Brown Trout Program in Ohio: Assessing Survival, Growth, and Movement

Ethan SimmonsFisheries Biologist

Division of Wildlife-District 1

Current brown trout program

Stock 25,000 yearling brown trout in fall (since 1997)

Research project to determine: Survival Growth Movement

Clear Creek Clear Fork Mad River

3,500 11,5007,400 above

2,600 below

In all 3 streams!

Timeline for Project

Stocking Events

Sampling Events

Results

Survival» Limited by high summer temperatures

– Low survival in Clear Creek and Clear Fork of the Mohican during most summers (Some of the most extreme summer temps of all time)

Growth» Similar growth across all 3 streams, when fish survive

Movement» Fish generally stay near stocking locations, if they move,

they move upstream

Management Options

Continue October stocking of yearling brown trout in all 3 systems

Remove 12” minimum size limit Maintain 2 fish bag limit

Management – Mad River

Research project produced more questions relative to the Mad River» Are we stocking too many fish?» Are bigger fish migrating downstream and staying or faster

growth rates downstream?» Can we stock Rainbows?

1,1,2,4,5,5,5,5,5,7,8,9,15

Median

Quartiles

Fences

Outlier

Box Plot Overview

51

01

5

Outlier

Max & Min

Fences

Quartiles 25 %

Median 50%

Mean or Average

Location NumberCounty Rd 29 345

Township Rd 165 345County Rd 1 575Route 173 345Route 245 575

Pimtown Rd 805Watson Farm 345

Sullivan Rd 575Lippencott Rd 805

29 & 296 DOW Access 805Millerstown Rd 805State Route 36 805Old Troy Pike 345State Route 55 575

Dallas Rd 575County Line Rd 575Tremont City Rd 345

Eagle City Rd 345

Stocking – Mad River

TotalMad River = 10,500 Fish

Macochee Crk = 1,000 Fish

*Stocking rate based on angling pressure

Winter2012 Summer2012 Winter 2013 Summer 2013 Extra 2013 Winter2014 Summer 20140.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

2011

2012

2013

Stocked10,500 fish

Stocked10,500 fish

Stocked10,500 fish

Replacement – Mad River

(1 month post stocking)

Growth

Growth – Mad River - Summer

Replacement – Mad River

Relative weight (fatness) is significantly different for stock size fish compared to bigger fish

Abundance – Mad River

Estimate of abundance above Herr Rd Dam» 1075 fish – 1500 fish or 71 – 100 fish/mile

Below Herr Rd to Eagle City Rd» 1500 fish – 2500 fish or 100 – 166 fish/mile

Total fish = 2500 – 4000 fish

*Abundance estimates based on catchability

Above Herr Rd Dam» Estimated population Max = 1500 Fish» Stocked Fish = 4,715 Fish» We stock 3 populations of fish in 1 day!

Below Herr Rd Dam» Estimated Population Max = 2500 Fish» Stocked Fish = 5,175 Fish» We stock 2 populations of fish in 1 day!

Stocking based on “Put & Take” rather than supplemental stocking from mortality

Stocking – Mad River

Spatial size distribution

Catch Rate across Mad River

T165 Watson SR29 US36 Dallas Eagle

Summer vs Winter Catch Rates