Spring Rituals

Every spring around the end of March, I always look forward to one of my favorite spring rituals. In the town of Cobourg, Ont. There is an old dam that blocks the movement of fish as they try to migrate upstream to spawn. Each year a great group of volunteers, MNR staff & Ganaraska Conservation staff, join together to lift 200 adult fish over the dam.

The dam only prevents fish from accessing the prime spawning habitat located upstream. Many fish will spawn below the dam but the fish lifted should have a higher percentage of spawning success. The adults that remain after spawning will also offer angling opportunities in the upper creek once the season opens but most will make their way back over the dam after spawning, riding high water from a spring rain or storm back downstream to the lake.

With lots of help from willing volunteers, the fish are chased upstream from below the nearby road bridge into the pool located at the base of the dam. Then a fence in placed across the creek to keep the fish in the pool.  

Volunteers net the fish and bring them to the waiting pens, where they are identified as male or female and notes are taken if fin clips are observed. Fish with clipped fins are stocked fish and we usually only see a few each year. Today we didn't see any. A good testament to the natural reproduction taking place in this watershed.
Some fish are sampled by taking measurements and scale samples before they are loaded into a waiting basket and hauled up the dam and released to continue their journey.

Fish of all sizes are brought to the nets and we have seen some great fish over the years. Today the largest was a big male trout estimated around 16-17lbs. Gorgeous fish with awesome spring colors.
Only 200 fish are lifted as a natural population of Brook Trout reside above the dam and too many large rainbow trout would create strain on the population of brookies.
After we have 200, the fence is removed and the remaining fish return to a less exciting Saturday below the dam.

It is also a great chance to engage some of the youth that always turn up to watch this spring event. A few moments are spent showing people a close up look at the fish and kids are always surprised when they touch one at how cold they are. :)

This lift has been going on every spring for decades and is a great example of anglers supporting their resource. I certainly enjoy this event and it is always high on my spring rituals list.
A fun day with friends in Cobourg, Ont.