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HISTORY OF THE HATCHERY
The Georgian Triangle Angler’s Association was formed in 1985.
Our mission was to enhance angling opportunities within the Georgian Triangle. From the original twenty-four members the club has grown to an impressive one hundred and fifty members.
In the early days of the club, ideas were discussed as to how to improve the fishing in our area. It was noted that fish populations were in decline and that hatchery-raised fish would help.
Our club built a small 8 x 12 foot hatchery and in the fall of 1987, we collected eggs and raised 10,000 Chinook salmon that were released into Georgian Bay.
In 1989, we built our present, much bigger 24 x 32 foot hatchery. With ministry approval, we added Brown trout to the species that we raised and released into the Bay. In 1991, we added rainbow trout to our list of sport fish.
Over the last two decades, our club has successfully raised 200,000 Chinook, 850,000 Browns and 850,000 rainbow [steelhead] trout.
The salmon program has been so successful that we no longer need to raise them in the hatchery; they are self sustaining.
Present day hatchery news
Presently, many volunteer hours are spent at the hatchery where we raise brown, rainbow and speckled trout.
Each year, in the late fall, we receive 150,000 brown trout eggs from the MNR. The small fry are released in June in Nottawasaga Bay and along the shoreline of Georgian Bay from Meaford to Collingwood.
In 2006 and 2007, we raised and released 270,000 brown trout. These fish are now being caught along the coast and have started to spawn in the local rivers and creeks.
Our wild strain of steelhead is a terrific addition to the local fishery. Each year we receive a permit to harvest eggs and sperm from wild steelhead that run up Indian Brook to spawn. Since 70 per cent of Indian Brook dries each summer, this is an excellent way to harvest eggs that would otherwise die in a dry streambed.
We have, over the last decade raised 150,000 fingerlings each year. Up to 2006, we raised them in the hatchery until they were 4 to 6 inches long and then stocked them in Georgian Bay from Meaford to Wasaga Beach. We clipped the right pectoral fin as a way of marking these fish.
We now release our rainbows after they have lost their egg sacs and swim up for food. We release them as fry and place them in the headwaters of local cold water streams in mid to late June. In 2006 and 2007, we released 280,000 fry in headwater areas. This method imprints the fish and helps maintain a wild strain.
We have in the last three years started to raise a small number of wild speckled trout that we release in the Upper Beaver River and Kolapore Creek. We have raised 15,000 specks so far and hope to raise nearly 20,000 this year. In the fall of 2007, we released 5,200 four-inch specks into Lake Eugenia.
It is our hope that anglers who catch speckled trout in Lake Eugenia will practise catch and release. We hope these fish will find areas to spawn and become self sustaining. Lake Eugenia was once a terrific trout lake, perhaps with care we can bring it back to its former glory.
GTAA members give thousands of hours helping out at the hatchery. Checking water flow, collecting eggs, preparing hatchery trays, egg picking, filling food dispensers and cleaning tanks are some of the jobs that need to be done. If you are interested in helping, contact Bruce Green at (519)599-6324 who runs the hatchery and he will happily find a place for you.
CLUB NEWSLETTERS
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CLUB MINUTES
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