Every fall we try to get to Owen Sound during the salmon migration in late September or early October. It's easy to spot the salmon, and lots of fun. For us it celebrates the success of the Sydenham Sportsmen Association. They run two fish hatcheries and stock thousands of tiny fish each year. The fish ladder they built around the mill dam in Owen Sound was the first in Ontario. We get to see some of those fish when they return to spawn.
Our favourite viewpoint is the bridge over the Sydenham River, right in the middle of Harrison Park.
You can look right down between the supports of the bridge railing and see the fish swimming up against the current.
This year we saw more than we ever have; they were constantly swimming below our feet.
They had to struggle a bit to get over the low barrier 50 feet downstream, but they had little trouble.
They almost seemed to follow each other in small groups. It made me wonder if there was a similar effect in the water that migrating geese are said to experience in the air, each one benefitting from the air flow in front. Tomorrow a bit about the history of Great Lakes salmon.
Amazing! Thank you. I don’t eat fish so it’s nice to think of them going about their business, presumably happily,
ReplyDeleteI watched something similar with fewer fish last week. Interesting, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWow that is so cool. You got some terrific pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteVery neat! Before you said it, I thought of the migrating geese as well.
ReplyDeletethis would be fascinating to watch.
ReplyDeleteI learned something new today - I wasn't aware that there were Great Lakes salmon. I've seen a salmon run in BC, though it was late and there weren't a very many fish remaining. Looking forward to hearing about the history.
ReplyDeleteThere is a salmon ladder in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland to help Atlantic salmon on the Exploits River. It was always exciting to watch the salmon there. I would enjoy watching the salmon as you did.
ReplyDeleteThat was very interesting. I did not know about it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that they built the first fish ladder in Ontario. We have one on a nearby dam to let shad move upstream, but few, if any, can get past three huge dams on the lower Susquehanna River -- maybe someday.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, very interesting and great photographs too.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
We used to see them on the Ganaraska River at Port Hope when I was a youngster. We have a taxidermrd 32 inch salmon on our wall. My sister won a prize with that beauty, caught just off Oshawa in Lake Ontario.
ReplyDeleteIt is so great that you got to see this.
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