# Who Wants Trout? Michigan TU Funds Study To Find Out.



## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

> Michigan Trout Unlimited wants to find out more about cold water anglers, those who fish trout, salmon and steelhead on the states rivers and lakes. The conservation group raised $100,000 to fund that study. The project is expected to launch this summer and be complete in time for the 2015 fishing season.


Rest of article:

http://howardmeyerson.com/2012/06/10/who-wants-trout-michigan-tu-funds-study-to-find-out/

Just in time for the next round of gear restrictions. :lol:


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## broncbuster2 (Apr 15, 2000)

So their going to fund this study ......


Is that to insure that they get the results THEY are looking for?


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

How exactly are they gonna reach out to ALL anglers, not just their anglers?


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

I don't get it, why would they have to spend a hundred grand when the information is available to the DNR with the push of a button. All they have to do is see how many trout licenses were sold in connection to the total amount of fishing licenses. Makes me think they are really looking for something else, don't chat think? Also makes me wonder what, exactly are they afraid of???


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

$100,000??
I think its overkill and a waste of money.
We already know they could have funded a non biased survey and sent that out to a random 2100 people in the state of michigan who bought an all species lisc and got exactly the data needed.
Why showboat when a cheaper version of polling has been proven to work, kinda.:evil:
Don't smell like trout to me.


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## kzoofisher (Mar 6, 2011)

Did you guys read the (almost year old) article? TU has funded it but the study is being done by MSU. The Prof* in charge seems to specialize in this sort of thing and not just in Michigan. The DNR says it can use the new info because their ongoing study is not specific to stream trout and the information is needed. The study will take three years so it isn't that much money when you see the scope of it. I know that they had people at an access site on the Au Sable near Alcona Pond last year because I talked to one. That is type 1 water, not flies only and it has plenty of campsites nearby. It costs a lot of money to put people at sites around the state every summer. If you want to argue that the study is flawed you'll have to wait until you see it and pick apart the methodology. Or you can look at it through your tin-foil hat covered crystal ball and tell us what it will say two years in advance. 

* https://www.msu.edu/~lupi/


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## fishinDon (May 23, 2002)

I have seen a pre-release of the questions, IMO some are misleading, I have provided feedback to the DNR, we will see...
Don


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

Any chance you can post them, don when they become available?


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

For those of you that would like to read more about this study:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/micontractconnect/751B3200018_409282_7.pdf

This should clear up alot of the questions that have come up, including TU's involvement and the means at which the project funding is dispersed.

Knowledge about the project prior to making internet assumptions is a very valuable tool.


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## fishinDon (May 23, 2002)

The Downstream Drift said:


> For those of you that would like to read more about this study:
> 
> http://www.michigan.gov/documents/micontractconnect/751B3200018_409282_7.pdf
> 
> ...


Hi Jason,
Can you elaborate? Bryan Burroughs has been talking in committee for 2 years about TU raising the money for this study. And now this post from Howard Meyerson confirms that TU raised the money for the study, and even goes into specifcs about how they raised it. But the contract you posted is between the State of MI and MSU. I realize you are privy to more information regarding TU than I am, so I'd just like to understand in a little more detail how this all works...did TU donate to the State or is Meyerson full of it?

Thanks!
Don


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## fishinDon (May 23, 2002)

wintrrun said:


> Any chance you can post them, don when they become available?


Yeah, after feedback and adjustments I'll put them up for everyone. It's going to be reviewed in the May committee meeting.

Don


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

fishinDon said:


> I have seen a pre-release of the questions, IMO some are misleading, I have provided feedback to the DNR, we will see...
> Don


:lol:..........


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Don, 

To clarify this... 

MITU raised the funding for a Trout Angler Study which the DNR wanted to complete but lacked the funding to do so. Meyerson's piece was not 100% correct in that the funding for this study primarily came from private donors and the Frey Foundation. There was no funding from the chapter level.

Once funding was obtained MITU paid MSU to complete a study that is 100% managed by MDNR. This is where the contract I posted earlier came into play. The DNR has full control over the management of this study - not TU. Those completing the study from MSU are subject to all of the provisions put forth by the DNR and will be held accountable by the contract above.

The study is scheduled to be completed in September of 2014. Therefore, as Ray stated earlier, this study will be just in time for the next look at FO 213. Hopefully the information provided by a DNR regulated, MSU conducted, non-biased angler survey will give us all an accurate perspective of Michigan trout angler's tendancies and regulation wishes.

I hope this clears things up a bit. Just remember, MITU was/is nothing more than a funding mechanism for a study that was on the DNR's radar.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

The Downstream Drift said:


> I hope this clears things up a bit. Just remember, MITU was/is nothing more than a funding mechanism for a study that was on the DNR's radar.


Nothing more than funding mechanism? Looks like they are in a little deeper then that. I guess funding has its privileges. Kind of takes the non bias out of the survey, no?



> Working closely with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division and Bryan Burroughs, Executive Director of Michigan Trout Unlimited, we will examine trout angler preferences, attitudes, and retail expenditures through a survey that will be mailed to about 2,000 trout anglers in the state of Michigan.


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

From Myersons Article

Brian Gunderman, the chairman for Michigans cold water stream committee, the group that makes policy for trout streams, said there is a need for the information. Gunderman spearheads the DNRs effort to gather angler opinion about the current proposal to double the daily brook trout limit in the Upper Peninsula.

I find it interesting that fly fishing advocate Meyerson believes the cold water stream committee is the group that makes policy for trout stream and not the DNR biologist! Having said that, his statement is hard to argue with based on the last set of bait restrictions 

Lets allow TU to influence another survey about what trout fishermen want and dont be surprised if we get another 500 miles of flies only no kill regulations.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Hence the reason I avoid posting in this section of the forum. You guys are so sure you know everything about TU that information from the inside won't even sway your opinions. Carry on. I'll continue to keep quiet and simply watch from the sidelines.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

The Downstream Drift said:


> Hence the reason I avoid posting in this section of the forum. You guys are so sure you know everything about TU that information from the inside won't even sway your opinions.
> 
> Good luck with your witch hunt.


Well I just showed you its more then funding. I showed your statement to not be correct from your own link. Am I supposed to ignore they are consulting with TU on a supposed unbiased survey?


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Nice try, but I will not get into an internet arguement with you over this Ray. I simply provided the DNR/MSU contract to allow everyone to view the details of the project (including the use of funding).

I have planning for a stream restoration project to get back to. I'll leave all of the conspiracy theories for you guys to discuss. :sad:


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Good Luck.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

I would assume that was directed towards the stream restoration project. 

So thanks, Ray. It is great to see some TU National funding coming into Southeast Michigan to help protect the closest thing we have to a coldwater fishery!


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