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The Maumee Regional outing in Ohio...


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#1 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 13 March 2007 - 11:35 PM

For people who have not been following this thread please read through as this first post was an initial un-debated plan and has been alter somewhat, the collecting locations will still be mostly the same but the order and meeting location have been altered, please see further down...

So here's the plan...

Day 1

We will start out Saturday morning, the 24th of March, at the Grand Rapids dam on the Maumee River. I plan to be there at the park by the dam on the south side of the river at 8am. I drive a dark blue jeep cherokee with a sticker on the back that says I'd rather be collecting! There are two parts to the park, the state park boat launch and campground, and the day use area right at the dam. The Day use area is where we will meet. This is the more downstream or eastern portion of the park off of state route 65. Here is a map of the general area... http://maps.google.c...i...sa=N&tab=wl (not exactly where the arrow is, The first drive to the west of the town in the green area)

I plan to stay here till everyone has arrived and had some time in the water at this site. This makes the arrival time flexible for those coming from a greater distance. I am guessing we should be done here around noon and then head south east toward Findlay Ohio and get some lunch. We will then spend the afternoon in the Blanchard River (a tributary to the Maumee) and the Outlet Ditch (a trib to the Blanchard). Once everyone is tired worn out and or it gets dark I suggest we head up towards Bowling Green or Toledo for the night. I do not have the ability to offer overnight housing for people as skipjack did for the last trip but for those looking for a cheep stay over I would suggest the state park that we started the day out at. Info for that can be found here... http://www.dnr.state...ks/mjthrstn.htm
There are also several hotels here in Bowling Green on Wooster street, if anyone needs info on a particular one let me know and I can check it out.

Day 2

Todd will be taking over from here, I believe he is planning on taking us up to SE Michigan. I'll leave it to him to give more details on the 2nd day...

For day 1 non-Ohio residents (or those Ohio residents that have not renewed their's) will need a fishing license and since it sounds like we will be in MI on Sunday a one day license for Saturday the 24th should suffice. It looks like you could purchase it on-line at https://www.greatlod...license/welcome

If anyone has anymore questions feel free to pm me. Also if you could reply here simply to say you are attending that would be great so I have a count and know who to look for Saturday morning.

Looking forward to meeting some new people and getting in the water!

#2 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 12:51 AM

Also if you could reply here simply to say you are attending that would be great so I have a count and know who to look for Saturday morning.

Add me to the count.

You can purchase a Michigan fishing license here:
http://www.mdnr-elic...com/welcome.asp

If you do not have a Michigan drivers license (which includes all of us non-residents), you will have to purchase an "MDNR Sportcard" for $1 if you haven't already. You can buy a 24-hour fishing license for $7 (resident or non-resident), a non-resident restricted annual license (good for all species except trout/salmon, valid 3/1/2007 through 3/31/2008) for $34, or a non-resident all species annual license (valid 3/1/2007 through 3/31/2008) for $42. The residents I assume already know their options and are already licensed.

Being on a tight budget, I will wait until Todd replies with confirmation of intent to lead the group into Michigan before buying a Michigan license.

Richard, will we need a Michigan license to participate in your upcoming project? Or will that be covered by a scientific permit you have or will obtain? If we will need a license for your project, will it be a restricted, or all-species? Also, do you think there might be a GLA outing in Michigan sometime this year? For some of us, this might drive a decision to buy a 24-hour or annual license at this time. I assume a GLA outing will only require a restricted license.

#3 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 07:53 AM

Yeah, if it's kosher with everyone, I'd like to lead us up into Michigan. We will see a lot of cyprinid species we wouldn't see otherwise (rosyface shiner, both nocomis chubs, blackchin and blacknose shiner, Maumee blacknose dace which are just immaculate, and etc), we will see Iowa darter (although, I'm trying to figure out what the MI law is on "Percidae") and warmouth. A lot of this sampling will be in glacial lakes and their outflows.

But most of all... We'll see mussels galore, AND, I can almost guarantee many sightings of Lampsilis mussels displaying thier lures to attract a fish host.

Some of this business:
http://www.farmertod...ng2006/mussels/

It WILL blow your mind.

