Annual Minnesota Steelheader Creel Project

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What's my Name?!?
If you are new to Minnesota Steelheader, or simply missed it last year, we need your help!

The Minnesota Steelheader Creel Project is a non-scientific poll of catch information similar to what is provided in the Official MNDNR creel reports.

Your part is very simple- When you fish in 2013, simply record the following information: 

Species & Number Caught: Kamloops, Steelhead or Brook Trout

The Region Where You Caught the Fish: Lower, Mid or Upper Shore. It is critical that you get the location correct. MS is not interested in the specific streams, simply the region, so please use this format:
 
Lower Shore Region - All Tributaries from Mission Creek to Knife River

Mid Shore Region - All Tributaries from Stewart River to Baptism River

Upper Shore Region - All Tributaries from Little Marais River to Pigeon River including those on the Reservation.


The Date the Fish Were Caught: Well, the date....

That's it! Species, Region and Date, how simple is that? There is one other important ground rule.

Please make sure that you only report steelhead, kamloops and brook trout numbers once. If you fished with a group, put your heads together and pick one person to report the TOTAL numbers, OR, only report fish you PERSONALLY caught. This helps prevent duplication in catch data.

Example - If you and your partner caught a total of two steelhead on April 24th, please do not both report back that you caught two steelhead, otherwise it will look like four steelhead were caught that day and it will skew the numbers.

You can send your information to: mnsteelheadernmf@hotmail.com

And the inevitable question, "What's in it for me"? MS is still trying to decide on what kind of Cracker Jack prize you'll get, but it will be something better than a temporary tattoo and related to steelheading.

 
The second benefit to participating is that the information you provide goes into an state of the art Water Gremlin Sinkerizer 4900 quantifying engine. The data gets sorted, analyzed, spun around, pats it head while rubbing it's tummy... It's quite something to watch, little drops of oily sweat actually start running down the tower it's working so hard.


The best part is the information which ultimately comes out provides us all with an increasingly better picture of steelhead fishing on the North Shore. MS publishes the information for you to think about and use whether you are brand new to the sport, or a veteran of 40 seasons. It's good stuff.

Last item is that we could really use more data on the Upper Shore, particularly late-season; so if you head up that way and have some success, please keep us in mind. You'll be helping everyone out if you do.
 
Regards-
NMF

Comments

Anonymous said…
i caught a large steelhead out of the Cross River with the FL pectoral fin clipped.. after doing some research this fish may have been from Michigan, which clipped front left pec fins in 2003...
if anyone has any info please post back.
hopefully she will be back next year and is swimming back up the cross.
10:02 PM
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