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Spring 2022Interpreting Steelhead Clips for the Spring 2022 Season

Since 2018, all steelhead stocked in Michigan have been marked with an adipose fin clip. This means that anglers can easily identify most, but not all, stocked fish returning to rivers this spring. Based on the proportion of older mature steelhead in Lake Michigan, you can expect to catch between 2 and 5 unclipped stocked fish for every twenty clipped steelhead caught during the spring 2022 season. 

The vast majority of marked steelhead returning to Michigan streams were marked with only the adipose fin clip. However, skamania stocked in the Manistee River since 2018 were marked with both an adipose fin clip and a right ventral fin clip. Skamania stocked in the Manistee River prior to 2018 were marked with only the right ventral fin clipped. 

In addition to fin clips, be on the lookout for steelhead with a clipped maxilla (upper jaw bone). Wisconsin has used maxilla clips on steelhead in certain Lake Michigan tributaries including the Root River, Kewaunee River, and Chambers Creek. Volunteers reporting to  Great Lakes Angler Diary  have not seen any evidence of these fish in Michigan streams, but straying is possible.

Also be aware that fin deformities can sometimes be mistaken for fin clips. Dorsal and pectoral fins are sometimes misreported as clipped due to previous injury or abnormal growth early in life. Steelhead returning to Michigan streams should not exhibit clipped dorsal or pectoral fins since these marks have not been used on steelhead in Michigan in recent years.

• More details  on prevalence of unclipped steelhead
• Diagram and explanation  of other marks found on steelhead

Reduced Steelhead Limit Now in Effect for Select Waters
 As of March 15, the harvest limit for steelhead has been reduced from three to one fish per day on portions of the Carp, Manistee, Little Manistee, Manistique, Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers along with Bear Creek and the Big South Branch of the PM. The reduced limit on these waters will be in effect from March 15 through May 15 for the next five years. During that time, the impact of the new regulations will be evaluated.

The changes were made in a Natural Resources Commission (NRC) amendment to Fisheries Order 200.22, which  was passed on December 9 following public comment and a presentation of data on steelhead population trends from DNR. The NRC often passes amendments based on recommendations from DNR, but in this case DNR noted that current science does not demonstrate the need for a reduced steelhead harvest limit and recommended no change to the harvest limit.

Supporters of the limit reduction noted the need for additional data on steelhead harvest, abundance, and fishing effort in popular rivers. Many were concerned that fishing effort has been increasing in recent years while catch rates seem to be going down. However, there is no recent creel survey data available from the past few years to verify this. The NRC opted to act now with the understanding that improved science could lead to continuation, revision, or abandonment of the limit reduction in years to come.

Sea Grant has been involved in surveys that demonstrated support for a reduced harvest limit in streams. In particular, anglers and guides who are primarily catch-and-release anglers overwhelmingly supported a lower limit. However, those who prefer to keep some steelhead were more likely to prefer the three fish limit. Going back to the precedent set by Proposal G, fisheries management in Michigan operates under the principle that one group should not control how other groups utilize a resource unless there is a sound scientific reason for restricting use. 

The situation highlights the difficulty of making decisions in the absence of complete information. In my role with Sea Grant, I look for opportunities to engage anglers and decision-makers. Information flow always goes both ways, and the  Michigan River Steelhead Project  is a prime example of this.

If you fish for steelhead, please consider participating. Over the next few years we will continue to collect data on angler-caught steelhead, conduct surveys on management issues including the limit reduction, and provide regular opportunities to meet with biologists, other steelhead anglers, and decision-makers around the state.

• Full details  on new regulations from NRC amendment
• Article  with Sea Grant comment to NRC and details on survey results

VIDEOS: Invasive Species Education from GLANSIS

This new  video series  tackles topics ranging from ballast water to sea lamprey. Check it out! 

Just to add on - this article appears to be focused on mature steelhead running up streams in Spring 2022. Those fish should mostly be 3-5 years old and be clipped as the article says


HOWEVER - the 2020 yearclass of steelhead was not clipped due to lockdowns from Covid. So any 2 year old steelhead caught this year out on the open lake will not be clipped. This year those fish will be about 15 to 20 inches long, give or take a few inches

Similiarly, the 2021 yearclass of chinooks wasn't clipped either, so any hatchery 1 year olds caught on the lake this year won't have a clip. Again, these fish will be about 15-20 inches long plus or minus

Ben question for you.
Because of covid issues is 2 years possibly going to added back on the steelhead study? Would that give them 5 straight years of information, instead of information being split some because of covid issues?
And is Coho still slated to be the next study fish?

I believe they are adding time on the back end, yes.

Coho would likely be the next study fish but not finalized yet as far as I am aware. There's definitely interest from states to do them