A Michigan non-res 1 day is $7 and a sportcard is $1. I think it'll really be worth the couple bucks to do. You can get those online, or we'll be driving by Cabellas to go to my first planned spot on the River Raisin. I don't know if that's a dangerous proposition or not, as we can make a full day of it without a retail experience :)

We'll hit the River Raisin, then depending on how many vehicles we have, possibly hit a small, hi quality stream near Round and Devils Lake. We'll then move west toward Hillsdale to get in on a lake where I will get permission on some private property, then depending on time, we can hit a couple other places around there, and then grab least darter on our way back in the Ottawa River.

Thoughts? I'll make some phone calls if people like this plan.

Todd

#4 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 08:04 AM

although, I'm trying to figure out what the MI law is on "Percidae")


It appears Michigan revised their bait language. It is lawful to take darters with seines.

Todd

#5 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 08:30 AM

It appears Michigan revised their bait language. It is lawful to take darters with seines.

Todd


Where did you see that? Not that I'm questioning it as I knew it was coming up. I'm just curious about when they changed the language. Todd could you also send me over some info about just where you are thinking for the Michigan portion? I might know some specific localities in that area as well. I'm pretty sure there is a good lamprey stream in the area that we might just be able to visit.

Richard, will we need a Michigan license to participate in your upcoming project? Or will that be covered by a scientific permit you have or will obtain? If we will need a license for your project, will it be a restricted, or all-species? Also, do you think there might be a GLA outing in Michigan sometime this year? For some of us, this might drive a decision to buy a 24-hour or annual license at this time. I assume a GLA outing will only require a restricted license.



My stuff would be covered under my permit but my permit also strictly says "NO COLLECTION" otherwise no keeping anything. If anyone would want to keep anything then a License would be required. A standard restricted would be fine as that would cover all the species in the region that would be used for aquarium use. (Unless your like me and like to fly fish trout) I would very much like to set up a GLA outing up here in the near future there is alot of good water up here and it would be a shame to not get in it.

#6 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 11:32 AM

They left the language completely ambigious with "minnows which are defined by {multi genera common names}" in the 2006-2008 guide:

http://www.michigan....37191--,00.html

They make no mention of darters, but again, they left all genera ambigious with the common names.

What a hassle. You just want to do the right thing and it's a pain in the butt.

Sites are Sharon Mills on the River Raisin, St. Joseph Creek outside of Hudson (possible), Lake Wilson, Cub Lake (possible), East Fork of the West Branch at Dimmers Road (possible), Beaver Creek Wildlife Area (back in Ohio), and Tenmile Creek outside of Metamora (again, Ohio).

Todd

#7 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 01:23 PM

I'm not looking to collect anything inparticular in the maumee or the blanchard ( can do that any time) I just thought that would be easy for people to find and since the parking is right next to the water people could sample while we were waiting on late commers. Riverbend I guess could be an option for a meeting place but it is not right by the stream and may be more difficult to sample and watch for people to show up, but it could be done. We could do it the other way around and just go to the maumee at the end of the day (it would be closer to over night locations that way), just thought it would be good to have a big river location, and it's usually accessable above and below the dam there due to shallow water so you get a wide variety of species because of the slow (above) and fast (below) water. Also there typically are not very many walleye fisherman up that far, I don't think we would be getting in their way. If we were down at sidecut or waterville we could have some angry fisherman on our hands.

#8 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 14 March 2007 - 06:17 PM

Or if Cracker Barrel sounds too much, there's a Mc Donalds on the east side of I-75.


Just to add a layer of confusion....
Given my work schedule (I can not get Saturday off) I'll be meeting up with you guys on Sunday..preferably in the Michigan area and part of the outing. Not sure how you guys want to work out meeting up at the first site that day and when.

#9 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 15 March 2007 - 06:22 AM

In an effort to clear this up... I've deleted a bunch of posts.

Sunday, we will meet at Cabellas at 8-8:30. We will meet by the boats out front. Unless you're familiar with the Washtenaw County parks and want to go straight to Sharon Mills.

Cabellas is right off the highway, people can see the unbridled consumerism, get their liscences, etc. Then we just jump on 50 and make our way to Tecumseh, and then Manchester.

The bus pulls out at 9:00 without exception from Cabellas.

