Page 12 Wisconsin Trout Summer 2021 Wisconsin salmonids: Past, present and future Rainbow trout, from Great Lakes steelhead to inland stockers and wild fisheries.

A STEELHEAD FROM THE SIOUX RIVER FALL WILD STEELHEAD FROM THE BOIS BRULE A fall wild steelhead from the Bois Brule River that has been in the river long tions will complicate the analysis. trout from the West Coast and gold- enough to lose its silvery color. fish, common carp, rudd, tench and THE PAST: brown trout from Europe. Of these, only common carp, The origins of a global fish brown trout and rainbow trout be- Words and photos by John Lyons the sea as juveniles and then return species came widely established at the time. to those same rivers as much larger The rainbow trout was one of the Common carp were certainly more Rainbow trout are the most adults to spawn. first fishes cultured in the United tolerant, but caused major harm schizophrenic of the Wisconsin sal- Migratory rainbow trout are in- States. Propagation began in the rather than benefits to warmwater monids. On the one hand, when re- distinguishable from resident rain- San Francisco area in the 1870’s, habitats and fish species. Brown ferred to as steelhead, they are one bow trout as juveniles, but quite and in 1880 a federal fish hatchery trout, as discussed in the last issue of the most sought-after and re- different in appearance in their lake was established in the McCloud of Wisconsin Trout, improved trout vered gamefish in the state, pursued or ocean environment, when they River drainage near Mount Shasta fishing overall but at the expense of by aficionados who will brave the take on a silvery, steel-gray or in northern California. This hatch- native brook trout. Rainbow trout foulest weather and the most chrome sheen and are known as ery started with McCloud resident started slowly in Wisconsin, but treacherous fishing conditions in steelhead. Some consider steelhead and migratory fish (a form of red- eventually became a key species pursuit of their quarry. Steelhead a form of salmon, but they differ band trout) but then later brought supporting inland and Great Lake are justifiably famous for their from the other pacific salmon, with in migratory fish from other rivers trout fisheries. strength and speed and are un- which they often co-occur, in not al- in northern California and south- The exact origins of the first doubtedly one of the best-fighting ways dying after spawning and re- ern Oregon, eventually mixing and rainbow trout in Wisconsin, the fed- fish in Wisconsin. taining the capability of spawning cross-breeding all of these different eral hatchery in California or other Yet on the other hand, when re- again in a subsequent year. As populations. Compared to other federal or state hatcheries in Michi- ferred to as rainbow trout, they can adults, some resident rainbow trout trout and salmon species, rainbow gan or New York, are uncertain. But be a most domesticated creature, rarely exceed 12 inches, but some trout proved relatively easy to raise, by the 1890’s rainbow trout were be- raised in crowded raceways at fish migratory steelhead may reach and eggs from this hatchery were ing raised in Wisconsin government farms, stocked in artificial urban more than 12 pounds. shipped throughout the United and private hatcheries and being fishing ponds and made available Scientists have struggled with de- States and used to provide brood stocked throughout the state. The for kids to catch in plastic pools in fining the rainbow trout. Nine- fish for many other hatcheries that first introductions in Wisconsin exhibition halls hosting winter fish- teenth-century ichthyologists des- were established in the eastern were a mix of resident, migratory ing shows. Author Anders Halver- cribed nearly every distinctive popu- United States. From the United and cross-bred fish. Rainbow trout son titled this type of rainbow trout lation as a separate species, each States, rainbow trout were eventual- became popular for stocking be- “An entirely synthetic fish” in his with its own scientific and common ly exported to suitable waters cause they were relatively easy to 2010 book. But although they seem name. Early settlers, fish culturists throughout North America and ev- raise at high densities compared to to have little in common, these two and fisheries managers paid little ery other continent except Antarcti- either brown trout or brook trout entities are biologically the same mind to this classification and rou- ca. and could survive slightly higher wa- species. Let’s explore how these tinely moved, mixed and cross-bred ter temperatures in captivity and the very different versions of the rain- fish from