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In an attempt to determine whether the West Concord section of the Assabet River can sustain trout, a local resident and college student, Miles McCloy, has developed a plan to stock approximately 1,200 brown trout in the river this spring. Miles is doing this as part of a college project, and he has asked for the support of the Greater Boston Chapter of Trout Unlimited (GBTU).
GBTU has endorsed the project as an exploratory effort towards the ultimate restoration of the Assabet. The section of the river that runs through West Concord is federally-designated as a Wild and Scenic River . It is a beautiful stretch of water with multiple riffles and runs. Earlier this winter, chapter members accompanied Miles to survey the stretch he wants to stock. Miles showed the location of a number of springs, which we hope will act as thermal refuges for the trout during the heat of summer.
The Organization for the Assabet River , an advocacy group, is supportive of the project, as is Mass Wildlife and the Town of Concord . The river will be open to fishing starting in the spring. Although not officially designated as a state Catch and Release area, Miles has obtained the permission of the Concord Conservation Commission to post the area with signs indicating there is a trout restoration effort in progress, and to request that anglers return all trout to the river.
GBTU will provide organizational and logistical support to Miles in this endeavor. GBTU will assist Miles in building the containers needed to float-stock the river, and help him monitor the river throughout the season with temperature and flow readings, as well as keeping some type of river log of activities along the stretch. One of Miles' and GBTU's primary goals for this project is to see whether these fish will be able to hold over through the summer into the fall and spawn successfully.
If you would like to be involved in any aspect of this project, please contact:
Peter Schilling at GBTU
phone: 617-244-5126
e-mail: PMACDS@aol.com
Please contact Miles if you are interested in making a donation to support the project.
Miles McCloy or Andy Bonzagni at Concord Outfitters
phone: 978-318-0330
Web site : www.concordoutfitters.com.