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Category: Fishing

What else needs to be said? Everything fishing is here, from techniques to tackle, hotspots to secrets and all things in between. Send your fishing pics and tell the story behjind it. Was it caught on structure, or open water? What were the weather conditions? From Crappie and bass, to walleye and muskie, we fish for it and you can find it here.

Largemounth bass study underway at Table Rock

Posted on by david

Largemouth Bass

 

Please Credit “Courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation”

News from the Southwest region

Published on: May. 19, 2011

Posted by Francis Skalicky

SPRINGFIELD MO — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the University of Missouri are working together on a radio-telemetry study that will provide information about behavior and habitat use of largemouth bass.

Tracking of the tagged fish will begin this month (May) and will continue through 2012. Each fish will be located once per month during daylight hours. Once every three months, a smaller number of the tagged fish will be tracked for a full 24-hour period to monitor daytime and night-time movements. Once each fish is located information will be recorded such as GPS location, distance travelled from last location, depth and habitat use.

Earlier this year, 60 legal-size (greater than 15 inches) largemouth bass were collected from the Kings River arm of Table Rock and surgically implanted with radio tags. After the fish recovered from their surgeries, they were released back into the lake.

A tagged fish can be identified by a radio-tag antenna coming out of the body cavity and sutures near the fish’s abdomen. Besides a radio tag, each bass in the study was also tagged with an orange tag near the dorsal fin. This tag has a five-digit number unique to each fish. Anglers who catch tagged fish should contact the MDC at 417-334-4859 or e-mail MDC Fisheries Management Biologist Shane Bush at shane.bush@mdc.mo.gov.

When reporting a tagged fish, individuals should provide:

  • Number from the orange tag.
  • Length and weight of the fish.
  • Location the fish was caught (GPS coordinates if possible).
  • Overall condition of the fish.
  • Approximate depth the fish was caught at and if it was near a habitat structure (if known.)
  • If the fish was released or harvested.

This study is part of the Table Rock Lake National Fish Habitat Initiative, a project designed to maintain and improve fish habitat in Table Rock.

Since 2007, the MDC has placed more than 1,500 fish habitat structures in the lake. These structures were marked using GPS. Locations of these structures can be found athttp://newmdcgis.mdc.mo.gov/tablerock.

The NFHI project is a joint effort of the MDC, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other organizations. It is a pilot project for a broader national program focused on habitat protection and restoration in reservoirs throughout the country.

 

Dark side of the Driftless

Posted on by david
May 20, 2011 Our Stories No Comments E-mail This Post E-mail This Post
By Matt Hrodey

A new study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the potential for damage to fish habitats in the Driftless area of Wisconsin, a hilly region in the state’s southwestern reaches, is great, and the damage may have already been done. The findings come from a national survey of fish habitats released earlier this month.

DRIFTLESS FARM (PHOTO BY UW-STEVENS POINT) 

The Driftless area spans about 24,000 square miles and includes portions of southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois, according to the agency. Because the region wasn’t raked flat by the last continental glacier, it’s full of rolling hills and spring-fed streams.

“Just minutes northwest of the state capital, the roads curve gently and the hills begin to rise invitingly,” said a recent story in Milwaukee Magazine. “Before long, there are Holsteins and horse farms, an occasional orchard, a flock of sheep as pale and fluffy as an earthbound cloud.”

The region’s agriculture, however, may be a detriment to its native fish habitats.

Using a variety of factors – including the presence of urban development and the density of farming, livestock, industrial pollution sources and habitat “fragmenters” such as dams and road crossings – the study calculates the risk for “fish habitat degradation” in watersheds.

DRIFTLESS AREA (BY NATIONALATLAS.GOV) 

Most of the state’s southern half is said to be at “high” risk of degradation, but the largest swath of “very high” risk lies in the Driftless.

According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, “Poor land and water management practices including intensive row crops, fertilizer use, channelization, water withdrawals, loss of perennial vegetation and invasive species have caused excessive stream bank erosion, sedimentation and poor water quality.”

The affected area includes the Mississippi River. The Driftless pollution impacts its waters “all the way to the Gulf of Mexico,” according to the study, contributing to low oxygen levels downstream.

The federal agency isn’t saying the region’s waterways are damaged or not, only that there’s a “very high” probability that they already are.

As reported in NewsBuzz, the state Department of Natural Resources recently caught a grass carp, a plant-devouring invasive species, in the Lower Wisconsin River within the Driftless area. Officials believe it had migrated from the Mississippi River during a period of spring flooding.

Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit funded by sport fishermen to support conservation, has organized the Driftless Area Restoration Effort to “protect, restore, and enhance rivers and streams for fish and other aquatic life throughout the Driftless.”

