# Streams in the Fire area



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Just wondering what affect if any the fire may have had on streams in the area. I fished up in that area last june with my two sons. We fished a couple mentionable rivers and one or two unmentionable. It was my first time up there in about 15yrs for trout fishing. I thought there were alot of good stretches of unfishable river due to brush. I was wondering if the fires may have cleared some of the riverbanks opening up new holes. Anyone have any thoughts on positive or negative affects that the fire may have had on the trout fishing?


----------



## Jfish (Sep 22, 2010)

Ash and debris I'm sure did a number on the fish. Maybe not though? It would be interesting to find out.


----------



## Nork (Apr 29, 2009)

Kind of wondering that, too. I'll know more next week. The area is opening up to non-property owners Monday. There will probably be a lot of curiosity seekers checking things out. Doubt if I'll take a fishing rod though. I normally fish upstream from that stretch.

Nork


----------



## tito (Apr 27, 2012)

*THE RIVER SYSTEM*
The fire was intense near the mouths of the Big Two-Hearted River and the Little Two-Hearted River, popular spots for steelhead and brook trout anglers. Both rivers are burned on both sides for a couple miles as they snake toward Lake Superior, according to Steve Scott, Eastern Lake Superior unit manager for the DNR.
And the Little Two-Hearted is burned for a couple more miles on its western side. The stream actually served as a fire break and protected the east bank, Scott said.
Vegetation burned right to the rivers' edges in the most intense areas. Scott said some erosion may occur for a couple years before the small willow trees that line the rivers can get rooted and stabilize the banks.
And burned trees and other debris could dam the rivers, which may hurt migration patterns for steelhead, who hang in Lake Superior until they move upstream to spawn. Debris could also change the ph level, or cause more algae growth. These can have good and bad effects on fish.
Scott said they'll soon do a fish survey to see if the numbers have been affected. One concern is that the lack of tall trees will expose the burned portions of the stream to more sunlight, and will raise the temperature in July and August. Brook trout like cold water, so Scott suspects they'll simply migrate upstream. 
Meanwhile, the DNR will track fish numbers, water temps and the water chemistry. And Scott advises that the better fishing will likely be upstream.
"The rivers are still going to be very fishable. I think the effects on the fishery will be minor," Scott said. "Put it this way - I wouldn't cancel my fishing trip because of it."


----------



## Nork (Apr 29, 2009)

Here's the access for the short canoe trip to the mouth. We didn't see any trees that had fallen in the river, but this was the only river spot we checked out. That is not smoke in the picture, it is the sun's glare. The area is very black along the two track leading to this. But there are ferns already popping up. There's still a lot of green left in the burn area but time will tell how many trees will pull through. The campground at the river mouth had some damage on the south west side. Crews have cut trees down so they aren't a danger to campers. They've cut trees down across the camp site entrances to keep campers from entering them. Plus the driveway to the camp sites is taped off. There's some clean up to do but this campground will be usable. 

Nork


----------



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Thanks for the info and the Picture. I definately wont be cancelling our trip. Still trying to plan a week around the kids sports but i will be up there....thanks again.


----------



## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I would be more concerned with the damage that salvage logging might do to the river. Hopefully they will create a buffer zone near the river and not allow skidders to get too close. The trout will survive just fine


----------



## Jfish (Sep 22, 2010)

I may take a drive over that way when I go up just to see some of the damage.


----------



## Nork (Apr 29, 2009)

The wife and I are looking to buy a couple of kayaks so we rented a couple from The Woods, north of Newberry on 123, to go fishing on a little lake that is stocked with trout. The folks there said the 2H is closed for canoes/kayaks but when we drove by the Reed and Green bridge, we didn't see any signage saying it was closed. The DNR website says road access is closed to retrieve canoes/kayaks but it is opened up now. Not sure if the river is open enough to go down or not. Gonna have to check with the DNR on Monday. Oh, one keeper and three throwbacks between the two of us. The wife usually out fishes me but I got the best of her today


----------



## tito (Apr 27, 2012)

Dave has a vid up of an ATV ride around the area to get a little better idea http://www.fishweb.com/


----------



## dhosera (Jul 11, 2006)

Good find with that Vid...


----------



## Nork (Apr 29, 2009)

Talked with someone at the DNR and they said the river isn't closed to canoes/kayaks. Don't know if the people at The Woods will do dropoff/pickup on the Two Heart or not. If they don't and you plan on going down the river, better plan it with two vehicles. I seriously doubt there are many trees in the river from the fire. It can't be any worse than going from High Bridge to Reed and Green.


