It may not be common knowledge, but one of Maine’s most priceless natural resource is its phenomenal brook trout fishery. No other state in the nation has such an astonishing trove of self-sustaining Eastern wild brook trout populations. State fisheries biologists make an identity distinction between our native trout — those in waters than have never been stocked — and wild trout — those in waters that may have once been stocked but are now naturally reproducing. Recognizing this, state resource protectors, as well as a diverse group of concerned organizations, are pulling out all of the stops to make sure that Maine’s trout treasury is forever valued and protected.

Much has been done in this regard. Maine’s long list of remote trout ponds have been identified and are regulated in a way that will safeguard the historical integrity of this premier trout waters. All of the work is not done, however. The state has known for a long time that there are some less obvious, “undocumented” potential trout waters that are in a sort of “regulatory limbo.” That is to say that there are in Maine 300 or more waters that may, or may not hold wild trout. Nobody knows for sure.

We need to know more in order to make the appropriate fisheries management decisions for these limbo waters.

From stage left, enter Emily Bastian, coordinator of a brook trout pond survey, which is a collaborative effort combining forces of Bastian’s Audubon Society, Trout Unlimited and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W). Bastian is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in wildlife and fisheries management. She has taught fly fishing and archery for L.L. Bean. She is an avid angler.

The survey is being done largely by unpaid volunteers, anglers and other concerned citizens, who are willing to put in some time — doing what they lake to do best, fish! That’s right. The survey model is quite simple: coordinator Bastian picks a pond from her list of 300. You, the volunteer, go fish the pond and report back.

“All of the information we get on a pond is helpful,” says Bastian. “The volunteer may not catch fish, but he or she may see other imprtant things that can help our data base. For example did they see spring holes that would hold trout? Or perhaps they caught trout in a stream feeding the pond. Or maybe they note that there are a number of canoes stashed in the woods not far from the pond,” she points out.

Bastian says that, so far, about 165 ponds have been studied with many more left to go. The trend is that about one out of three ponds surveyed are holding wild trout.

Additional information about how to participate in this brook trout survey is available online at: www.tumaine.org/brooktrout.htm.

As the website explains in its preamble: There are still hundreds of ponds in Maine that have never been surveyed by fishery biologists, so we plan to continue volunteer survey efforts in 2013. We will be seeking additional volunteer anglers to assist with pond surveys across the state next fishing season. This project is a great excuse to spend more time fishing and explore new waters, while at the same time contribute to a meaningful trout conservation effort. The success of this project is entirely dependent on the data collected by volunteer anglers, so please consider helping with the Brook Trout Pond Survey in 2013.

Volunteers should be enthusiastic about fishing for brook trout, be comfortable in remote settings, and have a sense of adventure. We will update our website with new information as it becomes available.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Emily Bastian at Maine Audubon at 207-781-6180, etension 207 or [email protected].

______________________

The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He isalso a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WQVM-FM 101.3) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected] and his new book is “A Maine Deer Hunter’s Logbook.”