We need your support on the McKenzie River Native Trout Study

The Caddis Fly Shop is a sponsor of the 5-year trout population study on the McKenzie River, that is now in its third season. The initial study was funded by a the FlyFishers Club of Oregon. This year the shop donated $500 for continuing the study, and donated prizes for participants.

The McKenzie Fly Fishers, Trout Unlimited and other volunteers have been participating in the tagging of rainbow and cutthroat trout, as well as in recapturing the tagged fish. The recaptures are a critical step in generating the data to make population estimates.

This season of the study has about 3 weeks left to go and we need your help with recaptures. It’s not hard. All you have to do is go fishing! In the study section that is, from Hayden Bridge to Bellinger landing.

TroutStudySectionMap001-w

Then watch out for any fish you catch that have a little blue tag attached just below the dorsal fin, with the letters “ODFW”, and a four-digit number on the opposite side. It’s that 4-digit number that we need. The tag might be a bit crusted over with algae growth, so you may have to scrape that off to read it.

Then just write down the number, and the approximate location where you caught it, before releasing it. Even a ballpark location is OK (e.g., halfway down the float, or 1/4 mile below the power lines, etc.); but to make that easier and more precise, I’m attaching a map that shows the river mile markers (19 at Bellinger, through 24 at Hendricks) that you can print out and take with you. That way you can estimate your fish was caught at, say, river mile 19.8 or 20.2, etc.

When you get home, simply email Dave Thomas with that information.

At this point, every tagged fish recaptured will make a big impact on the statistical analysis, helping us to make meaningful conclusions about how the wild trout are faring since hatchery planting ended in that stretch in 2009.

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2 Responses to We need your support on the McKenzie River Native Trout Study

  1. Arlen says:

    Thanks for posting this, Chris. We–and the river’s wild trout–need all the help we can get. I was out fishing the study section again yesterday, for almost 12 hours. Fishing was very good, mostly on a #14 elk hair caddis that was twitched a bit. I tagged another 17 trout. But it’s going to take a substantial group effort to get enough of them recaputured to meet our goals.

  2. Marc Robershaw says:

    I would love to fish the study section more to help science. No boat though. Can provide cheap home made sandwiches, good beer and shuttle. I can be found on the TU678 site with a posting of similer thoughts. Thanks Caddis Fly for river support and nice Web medium. 541.521.8603.

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