What year were Pacific salmon first planted in Michigan waters?
1874. According to an article headlined “Fish Culture” in the December 1874 “Iosco County Gazette,” the State Fish Commission was making preparations “to deposit California salmon in several streams of northern Michigan.” The article goes on to quote the State Fish Commission as “prepared to put 50,000 young salmon in the Au Sable River at Grayling, 50,000 in the Shiawassee River at Corunna, and 50,000 in the Manistee River at a point to be determined.” The method of planting young salmon directly into the streams after the long train ride from California probably accounted for this first unsuccessful transplanting. Source: Along the Historic Riviere auxSables by Neil Thornton, Printer’s Devil Press, 1987, Tawas City, Michigan Thanks Jerry Rucker for this week’s question. Jerry’s been a very active member on the Huron Pines Board for 3 years. He also serves as the president of the Au Sable North Branch Area Association and is an avid angler and conservationist. ——————- What
