Great Lakes Angler

This information is from the Michigan DNR, reguarding the fin clips of steelhead stocked between 1999 and 2008. Remember different strains of steehead take from 3 to 5 years to spawn and will spawn more than 1 year. Finding a fin clip and comparing it to fish stocked 3-5 years prior to your catch can help to identify the strain and stocking location of your fish.

This key shows abbreviations of fins for use as a reference to the chart below.

FIN CLIP YEAR AGENCY # STOCKED STRAIN

AD 2008 MIDNR 39,818 MICHIGANADLM 2000 WIDNR 64,000 CHAMBERS CREEKADLM 2005 WIDNR 64,873 CHAMBERS CREEKADLM 2007 WIDNR 8,060 CHAMBERS CREEKADLM 2008 WIDNR 53,380 CHAMBERS CREEKADLP 2000 WIDNR 72,000 ARLEEADLP 2002 WIDNR 60,000 ARLEEADLP 2005 WIDNR 53,035 ARLEEADLP 2007 WIDNR 65,871 ARLEEADLV 2000 WIDNR 58,000 GANARASKAADLV 2003 WIDNR 66,989 GANARASKAADLV 2004 WIDNR 63,762 GANARASKAADLV 2007 WIDNR 29,624 KAMLOOPSADRM 2000 WIDNR 75,000 SKAMANIAADRM 2005 WIDNR 75,939 SKAMANIAADRM 2008 WIDNR 68,742 SKAMANIAADRP 2002 ILDNR 76,000 SKAMANIAADRP 2002 WIDNR 62,000 KAMLOOPSADRP 2003 ILDNR 75,968 SKAMANIAADRP 2004 ILDNR 50,000 SKAMANIAADRP 2006 ILDNR 55,201 SKAMANIAADRP 2007 ILDNR 57,732 SKAMANIAADRP 2008 ILDNR 56,040 SKAMANIAADRV 2001 WIDNR 186,000 GANARASKAADRV 2005 WIDNR 56,208 GANARASKAADRV 2007 WIDNR 68,356 GANARASKAADRV 2008 WIDNR 66,299 GANARASKABV 1999 WIDNR 66,000 GANARASKABV 2002 WIDNR 65,000 GANARASKABV 2006 WIDNR 61,533 GANARASKADLV 2000 MIDNR 30,253 SKAMANIALM 2001 WIDNR 134,000 CHAMBERS CREEKLM 2003 WIDNR 71,863 CHAMBERS CREEKLM 2004 WIDNR 71,863 CHAMBERS CREEKLM 2007 WIDNR 14,830 CHAMBERS CREEKLM 2007 WIDNR 24,193 SKAMANIALMLV 1999 WIDNR 61,000 CHAMBERS CREEKLMLV 2002 WIDNR 93,000 CHAMBERS CREEKLMLV 2006 WIDNR 61,828 CHAMBERS CREEKLP 2001 WIDNR 15,000 ARLEELP 2003 WIDNR 29,992 ARLEELP 2004 WIDNR 29,992 ARLEELP 2006 WIDNR 61,285 ARLEELP 2008 WIDNR 59,987 ARLEELPRV 1999 MIDNR 17,484 SKAMANIALPRV 2007 ILDNR 46,943 ARLEELPRV 2008 ILDNR 51,003 ARLEELV 2000 ILDNR 88,000 ARLEELV 2001 ILDNR 60,000 SKAMANIALV 2005 WIDNR 42,363 KAMLOOPSLV 2006 MIDNR 34,821 MICHIGANLV 2007 MIDNR 20,525 MICHIGANLV 2008 MIDNR 20,296 MICHIGANRM 2001 WIDNR 120,000 SKAMANIARM 2003 WIDNR 68,735 SKAMANIARM 2004 WIDNR 68,735 SKAMANIARM 2007 WIDNR 60,455 SKAMANIARMRV 1999 WIDNR 95,000 SKAMANIARMRV 2002 WIDNR 171,500 SKAMANIARMRV 2006 WIDNR 65,183 SKAMANIARP 1999 MIDNR 521,628 MICHIGANRP 2000 INDNR 40,021 MICHIGANRP 2000 MIDNR 517,917 MICHIGANRP 2001 INDNR 40,000 MICHIGANRP 2001 MIDNR 567,695 MICHIGANRP 2001 MIDNR 36,478 SKAMANIARP 2002 INDNR 40,000 MICHIGANRP 2002 MIDNR 567,271 MICHIGANRP 2002 MIDNR 33,260 SKAMANIARP 2003 INDNR 40,000 MICHIGANRP 2003 MIDNR 536,706 MICHIGANRP 2003 MIDNR 37,415 SKAMANIARP 2004 MIDNR 536,704 MICHIGANRP 2004 MIDNR 37,415 SKAMANIARP 2005 MIDNR 484,196 MICHIGANRP 2005 MIDNR 32,358 SKAMANIARP 2006 INDNR 40,001 MICHIGANRP 2006 MIDNR 29,702 MICHIGANRP 2007 INDNR 40,792 MICHIGANRP 2007 MIDNR 19,562 MICHIGANRP 2007 MIDNR 33,772 SKAMANIARP 2008 MIDNR 19,417 MICHIGANRPLV 1999 ILDNR 100,000 ARLEERPLV 2005 MIDNR 32,776 MICHIGANRV 2001 ILDNR 46,000 ARLEERV 2003 WIDNR 60,397 KAMLOOPSRV 2004 WIDNR 60,397 KAMLOOPSRV 2006 WIDNR 58,570 KAMLOOPSRV 2007 WIDNR 31,344 KAMLOOPS

In addition to the information in my last blog post, I have come across this “Michigan” strain of steelhead. Having never angled the waters of Michigan for steelhead I havn’t run across this strain (yet). Here is the information I have to share with you.

Michigan : “winter-run” steelhead : This strain arrose from introductions of anadromous steelhead which occured sometime between 1876-1914. Original plants were likely from gametes collected from natural runs of steelhead in the State of California. These early stocked fish naturalized and maintain significant runs in the Little Manistee River. Gamete collection for hatchery rearing was initiated by the State of Michigan in the mid-1960s. These fish return to rivers in late-fall or early spring and typically spawn from March through May.