 

Small Fisheries Revitalization Using Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) as an Indicator Species

Posted on by david

Eldon Peters

Environmental Biology and Mathematical Modeling

Instructor: Shannon Leissner   Assistant: Shana Funderburk

Largemouth bass are a good indicator of pond health and will specify the health of the tested pond after the treatment of any adversary conditions.  The study follows the set guidelines obtained by Brady (1981) to determine the procedure needed to correct any problems concerning the pond.  The study involved treating any flaws related to the pond and monitoring its effect on the bass caught.  The bass were then compared to the pre-treatment bass to determine the effect of the revitalization.

Ponds offer an excellent setting in which to study aquatic ecosystems simply for the reason that you can control many of the variables. Because largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are the top predator in a pond, they are affected by everything that lies beneath them on the food chain. This makes largemouth bass one of the best indicators of problems within a pond.  The data gathered in this experiment will specify the elements that need to be added or changed to create healthy pond, which will be indicated as it becomes a good fishing resource for largemouth bass.

There are many factors that contribute to the health of a pond.  Fish attractors such as brush should be placed at different depths throughout the pond.  These attractors will allow a place of ambush for large fish and a refuge for smaller fish.  The shallowest part of the pond should only be two feet deep; this depth will prevent the growth of foreign aquatic weeds.  The temperature should range between 64 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit in order to promote maximum fish growth.  Fish will tolerate a pH range of 4.6 to 11, but will thrive in water with a pH of 6.5 to 9.0.  One side of the pond should be shaded and the other should be open to the wind to churn the water and produce oxygen.  There should be enough phytoplankton to cloud the water, which will indicate that there is a sufficient amount of oxygen to sustain aquatic life (Oster, 1983).

In order to manage a productive pond one must understand the delicate balance of the ecosystem in the pond.  Located at the bottom of the food chain are plants called phytoplankton which use chlorophyll to produce food.  Zooplankton feed exclusively on phytoplankton.  Smaller baitfish feed on zooplankton.  Bream feed on small baitfish, insects, and worms.  Largemouth bass feed on anything from four-inch bream to large snakes (Oster, 1983).

Once a pond is considered unhealthy, a number of tests are run to determine the procedure needed to revitalize the pond.  The pH of the water must be tested.    If the pH is too low, limestone can be added at a ratio of one ton per acre to raise the pH by one unit.  Unfortunately nothing can be done to remedy a high pH (Brady, 1981).

An additional test is needed to determine the quantity and type of phytoplankton present in the pond.  Phytoplankton play a key role in producing oxygen.  If the population of the phytoplankton is too low, the oxygen level will decrease causing fish kills.  Therefore fertilizer must be periodically added to promote the growth of the phytoplankton, but can only be added when the temperature reaches 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pond fertilizer is composed of four parts phosphorus, four parts nitrogen, and two parts potassium.  The fertilizer may be applied anywhere between six and sixteen times a year, depending on the natural fertility of the pond (Brady, 1981).

If there is an overgrowth of phytoplankton, it will block the sunlight that other aquatic plants need for photosynthesis.  When the plants die, bacterial decomposition drains the pond of oxygen.  This oxygen depletion will have a devastating effect on fish.  To counteract the increase of phytoplankton, lime is added to slow the population growth (Pond Management Guidebook, 1989).

Oxygen deficiency is deadly to a pond, but it is easy to fix.  A test kit is used to find the oxygen level of the pond.  If the level is too low, an aerator puts fresh water back into the pond.  The added water should be sprayed through the air so that it causes a splash as it hits the water to intensify the oxygen content.  Another way to increase the oxygen level is to pump water from the bottom of the pond into the aerator.  The oxygenated water, located at the surface, will then shift to the bottom at a faster rate.  The water at the base of the pond will pass through the aerator and back to the surface creating a cycle (Pond Management Guidebook, 1989).

The main food for the largemouth bass in a pond is small bream that spend much of the summer in the vegetation.  If the aquatic plants are too dense, the bream will escape from the bass that are waiting to ambush its prey.  If all the vegetation is removed, the pond becomes oxygen deprived, and the bass lose their places of ambush.  The vegetation must be controlled to provide the optimum conditions for the fish.  Herbicides or aquatic mowers can be used to trim the population, and fertilizer can be used to boost the plant population (Oster, 1981).

In a proper ecosystem, there is a delicate balance between the predator and the prey.  Within the pond, the bass must feed on bream, or the bream will eat the bass eggs and decimate the population.  If the bass population is too large, the bream population will decline and the struggle for food will increase (Fig. 1) (Pond Management Guidebook, 1989).

Study Question

The purpose of this study is to correct the problems within a pond that have contributed to the reduction in fish population over the past three years.  A drop in the number of fish caught indicates a decline in water quality.  Once the problems are fixed, the number of fish will increase along with water quality.

Study Site

This study involves a man-made pond that has a small population of underweight bass.  The pond spans four acres and ranges from 0 to 12 feet deep.  The only wooden structure of the pond is a massive brush pile is at deepest part and lines the entire bank. The edges of the pond present shade on one side and an open bank, where the wind churns the water, on the other.  Water opposite the levy is shallow and offers a place for the fishes to spawn and feed.  The pond is sufficiently fertilized because there is an ample amount of vegetation and phytoplankton growth.

