Lower Maitland Stewardship Group June, 2005 Volume 1, Issue 1 Maitland Musings

Inside this issue: Let’s Go Fishing! Event (and learn to fly fish)

Special Fishing Come and try your hand under 12’s, $5 for ages 13 and Edition WHAT: ‘’Let’s Go Fishing’ Event at casting a fly rod! Demon- over.

Past Events & Activities 2 strations and free lessons will WHEN: July 9th, 2005 For more details about the be brought to you by the day, or if you wish to attend, Cleaning Up the Valley 2 from 9 am—2 pm LMSG. Local river guide, please contact Darren Kenny at Mike Verhoef of Fly Fitters the Maitland Valley Conserva- will be offering these sessions Undiscovered Country 3 tion Authority (519-335-3557). WHERE: Falls Reserve Conserva- from 10 am to 2 pm. We hope to see you there! LMSG members will also Who Are We? 4 tion Area, Benmiller What Are We About? be on hand to display materi- als and to discuss the group, The Maitland Promoted 4 ADMISSION: $9 per vehicle what we are about, and an- (Day entry to park) swer any questions you may have about the river.

As part of Ontario Family The Conservation Area Fishing Weekend (July 8th— has organized a fishing derby 10th), the Lower Maitland where families can fish with- Stewardship Group (LMSG) is out a licence, if they are Ca- partnering with the Conserva- nadian residents. If you wish tion Area to promote fishing as to attend the fishing derby in one of the numerous recrea- addition to the LMSG fly- Mike Verhoef with Rick Morgan tional activities available along fishing lessons, registration Come celebrate Family Fishing week- fishing on the Maitland. the river valley. includes lunch and is $2 for end with the LMSG, and try your hand at casting a fly rod. Undiscovered Country By: Jack Imhof, National Biologist, Trout Unlimited Canada I couldn’t believe it. As I “They’re bass!” that area. What neither of us the finest fisheries in southern Ontario: truly an Exceptional stood on the old iron span Frank and I had gotten expected was to discover that Water. bridge, a few kilometers down- bored that early spring day 33 although the Maitland may have stream of Wingham, huge fish years ago and had decided to trout, it was really home to a emerged out of the depths of explore the Maitland River, glorious smallmouth bass fishery. the river to swim around the (Article cont’d on page 3) downstream of Wingham. Two months later, we had our footings of the bridge. I turned Years before, Frank had to my friend Frank and gasped, bass tackle and began our love caught a large brown trout in affair with the river that is one of Page 2 Maitland Musings Volume 1, Issue 1

What Have We (the LMSG) Been Up To? By: Darren Kenny Lower Maitland Report Barbecue lunches were also Natural Environment An outdoor event was (2000) provided. Event at Richard Moore’s designed to help local land- (2003) owners develop a stewardship The Lower Maitland Re- plan for their own individual port represents the combined Local landowners and Maitland Fly Over/Bus properties. Activities included efforts of many of the part- concerned citizens were in- Tour (2002) a tour of different woodlot ners participating in the vited to attend an outdoor types and discussion of man- Lower Maitland Stewardship social event and barbeque on agement options for a variety Group (LMSG). The report the property of Richard of outcomes - recreation, in- provides a great deal of inter- Moore along the Lower Mait- come, biodiversity and wildlife esting information about the land River near Auburn. A habitat creation. Participants Lower Maitland River and short walk was held during were given information on surrounding area including which the natural environ- options for wetland enhance- history, geography, fish and ment, wildlife and plants of ment and creation on their wildlife, vegetation, regula- the Lower Maitland were dis- properties. tions applicable to the area cussed. A local scientist and and more! In September, 2002 an naturalist held a demonstra- airplane and bus tour of the tion of the many insects that Code of Conduct Signs Lower Maitland River Valley inhabit the river and how they (2004-05) Local Landowner Property and surrounding area was reflect river health and well as Visits (2000) organized for local municipal a discussion on how the river The LMSG has been in- volved in a project to create During the summer of councillors and staff. The shapes the local landscape. and install code of conduct 2000, the LMSG hosted two event was held in order to signs at various locations outdoor events at the homes educate decision-makers Stewardship Series (2004) around the river valley. Signs of local landowners Jim and about the river’s unique natu- are sponsored by local munici- Brenda Ginn and Jim and ral environment and the de- In the spring of 2004, an palities and various commu- Melba Walters. The events velopment pressures along the indoor speaker series for local nity organizations. The signs were open to all landowners valley. New official plans were landowners was held. Presen- are designed to help educate along the Lower Maitland being developed for several tations included issues such as recreational users about the River and designed to provide abutting municipalities and environmentally responsible importance of the natural an opportunity for landown- presented an opportune time forest management, tree environment of the area and ers to share their experiences for such an event to help en- planting and naturalization, how to enjoy their use of the of the area and learn about the courage strong planning poli- wetland creation and rehabili- valley in an environmentally river’s natural heritage. Activi- cies for natural area protec- tation, nuisance wildlife and and ethically responsible man- ties included plant identifica- tion. This event was a huge encouraging wildlife on your ner. tion walks and a presentation success and enjoyed by many. property. on fish habitat in the river. Come and clean up your river valley.

