Salters, We Can Make It Happen Here

[lowwall]

Good Articles!
Maine Salters!
http://www.seagrant.umaine.edu/index.htm

Canada, 5lb Sea Run Brookies
http://www.fliesandfins.com/article402.html

[s2ary]

I’m surprised that this thread received no responses. Of course we can restore coastal runs. They still have a few remnant runs on Long Island, NY of all places.

The Salter/Coaster story is an interesting one that I’m glad I’ve had the chance to explore, and there is a huge amount of anecdotal information out there and the vast majority of it conflicts. The one consistent thing about Brook Trout is they are tenacious survivors that readily adapt to a wide variety of habitats within their temperature range, and once their in, if they can spawn successfully, they are impossible to get out.

A better and more streamlined approach to the problem is “What would prevent it?”

Salters can survive in streams that can provide habitat for the juveniles for 2 seasons. It may actually be only one season in extreme cases, but by and large it seems like two seasons and then the juveniles head out. (Brookies can also stay in the stream and reproduce at 2 years old as well.)

Once their ‘Out’ they seem to hang in the marshes with brief ventures into the bays. Half of the information states that the fish return to the streams in early summer, and the other half states they only return in November to spawn. Near as I can tell it comes down to geographical distribution and competition.

In northern climes where the ambient seawater temperatures stay below 68-70* F Brookies can and do stay in the marshes all season, or if the stream has low competition, they can go back to the streams.

In southern climes where the ambient seawater temps can exceed 70* for long periods, the fish head back to the streams to escape the warm water. However, this is only a guideline as well because there are a few streams on Long Island that the Salters only come into the river in the spring.

One thing is for sure, there are a lot of these populations out there that we are unaware of, and once they are identified their streams should be restored as a priority. Second is that the two world record Brookies were both Salters/Coasters and the recognized 14.5 pound world record Brookie was a Salter caught on Long Island, NY, and rumor has it that Daniel Webster was obsessed with trying to catch THAT fish for a number of years before he actually succeeded. So they do very well in marine environments.

[GreatBay]

I agree,
but it strikes me that many fishermen don't want to put the time or the money into salters because they are perceived as difficult to catch- of course we're biased here in NH because Berry's Brook is such a hot spot for catching sea runs :D

[meanmike]

Besides Berry's Brook, would any of the tributarys of Great Bay (Winnicut, etc.?) or Hampton Harbor (Taylor River, etc.?) be acceptable habitat for sea run trout?

[lowwall]

Mike I think so! We have big plans for the future in this area. Through grants and company donations we hope to start a group that is 50/50. Stocking Suplementatl Like The Lamprey etc/ Restoration Projects specifically sea run fish at first. Should be a good time!

[wet_fly_action]

You guys really should coordinate with the SE Mass TU chapter. They in cooperation with the state have done more research on salters than anyone, because, frankly nobody else seems interested. Although perhaps more communication is going on behind the scenes than I realize.
Here's the thing: if you want salters, you need a healthy trout stream. A portion of the population will utilize the nearby salt and a portion will remain in the stream their whole lives.
"Studies have shown that rainbows can have steelhead offspring and vice versa. Some scientists logically speculate that food availability determines if the fish head to sea as steelheads or remain in the stream as rainbows."
-Clarke, Ford, Fish
From my personal observations at Red Brook this seems to be true of salters as well. Perhaps this is why maintaining a healthy resident population of trout is so important to salter success. This is good news, if you can restore a coastal stream to the point where it can support naturally reproducing trout, you will get the salters as a bonus.
For what it's worth, I have not found salters any more difficult to catch than any other wild brook trout. I think the hard to catch reputation is from the sea run browns, and I think it has more to do with the limited amount of time these fish are in fresh water vs. sea run brook trout (salters) which have a much lower tolerance for salinity and seem to move back and forth between salt and fresh many times each year.
On somewhat of a non sequitor- I hope to do some fishing in Nova Scotia later this year and came across this site while doing some research: http://www.novascotiasalmon.ns.ca/fishinginns/margaree.htm
Apparently the sea run brookies appear in june and quickly head upstream. I seem to remember reading this about other Canadian rivers as well (NB, Quebec), but I may be wrong. Will continue looking.

[lowwall]

Once we get the Non Profit stuff sorted out we will be doing this for sure.

[s2ary]

Hey wet fly,

Those are all great points. There is so much conflicting information out there that it is hard to paint a picture. You should also check out some of the info on 'Coasters' which are 'searun' Brookies of the Great Lakes.

Also according to one of the guys I know in Canada, they catch Salters in the estuaries as early as April and follow them up the larger rivers. Two things to keep in mind for info from canada; one the fish can spawn earlier up there so their year is condensed similar to plant and bird lifecycles, and on the smaller brooks the fish come in later, do their thing and head back out.

For sure I'd like to hear about Novi, I keep trying to get up there but never make it. It is kind of criminal when you think of how close it is with the CAT out of Portland. Maybe that should be a FFNH road trip to recon information. 8)

[Solid]

Maybe that should be a FFNH road trip to recon information. 8)

Good idea!

[s2ary]

September?

[Salter]

Salters are more abundant than you may think.Wanna find some? Hit the estuaries in April.Fish from the extreme end of the tidal marsh at the woodline out to the open marsh.Any small streamer works well.just remember that stealth is the key to success.Heavy footfalls on the marshland peat will spook salters at cosiderable distances.Fish low tide and concentrate on the undercuts. Good luck. :)

[MassSalter]

You guys really should coordinate with the SE Mass TU chapter. They in cooperation with the state have done more research on salters than anyone, because, frankly nobody else seems interested. Although perhaps more communication is going on behind the scenes than I realize.

Alot is going on down at Red Brook and the Quashnet River. Last year MDF&W in partnership with T.U. and WBNRR began a PIT tagging program on two Cape streams and Red Brook.

You can read more here:

http://www.ma-ri-tu-council.org/PIT-Tagging-Research.htm

Regards,
Michael