There is a massive logjam on Dismal Creek that we took notice of in 2013. Aerial photo archives lead us to believe that the log jam has been there since a major flood in 1986. It is several hundred meters long and spans the full width of Dismal creek and has caused extensive braiding of the creek. It was unclear if the log jam was barrier to fish and what role it may play in the habitat and how it may influence spawning activity.
On May 30 this year, the club coordinated a ‘Grayling Blitz’. Approximately two dozen anglers participated and many fish were caught and PIT-tagged. A PIT tag is a passive transmitter that can be detected by a handheld scanner. Our hope was that some of the fish tagged below the log jam would be scanned at a future time above the log jam, and vice versa.
On June 12, Brendan (2015 Alberta Environment and Park field staff) was fishing downstream from the log jam and recaptured one of the grayling that was originally tagged upstream from the logjam.
This is our first proof that the logjam is not a barrier – although there are still many unanswered questions about the impact that it creates.