----------



## tito (Apr 27, 2012)

Probley be a little crowed on C H 500 maybe they will pound some of the bumps out 
*DNR offers fast sale opportunity for Duck Lake Fire area timber*


Due to the recent Duck Lake wildfire north of Newberry in Luce County, the Department of Natural Resources plans to conduct large-scale salvage operations to harvest portions of the state-managed forest damaged by the fire. Because of the special circumstances (the potential for bug infestation in the trees that are left) that require a fast sale, potential bidders will have just one week in which to visit the sale sites and submit their bids.


Salvage sales will generally fall into two different categories: 1) Red pine salvage between County Road 500 and the Little Two-Hearted River, and 2) Jack pine salvage west of the Little Two-Hearted River. These options may be updated as preparation crews begin a more in-depth assessment of the fire.


Current plans include sale preparations (during the week of June 11), with the intent of mailing out timber sale prospectuses by Friday, June 15. The DNR's regular timber sale notification system will be used, so potential bidders will be notified either by e-mail or regular mail (depending on their selected form of notification).


On Thursday, June 21, the DNR will offer a tour of the sale areas. Interested parties may meet at 9 a.m. at the DNR's Newberry field office, 5666 State Highway M-123. The tour will help regulate traffic in the area, since fire suppression efforts are ongoing. However, participation in the tour is not required in order to bid on any of the salvage sales.


*The timber sale bid opening is set for Friday, June 22, at 10 a.m., at the Newberry field office.*


Successful bidders who currently own another state timber sale they had planned to harvest this summer may apply for a free, one-year extension on that sale.


As assessment of the fire area continues, the DNR will prepare additional sales. It is also expected that the DNR will be able to offer a short time for prospective bidders to review the sale area and submit their bids. DNR staff is working to quickly prepare and sell the timber before its condition further deteriorates.


----------



## Deerslayer_87 (May 16, 2012)

Time will tell and I'd trust anyone with prior experience on these rivers to judge pretty well whether the fire does anything to the fishing. It will be interesting if anyone has any reports this summer or next as the forest closes back in. But based on my understanding of fire effects on ecosystems, the increased sunlight causing warming of the rivers will be one of the fire's least significant effects on the trout fishery. Additional, likely larger impacts will come from erosion of fire-destabilized slopes throughout the watershed, and the movement of all that ash, char, soil and sediment into the river. Not good things for trout. But don't forget that these jack pine/red pine and associated wetland forests do regenerate from catastrophic fire and this is not the first time the Two-Hearted trout fishery has experienced this.


----------



## glassjh (Sep 8, 2003)

I took a trip up there 2 weekends ago to scout out the area and see what exactly happened. Overall I was pretty relieved with the outcome in terms of the river. From what I saw the fire went straight to the river closer to the mouth. Probably only about the first mile of river front was touched. The rest of the river had very small sections where 10-20 foot section of fire ran up to the bank. I don't think much bank erosion will take place in any of the areas. I might be concerned with the run off into the river in certain places as the ground is covered in hard black soot in the most damaged areas. What that will do to the water quality I have no idea. 

The 2-hearted campgrounds pretty much suffered minor damage. DNR was cutting some trees down in the "lower" campground closer to the swinging bridge but the integrity of the campsite looks good. The larger "upper" campground just had the underbrush burnt up in a lot of places. With an untrained eye it looks like all the big trees just had their bark burnt up. From the shoreline of the mouth you can see where the fire ran up to Superior just west of the swinging bridge and burnt what looks like a mile or so of shoreline. To the east the shoreline is burnt starting about 200 yards down from the mouth all the way to the point before Little Lake. 

We took a drive from little lake to the mouth via Coast Guard road and that whole stretch is burnt crisp. 

In my opinion most of the damage to the environment is "cosmetic." I have been fishing and camping here and at Pike Lake for the last 15 years and have seen all of this area prior to the fire. Although it upset me to see the damage done I am also aware that 1) it could of been a hell of a lot worse and 2) the area will rebound quickly and will regain it's overall beauty.


----------



## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

that fire was a bad thing, but the land will heal, on the plus side it might make for good shroonin come this fall n spring















k roonen


----------



## uptracker (Jul 27, 2004)

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/did_duck_lake_fire_kill_much_w.html


----------



## brookiefanatic (May 20, 2012)

That fire was awful! I was pretty much raised on that river first introduced to me by my dad as soon as I could
Flip a bail on a reel. I'm kind of nervous to see how things change. We stay at the park right on the mouth. Hopefully it won't affect the steelie run 


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## danielwebster (Aug 22, 2009)

Any recent updates on the river condition? What are expectations for steelhead fishing this fall? 

We go to the area for deer camp and steelhead every Thanksgiving week. May have to change plans this year. Did the Pike Lake cabins make it, how about Del-Les cabins on Little Lake?

Thanks


----------



## Jfish (Sep 22, 2010)

The andronimis (sp) fish wont know the difference as long as the river levels are good.


----------