Methods

The methods described in Brady (1981) will be implemented to increase the number of fish caught and ultimately improve the water quality.

Results

The number of largemouth bass caught after pond treatment compared to the number of largemouth bass caught before treatment will indicate the health of the pond.  Lime, aquatic mowers, and  modified topography will be used to correct different problems related to the pond if necessary.

Conclusion

When all of the problems within the pond are corrected, the amount of largemouth bass caught should increase along with a physical growth of all the species.  The number of fish caught will serve as an indicator of pond health, and therefore of water quality, which is a major concern of people today.

Works Cited

Brady, P. 1981.  Pond Management for Sport Fishing in Arkansas.  U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service.  Pages 31-32, 34, 39, 43-47, 49-50.

Pond Management Guidebook. 1989.  NC Wildlife Resources Commission. 23 pages.

Oster, D.  1983.  Largemouth Bass.  Cy DeCrosse Incorporated.  Minnetonka, Minnesota. Page 8-16, 20, 36, 38, 89-126, 135-152.

 

 

Fish Caught

Population Condition

Only recently hatchedBass overcrowded
bream.
Mostly 3″-5″ breamBream overcrowded
Young bass, hatched
bream, few 3″-5″Balanced population
bream.

Fig.-1: Conditions of largemouth bass population based on number and type of

fish caught in a seine (Pond Management Guidebook, 1989).

 

 

A tale of 10 trout

Posted on by david
Published Saturday May 21st, 2011
A7
R. Allen Curry
Commentary

The fishing season is upon us and when the spring flood recedes this season, New Brunswick’s brook trout will face a new onslaught of apparently starving anglers.

Click to Enlarge
Photo: Images NB
Fishermen cast for trout on Lac Baker. The provincial government’s decision to double the catch limit for brook trout in northwestern New Brunswick has raised questions about whether cabinet is playing politics with conservation.

The Minister of Natural Resources, backed by the premier, has increased the number of trout that can be harvested by an angler each day from five to 10 in the streams and rivers of northwestern N.B. According to the minister, he has good data for the trout populations and he is 100-per-cent confident the data demonstrates that doubling the harvest is sustainable. He stated that not all his biologists agree his decision is in the best interest of the trout populations. In addition, his local MLAs asked their constituents if they believed this would be a good decision and some of them thought it was a good idea.

It appears the minister is unsure of the sustainability of the increased harvest, because he is also quoted as promising more stocking of hatchery raised trout to help sustain these populations if they become depleted by harvesting.

Every new government has new ideas and approaches to managing our society’s assets, things like our health care, education, economy, and our environment. This particular tale of 10 trout shows our newest government in action and sends a clear message about Premier Alward’s approach to managing our assets.

 

Five trout, or 10?

The tale begins with a decision based on the proclaimed accurate data. How many fish can we harvest is a question asked by all fisheries managers, and indeed provincial staff are working hard and doing what they can, with very limited people and finances, to set harvest levels across the province. I have published a few scientific papers on N.B.’s brook trout populations, completed some population estimates on these northern and other populations, and have visited many brook trout streams here and across their range, so I asked to see the data the minister used to make his decision.

It won’t surprise you to know that with the continuing reductions in DNR staffing and their operational finances for fish and wildlife monitoring, the actual data is quite limited. It has many gaps, it is highly variable, and the methods for data collection are inconsistent. That doesn’t mean tables and diagrams for reports and presentations can’t be generated, but the results are impossible to interpret and therefore the data are unreliable.

There is data not discussed by the minister, which is staff surveys of how many anglers are out there and how many trout they are taking (angler effort and harvest rates). The existing data have the same quality control issues mentioned, but they tell a consistent story the biologists all agree is real.

In the northwest, anglers on average harvest seven trout per day, and elsewhere the harvest is less than three trout per day. In other words, that region’s trout populations are already under more harvesting pressure than populations elsewhere in N.B.

The statements made by anglers when they are surveyed and documented in reports bear this out: “I will catch 10, bring them back to the camp and then go back to get more.” Critical to decision making, but missing in reports and the minister’s comments, are analyses to show how many trout in total will now be harvested, how that will be monitored, and if increasing the harvest by 100 per cent (five to 10 trout) is sustainable, especially given the known pressure on these populations.

The minister indicated that more stocking of trout in the northwestern streams could occur next year to “help sustain the trout population(s).” If you read the minister’s policy for stocking fish it states, “DNR’s fish management strategies focus on responsible management of fish habitat and fish populations to promote natural reproduction of wild fish populations.”

The policy goes on to state, “it is important that the department consider all other management options prior to stocking.” The easiest option is controlling the harvest by anglers. And, implicit in the policy is that stocking streams is not a preferred option unless the stream supports a sea-run population of trout, which don’t occur upstream of the Mactaquac Dam near Fredericton.

If the northwestern brook trout populations can sustain a 100-per-cent increase in harvesting, why would DNR have to stock non-wild, hatchery trout and additionally, take this action against their policy?