different places, mongrel- wild. bow trout came to be found in Wis- izing and obscuring many formerly Another new fish for consin, where they occur today and unique biological entities. The read- Wisconsin what their future holds. iness with which many distinctive In the late 1800’s Wisconsin fish- Lake Superior and its populations successfully reproduced eries were in decline from environ- tributaries with each other eventually con- mental degradation caused by Despite being introduced state- unchecked plowing, grazing, timber wide in massive numbers, only in cutting, dam building, pollution and Lake Superior and certain tributar- overfishing. Rather than effectively ies, most notably the Bois Brule addressing these impacts, the pre- River, did naturalized, self-sustain- ferred response in this era was to in- ing populations become established troduce new and presumably more initially. Elsewhere in the state, reg- tolerant species to the state. From ular stocking was necessary to main- 1875 through 1925, the Wisconsin tain populations. Even where and federal governments and some naturalized populations developed individual citizens stocked at least in Lake Superior tributaries, stock- 10 non-native species in Wisconsin ing to improve numbers continued JUVENILE WILD MIGRATORY RAINBOW TROUT FROM DREW CREEK waters – arctic grayling from Michi- in some waters up to 2002. Appar- gan and Montana, American shad ently, some resident rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon from the East were also present in the Bois Brule What is a rainbow trout? vinced scientists that most were in Coast, chinook salmon and rainbow and perhaps other tributaries at The rainbow trout, as currently fact part of the same highly variable recognized, is native to the Pacific species, the rainbow trout. slope from the northern part of Baja But some populations looked California in Mexico, the entire west and behaved so differently, such as coast of the conterminous United the various forms of redband trout States and Canada, southern Alas- of northern California and Nevada, ka, and eastern Siberia and the Ka- Idaho, western Montana, and Ore- mchatka Peninsula in Russia. gon and Washington east of the Cas- Within this vast range there is a cade Mountains, the golden trout of bewildering variety of populations California’s Sierra Nevada Moun- that encompass tremendous natural tains, the apache trout of southern genetic, morphological and life-his- Arizona, the gila trout of southeast- tory diversity. Some populations oc- ern Arizona and southwestern New cupy rocky rushing mountain Mexico, and the poorly known but streams and others thickly vegetated highly variable native trout of Mexi- slow-moving spring runs in the des- co’s Sierra Madre Occidental ert. Mountains, that even today there is Some populations are “resident” debate whether they represent sepa- and rarely move more than a few rate species or merely particularly hundred yards over the course of distinctive rainbow trout lineages. their lives whereas others are “mi- Recent advances in genetic tech- GANARASKA STRAIN STEELHEAD FROM SAUK CREEK gratory” or “anadromous” and mi- niques will help clarify the situation, The author with a stocked Ganaraska strain Steelhead from Sauk Creek in grate hundreds of miles from the although years of poorly document- rivers of their birth to a large lake or ed stocking and mixing of popula- Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Summer 2021 Wisconsin Trout Page 13

lation originated in the 1960’s when steelhead stocked in Minnesota may a private fish hatchery along the enter Wisconsin. creek in Langlade County began to In inland lakes and streams and raise rainbow trout from Washing- in urban ponds, about 250,000 fish ton State. Fish from the hatchery from the domesticated Erwin Strain soon escaped and colonized the are introduced annually, usually at creek and moved downstream “catchable” sizes from 6-9 inches. In through a short stretch of the West this context, domesticated means Branch of the Wolf River into Flor- that the fertilized eggs used to pro- ence (Langlade County) and Upper duce fish for stocking are obtained Bass (Menominee County) lakes. from “brood stock” adults main- Although the West Branch contin- tained in the hatchery. Small num- JUVENILE WILD STEELHEAD FROM THE SIOUX RIVER ues downstream from Upper Bass, bers of brood stock up to 20 inches rainbow trout did not colonize it are sometimes added to a few inland further. lakes and streams to provide a tro- These rainbow trout are migrato- phy opportunity. Survival of inland ry, spending their first two growing and pond stockings is low, with most seasons in Drew Creek and then