In the Great Lakes region, the brook trout is Trout Unlimited’s mascot for a good reason. This vibrant salmonid is known as a native indicator species, as their ecology requires habitat parameters like river substrate, dissolved oxygen levels, cold water, healthy surrounding forests and connected stream networks for survival and reproduction. If brook trout populations…
America the beautiful: let’s keep it that way
There are anglers who will stand in the bow of a boat for hours waiting for a single cast at a permit. I am not one of them. Last year, I had two shots at these fish with the body of a bleached green sunfish on steroids and a fin that resembles a stick moving through the water.
Got 5 minutes to watch a new video on cleaning your fishing gear? It might just save your favorite river. Cleaning angling gear is critical to minimize the risk of spreading threats to different bodies of water as we fish, but we know that information can sometimes be vague, confusing and a bit overwhelming. With…
There is 21 % of the world’s freshwater contained within the boundaries of the Great Lakes. In fitting with Trout Unlimited’s Mission Statement to protect, restore, reconnect, and sustain coldwater fisheries, the Great Lakes NLC Workgroup (GLWG) is bringing to light the many complex issues affecting the Great Lakes Region. In doing so, the GLWG…
Goals The Great Lakes are threatened by invasive species, pollution, and emerging commercial aquaculture proposals, creating a need for state and federal policies that protect the Great Lakes and sustained public funding for Great Lakes restoration efforts. Adding to the challenge, political shifts at state and federal levels have made it more difficult to uphold…
Katti Renik is joining Trout Unlimited’s Great Lakes team as a project coordinator in Northwest Wisconsin.
Carp are wreaking havoc on ecosystems, displacing native species and devouring the natural resources upon which those species rely.
Goals: With more than 20 percent of the Earth’s available freshwater flowing through its rivers, streams and lakes, the Great Lakes basin is an unparalleled natural resource. An immense network of coldwater rivers and streams exists, among many other important aquatic ecosystems, providing anglers with a variety of unique opportunities. Whether it is fishing for…
By following a few simple steps, anglers can do their part to slow the spread of invasives We know anglers are inundated with information about preventing the spread of things that threaten our freshwater resources. In the Great Lakes, we are distressed by the risk posed by New Zealand Mud Snails (NZMS) and Didymo (recently…
Trout Unlimited’s efforts in the Great Lakes region continue to expand and 2018 was a big year for accomplishments in both the field and in advocacy efforts. TU staff and volunteers worked on dozens of major stream restoration, protection and reconnection projects in the region. TU’s active involvement in important issues helped move the needle on issues…
A majority of Wisconsin’s 115 fish species, including native brook trout, need to move throughout a watershed seasonally or at varying stages in their lifecycle to feed, find cooler water, avoid predators and reach spawning habitat. Research conducted in the early 1990s in Northern Wisconsin documented the seasonal movement of trout. When water temperatures reached…
A snapping turtle takes advantage of a aquatic organism passage project on Halley Creek in Wisconsin.
Fishing is great. Even better? Fishing for science.
Trout Unlimited continues to increase its efforts in the Great Lakes region. The past year saw a wide range of success across the “Protect, Reconnect, Restore and Sustain” components of our mission. Projects included habitat restoration of more than 17 miles of high-priority coldwater streams and improving/replacing several barriers to fish passage to open additional…
Many conservation organizations are great at on-the-ground habitat restoration. Others excel at policy advocacy. Trout Unlimited is one of the few that shine at both. Our recipe for success is simple. We take the results and good will generated by the partnerships, relationships, and in many cases, friendships created through our restoration work, and use…
Coaster brook trout oil painting by Alexis Rockman The Great Lakes are one of the most important natural treasures in the world, holding 20 percent of the earth’s fresh water and forming an interconnected system that is among the most beautiful, economically significant and ecologically complex regions on the planet. In January 2018 the Grand…
On the Lake Superior coast, a coalition of partners facilitated by Trout Unlimited are coming together to breathe new life into the study and recovery of native coaster brook trout – a life history variation of brook trout that spend part of their lives in Lake Superior. Scientists do not consider them to be genetically…