The site is here if you wish to meet us directly:

http://www.ewashtena.../parks_map.html

It's Sharon Mills (number 1). This map won't exactly show you the best way, you'll need to see Lenawae County as well.

As for Saturday, please go with Brian's plan. I don't want to be divisive... But I am not going to pass this opportunity up, I've been waiting 5 years for it.

I will be in Findlay at 8:00 at the McDonalds on I-75 and US 224, just east of the I-75 Ramp. We will leave there at 8:30 and head to the Blanchard. I will go in downstream at at the SR 568 bridge or get permission from Hancock County Parks to go to the closed bridge at the Res, so as to not disturb where I think Brian has planned to go. I will hit the Outlet at T-225, and the closed road at C-11. Let me know if this interferes with any planned sites.

I will call Brian or Matt or someone when I get done with Steve, we'll all be in the same general area by then, I'll just steal Erika's phone ;) . If someone wants to help me with Steve, please let me know, we'll just meet there in Findlay and will catch up to the group later on.

Thanks
Todd

#10 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 15 March 2007 - 02:08 PM

Okay... This is going to be a full page color Sunday feature in the Blade at the end of April. Who's meeting me in Findlay? :)

Todd

#11 Guest_Carl_*

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Posted 15 March 2007 - 10:04 PM

I'm planning on coming over for Saturday. If anything changes I'll be sure to let you know.

#12 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 15 March 2007 - 11:53 PM

I have no problem with meeting in Findlay and starting with the Blanchard and just keeping us all in one group, and then going to the Maumee later in the afternoon at weir rapids or grand rapids. If there are those that can not be at the I75 224 intersection by 8:30 just pm me and I will give you my cell phone number so I can direct you to where ever we are at the time. I agree that using the McDonald's as a meeting place does simplify things so lets just agree on that as one cohesive plan.

#13 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 16 March 2007 - 03:20 AM

Sounds good Brian. Like I said, I didn't want to be divisive, and I do appologize if it felt that I was undermining your plans, but I couldn't let this one go.

Did you want to hit the canoe access first then? I can make detailed maps for those coming later. It's not too bad to get to from the highway.

Also, we still have the couch and an inflatable thermarest (I live on this thing in the summer :) , and I'm more than glad to put folks up Friday and Saturday night.

Todd

#14 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 16 March 2007 - 12:01 PM

Okay... This is going to be a full page color Sunday feature in the Blade at the end of April.

Now that's interesting. The Toledo Blade is one of two newspapers owned by the Block family. The other one is the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. If you tell them that a Post-Gazette subscriber will be in the group, maybe the Post-Gazette will publish it here too? :-k

#15 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 16 March 2007 - 03:56 PM

I don't suppose the organizers of each respective part of the outing can specify which HUC watersheds we will be in, so that we can look up prospective fish lists on NatureServe's "Distribution of Native U.S. Fishes by Watershed":
http://www.natureser...dHucs/index.jsp

That way we can get a better idea of what we may encounter, and what we may be looking for. Thanks.

#16 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 16 March 2007 - 06:03 PM

This is nice! They aren't 100% accurate though. I see a few things missing here and there. But it'll give you the idea. This woulda been on awesome watershed if they didn't screw it up so bad. Look at some of those historical records. Makes you want to cry. Well, me any way ;)

Blanchard:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=4100008

Lower Maumee:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=4100009

Raisin:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=4100002

St. Joseph:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=4100003

#17 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 16 March 2007 - 06:52 PM

For the Raisin and St. Joseph I frequently refer to these documents for detailed information.
Raisin River
St. Joesph

They should be very useful if you delve into them.

#18 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 03:26 AM

Oooooh.... How many ways can you say "Print"?

Actually, we'll be in the very confusing Maumee River - St. Joseph drainage, not the Lake Michigan - St. Joseph drainage.

Thanks for the links Richard!

Todd

#19 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 09:12 AM

I'll definitely be there for both trips from the morning on to about 3pm. I need to collect Blackside Darter for my project also. So you know where to send them if you pull up a seine with those line-sided darters.

#20 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 04:45 PM

That's one species that I've never really seen many of at the sites we're hitting. If we don't run into any, Tenmile Creek in Sylvania is much better for them, as is the lower Ottawa River. We can always take a couple hours and get them from there Nate.



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