# Proud lake "huron river" outboard motors



## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

Im not sure how the boat guidelines work for this part of huron but im hoping a dnr or co officer will read this and do something to change what we experienced... If anyone was out there for the opener they seen the same thing a couple of guys or kids hard to tell in a aluminum boat with a gas outboard.. Now since this is a designated trout stream there is noway outboards should be allowed in there, all the sand thats gets turned up from these guys motoring up and down the river goes into a trouts gills and kills them its so shallow. I seen the same thing happen on the fox river up in seney when i was younger a guy came motoring through and behind him you could see all the trout floating up to the surface dead. There was a oldtimer fishing by me when this happened and he said he would get this changed by next season there was signs everywhere saying no outboards. Are you allowed to use a outboard from wixon road up to the dam? Or were these guys breaking the law.. If you are I think something needs to be done to change this for a trout stream I can understand canors, kayaks or even a electric motor which isnt good either for a stream but a outboard not a chance. Does anyone know who would be the proper person to contact in this matter to possibly get this changed... 

I wanna know what happen at the dam when he motord past all you guys im sure some not to happy things were said lol


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## mrfisherman (Jan 3, 2011)

I saw a few guys last season in a small aluminum boat with an outboard motor on that same stretch of river you mentioned. I wonder if it's the same guys? It would be nice if they would use a canoe or something without a motor considering what could happen to the trout! Maybe the DNR will implement some new regulations on outboard motors on that stretch of the river. After all, the time and hard work the DNR puts into stocking the river, they should regulate the use of outboard motors, (especially the section from Proud Lake Park to the dam). Good call for speaking up on that, the more we post the more of a chance we have to save the fish, and i've seen some very nice trout in that river. I suppose a few calls or emails to the DNR couldn't hurt either.:idea:


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I have never heard of Trout just dying from the sand kicked up by an outboard motor getting into their gills. I have seen some righteously crankin rivers with lots of suspended sand flowing down, and still managed to catch a few live Steelhead out of them. I understand that Trout don't like getting sand in their gills, but it isn't instantly lethal to them. Never heard of dead Trout floating up behind a boat that has motored past, either; and I have fished a lot of rivers that have Trout, and that get quite a bit of traffic from motorized boats.


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## BIG "D" (Sep 14, 2005)

Those trout are ment to be caught before the water warms up because their gonna die anyways. Go to the Big Spring in the U.P. and you will see big brook trout laying on the bottom with sand on their backs. Doesn't seem to bother them.


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

Fishndude said:


> Never heard of dead Trout floating up behind a boat that has motored past, either; and I have fished a lot of rivers that have Trout, and that get quite a bit of traffic from motorized boats.


Doesn't happen. Look at the AK rivers that run pure silt. Not even 1 inch visibility. Fish survive these rivers just fine, an outboard motoring up the Huron is not going to do squat to a bunch of hatchery mutt trout that are going to die in a month anyway.


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## arrowryan247 (May 13, 2010)

The guys in that boat drove right through the hole below the dam on opening night . Only shut the fish down for 20 minutes still managed to land 7 kept 4 fish got 1 under 15" . I think I would have shut down the motor before getting so close to everyone fishing below the dam. Look for Brandon Kieft's email from Dnr's website email him your question seems to be very helpful with law questions.


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

Ive been up to the big spring around manistique alot of times, that has nothing to do with what i was pointing out, what im saying is a small stream like this that our dnr plants should have regulations for motors in it there isnt a need in that small area for a motor... Also who said that "they" never heard of trout dying from sand pushed up in their gills i seen it happen first hand on the "fox" river and thats why the no ourboard motor rule was put into place for that stream for that exact reason. Just from my outlook a small stocked trout stream whether its for put and take or not, it just seems a little small for a outboard in the section between wixom and the dam.


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

quest32a said:


> Doesn't happen. Look at the AK rivers that run pure silt. Not even 1 inch visibility. Fish survive these rivers just fine, an outboard motoring up the Huron is not going to do squat to a bunch of hatchery mutt trout that are going to die in a month anyway.


 
Actually yes it does happen and thats why the dnr changed it for the fox river cause alot of trout were being killed from the washup from motors. Yes we did see it happen, thats why alot of streams in the upper have no outboard regulations for this reason...This isnt ak and our rivers dont run pure silt for inland trout, thats a big difference in everything but no point in gettn into it,the whole point was outboards have no business being on a trout stream.. Do you run ur outboards up n down ak streams for trout?


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

gatorman841 said:


> .. Do you run ur outboards up n down ak streams for trout?


Yes they do. Very often in fact. We do it in MI as well. The PM, the Big Manistee, the Muskegon. Lots and lots of trout streams allow outboard motors. 

The Rivers in AK do run pure silt and do have inland trout, and migrating steelhead and other trout. Hell look at the Grand in the spring after a flood. The river has zero visibility. All the fish do just fine.


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## kingfisher2 (Mar 22, 2001)

I have to agree with John here. Out here in Washington we have hundreds of miles of river, many of which hold resident trout. Motored boats have no inpact on these trout whatsoever. We do have inland lakes that hold trout and motors are not allowed. This ban is basically due to the polution factor.

Marc


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## flockshot (Feb 23, 2007)

Nevermind the dead trout stuff....this stretch of river is entirely innapropriate for a motorized boat anyways...I don't care if people were trying to catch dog fish...its less than 3 feet deep anywhere...and maybe only two boatwidths wide...running a boat up it is stupid and screws everyone else fishing...even if it is for hatchery mutts. The only point of a boat here would be to motor into a hole...and use the boat to monopolize the spot no matter who's on shore.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Why do they even plant those fish there in the first place? Is there an economic plus-side behind it?


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## flockshot (Feb 23, 2007)

William H Bonney said:


> Why do they even plant those fish there in the first place? Is there an economic plus-side behind it?


I'm sure there is...it draws people to the rec area. And I'm sure quite a few "yocals" buy trout stamps that normally wouldn't.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I agree that it is silly to operate a motorized boat on that part of the Huron. There is no need for a motor, and it seems like a lot more trouble than it would be worth. I was just stating that I don't believe motorized boats will automatically magically kill Trout, just by being run on a river that holds Trout. The concept is ludicrous, and must have started with a rumor. If not, please provide a credible reference to support the position.

The Trout fishery at Proud Lake is 100% put-and-take Trout fishing, and is purely designed to have a Trout fishery in a major metropolitan area. Heck, it even brings out dolts who think it is a good idea to run a motorized boat on a small stream (which is what the Huron is, up there). I don't doubt that there are some people who buy an all-species license just so they can fish for some Trout in the Huron @ Proud Lake. Nobody even intended this fishery to be self-sustaining, or be a remote idyllic Trout fishing mecca. It is what it is - an urban Trout fishing opportunity for 4.5 million people to potentially enjoy, just a short drive from home. Pay no mind to the fact that there are other streams in the metro area that are more conducive to Trout, and are also stocked. :evilsmile


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

quest32a said:


> Yes they do. Very often in fact. We do it in MI as well. The PM, the Big Manistee, the Muskegon. Lots and lots of trout streams allow outboard motors.
> 
> The Pm, Big man and muskegon are "rivers" the huron at proud lake is a small creek or stream ya its called the huron river but it isnt anything close to the rivers u listed. At most its 15yds wide maybe little more and most areas only couple few feet deep. Totally different than those and nothing like the huron downstream from flatrock. If you have to use a outboard to fish a small stream thats 3ft deep you have no business being there in the 1st place


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