Summary of Activities · 2007 Brook Trout 6,000 Fingerling 2007 Brook Trout 2,000 12-15cm 2008 Brook Trout 4,000 18+cm 2015 Brook Trout 7,500 12-15cm 2018 Brook Trout 6,000 12-15cm

Summary of Activities

Date: December, 2018

To: Ian Kitch

Sustainable Development – Fisheries

Branch

cc. Jonathan Stephens, SVSFE Board

Location: Pine River - Duck Mountains and Pine River Area, Manitoba

Objective: A fisheries inventory assessment was conducted on the Pine River

between October 1st and 4th, 2018. The objective was simple; to determine trout

presence and absence at different reaches of the river. The data acquired from

the survey would then be used to promote the fishery. Acquired data, entry/

exit points, and access information would be summarized in an aesthetic

document that would become available online for the angling community.

Background Information: The Pine River has been stocked intermittently dating

back to 1955. Plantings have been dominated by both brook trout and rainbow

trout with a few random plantings of walleye fry. See historical stocking

records from 1955-2018 on page 2.

The Pine River has a rich angling history. The fishery has been a popular brook

and rainbow fishery since the early plantings which has continued until today.

There are many entry/exit points and access trails throughout the system, along

with many popular pools that produce trout year after year. In recent years,

Pine River locals state that the lower reaches haven’t been producing trout.

The same cannot be said for the middle and upper reaches.

In 1990, SVSFE raised funds to create more trout habitat in the middle reaches

of the North Pine River. The design of the pools, riffles, and meanders were

acquired from known trout sites in the lower reaches of the North Pine River.

The meanders were constructed at “Second Crossing” in November 1990. A summary

of the work can be located in “Stream Analysis and Fish Habitat Design – A

Field Manual (1993)” by Robert Newbury and Marc Gaboury - pages 149-162.

A habitat inventory of the North Pine River was conducted by North-South

Consultants in 1995. A portion of this survey included five different

electrofishing transects at different reaches of the river. Brook and rainbow

trout were found at two locations. The fist (NP-4), found 27 brook trout and 19

rainbow trout which is located north of the Pine River gravel pit. The second

(NP-3), yielded 88 brook trout and 8 rainbow trout in clearwater creek, a

tributary of the North Pine River. Of the trout catch, juveniles of both

species were located including young-of-the-year rainbow trout.

From: Brock Koutecky, Holly Urban, Megan

Paterson, Swan Valley Sport Fishing

Technical Staff

Contact: [email protected]

Subject: 2018 Pine River Trout Survey

1


2


Pine River Stocking History (1955-2018)

Year Species Number Life Stage

1955 Brook Trout 28,000 Fingerling

1955 Rainbow Trout 24,000 Fingerling



1957 Brook Trout 25,900 1+

1957 Brook Trout 2,500 Fry







1962 Brook Trout 500 1+




1965 Brook Trout 1,000 1+

1965 Rainbow Trout 3,300 1+












1978 Walleye 1,000,000 Fry






1984 Brook Trout 2,000 Yearling




1987 Walleye 100,000 Fry







1994 Rainbow Trout 5,000 12-15cm

1994 Rainbow Trout 5,000 18+cm



1998 Brook Trout 2,500 12-15cm









2008 Brook Trout 4,000 18+cm




Methods: Fish capture methods included (1) backpack electrofisher, and (2)

angling. Backpack sites were sampled in areas accessible by either truck or

ATV, and angling occurred in pools that were too deep to sample with the

backpack. Shocking occurred by travelling upstream often traversing from bank

to bank sampling the best looking habitat in the process. On occasion, A+

habitat was spot shocked to avoid fish freight. Two dip-netters would follow

the backpack operator, dip any stunned fish, and place them in the portable 2

gallon live-well. Target for each transect was ~600 seconds, however final

transect effort was decided by the captain/operator and would often continue

until the live-well became full or the habitat changed drastically. All large

bodied fish were measured, while all small bodied fish were counted. Trout

captured were measured, and age structures (scales) were taken for lab

analysis. A total of sixteen transects were completed with five in the lower

reaches, three in the middle reaches, and eight in the upper reaches. Effort

maps can be viewed on pages 3-5.

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Pine River Effort Map (1) Lower Reaches (1-5)


4


Pine River Effort Map (2) Middle Reaches (6, 15, 16)

Pine River Effort Map (3) Upper Reaches (7,8)


5


Pine River Effort Map (4) Upper Reaches (9-13)

Pine River Effort Map (5) Upper Reaches (14)


6


Results: Trout were located at 8/16 sites. Trout were not found in the extreme

upper reaches or any of the lower reaches. A total of 40 brook trout were

captured which ranged from 70-315mm (FL) with an average length of 152mm.

Figures on the brook trout length and age frequencies can be viewed on page

10. A total of two rainbow trout were captured which measured in at 145 (age

2) and 135mm(FL). Other species captured included white sucker, blacknose

dace, brook stickleback, common shiner, creek chub, fathead minnow, finescale

dace, iowa darter, johnny darter, longnose dace, mottled sculpin, and pearl

dace. A summary on catch per transect can be viewed on pages 7-9, whereas a

total catch composition table can be viewed below.

