Fisheries Research Report No. 1734, 1967

Michigan Department of Conservation
Research and Development Report No. 94
Institute for Fisheries Research Report No. 1734, 1967
The Seventeenth Annual Creel Census and Progress Report, Pigeon River Trout Research Station, 1965

William C. Latta

      The Pigeon River Trout Research Station, 13 miles east of Vanderbilt in Otsego County, was established in 1949 on the site of the former Pigeon River Forest Headquarters. The experimental waters of the station include seven small limestone sinks or lakes (Ford, Section 4, Hemlock, Lost, West Lost, North Twin and South Twin) and, at the time of the station’s establishment, included 4.8 miles of the Pigeon River. This portion of the Pigeon River was divided into four experimental sections (A, B, C and D) each approximately 1.2 miles long (Fig. 1). In 1953, a fifth experimental section (E), of about equal length, was added at the upstream end of the controlled area, increasing the length of experimental stream to about 6 miles. The physical features of the stream sections are given in Table 1.
       Since 1949, fishing on the experimental waters has been by permit. Each angler is required to obtain a free, one-day permit before proceeding to his selected water, whether experimental section of the stream or particular lake, and is also required to report on his trip and to allow examination of his catch by station personnel. On any day he may fish in as many sections of the river or in as many lakes as he desires, so long as he reports back to the checking station after fishing in each separate water.
       The creel census is used to evaluate experimental methods of trout management such as special regulations, methods of planting, and manipulation of the environment, as well as provide information concerning the basic biology of trout. The compulsory permit system assures virtually complete census, and provides information which could not be obtained otherwise. All the previous annual creel census and progress reports are included in the Institute report series [Institute for Fisheries Research Report Numbers 1250, 1288, 1512, 1521, 1527, 1544, 1560, 1568, 1611, 1632, 1647, 1676, 1695, and 1707].