The minister has stated that not all of his biologists agree with an increased trout harvest. He didn’t tell us if that was the majority opinion.

The last of the minister’s statements, and one that the Premier and other ministers are using for other issues, is their consultation with MLAs and their constituents. For the people they talked with, the “reaction was overwhelmingly positive” in favour of increasing the trout harvest.

I’m certain the majority of NBers would overwhelmingly support a reduction in taxes, but that doesn’t make it a wise choice for a sustainable province.

I know many people not in favour of increasing the trout harvest, but they may not have been the loudest voices heard by the minister and Premier. Consultation is an important element for any government initiative, but selective questioning or listening is not the best method to consult, report and act.

 

Act with caution

I’m obviously concerned about the brook trout, because I have no confidence that we understand the consequences of increasing the harvest in this region. If we can’t predict the outcome, then most of us would recommend erring on the side caution until we learned more to improve our likelihood of making the correct decision.

Take, for example, another fish issue, the cod fishery of eastern Canada. Scientists and many fishers stated their concern about continuing to increase harvests, and the decision makers chose to go against this advice. The result was the collapse of those populations and the fisheries they supported, which became both an ecological and economic disaster.

That doesn’t have to be the case in this situation. If the minister wants to change the harvest, an investment in accurate assessments and monitoring for a few years would produce the actual information needed to make a decision that sustains our fish populations and the fisheries they support.

Will the world end if brook trout populations in northwestern N.B. are lost? The answer is no, but by depleting these populations we increase the stress on their ecosystems and degrade the fishing quality and opportunities that were, after all, the original intent of the minister’s actions.

One final item that is disconcerting in this tale of 10 trout is the consistent, low priority placed on the environment by the current governing political party. In addition to the brook trout, this government (even if it didn’t start the process) has decreased the protected forest areas for deer and protecting water, undermined their protection of wetlands, allowed shale gas exploration despite unequivocal concerns for contaminating groundwater, and permitted direct pollution of waterways to allow mining opportunities to proceed. All of these actions are against the spirit of our provincial laws that protect the environment, but this government and prior governments repeatedly invoke discretionary, opt-out-of-the-law clauses provided to ministers. It would be interesting to know how many times this occurs, who benefits, and why.

In fairness to the politicians we elect, it is their job to make decisions regarding how society will operate. In fairness to the people who elect them, politicians should be completely transparent about how they made their decisions.

If a decision to increase brook trout harvests in northwestern N.B. is made because the cabinet believes the majority of voters want it to happen, then just say that despite the best advice of your staff and the majority of experts, your decision is political.

If you make a decision to develop and lose a wetland or pollute one of our waterways, just tell us publicly the reason why. Your honesty would allow people to debate and provide governments with informed opinions about how to manage our society. Indeed, it would be the best solution if the cabinet (and all cabinets) would tell us what political and dollar value it is placing on the loss of a wetland, a stream ecosystem, or a trout population. That knowledge and honesty would go a long way in educating the people whom you represent and garnering their support for your decisions.

Everything I have read and heard about Premier Alward leads me to believe he is an honest person with a desire to bring honesty and transparency to his role as leader of our province.

So far, Premier Alward’s government has yet to demonstrate a willingness to be honest and transparent about his decisions regarding our environment.

 

R. Allen Curry, Ph.D. is a Professor of Recreational Fisheries and Director of the Canadian Rivers Institute at UNB.

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Public Works Builds Fish Habitat in Upper St. Clair

Posted on by david

The stream in front of the post office will now be better for fish life.

By Becky Emmers | Email the author | May 20, 2011

The Upper St. Clair Public Works department teamed up with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission during National Public Works Weekto help improve the stream that runs in front of the post office along McLaughlin Run Road.

“We had a need for some bank stabilization,” said Dave Kutschbach, superintendent of projects for the public works department.

The organizations worked together to design a project that stabilizes the bank and creates a fish habitat.

“We created structures that directs the water down the center,” Kutschbach said.

Channelizing the stream will prevent bank erosion along with providing structures for the fish to live under.

“The structures create some overhead cover for the fish to stay away from predators like birds and raccoons,” said Jon Thomas, from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Thomas said the new structures give the possibility of creating more fish life in the stream.

“There isn’t much here right now, but they’ll start to congregate,” Thomas said.

The fish include basic minnows, daces and carp, he said.

“The structures will stop sediment from going into the streams and make the water better for the organisms,” said Keith Beamer, of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

The Allegheny County Conservation District was also involved with the project.

“It provides dual benefits. Better relationships develop between the township, nonprofits and state organizations,” said Amy Miller, of Allegheny County Conservation. “And it results in a cleaner stream. There’s going to be less sediment so that means less flooding. And it makes it prettier.”

“This project is an example of the township’s commitment to conservation and clean streams,” Kutschbach said.

The public works department also celebrated National Public Works Week with an open house for kids and the community. Click here to read the article.

