# Rouge River Salmon 11-8-08



## Frank (Apr 27, 2003)

I have been watching a pod of spawning King salmon for the past week in the Rouge River. Yesterday I watched a hen fanning gravel on her side as three male fish were going crazy all around her. I was with Cyndi Ross from the Friends of the Rouge. Due to darkness and rain yesterday, we were unable to get any clear shots of the action - just swirls and unclear fish images.

Today, I returned to the same spot and found out that the hen had indeed spawned and died during the night. She was about ten feet downstream. I waded out and pulled her out for a couple of pictures to send to the Friends of the Rouge. She still had some eggs coming out of her. There are still 2-3 fish remaing in the pool that I will check on all next week.

PLEASE don't ask me for location because we are trying to let every fish in the pool spawn in safety. I expect all will be done spawning in the next few days.

I would say efforts to clean up the Rouge are paying off. I have seen and videotaped other spawnig salmon over the years in the Rouge River. I will try to post a picture from My Photo Gallery. If it doesn't post, maybe another member can post it for me.

Frank


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

That must have been cool to watch especialy in the rouge river.I didnt know that the river had in runs of current like in your picture.


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## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

That is great news! Do you think you can post those videos on you tube!?!?

After a decade+ of not fishing the Clinton, I've returned to find it cleaner than before. The best part is seeing steelhead jumping the dam earlier this year.

Thanks to all friends of SE MI rivers.


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## Frank (Apr 27, 2003)

Hi Silverexpress,

I have no current video footage of salmon in the Rouge. I agree that it is great news that both rivers are steadily improving. P.S. I have yet to see a fin-clipped salmon in the Rouge River. Natural reproduction maybe??

Frank


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## oldrank (Dec 5, 2006)

that is awesome......


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

I'm pretty sure I know where that is. If so, I have seen them there as far back as 10 years.

I'll PM you the location, just in case they are different, you'll have another place to look.


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Someone had a picture either last year or a couple of years showing salmon in the rouge right in the city of Wayne.Its cool that they are returning into this river once again.
As for salmon not having any fin clips only a small percentage of salmon are fin clipped in Michigan so the fish you seen arent neccesarily naturaly reproduced.A question that one might ask is where are these salmon coming from Lake huron or somewhere else?


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## wanderboy (Sep 24, 2008)

whenever people talk about Rouge River, I alway had that picture of the rusty car stock in the water coming out of my mind, that's my impression of the river as I went to school at Dearborn. and this certainly will replace that image, a very pleasant one. dead fish or none natually repreduced fish, it's still good stuff. thanks!


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## Denko (Aug 14, 2006)

I've seen them several times right in front of my parents' house in Inkster, never tried fishing there though.


Dennis


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## kype138 (Jul 13, 2006)

There are a few areas on the Rouge where you can watch them, and also some steelhead in the springtime. I haven't fished for them, but may have to try in the not-so-distant future...

Thanks for the post!


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## DetroitIron (Dec 4, 2003)

I've had my boat out on the rouge a couple times motoring out to the Detroit River. Seen lots of fish activity in that river. Good to see. Growing up as a kid, we were scared as hell to fall in the river playing around there with our BMX bikes, about the only things we'd see down there alive in the river were turtles, and I was surprised they could survive in that sewer slopped/PCB/heavy metal contaminated river. I personally voted to raise my taxes for the huge sewer seperation projects (which passed) they have been installing on the Rouge. So far, theyve put them in at Ford road/rouge river, telegraph/hines drive, inkster road near MIchigan, on the Rouge river behind greenfield village, outer drive just north of michigan ave (by dearborn high). There may be others I've missed. This is all great progress.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Frank said:


> Hi Silverexpress,
> 
> I have no current video footage of salmon in the Rouge. I agree that it is great news that both rivers are steadily improving. P.S. I have yet to see a fin-clipped salmon in the Rouge River. Natural reproduction maybe??
> 
> Frank


The DNR has not fin-clipped Salmon in a very long time, if they ever did. They stopped clipping Steelhead a couple years ago, to cut costs. It certainly is possible that some Salmon spawn naturally in the Rouge, but it is also very possible that a few Salmon might stray into it each year, and they would all find the best spot for spawning out of instinct, and would spawn together. Most MI rivers, creeks, and streams which flow into the Great Lakes get at least a few Salmon in them, each Fall. The Salmon parr would hatch in Spring, and by mid-May would be headed out to the lakes to grow for 3 or 4 years, before returning to spawn. They would leave the river before it got too warm for them, with the summer heat.


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