# The end of fishing at the Singing Bridge?



## unregistered1 (Jul 23, 2003)

I went to my ususal fishing spot for Salmon, Steelies and Browns - the Singing Bridge aka Whitney Drain, or where the East Branch of the Au Gres River enters Lake Huron. I arrived this morning just as the sun was coming up. There were a few other fisherman in the water casting spoons. I set a rod with a spawn back in a holder and cast little cleos with the other. Anyway, no hits, no hook ups. Saw a total of two fish caught. Just before I left I spoke with a local guy who lives just down the road from Singing Bridge, he informed me that he had read an article in his local newspaper that said they are diverting the whitney drain and will now enter the lake about 3 or 4 miles away where the old tram comes from the Gypsum mines. They have already started digging the new drain, it has a gravel bottm and runs from US24 to the lake. He told me that the Whitney Drain's banks are eroding and the people who live around there do not want their taxes raised to fix it. He didn't say if they were filling it in or not. But he thnks that will pretty much end fishing at the Singing Bridge. IF this is all true, I think it sucks! I really enjoy surf fishing, not fishing off a pier but actually being on a beach in the surf. Where are there other areas on the East Side where you can surf fish and actually catch fish.? Anway, just my chance to rant. Good luck.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Say, isn't the Trolley private property?


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## unregistered1 (Jul 23, 2003)

Exactly! No shore access if they do move it. I think it's pretty rotten.


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## Getaway (Jan 17, 2001)

Hmm, I read something to that effect and never thought it would actually happen. Well, the Gypsum mines are private, however, I believe it is supposed to be abandoned because they have harvested all of the gypsum from that area (or soon will be). I guess we will have to wait and see.


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## Xstream Outfitters (May 4, 2003)

I heard from a friend who did some research on the subject. Basically, the rumors are not true!


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## silver (Oct 1, 2003)

As I understand it, the rumors are not true. I did a little research on the net, and it seems a couple of stories have been combined. I found an application by the gypsum plant to change the outfall of runoff from their property. I'm not entirely clear on the change, but it seems that it's going directly into Lake Huron (by the gravel lined chanel), instead of into Whitney Drain.

The other story is about stabilizing the banks of the drain. The local drain commissioners have rejected an offer by the MDEQ to pay for some of the cost of stabilizing the banks. They seem to claim that it is unnecessary. Personally, I think they just don't want to spend the money, and don't reallly care about the habitat. The stabilization project sounded great, and was intended to add riffle/pool areas, and return the river to a more natural state.

That's my take...


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## JimL3222 (Nov 19, 2004)

The state and county are moving forward with this project. The river-drain is not being moved. The project involves installing nearly two miles of sea walls adjacent to all that farm land to prevent further erosion. Thing will likely be a mess for a couple of years. I heard from a local that they may be installing a board walk on the south side adjacent to Turner Road, but that would be at the end of the project, and the way the state spends money, well, we'll see...


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