 

Fishiding helps Premier Outdoor Properties,Inc. improve fish habitat

Posted on by david
cribs ready to go
We recently sent a custom artificial fish habitat arrangement to Nebraska to be installed in Aaron Graham’s personal pond at his home.  Aaron and his two boys stayed up late the night they arrived, each of them creating ther own personal fish attractors by bending them into shape.  We put together a plan for him with a lake map he provided showing depth, contour and swimming areas. After the habitat has been installed, the boys will be sure to let us know how they are doing.
Below you will find an excerpt from a recent premier outdoor properties blog.
"Graham Lake Bass"

Check out this product to create a fish habitat in your pond…and be “green”!!

Written by admin on May 18th, 2011

Fishiding

Spend a little time on this website to learn more about the “green” solution to cost effective fish hiding units!  This company uses “reclaimed products to reclaim habitat”–an amazing new use for vinyl siding!!    http://www.fishiding.com/

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“Cast A Fly…Catch A Student” National Fishing in Schools Program

Written by admin on May 17th, 2011

http://flyfishinginschools.org/mission.htm

Check out this website!!   Be sure to pass this information along to officials at public or private schools, government agencies or non profit organizations that would benefit from this worthwhile program, which provides teachers with all the tools they’ll need to:

  • teach youth how to fish
  • experience outdoor activities and
  • gain a respect for our natural resoures

“Cast A Fly…Catch A Student”.    NFSP, National Fishing in Schools Program

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Double Duo–Spring Fling Trophy Shoot Event

Written by admin on April 15th, 2011

spring fling trophy shoot event

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Check out the latest educational opportunities available through the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission! There’s something for everyone!

Written by admin on April 15th, 2011

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The Big Bucks are on their way!!

Written by admin on March 15th, 2011

The Nebraska Big Buck Classic is just a little over a week away!  Plan now to attend the show where you’ll be able to take in all the latest trophy bucks and view Monster Bucks of the Past–proudly sponsored by Premier Outdoor Properties Inc!  Be sure to stop by our booths #728-729 and say hello–we’d love to visit with you!  Show hours are Friday, March 25, 4pm-9pm; Saturday, March 26, 9am-8pm and Sunday, March 27, 10am-4pm.   Be sure to visit our homepage and enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets for FREE ADMISSION to the event!   We’ll see you at the show!!

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Snapper biting in Port Phillip

Posted on by david

Snapper biting in Port Phillip

Steve Cooper |  May 18, 2011

THE late season run of snapper in Port Phillip Bay has been a beauty.

Reports continue to come in of fish from 3kg to 8kg being hooked from Carrum to Mt Martha in about 19-20 metres.

Good catches have been had off St Leonards and in Corio Bay.

However, as so often happens when there is a good run of fish, there has been an increase in the number of anglers who cannot help themselves – or should that be help themselves to more than they are allowed?

Fisheries Victoria officers say more anglers have been catching more than the legal limit of snapper and hiding them.

Fisheries Victoria director of field services Michael Hodder said two boats were discovered with illegal catches hidden aboard during an Easter blitz.

“One of those involved 35 fish and in the other the angler suffered the embarrassment of having his illegal cache unveiled in front of spectators at Sandringham,” he said.

In early May, another two boats were caught in similar circumstances.

“At Black Rock we found a man had hidden snapper under trays of his tackle box and another boat at Mordialloc had 71 snapper aboard, eight of them undersized and 50 hidden in the folds of the canopy,” he said.

“Two men in their 60s will be charged on summons after the Mordialloc discovery.

“In all four cases, the actions of the fishers have been to deliberately deceive the Fisheries officers, and these actions will not be tolerated.”

Another man will be charged on summons over the Black Rock incident and another six infringement notices were issued.

Fisheries officers also reported an unwelcome rise in the number of people taking undersize snapper in Port Phillip Bay.

Officers have issued more than 40 infringement notices during recent patrols.

Five people have appeared in court and have been fined from $250 to $750 for taking too many snapper.

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing should report it on 13 FISH (13 3474).

The Murray River may be devoid of Murray cod from Barmah to Wentworth but the species, and the rare and endangered freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus), have been a surprise discovery in Hughes Creek at Avenel near Seymour.

A cooperative approach to preserving native fish habitat and controlling pests in Hughes Creek resulted in the surprise discovery.

“We haven’t seen or heard of the catfish in this creek for many years, though it is present at the Tahbilk Lagoon near Nagambie,” Arthur Rylah Institute scientist Jarod Lyon said.

Freshwater catfish are listed as threatened under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.

They were once one of the most common big-bodied fish in the Murray-Darling Basin.

“Part of the creek is home to a strong population of the threatened Macquarie perch and ARI has been working with Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority to get pest fish species out of the creek, particularly European carp, to reduce pressure on the perch,” Mr Lyon said.

“During the follow-up survey work along the creek we found the freshwater catfish, Murray cod, golden perch and Macquarie perch in the same waterholes,” Mr Lyon said.

“The recent strong water flows down the creek helped move these fish into the area.

