|
by Jim Sauter “Live each season as it passes, breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walden Welcome to the fall season. Many subtle changes are appearing during this time of year. The Apple House at the Minnesota Arboretum is now open and serving apple cider slushes and caramel apples. The local coffee shops have unveiled pumpkin spice drinks. The days are getting shorter, and the leaves on trees and sumacs are transforming. The evening temperatures are cooling as are water temperatures in area streams. And the trout are getting hungrier and more active. I really love this time of year. The water temperatures in our "targeted" streams this past month ranged from 55 to 70 degrees. The highest water temperature this past month was 70 degrees in the Little Cannon River. The lowest temperature was 55 degrees in Hay Creek. With air temperatures starting to dip in the 40-degree range in the coming days and weeks, these water temperatures will continue to decrease. Many of our streams seem to be doing well, although there are a few with troubling nitrate levels. This major problem and issue is still a work in progress in our state. One of my highlights recently was taking a trip to the Driftless region near La Crosse. The air temperatures and humidity were a challenge, although the water temperatures were in the low 60's. I visited the West Kickapoo, Bohemian Creek, and Rullands Coulee Creek. The brown trout were not jumping in my net, but I did have some success with dries and midges. I met some other gentlemen fishing from Minnesota- one was from Prior Lake and another from Eden Prairie. We had a nice visit about TCTU and what flies were working best. I also visited with an elderly farmer who was taking his grandson bobber fishing off the bridge. They were not having much luck, but there seemed to be a lot of trout chuckling at us upstream. He indicated that as a farmer in the region, he and some of his neighbors were very committed to keeping the streams healthy. I spotted some of the largest trout that I have seen this season in the weedy areas of these streams. Streamkeeper Tip of the Month Why do we test for Nitrates/Nitrites and not other forms of Nitrogen? Since nitrites and nitrates are the most immediate and proximate forms of nitrogen utilized by plants, they are important indicators of ecosystem health in immediate relation to plants and soil composition. Our TCTU Streamkeeper volunteers use test strips to measure nitrate and nitrite levels in our streams. Impacts of excess Nitrates/Nitrites: While nitrogen is essential to living organisms, there comes a point at which the environment cannot function safely. Through fertilizer runoff, leaky cesspools, sewage treatment plants, manure runoff, and car exhausts, nitrogen enters water sources with negative consequences.
High nitrate and nitrite levels streams are a major problem and concern in some of our streams and even water tables. The issue is complex and is being studies and monitored by several organizations including TU. One rather simple way to address this problem is to better enforce buffer zones on our streams and decrease the amount of fertilizers being used. Source: WISEH2O Future Monitoring Efforts
Photos by Hannah Sauter VonBank Bob Luck and Jim Sauter conducted chemical and biological tests at Harriet Island on the Mississippi with St. Paul Community Education students as part of the "River Camp" program  Hay Creek, May 2024, Photo by Jim Sauter Featured Stream of the Month: Hay Creek (Credit to Mike Stinson, Dan Callahan, and Bob Trevis for their contributions) Do know that Hay has about 6,500 fish per mile, yet it is a technical stream. You must be able to place your fly perfectly and, if luck and skill are with you, brook and brown trout are yours. The heavy rains almost all summer caused massive weed growth, so it was hard to fish much of the stream. As we head into fall and some the weed growth subsides fishing access will be more available. Excerpts below are from Dan Callahan in his article about Hay Creek, "Hay Creek – A Success Story." Hay Creek, a medium-sized trout stream near Red Wing, Minnesota, has some history behind it. It was the first place close to the Twin Cities to offer a winter catch-and-release season, back in the late 1980s. Now the winter season extends to the rest of the streams from Goodhue County and south, until April 16, when the regular season opens. It was the first place we heard about the dangers posed to Minnesota trout streams from unregulated silica frac sand mining, leading to legislation that protects all trout streams in the Paleozoic bedrock areas of southeastern Minnesota. It was the first place the Twin Cities Trout Unlimited (TCTU) chapter started doing major stream restoration work. Since 2008, we’ve restored six miles of Hay Creek. Together with the other six chapters of Minnesota Trout Unlimited, we’ve now restored more than 40 miles of trout streams across the