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Update on 2020 Projects


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1.                Conserving and Restoring Arctic Grayling in the Upper Pembina River Watershed – Habitat Restoration Planning

Test angling in conjunction with AEP staff will be conducted during the week of August 10 to 15. Ken Monk will then be providing an update based on the number, size and condition of fish caught and released and other related observations

2.                Riparian protection on Dogpound Creek

This project was delayed as ACA was not sure it would have sufficient funds to cover its share of the costs involved. However, with increased revenues from higher than expected angling licences this year, and with the cooperation of the landowner, Mader Ranches, the project is a go effective Aug 10th

3.               Aeration of Hasse Lake

5000 rainbow trout were stocked in Hasse in May. The intention was to run diffusers to aerate the lake over summer and to install 5 surface aerators in time for winter aeration. However, there was unexpected delay in extending power lines to the lake and although the work is now in progress it will not be completed in time to allow operation of the diffusers. With the ACA Community Grant NLFF has purchased five 1hp surface aerators and five 400' lengths of submersible cable. These have been delivered to ACA and will be installed in October.

Plans to encourage financial support from the County and local businesses for the ongoing costs of electricity have been put on hold because of the economic difficulties resulting from the pandemic. However, in conjunction with ACA we have provided Parkland County Mayor, Council and administration with information on the project and an outline of the social, recreational, health and economic benefits to the community of reestablishing Hasse as a recreational fishery. The County has been supportive of the project.

There is nothing further we can do at present but we will need volunteer(s) to check periodically throughout the winter that the surface aerators are operating ok. Hopefully someone(s) who live nearby but if not we may be able to provide some gas money.
 

Approved Club Funded Projects:

·       Muir Lake - the new Welcome  sign was installed in late April. The 5 new Walk of Fame signs were designed with input from the families where possible and with the much appreciated voluntary help of ACA's graphic design team. They have been manufactured by Lil Johns Sign Shop along with a couple of new stands and hopefully will be installed in the next few days.

Rob Hinchcliffe has reworked the content of the Mayfly Life Cycle education sign and provided some great new images of nymph and dun. We have yet to finish the art work on this sign.

      On Hold - The pandemic and associated economic factors have put the following on hold:

·         Supporting the work of TUC in protecting bulltrout spawning areas in MacKenzie Creek with a financial contribution and stream work 

·       Exploring the possibility of establishing remote site incubators in the upper Pembina river and/or its tributaries to assist with the reestablishment of Artic Grayling populations in the area (although the $2500 set aside for this is still in the bank earning interest)

·         Assisting ACA with the Kids Can Catch programs and providing fly-tying instruction to school groups and youth organizations etc. 

 

If you would like to support any of these or future NLFF projects please consider buying tickets on this year's Bamboo Rod  Raffle

The raffle prize is a 7’6″ 3/4 weight cane rod (bamboo) with two tips, built on a Payne 98 taper worth $1350. Don Andersen has generously donated a bamboo rod to support our projects for the last several years.

Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20 and can be purchased online at https://northern-lights-tuc.square.site/…/cane-rod-raffl…/8… . We will mail the tickets to you. AGLC Raffle license: #513791. (Square is the payment processing company we use to process credit card transactions. This site is affiliated with Square)  Draw date is November 7th, 2020

 

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We had anglers out for 5 days last week, and a total of 180 fish were caught.  164 Arctic Grayling, 11 Mountain Whitefish, 3 Brook Trout, and 2 Northern Pike.

The Upper Pembina has been closed to angling for 5 years, and the test angling will help determine the effectiveness of the closure. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good morning glad to see that the fishing went well, and fish were caught  way to go volunteer fisher people thank you for the update 

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  • 1 month later...

HASSE LAKE

Fortis has now extended power to lakeside and final wiring of the aeration system should be completed  in the next two weeks. The 5 aerators will be approx 400' out from the parking lot.  Meanwhile in addition to the 5000 all-female 8" triploid rainbows stocked last May, a few more fish were added in late Sept:

  • 50  16" diploid rainbows
  • 2000  4-5" Tiger Trout
  • 500  9-10" Tiger Trout

Water quality and oxygen levels have remained good over summer. Spring planted trout have grown rapidly. Further stocking will occur May 2021. Should be a good fishery next year!

MUIR LAKE SIGNS

All new Alberta Angler Walk of Fame Signs are installed and looking good.

We were going to repalce the Mayfly Education sign this year as it is badly water damaged and replace the other 7 Education signs as and when we have the money to do so. However, we are now planning to apply for a Conservaion, Education and Community grant from ACA to replace all 8 of these signs in 2021. Grant applications are due by the end of January and we should know the outcome by the end of March 2021

DOGPOUND CREEK

Repair or replacement of approx. 6 km of wildlife-friendly fencing with angler access gates has been completed, protecting a total of 49 acres of riparian land along both sides of the 3.8 km of Dogpound Creek that flows through the Mader Ranch, near Cremona, Alberta. 
Two existing watering systems for the farmed livestock that otherwise would utilize the river are currently being repaired.

A couple of other landowners nearby have expressed interest in ACA's Riparian Protection Program
 A map of the Mader property is attached

http://nlft.org/forum/uploads/monthly_2020_10/Mader_overview.thumb.jpg.8f806ac07f5fd179ae6953701db548d0.jpg

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Following up on Peter's post about the restoration work on Dogpound Creek, here is a map showing where the Mader Ranch is in relation to Cremona.  

Northern Lights Fly Fishers - TUC is also providing funding for stiles to cross fences that will be installed in cooperation with the landowners. 

 

 

Mader property fenced by ACA.png

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  • 2 weeks later...

Aerators are now running at Hasse. ACA decided to add two to the 5 we provided (although one of these is awaiting a new part). Working well so far. If anyone is in the area over the winter please drive in and let me know(Treasurer@nlft.org) if all are running ok.  ACA will check periodically but the quicker any breakdown is reported the easier it is to get it fixed. Water quality is good. Hopefully this will be a good rainbow/tiger trout fishery next Spring!

Hasse aeration.jpg

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