at fish harvested or dying of natural 6-9 inches moving to Florence or causes soon after being released in Upper Bass for most of the rest of the spring. However, in some waters their lives. In April, adults from the a few fish may “carry over” and sur- lakes move into Drew Creek to vive to the following year. spawn and then return back to the In Lake Michigan and tributar- lakes when finished. These adults ies, a total of about 450,000-500,000 range from 15-21 inches and 1-3 steelhead of four different strains. pounds, although there are unveri- Arlee, Chambers Creek, Ganaraska fied reports of larger fish. and (when available) Skamania are The origins of the West Branch stocked each year. The use of differ- of the White River population are ent strains diversifies and increases JUVENILE STEELHEAD FROM A TRIBUTARY OF THE SHEBOYGAN RIVER unknown, but rainbow trout were fishing opportunities in terms of established there by the 1960’s. This where fish occur in Lake Michigan first, but they had disappeared by Lake Michigan and population is unique in the state in and when they enter tributaries for the 1950’s. tributaries The Bois Brule quickly became Lake Michigan was one of the (and remains) a destination fishery first areas of Wisconsin to receive for anglers targeting steelhead. Its rainbow trout, but it was not until importance and popularity have led the 1960’s that stocking produced to its steelhead to receive more sci- fishable results. In the late 1800’s entific study than any other Wiscon- and early 1900’s many attempts sin population. The Brule is unique were made to create steelhead runs among Wisconsin Lake Superior in Lake Michigan and its tributar- tributaries in that it has large steel- ies. However, these early efforts head “runs” in both the fall and were unsuccessful because survival spring. Other tributaries have large of stocked fish in the lake was low, runs only in the spring. All Lake Su- perhaps owing to the many predato- perior rainbow trout spawn in the ry lake trout present, and the tribu- spring, but in the Brule many Steel- taries were generally too warm to head ascend the river from Septem- allow for successful reproduction. RESIDENT WILD RAINBOW FROM THE WEST BRANCH WHITE RIVER ber through December and then Stocking ceased by about 1915. overwinter in deep holes, which are However, in the mid-1960’s, with generally lacking in the other tribu- lake trout eliminated and Lake taries. Michigan full of abundant alewife They soon revert from steely- as potential prey, rainbow trout in- gray to a more classic “rainbow” ap- troductions recommenced. pearance. A fresh run of chrome- This time around they were quite colored steelhead enters the Brule successful, with excellent survival in late February through April, and and growth. Anglers began to take both the fall and spring fish spawn large steelhead from 5 to more than together from March through early 10 pounds from the lake during May. Eggs are deposited in shallow summer and fall and from tributar- pits in gravel, known as redds, exca- ies during the spring. Limited natu- vated by the female. After a spawn- ral reproduction was observed in a ing bout is completed, the female few small cold tributaries, but the SKAMANIA STEELHEAD FROM THE MENOMINEE RIVER buries the fertilized eggs in the grav- numbers of offspring produced el and no further parental care is were small compared to the angling that it consists of resident fish. Nat- spawning. Other strains such as Er- provided. The eggs hatch after 3-5 demands, and heavy stocking was urally produced rainbow trout occur win, Shasta and Kamloops, were weeks, and the fry absorb their yolk necessary to maintain the fishery. throughout the 16-mile length of the tried prior to 2010 but dropped be- sac and emerge from the gravel and Many millions of juvenile rainbow West Branch, but are present only cause of poor success. None of the become free swimming and begin trout have been released in the lake as strays in the White River into strains can be consistently identified feeding 2-3 weeks later. and its tributaries during the last 50 which the West Branch flows. They based on appearance alone, and the Juveniles spend from one to years, which continues today. reach a maximum size of about 15 DNR uses internal tags or external three years, usually two, in the river inches and one pound although fin-clips and the timing and location or its tributaries before transform- Inland waters most fish are under a foot. They do of spawning runs to distinguish ing into silvery smolts and migrating not migrate downstream to the them. to the lake at 6-10 inches to grow to Inland introductions of rainbow White River Flowage even