. I can provide a few pairs of waders for the march trip but they are not the best, the big heavy rubber kind. If you want to know what to get the breathables or neoprenes are nice and I personally prefer the ones where the boots are seperate I find the ones with boots attached are often prone to leaking around the ankles where the attached boot meets the rest of the waders. Pm me if you need some more help picking out a pair.

#6 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 27 January 2007 - 05:47 PM

Hystrix, great! Hey I'll be doing stuff up in the Huron watershed with the Watershed Council and for my PhD work. Will you be in A2 after this semester for the summer? We're going to survey mussels from the headwaters downstream to follow up on a 1992 study to look at zeeb effects. We'll have to keep in contact if this is something you're interested in doing!

Nothing to worry about Chad... I have probably 10 pairs of the breathable nylon and 3 pairs of neoprene. I have at least 5 different seines that are legal in Ohio and Michigan, and a bunch more that I have on permits. Probably the toughest thing to do is get footing, which you can buy some cheap tennis shoes that are 2 sizes too big and voila, you're in business. The tough thing for you will be finding time with school, games, girlfriends that sort of stuff

Todd

#7 Guest_NateTessler13_*

Guests

Posted 28 January 2007 - 01:54 AM

I believe I could help too. Also the Bowling Green State University Marine Research Lab is doing a "River Clean-up" project and they asked me where I thought might be a good spot. I suggested the Maumee. Only thing though is, I'm not there that often, do you know of any tributaries that are pretty bad news that need some cleaning?

#8 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 11:06 AM

Only thing though is, I'm not there that often, do you know of any tributaries that are pretty bad news that need some cleaning?

All of them, if you want to address the real issues in the watershed which are Ag and Urban run off. I mean the state won't even do anything to ecourage grass buffer strips on the moraines where there's enough gradient to make a difference. There's step one.

But you're probably looking for garbage to pick up... There are Clean Your Streams events every fall sponsored by the Maumee RAP through the BG EPA office. I can get you in contact with those folks. We also have a local event called "Get the Lead Out" where we pick up fishing generated trash after the walleye run.

What I think would be REALLY effective is to walk around DURING the walleye run with garbage bags and fliers about the non-game aspects that are making this a really great experience for them catching the walleye. You get in there in the mid-afternoon and guys are bored, and they'll come up to you and talk as soon as they see you picking up trash. Probably the best and most concentrated bang for the buck, and I'd be into working with you guys on something like that. Perhaps it can be a mini-rendition of the Travellin' Fish Show.

Todd

#9 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 29 January 2007 - 01:24 PM

That is a good idea, problem right now is that there aren't any people in the lab besides me that are very educated on the non-game aspects of the Maumee River and it's Walleye fishery. It would be worth the effort though to educate them. They have weekly meetings where they organize their events. Maybe some seminars to inform them might be in place first.

#10 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 29 January 2007 - 05:12 PM

Who is this group? I've given up on working with the local agency folks, they're going to do whatever it is they think they want to do. So I'd be quite willing to take that energy and place the momentum in the grass roots level. I already have presentations and materials done, man, for both fish and mussels. All we have to do is show up. I'd be glad to make presentations anywhere in the watershed, and BG is close enough that I won't feel the need to ask for a gas gratuity.

Yeah... If you think that mussel guide was cool, you should see the live action video of the mussels infecting their hosts. It still blows my mind, and I'm used to looking at it.

Todd

#11 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 29 January 2007 - 05:22 PM

The group he is talking about is the BG marine biology club/lab. they asked me to take them on a collecting trip last fall and I took them down to the darby. I was planning on inviting them to this march outing anyways and they may very well be interested in having you give a presentation. I gave them a breif crash course id session for 45 minutes the week before the darby trip covering species they would see down there.

#12 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 29 January 2007 - 08:11 PM

The group he is talking about is the BG marine biology club/lab.

They'd be a good group to present "Hey! Who you callin' Fat Mucket?!?" on the perils of pearly mussels in the Maumee and abroad.

I don't know if you've seen the Unio Gallery or not... http://unionid.missouristate.edu/

Definately download the broken rays, combshells, black sandshell, L, perovalis, villosa iris videos showing host attraction/infection. Also check out the detail on the kidneyshell conglutinate. I've merged all of this into a powerpoint and even have some of my own video.

I showed a shortened version to 250 inner city kids last spring and OWNED their attention once that snuffbox slammed shut on the logperch. I imagine it'd have a similar effect on undergrads