lowwall
11-14-2007, 10:13 AM
These are things that are happening to improve the quality of fishing in NH. I am not representing anyone in this mini report other than a member of this board. Talk has slowed in this area to insure that efforts are not duplicated, and to insure toes are not stepped on and wheels are not re-invented. People have been talking though.
It seems to me visiting and talking with southern NH concerned organizations ( GBTU,MVTU,PTU,MFFA) we are all pretty much on the same page. Also the opinions of folks on this board seem to mimic the general consensus that we need to act now.
With Gas approaching the $4 mark we need to do something about our local angling opportunities in the Southern half of the state. The approach seems to be
.
1) Create more Delayed Harvest C&R Artifical Only, Single Hook Areas
2) Extend the seasons in rivers that do not support Wild Trout
3)Develop Trophy areas in sections of rivers, with stocking supplemented by private funds.
The way these things get done is incremental 1,2,3
Of Course restoration of our native fisheries are important, but there is a place for both, Quality Put and Take & Restoration. Waters created based on these three steps will increase Licensee sales both in and out of state as well as increasing membership and awareness for the groups working to get these things done.
__________________________________________________ ___
PEMI PROJECT
Spawned from the talks of creating a Trophy Stretch of the Pemi on the site ToddS stepped up and volunteered at the PEMI TU to head up this effort. At first this was pictured as a Lamprey type project but it has panned out to be something more. Tod has been in contact with state fisheries biologists about the feasibility of a trophy stretch in Bristol . Now we know the reinventing the wheel arguments, water is to warm, flows vary to much. But this area is being looked at from a recreational perspective by the state with Anglers, Canoer’s and Kayakers in mind. The water temperature was mapped awhile back but was not done from a fisheries perspective. The general consensus is that the water is too warm to hold fish. But there has been some talk that there may be enough holes there to hold fish. This study would prove that out. Also there has been talk that the Dam is capabable of discharging from the base, now as constructed. I have had no one confirm this but it is out there.
Todd would like any anglers with knowledge of the rivers input of any holes that you are aware of.
Members of this site can get involved by joining their local ORG and voicing there support for this project.
__________________________________________________ ___
SUGAR
Golden Demon put the call out to meet at his place. His call was to meet and discuss what “everyday anglers can do to improve on the quality of fishing the Sugar River and its tributaries” Well he got one response. Not great but better than none. That river must be nice with just two people fishing it!
On the plus side Goldendemon is not alone. MMVTU is planning to propose some reg changes to improve the quality of this fishery. So you have a big ally here my friend. Also with the consensus of the other groups in the region you should see some results.
Members of this site can get involved by joining their local ORG and voicing there support for this project and when the time comes voicing some individual support for MMVTU’s efforts.
__________________________________________________ ___
DELAYED HARVEST ZONES AND STOCKING:
MMVTU , MFFA has been working to improve your fishing experience in this area.
Souhegan River,Contoocook River , Sugar River, Piscataquog River
Both groups spoke at the biannual meeting regarding the timing and location of stocking of these rivers and others places. There is now a move to increase the quality areas and eventually we should be able to work on on supplemental stockings ( Lamprey Style).
Here is a Fact that Should Get you guys Running to join your favorite ORG!
Delayed Harvest Zones on the Piscataquog River were implemented with catch and release fishing from
October 16 to June 15 and General regulations from June 16 to October 15. For months there were no trout throughout the
Delayed Harvest Zone other than a few in the bridge pool. Then the day before the regulations revert to general regulations almost 900 fish get stocked. (Why
__________________________________________________ ___
DAM Removal On The Seacoast
Here is a project that s2ary has proposed, this is a real restoration project. This is still in the proposed stage so please don’t head down and start ripping the Dam down, or bashing the project quite yet. Members of this site can get involved by joining their local ORG and voicing there support for this project.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&t=h&om=0&ll=43.337368,-70.936189&spn=0.001607,0.004302&z=18
The dam is located on the Salmon Falls River at the Rochester, NH / Lebanon, Me line. It is the Boston Woolen (or Felt) Mill Dam in Rochester.
It is a wooden dam that partially breeched in 2006, and breeched more in 2007. I’m pretty sure the removal of the dam could create a free flowing section from Rt. 9 in Berwick and Somersworth all the way up to Milton. There are a number of cold water streams including the Little River in Berwick that feed into this section of the river and most of the adjacent watershed is floodplain so it is protected.