“It is extraordinary to find three threatened species in one water hole in a section.”

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In season: Terry Hayden shows off a snapper he caught last week in Corio Bay.

 

Lake rehab project continues this summer

Posted on by david

Lake rehab project continues this summer

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This trout may look like a trophy, but it’s likely a rainbow-cutthroat hybrid. An ongoing FWP project is trying to stop hybridization of trout in 21 high mountain lakes along the Hungry Horse Reservoir and in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Posted: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 2:11 pm

By CHRIS PETERSON Hungry Horse News | 0 comments

 

On a hot day last summer, biologists from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks ventured to Danaher Creek, deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and caught hundreds of young purebred westslope cutthroat trout.

The fish made the 24-mile journey out of the wilderness on the backs of mules, packed in water-filled coolers fed with bottled oxygen. Once out of the wilderness, they were transported to their new home at the Sekokini Springs hatchery in Coram.

“We had 100 percent survival,” FWP biologist Matt Boyer told interested anglers last week.

Many of those fish and their offspring will have a new home in the Necklace Chain of Lakes in 2012 as part of an ongoing effort to preserve westslope cutthroats in the South Fork.

Since 2007, the Westslope Cutthroat Trout Conservation Project has slowly, but surely, been replacing non-native fish and hybrids in lakes in the South Fork drainage in an effort to preserve some of the last remaining purebred strains of westslope cutthroats in the nation.

This year, the effort will continue in the Necklace Chain of Lakes in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. In late August, FWP biologists and technicians will treat the small lakes and a portion of the outlet stream with rotenone, a chemical that kills fish.

Rotenone is not hazardous to humans, but it prevents the absorption of oxygen across a fish’s gills. Death comes quickly. Rotenone was first used by South American and Asian natives to catch fish. It was originally derived from the roots of the derris plant, a pea species from Asia, and the lonchocarpus plant, from South America.

Rotenone will be hauled in by mules and applied to the Necklace Chain of Lakes. Biologists will cut the bladders of dead fish that rise to the top to prevent attracting bears and other birds.

The treatment can linger up to three months, biologists note. A chemical that neutralizes rotenone will be applied downstream from the outlets of the lakes to prevent harm to fish further downstream.

All told, the treatment will take a few days. The following spring, the effects of the rotenone will have dispersed, and the lakes can be re-stocked with purebred westslope cutthroat trout.

Prior to treatment, lakes in the conservation project were rife with non-native fish, including rainbow trout, rainbow-cutthroat crosses and yellowstone cutthroat crosses. The worry among biologists is that the continued hybridization of westslope trout with non-native fish eventually will wipe out the purebred cutts in the South Fork.

To date, Black, Blackfoot, Big Hawk, Clayton and Wildcat lakes have been treated and re-stocked. Many of the lakes are fishing well already, Boyer said, and some lakes already have natural fish reproduction just a year after being re-stocked.

Several other lakes are being treated through an effort known as “swamping,” where hundreds of purebred westslope cutthroat trout are added to a lake that contains hybrid fish. As the fish breed overtime, it’s hoped that the hybrid genetics will be squeezed out of the population.

All told, the entire project will cover 21 lakes in the Bob Marshall and Jewel Basin area. Biologists have also teamed up with the Backcountry Horsemen of the Flathead for packing services.

There are challenging waters ahead. Handkerchief Lake poses challenges because the outlet stream, Graves Creek, is short and flows into the Hungry Horse Reservoir. Biologists will have to be careful not to kill trout in the reservoir itself.

One the of the last lakes to be treated will be Sunburst, a large lake in the Bob Marshall that will need thousands of pounds of rotenone for treatment

—————

 

A state hatchery in Coram recently received the final funding it needs to complete its construction. The Sekokini Springs Westslope Cutthroat Isolation Facility, located off the North Fork of the Flathead River near Blankenship Bridge, is one of two hatcheries in Montana where wild, genetically pure strains of trout are accepted.

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council recently approved about $1.8 million in funding for the state-run hatchery that’s been operating as an advanced conservation hatchery for more than a decade. The funding will be used over the next few years to finish the hatchery’s master plan, which calls for an outdoor pond and stream habitat to complement the indoor isolation facility.

While other hatcheries rely on the state’s only westslope cutthroat brood stock at the Washoe Park Trout Hatchery in Anaconda, Sekokini Springs will serve as a diversity resource for Montana waters that have lost genetically pure strains of westslope cutthroat trout over the years, said Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Brian Marotz, who helped manage the Sekokini hatchery since it was acquired by the state in 1998.

Sekokini Springs operated as a private rainbow trout farm for about 40 years on land leased from the Flathead National Forest. The state acquired the improvements, including a 60-by-40-foot building with concrete raceways, for about $70,000. The building was insulated to prevent condensation, damaged siding was replaced, and the artesian springs that supply the facility were capped and piping was installed to secure the water supply from airborne contaminants.