though The domesticated Arlee strain, a adulthood. They remain in the lake trout began in the 1890’s and have co-occurring brown trout, which are mix of several migratory West Coast for one to four years, usually two, never stopped. However, establish- 5-10 times more abundant, often do. forms that was developed in Mon- reaching 21-25 inches and 3-6 ment and natural reproduction has tana, is stocked directly in nearshore pounds before returning to the river been limited or absent almost every- THE PRESENT areas of the lake and near the to spawn for the first time. Many of where. To my knowledge the only mouth of a few larger tributaries. these fish survive the rigors of re- two exceptions are the Drew Creek Current stocking Arlees remain in relatively shallow production and return to Lake Su- system in Langlade and Menominee Most rainbow trout fisheries in water for much of the year and are perior to grow larger before making counties, and the West Fork of the Wisconsin rely on stocking to per- more available to shore anglers than additional spawning runs in subse- White River in Waushara County, sist. The Wisconsin Department of the other strains, which tend to stay quent years. The largest steelhead both of which have self-sustaining Natural Resources (DNR) raises further offshore except for their may exceed 30 inches and 10 populations large enough to sup- 700,000-750,000 rainbow trout an- spawning migrations. Arlees first pounds. port fishing. The Drew Creek popu- nually at 3-5 hatcheries for stocking enter spawning streams in Decem- into Lake Michigan and tributaries, ber and their run and actual spawn- inland streams and lakes, and artifi- ing peaks in March. They are a cial urban fishing ponds. Dozens of deep-bodied fish that may exceed 30 commercial operations annually inches and 10 pounds. produce more than a million more The Chambers Creek, Ganaras- rainbow trout for sale as food, use in ka and Skamania strains are semi- private fee-fishing ponds and fishing domesticated, that is, their eggs are show events, and occasional private obtained from previously stocked stockings into public inland waters fish migrating for spawning into ei- as permitted by the DNR. No rain- ther the Root River in Racine bow trout stocking currently takes County or the Kewaunee River in place in Wisconsin’s waters of Lake Kewaunee County. A STEELHEAD SMOLT FROM THE BRULE RIVER’S COPPER RIDGE Superior or its tributaries, although See RAINBOWS, page 24 Page 24 Wisconsin Trout Summer 2021

netic variant, the subsequent stocking of non-native brookies may have LETTER TO THE EDITOR decreased the anadromous tendencies of Brule River brook trout. I read with interest Tom Wiensch’s letter regarding coaster brook trout, in The problem I see with Wiensch’s proposal is that it will be impossible to particular his statement that “it’s hard to imagine that any significant por- recreate the pristine pre-1900 conditions that fostered the coaster fishery. tion” of TU members would oppose his idea to make brook trout catch-and- Finally, I dispute Wiensch’s statement that there has been “no improve- release only on the Brule River to effect a return of the coasters. For what ment” in the last 30 years of brook trout fishing on the Brule. It has been per- it’s worth, here’s one member who disagrees. haps 20 years since the 10-inch, artificials-only regulation was imposed on the I’ve been fishing the Bois Brule since I was in high school in the mid- stretch from Stone’s Bridge to Winnebijou, which is the prime brookie water 1960’s, mostly for stream trout on the upper river but also for steelhead in on the Brule, and it has begun to pay off. the fall. Aside from my practical knowledge, I sought out on-line informa- When I started fishing the Brule it was rare to catch a brookie over 7-8 tion on coasters before writing this letter. In particular, I reviewed a 1996 re- inches; most were in the 5-6 inch range. Now, while there may be fewer small port entitled “Status of Brook Trout in Lake Superior” that appears to be a fish, the increased size of the brookies brought to the net is very noticeable. joint production of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin In the last five years I have caught and released a number of brookies in the DNR, as well as an undated Wisconsin DNR publication entitled “Lake Su- 14-15 inch range. The current regulations seem to work well. perior Coaster Brook Trout.” Most anglers on the upper Brule already practice catch and release, but These confirm Wiensch’s suggestion that the coaster decline was caused many of us like the option of keeping a few for the pan now and then. Ban- in large part by overfishing. However, the overfishing, including commercial ning the taking of any brook trout to support the pipe dream of reestablishing fishing in Lake Superior, that caused the coaster populations to plummet oc- the pre-1900 coaster population is not warranted, and likely to fail because curred in the 1880’s to be followed by the severe environmental degradation that alone will not recreate the pre-1900 conditions that allowed the coasters caused by logging the virgin forests. Then there is the added competition to exist. from subsequently-introduced non-native trout such as browns and rain- —Mike Heffernan bows. There is also a suggestion that, although coasters are not a distinct ge-