Over the last few years the NHF&G have put something like 25,000 landlocks in the stretches between Milton and Sommersworth. There is also a rumor of Brookies in the fast water sections from below the breeched dam in Rochester to where the gradient levels off behind the former Gavin’s Point dam site in Somersworth.
If we can get the owners permission the state will buy in and this would be an easy project to dismantle the dam with chainsaws and a winch to rip out the timbers.
__________________________________________________ ___
Merrimack Village Dam Removal
This project was brought to my Attention from MFFA, I looked into it and MMVTU has been working on this for some time as well. Eric Hutchins from NOAA in Gloucester is looking for volunteers in the summer/fall of '08 when the dam is removed. This removal creates a 14 miles of free-flowing Souhegan from the McClane Dam in Milford to the Merrimack this is a large floatable stretch of water. Sounds like a great opurtunity to create some more quality waters in NH. As a site I think we can get some volunteers to help with whatever is needed in the initial stages, and then help out the ORGS in the long haul.
__________________________________________________ ___
CFR
We have been selling our stickers with the proceeds to benefit CFR, this has gone on OK. The finall sticker sale will be at the Pelham show In March. Next year we should come up with a NON web site specific way to help the cause.
__________________________________________________ ___
Pelham Show
Looking for volunteers to work the show, also looking for ideas on how to promote the site at the show. We should consider that the site makes $0, so any idea should be on the free side. I am having the wife make some cookies! They are good cookies , but lets get your thinking caps on and come up with some more ideas.
__________________________________________________ ___
Near Future Projects
I am not representating GBTU with this suggestion. But I think we can help out with the GBTU Stocking program with their permission. There is an immediate need to raise funds to help keep this program running. I propose we do another sticker campaign. I am thinking something like “SEACOAST STOCKING PROGRAM 2008 SUPPORTER, Then a Simple picture of a fish”. Be great to get these before the Pelham show. All we need is a design guy who can create a JPEG image.
Would like to make it GBTU Stocking program, but only with their permission. If anyone knows someone who can get this image made drop me a PM and we will work it out.
__________________________________________________ ___
That is it for now; this is not a complete list and not the most detailed. Just a report to show what is going on. If you cannot join one of these groups you can donate a little $, or your name by writing in support for the upcoming battles that we are going to face. In all now that MMVTU, GBTU, PTU, MFFA are on your side. Time we all pitched in and helped them out.
Stay Tuned
It seems to me visiting and talking with southern NH concerned organizations ( GBTU,MVTU,PTU,MFFA) we are all pretty much on the same page. Also the opinions of folks on this board seem to mimic the general consensus that we need to act now.
With Gas approaching the $4 mark we need to do something about our local angling opportunities in the Southern half of the state. The approach seems to be
.
1) Create more Delayed Harvest C&R Artifical Only, Single Hook Areas
2) Extend the seasons in rivers that do not support Wild Trout
3)Develop Trophy areas in sections of rivers, with stocking supplemented by private funds.
The way these things get done is incremental 1,2,3
Of Course restoration of our native fisheries are important, but there is a place for both, Quality Put and Take & Restoration. Waters created based on these three steps will increase Licensee sales both in and out of state as well as increasing membership and awareness for the groups working to get these things done.
__________________________________________________ ___
PEMI PROJECT
Spawned from the talks of creating a Trophy Stretch of the Pemi on the site ToddS stepped up and volunteered at the PEMI TU to head up this effort. At first this was pictured as a Lamprey type project but it has panned out to be something more. Tod has been in contact with state fisheries biologists about the feasibility of a trophy stretch in Bristol . Now we know the reinventing the wheel arguments, water is to warm, flows vary to much. But this area is being looked at from a recreational perspective by the state with Anglers, Canoer’s and Kayakers in mind. The water temperature was mapped awhile back but was not done from a fisheries perspective. The general consensus is that the water is too warm to hold fish. But there has been some talk that there may be enough holes there to hold fish. This study would prove that out. Also there has been talk that the Dam is capabable of discharging from the base, now as constructed. I have had no one confirm this but it is out there.
Todd would like any anglers with knowledge of the rivers input of any holes that you are aware of.
Members of this site can get involved by joining their local ORG and voicing there support for this project.
__________________________________________________ ___
SUGAR
Golden Demon put the call out to meet at his place. His call was to meet and discuss what “everyday anglers can do to improve on the quality of fishing the Sugar River and its tributaries” Well he got one response. Not great but better than none. That river must be nice with just two people fishing it!