WHAT: Great Canadian ronment. Make a differ- River. Learn more about Shoreline Cleanup ence! Help remove gar- it at: bage from sensitive envi- http://www.vanaqua.or WHEN: Saturday, Sep- ronments and protect g/cleanup tember 10, 2005 aquatic animals. and follow the links to Connect with your Join members of the register, or call Beth community and with Lower Maitland Stew- Ross at 524-8144 for Landowners and stakeholders of the people across Canada ardship Group and help more information. Lower Maitland River Valley are who care about the envi- clean up the Maitland invited to help clean up this fall. Maitland Musings Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3

landscape. The deeply incised southwestern Ontario, although If you are satisfied with the Undiscovered Country valley helps drive and direct the river is also home of one present quality of fishing, you ...cont’d from page 1 groundwater towards the river: species, the Black Redhorse need do nothing. If you wish the resulting in enormous Sucker which is a nationally river to return to its past quality, I still fish the Maitland amounts of groundwater seep- threatened species and absent in then you and the community with delight and passion. My ages and flows along the river. should be asking for designated passion, over the years has Groundwater moderates the “I still fish the Maitland reaches of the river to be classi- been more tempered by my river’s temperature, dilutes with delight and fied as special regulated water interest and concern as an enriched agricultural water and passion.” with a reduction of harvest of aquatic ecologist for the river, maintains good baseflows. large, older fish. Regulations its valley and watershed. The The deeply incised valley has most southern Ontario streams. such as a reverse limit where river and its fishery are chang- naturally prevented farmers Although the Maitland is a only small fish are harvested or ing and if the community and from attempting to farm near superb river for fall and spring catch and release are options that local landowners are not vigi- the river and as a result much fishing for rainbow trout, I impa- have been very successful in lant and proactive, we all will of the valley and floodplain is tiently wait for the opening of other waters in Ontario and the loose an exceptional natural either forested or in natural smallmouth bass. In the last 30 USA. None of this will happen resource. floodplain vegetation. The years, the quality of fishing for unless the local community and river channel is complex with local anglers are willing to de- The Maitland River is an smallmouth bass has declined mand the establishment of spe- anomaly in southern Ontario: a dramatically. Back in the 1972- cial regulations to bring their highly productive, river flowing 1980 time period, it was not un- fishery back. through the intensive farm common to catch at least one or country of Huron County. two smallmouth bass over 16” Most rivers under these cir- per fishing trip. The Maitland cumstances are often physically was one of the finest river bass degraded, full of sediment and fisheries in southern Ontario. algae, nutrient enriched and Things changed in the devoid of life larger than a bug. 1980’s. For a number of years a The Maitland however does good riffle and pool structure bass derby was held on the river not suffer many of these mala- with a substrate of cobble, with many large fish removed dies, despite its location in the gravel and boulders. All these from the river. As the river heart of agricultural southwest- factors have created a river slowly recovered in the mid- ern Ontario. The reason for and fishery resource that could 1990’s, we experienced one of this is the unusual structure of be one of the finest in south- the worst droughts to occur in the river’s valley, its local geol- western Ontario. Ontario since the 1930’s, leading ogy and the vigilance of groups to further reduction in the qual- such as the Lower Maitland Although the river is clas- ity of the fishery. Stewardship Group. sified as containing a warm- The Maitland is one of the water fish community, the The decline in the fishery finest rivers in southern Ontario. groundwater discharges also and the slow recovery are not The unusual combination of create localized zones of cold- surprising if one considers that geology, geography, and topogra- “Two months later, we water habitat in the main river river bass grow more slowly than phy has created a river and valley had our bass tackle and and its tributaries. The tribu- their cousins in the lake. Aging of exceptional beauty and pro- began our love affair with of bass from the Maitland and the [Maitland] river that is taries of the river downstream ductivity. I urge landowners one of the finest fisheries of Wingham contain stream Grand by National fish aging and others in the larger commu- in southern Ontario.” resident brook trout and also experts found that these river nity along the Maitland to work provide the opportunity for bass take 15-18 years to reach with groups such