Fishing Forum

Dave Teuscher sent me an email as he couldn't get it to go through on what I think was Leaky's email. He asked that it be posted.

Letter quote:


I tried to get this message to one of the anglers that posts to website, but for some reason his Email keeps getting kicked back (email address left out) Anyway perhaps you can post my response on Condie given that many others are interested.


Thank you for taking the time to share your information and pictures from Condie Reservoir. I share your concern for this tremendous warmwater fishery.

Entrainment of fish through the outlet at Condie Reservoir occurs every year, but is worse when the reservoir is drawn to its lowest point. As you observed, the outlet gate is wide open but no water is flowing out of Condie. The remaining water in the reservoir is at an elevation below the outlet. Many of the small irrigation reservoirs in Franklin County have similar non-active storage that exists below the outlet gates. The remaining pool of water, while it looks inadequate, generally supports enough fish to maintain the fishery. Not to say that the remaining water level is at all ideal, but a surprising number of bass and other species survive the low water condition. For example, the last time Condie Reservoir was this low was in 2007. The nice bass that you and many other anglers were enjoying the past several years, especially bass over 14 inches long, survived the minimum pool condition that occurred in 2007.

Because of the minimum pool, IDFG rarely places Condie on salvage. If we had placed Condie on salvage in 2007, would your angling experience have been negatively impacted over the past several years? Also, similar to this year, when the reservoir hit its low in 2007, a fish kill occurred in the canal below the reservoir.

Another strong indication that many fish still remain in the current minimum pool is the large flock of foraging pelicans. I counted 148 American white pelicans foraging at Condie the past two days. The pelicans were aggressively foraging on fish in the reservoir. I don’t know exactly how many days the pelicans have been targeting Condie, but I believe it has been over a week.

Each pelican has a daily consumption demand of about 2.5 pounds of fish. The 148 pelicans counted yesterday foraging at Condie will consume about 370 pounds of fish per day. That is over 2,500 pounds per week. Those kinds of predation losses on top of the impact of low water will negatively impact the reservoir fishery. While pelicans were counted at Condie in 2007, the numbers were a small fraction of what I counted the past two days.

Yesterday, I observed 7 tagged pelicans at Condie. Five were from Blackfoot Reservoir, one was from the nesting population at Minidoka and one was from the Great Salt Lake colony. IDFG is working to try and manage the Blackfoot Reservoir pelican population. In the past few years, IDFG has introduced predators to the nesting islands, fenced off portions of the nesting islands, and most recently oiled pelican eggs. Oiling the eggs prevents hatching.

I am interested in your feedback on our decision to not place Condie on salvage. It is a difficult decision that has been weighted heavily on the past performance of fish that survive in the minimum pool. However, the addition of significant pelican predation may change how we view the situation in the future. We will continue to do our best to monitor the fishery, evaluate our management strategies, and do our best to meet angler demands. If you would like more specific information on Condie’s bass populations, we have several reports documenting fishery trends in Condie along with age and length data for largemouth bass.

Dave

David Teuscher
Regional Fisheries Manager
Southeast Region
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
[url "http://tel:208-232-4703"]208-232-4703[/url]
[signature]

I was feeling optimistic until the pelican part. They've been there a lot longer than a week. They began to arrive about 4 weeks ago at least. Their numbers have just been increasing. I'm not sure why they can release predators, oil the eggs, etc, but they can't just plug the nasty buggers. It certainly seems like the population is out of control.

I would definitely be interested in reading the Condie studies that Dave has.
[signature]

Is there a season on Pelicans? Bet they taste like chicken.
Wonder how much of their diet comes from the easy pickin's below the dam, and how much is preferred fresh and wiggly (just like Gollum like's 'em!)

Thanks for sharing the note CP. Interesting information. So a minimum pool is when they hit the end of the outflow? Suppose dry conditions beyond that could continue to draw down, evaporate whats left.

Still seems a shame they couldn't even cover up the slot signs in the last days . . . knowing . . .

So now I wonder if a minimum pool in other reservoirs is a physical barrier, while a lake like Newton has irrigation pumps to draw water out, along with the outflow itself. I need to go have a look see where it's at. Try to visit another lake or two up there.