2018 Pine River Composition Summary

Species Count CPUE/HR Composition

Brook Trout 40 10.8 11%

Rainbow Trout 2 0.5 1%

White Sucker 23 6.2 7%

Blacknose Dace 213 57.5 61%

Brook Stickleback 3 0.8 1%

Common Shiner 1 0.3 0%

Creek Chub 3 0.8 1%

Fathead Minnow 32 8.6 9%

Finescale Dace 15 4.1 4%

Iowa Darter 1 0.3 0%

Johnny Darter 3 0.8 1%

Longnose Dace 6 1.6 2%

Mottled Sculpin 3 0.8 1%

Pearl Dace 3 0.8 1%

Total 348 94.0 100%


7



8



9



10


22%

56%

17%

6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

1 2 3 4

Age (years)

Brook Trout Age Frequency of Occurence

n=18

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

51-100 101-150 151-200 201-250 251-300 301-350 351-400

Fork Length(mm)

Brook Trout Fork Length(mm)

Frequency of Occurencen=40


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Discussion: The North Pine River provides a unique angling opportunity in the

Duck Mountains. The fishery offers opportunities for elders and children at

the more accessible angling sites; the thrill seeking long distance “rock

hopping” type angler; and even for fly fishers as there are arguably a few

areas that provide enough space to effectively fly cast.

The primary objective was to survey access information for promotional

purposes. It was realised very quickly that some access trails used back in

the 1990s are now grown in and no longer passable. There are still many access

points that provide great opportunities for anglers. In the near future SVSFE

will be taking this information and creating maps for the angling public. The

final product will become available online through the SVSFE website. These

maps will show trails, entry/exit points, popular pools, distances, etc. SVSFE

may also look into reopening some of these old trails if permitted and found

beneficial to the angling community. It would be ideal if ATV use down the old

Pine River Road was permitted in the future. The road is the main connection

to mid and upper reaches. Because the trail runs through the Provincial Park,

there are additional factors to consider.

The observations made on the state of the 1990 enhancement work should be

noted in this summary. In 2018, the most productive transects were within the

enhanced area. Juvenile brook trout appeared to be utilizing the riffle

habitats, while beaver activity has created flooding of overwintering pools

which were found to be homing mature brookies. Based on findings, 28 years

following the enhancement, this initiative is a definite success.

Trout were found in all reaches between the second and third crossings. This

does not mean that the trout population exists exclusively between these two

access points. Angling reports state trout are often caught both downstream

and upstream of this large stretch of river. Also, there is without a doubt

some productive pools far from access points that were not sampled during the

2018 surveys. Brook trout were found at multiple age classes including young-

of-year individuals that were naturally recruited in the system; especially

near Clearwater Creek. Two rainbow trout were located as well. Since the most

recent documented planting of rainbows occurred in 2000, this suggests that

the fishery hosts a naturally reproducing population of rainbow trout as well.

Because the system is showing evidence of natural recruitment and the

potential for a self-sustaining population, it is recommended that the

stocking program be reviewed to avoid age class suppression. In summary, the

Pine River is an extremely special fishery, with the opportunity for anglers

to target brook and rainbow trout in a unique stream setting.

Site and fish pictures can be found in the following pages of this report

(Pages 12-16).


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PR-BS-18-001 (Hay Field) PR-BS-18-002 (Kushnerek’s)

PR-BS-18-003 (Grid Road Bridge) PR-BS-18-004 (SnoMan Crossing)

PR-BS-18-005 (HWY 10 Bridge) PR-BS-18-006 (Third Crossing)


13


PR-BS-18-007 (North Trail Crossing) PR-BS-18-008 (Good Bend West)

PR-BS-18-009 (Near Clearwater Creek) PR-BS-18-010 (Enhanced Area 1)

PR-BS-18-011 (Enhanced Area 2)PR-BS-18-012 (2nd Crossing Upstream)


14


PR-BS-18-013 (2nd Crossing Upstream 2) PR-BS-18-014 (1st Crossing)

PR-BS-18-015 (Sclater Cut) PR-BS-18-016 (Campsite)

Brookie Near Third Crossing Dam Upstream of Third Crossing


15


Mottled Sculpin near Pine River Trail Brookie near enhanced area

Live-well of brook troutJuvenile (young-of-year) brookie

Brookie in Enhanced Area Brookie in Enhanced Area


16


Rainbow upstream enhanced area (age 2+)Brookie near good Clearwater Creek

Female near Slater Cut (age 3+) Male near Slater Cut (age 3+)

Brookie near old campsite (Age 2+) Rainbow near old campsite


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Acknowledgements: The Pine River Trout Survey would not be possible without

our committed partners and supporters. Thank you to the Fish & Wildlife

Enhancement Fund for financial support to this and many other initiatives.

Thank you to Fisheries Branch for your continued support. The branch supplied

the backpack electrofisher, other gear and background information pertinent to

the project. Big shout out to Don Stokotelny with Intermountain Sport Fishing

for assisting with the project and supplying equipment to transport gear.

Lastly, great thanks to all the individuals who provided background and access

information on the river. There is always time for fishing stories!

Documents

Summary of Activities · 2007 Brook Trout 6,000 Fingerling 2007 Brook Trout 2,000 12-15cm 2008 Brook Trout 4,000 18+cm 2015 Brook Trout 7,500 12-15cm 2018 Brook Trout 6,000 12-15cm