state, with more on the slate this summer. Hay Creek Today Hay Creek is a major tributary to the MPCA’s Mississippi River-Lake Pepin Watershed. Hay drains more than 30,000 acres of mostly farmland, though as you get closer to Red Wing, residential development, and then urban development, add their burdens. Hay Creek gathers waters from many small tributaries and springs as it carves down into a steep valley before rolling into the river bottoms, just southeast of Bench Street, upstream of downtown Red Wing. The limestone-softened springs keep Hay Creek cold enough for trout. You need to head upstream about six miles on Highway 58 to get to the good trout water. Brown trout are the creek’s bread and butter fish if you will. The DNR fisheries surveys show there was a booming hatch of browns in 2010, and inconsistent reproduction since then. However, they’ve documented much better numbers and sizes of fish in areas where we’ve done habitat improvement work. Where & How to Fish Bob Trevis’ book, Fly Fishing for Trout in Southeast Minnesota….A Troutchaser’s Guide is built around these stream maps as well. As a fishing guide for 15 years, Bob knows better than I do where to fish, and that includes Hay Creek. He kindly allowed us to use an excerpt from his book." Please note that Bob recently published an updated edition. I’m showing Map 13, since Hay Creek is often a destination for anglers, especially those from the nearby Twin Cities. Hay offers almost 16 miles of trout water, much of it prime fishing. Hay is usually accessed by going southwest of Red Wing on MN 58 for six miles or so. Some Twin Cities anglers instead head east of US 52 on MN 50 at Hampton and go through Miesville, home of the semi-pro Miesville Mudhens, to get to Red Wing. Warning – the town’s speed limit is 35, and enforced! In the town of Hay Creek, you can get a burger at the old Dressen’s Saloon (now Haycreek Valley Campground & Old Western Saloon), and then you can head northwest on Hay Creek trail to access portions of Hay Creek in the State Forest area. Count bridges as you drive; at the third bridge (about a mile, near where 305th Street comes in from the west), the TU and MDNR crews worked on stream improvements on public land. Parking is mostly on the shoulders, and casting is quite wide-open. It’s friendly to rookie anglers. Here Hay is wide and generally shallow and sandy. HI work included sloping of eroded banks, installing rock weirs, and adding fly-snagging “woody debris”. Fish upstream or downstream on (mostly) State Forest Land. Many anglers instead head west of the saloon on 58 a half mile to (dead-end) 320th St. and proceed to a slab bridge crossing. You can park in an angler’s lot, or on the shoulder before you get to the bridge crossing, and then fish upstream or downstream. If you hike upstream, you will also see your tax dollars at work with the “Bridge to Nowhere”, built as part of an anticipated trail that has yet to be completed. Upstream is a very long easement, but weeds and brush make summer-time hiking and fishing difficult on portions. Downstream is new HI work completed in 2023, and here the creek is 20 feet wide on average, not too deep, with a grassy, mostly tree-less bank. It’s easy casting, but in-stream weeds make summer fishing difficult. The HI work extends downstream towards the end of the MDNR easement. There are miles of public access in this area, and there is also a 12- to 16-inch protected slot. Much of this area has had HI work done, some as far back as 1976, and a fair amount in recent years. Width varies, but most of Hay is 30 feet or less in width, although this is not hip boot water. The trout are educated, and it's artificial lures or flies only. Proximity to the Twin Cities and more than 5 miles of HI work makes it a favorite of winter anglers. Another option is to stay on 58 and go a bit further south and west to 325th St., then follow 325th about a mile, to the first dead-end road and a bridge. Access here (upstream or downstream) is within an easement, but the weeds – including wild parsnip - can be very annoying after June 1st. There is a small cabin near the creek; please respect their privacy, and the outhouse is not for your use! Weekend use of Hay can make the water very crowded; if you find 4 or 5 cars here, and there were 4 to 5 cars on 320th, it’s probably best to head to another watershed. If you were to continue on 325th St. for another half-mile, you would come to yet another bridge crossing where you can make your own parking spot. Downstream of the bridge is the upper reach of the public access area, but you will want to stay in the water walking downstream for a few hundred yards through this non-eased stream segment, rather than fight the shoreline trees and brush. You’ll know when you get to the upper end of the easement, since you will hear plunge pools created by HI work. Again, this former pasture is quite weedy, but is often worth the hassle. Immediately upstream of