DNR trout restoration project will provide brook trout fishing opportunities

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DNR trout restoration project will provide brook trout fishing opportunities in west-central Minnesota creek
(Released January 30, 2012)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently stocked Lawndale Creek, located in Wilkin County in west-central Minnesota, with approximately 570 adult brook trout weighing about one-half pound each.
“This is a great project for trout anglers,” said Arlin Schalekamp, Fergus Falls area fisheries supervisor. “They will have the unique opportunity to fish for trout in a prairie region dominated by agriculture.”

Efforts to improve the brook trout fishery in Lawndale Creek began in 2007 in partnership with the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District, Trout Unlimited and the Donna Holden/Merrick family estate. Funding was provided by the state of Minnesota, the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, and the 2008 Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment Act through the Outdoor Heritage Fund, as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.

The project entailed the restoration of 3.5 miles of stream channel through the Atherton Wildlife Management Area. The stocking effort is intended to jump-start the recovery of the wild brook trout fishery. All 570 trout stocked were fin-clipped to aid in identifying stocked versus wild fish.

“We felt a restoration effort followed by stocking would hopefully increase the wild brook trout population in these waters,” said Schalekamp. “Our goal is to provide state trout anglers the opportunity to catch the ‘brookies’ this spring when the trout season opens.”

The trout were reared at the Crystal Springs Fish Hatchery located in Altura, Minn., in the southeastern region of the state. The hatchery raises brook, rainbow and lake trout as well as splake, totaling approximately 45,000 pounds of fish stocked annually. The brookies are natives from wild stock and are used to establish self-sustaining populations.

A formal dedication ceremony for the restoration project is being planned for this summer.