Sekokini Springs is used to quarantine juvenile cutthroat collected from wild sources. The fish are held in raceways, tested for disease and genetic purity, and eventually certified for use as a hatchery resource. FWP has identified about 50 genetically pure strains in the wild to draw from, mostly in South Fork drainages. Cutthroats in other drainages have been exposed to hybridization with rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout strains.

Ironically, Sekokini Springs may have been a primary source for rainbow hybridization in the lower Flathead River system. The hatchery likely “leaked” fish over the years into the North Fork Flathead River, Marotz said. The hatchery now is entirely contained, and its waste water is disposed of through a special drainfield.

With the new funding, the building will be expanded, and two large, still-functioning ponds will be restored and converted into four ponds. Another pond will be created to grow wild feed. Grasshoppers and meal worms already are being cultivated at the hatchery.

Posted in ,  on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 2:11 pm.

 

BIG TROPHY BASS LIVE WHERE THEY ARE – BY BOB LUSK

Posted on by david
BIG TROPHY BASS LIVE WHERE THEY ARE – BY BOB LUSK
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 5:35pm

That Could be Your Fishing Pond

It’s a dream many pondmeisters share. Young son or daughter, in the boat, enjoying the outdoors on your very own fishing pond. Birds flit above, something with scales spanks water’s surface not far from the boat.

For years, pond and lake owners carefully practice pond and lake management tactics. Proper fish stocking, adding cover or fish structure, fish feeding, pond fertilizing, dealing with runaway aquatic vegetation growth.

Long years, short years, go by raising the family, working hard at what you do. Stealing time to go fishing, and enjoying your pond and the outdoors.

Recently, there have been a number of pond owners who let us know if what they are doing is working and they are having a ball. Here are a few photos and some stories to share.

Johnny Tanner, III is a wonderful family man from Carrollton, Georgia. He takes care of a fourth generation grocery business while being the quintessential husband and father, doing what good men do. Of course, his bride takes pretty good care of him, too. She makes great chicken pie. I know that, first hand.

Johnny lives on a lake, plus has property with its own lake, a pet lake project dating years ago. Eight or ten years ago, Johnny renovated the lake just outside of town, restocked it with fish, and is doing everything he can do to have the greatest bass lake he can create.

He is exceptionally passionate about it. He believes in lake management. He believes in proper fish stocking. He believes in God and Country.

In the meantime, Johnny has spent countless hours doing what he can do with the lake behind his home. It’s a community lake with few rules, and few helpers. Over time, Johnny has added fish cover, especially Christmas tree brush piles. He has kept logs of his bass catches, tagged fish, and kept pretty good records. He has tagged fish weighing four to nine pounds.

He has a new story to tell.

Here are his words.

“On September 26, 2004, my son John (who is 8 years old and uses a baitcaster) and I were at Lake Carroll in Carrollton, Georgia about to go for a ride in the boat. I suggested we put a fishing rod in the boat. While we are out there we might as well fish a little bit. Fishing conditions were terrible but we put a rod in anyway. After an hour we had not caught anything. Winds were from the east at 15-20 mph. (Isn’t there a saying that if the wind is from the east the fish bite the least?) It was the day Hurricane Jean was coming up the eastern coast.

“John had picked out a 1/2 oz white spinnerbait. It was 7:00 pm and I cast it out 3 or 4 times trying to find some submerged trees. We had put out several trees in an area using the old pickle bucket method (May – June 1999 Pond Boss article X Marks The Spot). When I finally came across the top of them a bass hit and almost took the rod out of my hand. It was pulling the drag pretty good when I asked John if he wanted to bring it in.

“I handed the rod to John and immediately he said ‘Daddy the fish is going to pull the rod out of my hands.’ I repositioned his hands so the left hand was in front of the reel and the butt of the reel was in his stomach. It was a standstill for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, John started to get some line back on the fish as I moved the boat closer in her direction. John got the trophy bass closer and when she saw the boat, she went straight down. I thought for a minute that the rod was either going in the lake or going to break in half.

“My son John was straining with all he had.

“Finally, the fish came up and I almost had a stroke. I reached down and picked up the giant bass and brought her in the boat. The hook immediately came out of the fish’s mouth. At this point I had no idea how much this fish weighed because I had never, ever seen one this big.

“I had a set of Normark digital scales in my tackle box that went up to 10 pounds. When I put her on the scales, they started flashing like they were broken. I tried it again and again they flashed double zero. Finally, I let the fish down easily on the scale and watched them register 4 pounds the 5 then 6… .7… .8… .9… .then flash. I knew we had the bass of our lives. (My biggest bass ever is 9 pounds 3 oz. which I tagged and released in this lake).

“We got back to the dock and I had another digital scale that went up to 15 pounds. When I put her on those scales they registered an amazing 12 pounds and 4 ounces. I checked the scale when I got back home and it was correct to the ounce.

“The first thing John said is ‘Daddy, can my name be on the plaque,’ which I replied that he had done more work than I had so yes when we get her mounted we will both be on the plaque. What I didn’t tell him is that if I had known the fish was that big, he probably wouldn’t have gotten the rod.