I hear Glendale's dropping pretty good too?


Guess it's kinda like the Matrix. This has all happened before.... and will happen again . . .

[quote cpierce]
\ The remaining pool of water, while it looks inadequate, generally supports enough fish to maintain the fishery. Not to say that the remaining water level is at all ideal, but a surprising number of bass and other species survive the low water condition. For example, the last time Condie Reservoir was this low was in 2007. The nice bass that you and many other anglers were enjoying the past several years, especially bass over 14 inches long, survived the minimum pool condition that occurred in 2007.

Because of the minimum pool, IDFG rarely places Condie on salvage.
Dave

David Teuscher
Regional Fisheries Manager
Southeast Region
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
[url "http://tel:208-232-4703"]208-232-4703[/url][/quote]

Ok, I take it from this that salvage in this reference means to have no limit on the fish as they think the population will die off anyways.
If that is the case and from the other comments made here wouldn't it be important to suspend fishing altogether until the water levels at the least are less stressfull on the fish?
Also, are there plans to put more water in before the winter season to prevent winter kill? If it is mentioned in there I missed it.
I have not seen this reservoir nor have I looked yet at the puddle picture of it (just the outlet one). From what I read here those would seem to make sense to me.
[signature]

The pelicans are FEDERALLY protected. Dave has fought a long time to get the actions he has taken so far on the Blackfoot Res population of pelicans. They have had to do a ton of research and then use the endangered cutthroat card to be able to do the limited actions they have. The pelicans and comorants have completely wiped out some reservoirs in the past and stocking became a bird feeding exercose.

But Idaho F&G can't do anything to the ones that are flying from the Minidoka NATIONAL Wildlife Refuge. That population of pelicans will just continue to get larger and wipe out more reservoirs. Some are even coming up out of Utah.

If you are interested in the pelican problem he has two videos on the Blackfoot problem and the actions they have taken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khJ-0nB1Cls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7k8Qhfzw...ure=relmfu

For Condie now those birds may be a death sentence. With the low pool the fish have very little chance of hiding.
[signature]

To salvage or not????? Remove the length limit?? Move the remaining fish to another reservoir???

Yes, minimum pool on most of the reservoirs is when the outflow can't draw it down further. A physical barrier rather than a water right stop.


I don't think they can remove the 20 inch limit for two reasons. First that any changes to the existing regulations has to be approved at the state level, Second the 20 inch limit is at the request (dictation) of the canal company.

If they salvage it, what fish are there will go home and be used, but it will be a long long long time before the reservoir recovers. Right now the birds are salvaging it!
It maybe too late.

Move the fish to other reservoirs? Which ones won't draw down? Which ones won't be on the pelicans hit list next?? Might be a solution, but then Condie is a write off.

As far as stopping the fishing that seems to have pretty much stopped on its own.....except for the pelicans. People that fish there do so as catch and release and most of them don't want to stress the fish. It might be better if there were people out there pushing the pelicans off.

The water level might rise if we get lots of rain AFTER the gates close at the end of irrigation season. I really don't know what the water rights are on that.

We need rain and snow. Lots and lots of rain!!!
[signature]

That's too bad, those things are a plague. Now I just need to think of a creature that has a voracious appetite for pelican meat and let it go there [crazy]
[signature]

They are a plague! I think they were removed from the endangered species list, but we still can't do anything about them. They are still being federally protected. Go figure that one out.

Idaho now has huge nesting colonies of pelicans that we never had before. This is way beyond what were here before the pelicans were even thought of being endangered. Talk about overkill.

I am amazed that they got permission to oil some of the eggs this year. I am thankful for that at least!


For myself I can't think of anything we can do for Condie other than hope enough of the fish dodge the pelicans.
[signature]

This may not be a popular post but, actually, I was very pleased at his attempt to explain things and share our concern.
I Thank him! [frown]
[signature]

Definitely, this is the kind of info I've been wanting. I want to get some more info on some other fisheries from him too.
[signature]

No, you're exactly right. We knew there weren't many options available, and so I think many of us were waiting to hear from those we're paying to assure us that they're cognizant of the issues at hand and are vigilant in their efforts.
[signature]