AsiOtus The Trout

Sponsored by: Dan & Nancy Mansell – AsiOtus Natural Heritage Consultants

Trout Stats: Asiotus is 165 mm (6.5 inches) in Length and currently Weighs in At 48.74 grams (1.72 ozs).

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Brook The Trout

Sponsored by: Peter Gabany, Limelight Advertising & Design

Trout Stats:  Brook is 160 mm (6.3 inches) in length and currently weighs in at 42.6 grams (1.5 ounces)

In 1972 – a long time ago my grandfather entrusted me with a then, vintage cane fly rod. This launched a fascination with fishing and in the Eastern Townships of Quebec little did I know that I would be fishing for “specs” (speckled or brook trout).

Since that time, we have had the pleasure of fishing all across the country for lake trout, grayling, cut throat, rainbows, browns and salmon. Sitting at a tying bench in the dead of winter, reminiscing with friends while tying flies, the conversation always migrates to our love of ‘brookies’.

What name would be more natural than BROOK. In our business–design and marketing, the metaphor of fly fishing is echoed each day. You must read the water, look to the bottom of the stream to see what insects …

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Sally The Trout

Sponsored By: The Kelly/Dunlop Family

TRout Stats:  Sally is 160 mm (6.30 inches) in length & currently weighs in at 41.5 grams (1.46 ozs)

We enjoy getting out into nature year-round to experience everything it has to offer, and we always feel better for it.  There is growing scientific evidence that “contact with nature” provides tangible benefits to human health and well-being.  This is especially true in urban areas where we continue to lose our natural environments to encroaching development.

The Harper Creek Wetland and the Brook Trout population of Harper Creek are important components of Peterborough’s natural heritage.  They are rare remnants in the increasingly urbanizing landscapes of Southern Ontario.  We are pleased that we could help support this collaborative science project that will shed light on the ecology of Harper Creek.

We don’t know for sure, of course, but our brook trout looks like it might be a female.  The Brook Trout of Harper Creek are, on the …

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Tessa The Trout

Sponsored By: Mark Guscott

Trout Stats: Tessa is 163 mm (6.42 inches) in length & currently weighs in at 45.3 grams (1.6 ozs).

We are Scott Blair’s parents and we could not be more proud of the work that Scott, Dr. Fox and others are doing to help preserve nature within Peterborough.  It’s fun to think that Scott knew little about fish 12 years ago, and now he is working to save the Brook Trout fish habitat.

We named our fish Tessa as just before Scott started tagging the trout, his big sister had her first child and named her Tessa.  We though it fitting to name our trout Tessa as it is a new life and a new beginning, maybe for the Brook Trout too.

Family Matters

The story behind fish #4, Tessa, highlights the benefits of family closeness and caring.  But unlike Scott and his niece Tessa, Tessa (the trout) will not benefit from parental care.  In fact, …

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Major Trout

Sponsored By: The Electronics-Optronics Shop: Garrison Petawawa (Cpl Keith Zippel)

Trout Stats: Major Trout is 146 mm (5.75 inches) in length & currently weighs in at 31.5 grams (1.11 ozs).

Being an occasional angler, and with my mother playing an integral role in the stewardship of Harper Park, I found this cause to be right up my alley. The name Major Trout seemed appropriate as I have 8 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. Currently posted to Petawawa, ON, there are plenty of areas for fishing and boating, and many of my co-workers are passionate about fishing. When this opportunity arose, I called upon my fellow anglers, and they answered my call to duty pitching in to sponsor Major Trout.

Researchers know that brook trout spawn in the fall. And, for resident brookies – those that live in the stream year round – spawning is largely triggered by a decrease in water temperature.  Unfortunately it is difficult and expensive to …

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Harper The Trout

Sponsored By: The Storey Family

Trout Stats: Harper is 148 mm (5.83 inches) in length and currently weighs in at 30.2 grams (1.1 ounces)

Having lived in the West end of Peterborough for over 20 years, and not knowing about Harper Park and its significance on an environmental level, was what first grabbed our attention 2 years ago.

Needing to learn about this area further, me and my then 11-year-old son Elliott decided to go and explore parts of it on a few walks including a guided one.

When our friend Kim Zippel explained to us that, even closer to our house, there had been a Harper Creek restoration project on Pinewood Drive, we were even more intrigued. The more we began to learn about the amazing diversity of this wetland, including the Brook Trout, the more we wanted to help preserve it and become stewards of it.

At the same time as the news came out in April that …

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Chiro The Trout

Sponsored By: Lynn and Larry Smith

Trout Stats: Chiro is 175 mm (6.89 inches) in length and currently weighs in at 53.8 grams (1.9 ounces)

It only took a moment to make the decision to sponsor a Harper Creek brook trout. We have been running Cavan Chiropractic for 35 years and what a fun way to celebrate this milestone. Daughter, Hayley, who joined the business as a Registered Massage Therapist, agreed as long as she could name the fish.

So the debate over naming the fish began. It only took a couple of days but in keeping with the Chiropractic theme, our trout will be called Chiro.

We envision a fish with a well-adjusted spine, exercising, stretching regularly and eating properly!

We look forward to being involved with this study. Research often answers questions, but then opens the door for more questions. So much to learn about the intricacies of the natural world! This project will give us a glimpse …

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Harper Park finds a home on i-Naturalist

Have you ever ventured into your favourite natural space and happened upon an exciting new plant or animal?

Whether in familiar surroundings, or new territory, we humans are creatures of observation, and we love to categorize and organize our observations to help us make sense of  the world around us. Identifying flora and fauna turns the intrepid hiker into one of nature’s detectives, and a key player in the annals of natural history.

So, you’ve just seen something new that aroused your curiosity. After consulting your field guides and making a tentative ID, affirmation that you have correctly identified your species would be gratifying.  Or, perhaps you remain mystified…

Now there is a way to share and confirm the identification of your discovery with a host of other naturalists and scientists through a web based site called iNaturalist.  All it takes is a cell phone, or camera and you are on your way to solving your mystery while also  contributing …

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Day 2 of the Harper Creek shoreline project

The People Behind the Project

I know that it is never wise to try and thank all of the people who make a project possible because there is always the risk of missing someone, and unfortunately it is the same with pictures.  For instance, I don’t have a picture of our photographer Gina Varrin, or of Sheila Nabigon-Howlett from the Council of Canadians who sat at the information table on Friday afternoon, of J.B. Jaboor who fixed our anchor driver, or of my husband Mark who helped with so many of the logistics, but had to work elsewhere during the two days of the project.

However, pictures are fun and they tell the story, so with apologies to those whose lovely countenances are missing from this post, on with the story….

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