“We kept her alive for a couple of hours in a cooler full of lake water and I debated whether to release her or keep her. I finally thought that in that particular lake I have records going back to 1994 of releasing between 150 and 200 bass that I have personally tagged. Their weights are from 4 pounds to 9 pounds. I also knew that a bass this big probably would have been in the neighborhood of 15 years old or more and had very little life left. So I decided to keep her. It was a tough decision, but when I saw the look on John’s face, and quickly reflected about my life, fishing with my Dad, and looked back at John, it was an obvious decision. I knew John may never see a fish this large again. We have always practiced catch and release and continue to do so.

“Lake Carroll is about 150 acres and full of Crappie and Gizzard Shad. The bass (even the big ones) have plenty to eat.

“Now, Little John and I have a fishing story that neither one of us will ever forget.”

Then there’s 30 acre Fin & Feather Club Lake in Atlanta, Texas. Gordon Pynes and his neighbors are conscientious about pond management in their pristine east Texas fishing hole. A number of people live around the lake and this club works to educate their members. Years ago, the lake was a vegetated mess full of algae and aquatic vegetation, when one of the members took it upon himself to become the caretaker. He had a pond management agenda, one that didn’t necessarily jibe with the rest of the membership. After all, they hadn’t done much pond management, except stocking a few fish now and then. The proactive member got their attention; they united and created a good pond management strategy. They limed the acid water lake to adjust the ph levels, fertilized the pond as needed, set up some fish feeders, and began culling slot bass.

The results on their fishery have been predictably amazing.

Electrofishing surveys have yielded bass larger than twelve pounds. Take a peek at the photos of recent fish collected, weighed and measured.

Then, there’s Stan Graff. You might remember the Pond Boss Magazine cover story several years ago. Stan has had hundreds of gar removed from his 30 acre lake in northeast Texas. With fish feeding stations, and moderate aquatic vegetation control, the program has yielded quick results. Slot sized bass, without competition, have grown to look like footballs with a mouth.

You can’t wipe the grins off the guys’ faces. Fishing is fun again at Flagg Lake.

Everyone enjoys looking at giant fish. But, knowing the effort it takes to provide the best habitat, best forage fish, best genetics and best pond management to create a moment in life is staggering to think about. Everything must come together at the right time, at the right place. Even when the stars line up, there’s no guarantee what you do will work. But, here are three shining examples where pond management has paid off.

POND BOSS Magazine is the world’s leading resource for fish, pond and fisheries management information including discussions on muddy water, raising trophy fish, fish feeding, building a pond, algae control and more. Check us out at www.pondboss.com or contact Bob Lusk, the Pond Boss himself, at 903-564-5372. His books, Basic Pond Management, Raising Trophy Bass and Perfect Pond, Want One, may be purchased by calling 800-687-6075 or ordering online at www.pondboss.com

 

 

Natural Fish Habitat

Posted on by david
Fish Habitat        

Vernon County
Land & Water Conservation Department

In some streams, sport fish populations are limited by the amount of available cover and shelter (submerged boulders, logs, tree roots, undercut banks, and overhanging vegetation). Fish use these protective areas to rest, hide from predators, and catch food items drifting in the swirling currents that occur around submerged structures, and avoid territorial conflicts. Large sport fish often select a sheltered site as their territory from which they exclude other adult fish. Adding boulders, anchoring logs and trees, and building platforms along the banks can increase Sport fish abundance in streams without sufficient cover.
Sediment from eroding banks may cover the streambed and destroy productive spawning areas. Over-hanging grassy vegetation is of critical importance to fish habitat, providing cover places for insects to live and shade to keep the water cool. The full potential of a fishery can’t be reached without adequate vegetative cover.
Streambank erosion from agriculturally impacted banks contributed an estimated 17,112 tons (24%) of the total sediment delivered to surface waters in the Middle Kickapoo River watershed alone.
In-stream structures are built to extend out into the stream channels.They are intended to protect eroding streambanks and create hiding, resting, and feeding places for sport fish.
One example of an in-stream structure is a weir. A weir is basically a “V” shaped line of large rocks that points upstream. The flow of the water over the weir creates a deeper pool immediately downstream.
Weirs can be used in any size stream. Frequently, streambeds need to be narrowed to increase the rate of water flowing over the in-stream structures.
Small, deeper pools are sometimes also built into streams. Whenever fish habitat structures and in-stream work is planned, the streambanks are stabilized as part of the process.
Frequently, LUNKERS are installed when the streambank is being stabilized. (Find out more about LUNKERS here).
This LUNKERS was placed along a streambank.
After the LUNKERS have been installed, they are covered with rock. Soil covers most of the rock, and will be seeded.
In a relatively short time, the grasses planted along the streambank will take hold and help to naturalize the area.
Besides stabilizing streambanks, reducing the sediment entering our fresh water streams, and creating a desirable habitat for fish, streambank stabilization/fish habitat improvement projects become almost invisible once they have aged.

 

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