Sampling for Brook Trout with DNR

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Various Streams

As of this summer I have had the privilege of working under Alan Heft and Matt Sell at the UMCES Appalachian Laboratory based in Frostburg, MD. Being an avid angler from early childhood, the experience to work with these two on their western Maryland brook trout population sampling research has been an incredible experience already in the short two weeks that I have held the position. Thus far we have completed a qualitative sample of one restoration site, and quantitative samples at two other area runs. As previously stated, I have fished my entire life and have even fished some of the areas that we have and will sample. However, nothing has been more eye opening to the abundance of aquatic life than experiencing first-hand an electrofishing site sample. I was stunned to find sixty or so brook trout in a stretch of stream merely seventy-five meters in length. Keep in mind that these streams, for the most part, are only inches deep at parts and around two meters wide. Nothing is more fun than netting a 9-10 inch brook trout out of a stream so small. I am definitely looking forward to some of the larger sampling sites, as I�ve heard that it wouldn�t be uncommon to net over 100 brook trout in the first pass alone.