RAINBOWS, from page 13 occurs during the steelhead run. currently managed for five species, will also affect stream flows and lake They are stocked mainly in tribu- Size limits and season closures steelhead, brown trout, lake trout, levels, and during dry periods, many taries. The Chambers Creek Strain shield self-sustaining rainbow trout Coho salmon and chinook Salmon, smaller tributaries may become in- originated from Washington State populations from overharvest. In all of which are largely or complete- accessible to steelhead migrating and was developed in New York Lake Superior tributaries, the steel- ly dependent on fish from hatcher- from the lake. State. Chambers Creek fish enter head season runs from late Match ies. spawning streams beginning in mid- to mid-November, allowing anglers There are major concerns that Inland waters November with their migration access to the fall and spring runs but too many salmonids may collapse not the overwintering period. The prey populations in Lake Michigan, As is the case now, with the ex- peaking and actual spawning taking ception of the Drew Creek system place in March and early April. size limit is 26 inches with a daily leading to a decline in the fishery. bag limit of one, protecting all first- This appears to have already hap- and the West Branch of the White Spawners typically range from 25-29 River, the future of rainbow trout in inches and 6-9.5 pounds. time steelhead spawners from har- pened in Lake Huron. Federal and vest. state fisheries managers responsi- Wisconsin’s inland waters will be The Ganaraska Strain is from the completely determined by hatchery West Coast and was developed in Lake Michigan tributaries have a ble for Lake Michigan try to balance 10-inch size limit, which eliminates total salmonid stocking levels with production and stocking policies. Ontario. Ganaraskas also begin mi- Climate change may have a relative- grating in November, and their run harvest of naturally reproduced ju- food availability, but prey abun- veniles before they venture to the dances, particularly alewife, are cur- ly limited effect on these fisheries. and actual spawning peaks in April Even in the projected warmer cli- and early May, 2-4 weeks later than lake. rently relatively low, and there is Drew Creek has a size limit of 8 little room for error. mate of mid-century, spring water Chambers Creek fish. Ganaraskas temperatures should still be cold are a little smaller, usually ranging inches, which also protects more In some years, when natural vari- than 95 percent of juveniles before enough for short-term (1-2 month) from 23-26 inches and 4-7 pounds. survival of domestic rainbow trout. The Skamania strain was devel- they move downstream to Florence and Upper Bass lakes, and trout However, carry-over will be greatly oped in Washington State and the reduced, and in most streams no DNR obtained its first eggs from In- harvest is prohibited from mid-Oc- tober to early May, preventing re- fish will survive the summer after diana. Stocking began in the early their release. 2000’s but was paused after 2008 be- moval of the adults coming out of the lakes to spawn. The lakes them- Fortunately, the most recent pro- cause of concerns over the potential jections indicate that both the Drew for the newly arrived disease Viral selves are private and have little fishing pressure. Creek system and the West Branch Hemorrhagic Septicemia to enter of the White River are likely to re- the hatchery system. After modifica- The West Branch of the White River has a 12-inch size limit for main cold enough at mid-century to tions of procedures for obtaining support their wild, self-sustaining and handling eggs, stocking of the rainbow trout, which safeguards more than 99 percent of the fish, rainbow trout populations. Howev- Skamania strain recommenced in er, the amount of suitable habitat in 2018 and 2019. Because the adults and harvest is not allowed during the March-April spawning period. each stream will be gradually re- aren’t expected to return