On the plus side Goldendemon is not alone. MMVTU is planning to propose some reg changes to improve the quality of this fishery. So you have a big ally here my friend. Also with the consensus of the other groups in the region you should see some results.
Members of this site can get involved by joining their local ORG and voicing there support for this project and when the time comes voicing some individual support for MMVTU’s efforts.
__________________________________________________ ___
DELAYED HARVEST ZONES AND STOCKING:
MMVTU , MFFA has been working to improve your fishing experience in this area.
Souhegan River,Contoocook River , Sugar River, Piscataquog River
Both groups spoke at the biannual meeting regarding the timing and location of stocking of these rivers and others places. There is now a move to increase the quality areas and eventually we should be able to work on on supplemental stockings ( Lamprey Style).
Here is a Fact that Should Get you guys Running to join your favorite ORG!
Delayed Harvest Zones on the Piscataquog River were implemented with catch and release fishing from
October 16 to June 15 and General regulations from June 16 to October 15. For months there were no trout throughout the
Delayed Harvest Zone other than a few in the bridge pool. Then the day before the regulations revert to general regulations almost 900 fish get stocked. (Why
__________________________________________________ ___
DAM Removal On The Seacoast
Here is a project that s2ary has proposed, this is a real restoration project. This is still in the proposed stage so please don’t head down and start ripping the Dam down, or bashing the project quite yet. Members of this site can get involved by joining their local ORG and voicing there support for this project.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&t=h&om=0&ll=43.337368,-70.936189&spn=0.001607,0.004302&z=18
The dam is located on the Salmon Falls River at the Rochester, NH / Lebanon, Me line. It is the Boston Woolen (or Felt) Mill Dam in Rochester.
It is a wooden dam that partially breeched in 2006, and breeched more in 2007. I’m pretty sure the removal of the dam could create a free flowing section from Rt. 9 in Berwick and Somersworth all the way up to Milton. There are a number of cold water streams including the Little River in Berwick that feed into this section of the river and most of the adjacent watershed is floodplain so it is protected.
Over the last few years the NHF&G have put something like 25,000 landlocks in the stretches between Milton and Sommersworth. There is also a rumor of Brookies in the fast water sections from below the breeched dam in Rochester to where the gradient levels off behind the former Gavin’s Point dam site in Somersworth.
If we can get the owners permission the state will buy in and this would be an easy project to dismantle the dam with chainsaws and a winch to rip out the timbers.
__________________________________________________ ___
Merrimack Village Dam Removal
This project was brought to my Attention from MFFA, I looked into it and MMVTU has been working on this for some time as well. Eric Hutchins from NOAA in Gloucester is looking for volunteers in the summer/fall of '08 when the dam is removed. This removal creates a 14 miles of free-flowing Souhegan from the McClane Dam in Milford to the Merrimack this is a large floatable stretch of water. Sounds like a great opurtunity to create some more quality waters in NH. As a site I think we can get some volunteers to help with whatever is needed in the initial stages, and then help out the ORGS in the long haul.
__________________________________________________ ___
CFR
We have been selling our stickers with the proceeds to benefit CFR, this has gone on OK. The finall sticker sale will be at the Pelham show In March. Next year we should come up with a NON web site specific way to help the cause.
__________________________________________________ ___
Pelham Show
Looking for volunteers to work the show, also looking for ideas on how to promote the site at the show. We should consider that the site makes $0, so any idea should be on the free side. I am having the wife make some cookies! They are good cookies , but lets get your thinking caps on and come up with some more ideas.
__________________________________________________ ___
Near Future Projects
I am not representating GBTU with this suggestion. But I think we can help out with the GBTU Stocking program with their permission. There is an immediate need to raise funds to help keep this program running. I propose we do another sticker campaign. I am thinking something like “SEACOAST STOCKING PROGRAM 2008 SUPPORTER, Then a Simple picture of a fish”. Be great to get these before the Pelham show. All we need is a design guy who can create a JPEG image.
Would like to make it GBTU Stocking program, but only with their permission. If anyone knows someone who can get this image made drop me a PM and we will work it out.
__________________________________________________ ___
That is it for now; this is not a complete list and not the most detailed. Just a report to show what is going on. If you cannot join one of these groups you can donate a little $, or your name by writing in support for the upcoming battles that we are going to face. In all now that MMVTU, GBTU, PTU, MFFA are on your side. Time we all pitched in and helped them out.
Stay Tuned