as the Lower successful spawning by rain- trophy size (>18”)! Smallmouth Maitland Stewardship Group, The Maitland flows bow trout and occasionally bass of 20” were over 20 years Maitland Valley Conservation through a deep valley, cut into Chinook salmon. old. Authority and Ministry of Natu- the landscape of Huron Warm water fish such as A number of anglers a few ral Resources in order to protect County. The geology along the smallmouth bass, suckers and weeks ago were bemoaning the and restore it. Having experi- mainstem is composed of large various minnow species fact that the river bass fishing enced some of the best fishing glacial moraines of cobble, abound in the river. Fish from was not as good as it used to be. the Maitland once had, I would gravel and sand sitting on frac- Lake Huron also move into As one angler said, “I can catch a dearly love to see it rise to that tured dolostone bedrock. The the mouth of the river, (below load of bass under 12” in a day quality again. moraines act as enormous the railway bridge) to feed, or, of fishing but I have to bust my sponges that soak up rainwater in some cases, to spawn. The butt to catch one over 16”. It and snowmelt creating large assembly of warm water spe- isn’t like it was 30 years ago.” active watertables under the cies is typical of most rivers in Lower Maitland Stewardship Group What Are We About? (LMSG) Mission: Steve Bowers “To maintain and enhance natural ecosystem features of the Stewardship Coordinator Lower Maitland River Valley.” Huron Stewardship Council Vision: Box 819 The long term vision for the Lower Maitland River Valley is a 100 Don Street healthy river system and valley which: Clinton, ON N0M 1L0 • sustains a natural ecosystem thriving on clean water Phone: 519-482-3661 and natural features and functions; Fax: 519-482-5031 • supports limited human activities carried out with E-mail: [email protected] minimal impact; and • is maintained by the cooperative efforts of the commu- www.huronstewardship.on.ca nity, including landowners, users and governments. Goals Who Are We? ⇒ To advocate responsible stewardship of resources by landowners The Lower Maitland River Valley is certainly a and valley users through: landscape worthy of protection. Surrounded by highly • encouraging a sense of community and cooperation among productive agricultural land, the valley is deeply incised landowners and valley users through providing a forum for and features an intact corridor of forest, numerous natural heritage features such as fish and wildlife them to interact, share ideas and develop an understanding habitat, productive woodlands, limestone outcroppings of each other’s viewpoints; and many other features of interest. To date, the river • provision of information on natural features, their, presence, valley has been relatively untouched by development. status and management options; and The Lower Maitland Stewardship Group was • provision of educational opportunities to learn about and formed in 1998 and consists of landowners, stakeholders, organizations, agencies and individuals develop an appreciation for the valley resources. interested in protecting and enhancing the valley and its ⇒ To encourage and direct research on natural features of the val- natural features. The group has prepared a strategy to ley. direct its activities that reflects their vision for the area, with a focus on protecting the valley while preserving ⇒ To profile existing protection measures, e.g. legislation, and en- landowner's property rights and allowing stakeholders courage their appropriate enforcement. continued use of the area. ⇒ To investigate other opportunities for protection, e.g. recommen- Through proper use, management and education, it dations to regulators, special designations and learning about is our group's hope that the Lower Maitland River approaches taken in other areas. Valley can remain a positive example of a natural area that is both protected and enjoyed. ⇒ To foster sustainable use of the valley and its resources. Maitland River Valley is promoted by FlyFitters By: Mike Verhoef

A visit from Outdoor article will appear in the fall FlyFitters and the Mait- Canada magazine editor Pat- issue of Outdoor Canada land River was promoted for rick Walsh, writer Paul Quar- magazine, featuring areas with unique float trips in their Out- rington, and photographer Ted the best steelhead fishing in cast drift boat on Ontario Fed- Smith came about from a pic- Canada, BC or Ontario! eration of Anglers and Hunters ture that was taken last fall of FlyFitters and the Mait- TV show (OFAH TV). The Mike Verhoef fly fishing on the land River will be featured for show will air in January, 2006 Maitland (Colborne Park area). the Ontario portion of the The photo was a double page article, as magazine visitors and will feature different tactics spread in their spring fishing were very impressed with the used to pursue Steelhead here Patrick, Paul and Mike issue, 2005. river valley - even the fish co- in SW Ontario. on the Maitland River Based on this photo, an operated.