in signifi- duced as temperatures increase, and cant numbers until 2022, the success summer habitat in Florence Lake of these most recent stockings is un- THE FUTURE and Upper Bass Lake in the Drew certain. Creek system will become increas- Skamania provide the potential ingly marginal. If warming trends for a true summer-through-winter Lake Superior and tributaries are not controlled, both populations stream fishery. Skamanias begin en- are likely to be greatly stressed and tering tributaries as early as late Climate change clouds the future perhaps eliminated by late century. June or early July when rains raise for Lake Superior steelhead. Projec- river levels, and their run peaks tions indicate that by mid-century DNR’S LEE KERNAN IN 1968 from mid-September through mid- warming temperatures and more Lee Kernan, Former Wisconsin DNR Conclusions December with spawning taking variable precipitation will reduce Chief of Fisheries Lee Kernan holding Rainbow trout fisheries in Wis- place in late December through the amount of tributary habitat one of the first large stocked rainbow consin are a mix of wild self-sustain- February. Skamanias also have the available for spawning and rearing ing populations and stocked do- potential to reach larger sizes than of juveniles. The Brule and other trout to be caught from Lake mesticated and semi-domesticated other strains, with spawning fish of top-quality tributaries such as the Michigan, Door County, in 1968. populations. Nearly all fish, wild or 28-32 inches and 8-12 pounds. Sioux River in Bayfield County will Photo courtesy of Lee Kernan. stocked, appear to be migratory, but remain suitable, but the ability of the West Branch of the White River Wild rainbow trout many others to produce steelhead supports a unique resident popula- management will be reduced or lost. ations in survival and abundances tion of rainbow trout. Interestingly, as Lake Superior threaten to push the predator-prey In the Lake Superior basin all Efforts to manage self-sustain- itself warms, it may become more relationship out of balance, the best populations are wild whereas in in- ing populations of rainbow trout in suitable for steelhead. Right now response might be to decrease or land waters and the Lake Michigan Wisconsin focus on preserving ge- the lake is generally too cold for even temporarily stop stocking. basin nearly all are maintained by netic integrity and protecting juve- maximum steelhead growth. How- However, many angling groups and stocking. The Bois Brule River has niles and spawning fish from ever, whether a warmer Lake Supe- lakeshore communities dependent the best wild population, whereas overharvest. Rainbow trout stocking rior will mean better steelhead on fishing tourism resist this, per- several Lake Michigan tributaries does not occur in Lake Superior and growth and survival depends on the haps understandably, making man- have large hatchery-maintained its tributaries, the Drew Creek sys- availability of sufficient food, and agement difficult and putting the runs of different steelhead strains. tem or the West Branch of the how the current cold-adapted food overall salmonid fishery, including Climate change and, in Lake Michi- White River. This prevents hatchery web will respond to climate change steelhead, at risk. gan, overstocking are the biggest fu- strains from interbreeding with nat- is uncertain. Because most Wisconsin Lake ture threats to rainbow trout uralized populations and potentially Michigan streams are already too populations and fisheries in Wiscon- eliminating any unique attributes Lake Michigan and warm for rainbow trout during sum- sin waters. that allow these populations to re- mer, climate change will have less of John Lyons is a member of the main viable. tributaries an effect on steelhead runs in Lake Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Supplemental stocking does oc- As they do now, in the future Michigan than in Lake Superior. Unlimited and is Curator of Fishes at cur in the few Lake Michigan tribu- Lake Michigan steelhead fisheries However, higher water tempera- the University of Wisconsin Zoologi- taries with natural reproduction will continue to depend on and be tures do threaten the few small nat- cal Museum. This is the third in his because these localized populations determined by stocking, but not just urally reproducing steelhead ongoing series. Brook trout and are thought to be too small to with- of rainbow trout. The Lake Michi- populations in Lake Michigan tribu- brown trout were discussed in previ- stand the heavy fishing pressure that gan trout and salmon sport fishery is taries. More variable precipitation ous issues of Wisconsin Trout.