the bridge Hay is not eased – you’ll need to stay in-stream to reach more eased water upstream. Alternately, if you'll check your Mapbook and go south for a half mile on 220th, there is a long walk-in access to a short upstream easement. Two other easements are further upstream near a major source spring. When I was much younger, I took 58 south of Dressen’s, turned west off 58 onto CTY 52, and then after 3/4ths of a mile took a right on a dirt road which led me to a dead-end - and a long, difficult hike down into the headwaters area. This area contains a fenced-off source spring and is a healthy hike on a cool day, tough on a warm day. It's also a way to approach generally unfished water if you can leave one car down on 325th and take a second car to the upstream point. Otherwise, the round-trip can take you a full day, but I have found the fishing and the surroundings worth the time. Except for some cows, it’s a pretty and relatively wild valley. Restoration methods on Hay Creek, like MNTU projects statewide, have evolved based upon new research. We now consult with engineers to design the restoration project and work with contractors using heavy equipment to do the massive, but efficient, restoration construction. There is still the need for hand-work by TU volunteers on projects, however. Clearing pre-project invasive brush, working in areas too tight or sensitive to use heavy equipment, re-seeding, and planting when projects are largely done, and following up to control invasive plants are all necessary. Stream Reports from this Past Month Here are some stream monitoring reports from August. Enjoy! BELLE CREEK, Monitored by Andrew Joyce, September 2, 2024 Predominate Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear, Excellent Water Temperature: 17.9 degrees C, 64 degrees F, Good Nitrate: 5 ppm, Good Nitrate: 0 ppm, Good Alkalinity: 0 ppm, Fair Hardness: 180 ppm, Normal pH: 8.5, Good Phosphate: 0 ppb, Excellent Chloride: 25 ppm, Excellent EAGLE CREEK, Monitored by Todd Christenson, August 15, 2024 Predominate Weather: Heavy Rain Water Clarity: Very Clear, Over 100 cm+, Excellent Water Temperature: 16.8 degrees C, 62 degrees F, Good Nitrate: 0 ppm, Good Nitrite: 0 ppm, Good Alkalinity: 240 ppm, Good Hardness: 180 ppm, Good pH: 7.5, Excellent Phosphate: 0 ppb, Excellent Chloride: 66 ppm, Excellent Conditions: 1/2- 1" rain in early morning hours HAY CREEK 305th St., Monitored by John Kohler, August 24, 2024 Predominate Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear, Excellent Water Temperature: 15.1 degrees C, 59 degrees F, Excellent Nitrate: 5 ppm, Good Nitrite: 0 ppm, Excellent Alkalinity: 240 ppm, Hardness: 180 ppm, Good pH: No Reading Phosphate: 0 ppb, Excellent Chloride: No Reading HAY CREEK 320th St., Monitored by Mitch Abbett, August 9, 2024 Predominate Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Murky Water Temperature: 13.0 degrees C, 55 degrees F, Excellent Nitrate: 1 ppm, Excellent Nitrite: .15 ppm, Fair Alkalinity: 40 ppm, Fair Hardness: 0 ppm, Fair pH: 8.0, Good Phosphate: 100 ppb, Good Chloride: 25 ppm, Excellent HAY CREEK 325th St., Monitored by Keith Ketchmark, August 26 , 2024 Predominate Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear, Excellent Water Temperature: 16.5 degrees C, 60 degrees F Nitrate: 20 ppm, Poor Nitrite: 0 ppm, Good Alkalinity: 180 ppm, Normal Hardness: 180 ppm, Normal pH: 8.0, Good Phosphate: 180 ppb, Excellent Chloride: No Reading Little Cannon, Monitored by Hillary Pennella, August 14, 2024 Predominate Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temperature: 21 degrees C, 70 degrees F, Poor Nitrate: 2 ppm, Excellent Nitrite: .5 ppm, Poor Alkalinity: 120 ppm, Normal Hardness: 180 ppm, Normal pH: 8.0, Good Phosphate: 50 ppb, Excellent Chloride: No Reading MOA/ IKE"S CREEK, Monitored by Harold Slawik, August 2, 2024 Predominate Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temperature: 18.1 degrees C, 65 degrees F, High Nitrate: 1.0 ppm, Excellent Nitrite: 0 ppm, Good Alkalinity: 240 ppm, Normal Hardness: 180 ppm, Normal pH: 8, Good Phosphate: 0 ppb, Excellent Chloride: No Reading Notes: Water level appears low SOUTH BRANCH VERMILLION, Monitored by Doug Moran, August 9, 2024 Predominate Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Clear Water Temperature: 15 degrees C, 59 degrees F, Good Nitrate: 20 ppm, Poor Nitrite: .05 ppm, Good Alkalinity: 0 ppm, Fair Hardness: 120 ppm, Normal pH: No Reading Phosphate: 100 ppb, Good Chloride: No Reading Notes: Water Bank full TROUT BROOK/ MIESVILLE RAVINE, Monitored by Rick Varco, August 11, 2024 Predominate Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temperature: 14.4 degrees C, 58 degrees F, Good Nitrate: 20 ppm, Poor Nitrite: 1.0 ppm, Poor Alkalinity: 0 ppm, Fair Hardness: 60 ppm, Normal pH: 6.5, Good Phosphate: 0 ppb, Excellent Notes: Fewer bait fish. Water level 4" above lab rock. More silt than last year
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed