[url "http://magicvalley.com/lifestyles/recreation/why-are-the-walleye-skinny-in-salmon-falls-reservoir/article_d33124da-af3c-5390-ad55-4ceef162790b.html"]http://magicvalley.com/lifestyles/recreation/why-are-the-walleye-skinny-in-salmon-falls-reservoir/article_d33124da-af3c-5390-ad55-4ceef162790b.html[/url]
[signature]
interesting that a trout state is "trying" too manage walleye's, maybe they should talk too a neighbor state like say Montana too help them manage the reservoir? there are people with experience i'm sure with reservoirs that are used for irrigation there that have a healthy walleye population, I like the fact that they are letting them sink tree's too help the smaller fish..... someday it will get there.... hopefully,
Matt
[signature]
Bass don't grow fast out there either. They plant 1000s of trout to keep bank fishers happy. I've got way points of the structure, but walleye fishing bores the hell out of me. They give away the fish when they survey. Maybe they oughta plant smaller trout?
[signature]
You are right Matt they would kill every walleye if they could. Just like Oregon. South Dakota says Walleye fishing brings in one hundred million a year to the state economy . Maybe Idaho could use some of that kind of $$ to build up walleyes and pheasants but I doubt it will happen....got to save them trout [:/]
[quote Duck-Slayer]interesting that a trout state is "trying" too manage walleye's, maybe they should talk too a neighbor state like say Montana too help them manage the reservoir? there are people with experience i'm sure with reservoirs that are used for irrigation there that have a healthy walleye population, I like the fact that they are letting them sink tree's too help the smaller fish..... someday it will get there.... hopefully,
Matt[/quote]
[signature]
[quote DonaldC]
You are right Matt they would kill every walleye if they could. Just like Oregon. South Dakota says Walleye fishing brings in one hundred million a year to the state economy . Maybe Idaho could use some of that kind of $$ to build up walleyes and pheasants but I doubt it will happen....got to save them trout [:/]
[quote Duck-Slayer]interesting that a trout state is "trying" too manage walleye's, maybe they should talk too a neighbor state like say Montana too help them manage the reservoir? there are people with experience i'm sure with reservoirs that are used for irrigation there that have a healthy walleye population, I like the fact that they are letting them sink tree's too help the smaller fish..... someday it will get there.... hopefully,
Matt[/quote][/quote]
Part I love about these boards is seeing transplants move to a state with arguably the best trout fishing in the lower 48 and piss and moan that the state protects the trout fishing in it. Don't like the trout fishing and want something else, take a trip some where else.
[signature]
Don't get me wrong Bmarsh not trying to cause a fight here. I agree Idaho is a great state for trout fishing not putting down trout guys. Just wish F&G would pay some attention to other fresh water fish that others would like to catch. Granted rivers and streams would not be a good mix for different types of fishermen and fish. But walleye fisheries are limited to controlled and confined to reservoirs which don't impact blue ribbon trout streams. Just looking for a little more effort to maintain the 3 walleye fisheries we have here in Idaho.
And I do go else where to fish for walleyes. Go to Columbia River, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Spending my $$ else where on an annual basis.
Part I love about these boards is seeing transplants move to a state with arguably the best trout fishing in the lower 48 and piss and moan that the state protects the trout fishing in it. Don't like the trout fishing and want something else, take a trip some where else.[/quote]
[signature]
And here I thought I was actually getting better at yarding walleye out of there only to find out they are just getting hungrier. [bobmad]
Thanks for posting the interesting article.
Rod
[signature]
[quote DonaldC]
You are right Matt they would kill every walleye if they could. Just like Oregon. South Dakota says Walleye fishing brings in one hundred million a year to the state economy . Maybe Idaho could use some of that kind of $$ to build up walleyes and pheasants but I doubt it will happen....got to save them trout [:/]
[quote Duck-Slayer]interesting that a trout state is "trying" too manage walleye's, maybe they should talk too a neighbor state like say Montana too help them manage the reservoir? there are people with experience i'm sure with reservoirs that are used for irrigation there that have a healthy walleye population, I like the fact that they are letting them sink tree's too help the smaller fish..... someday it will get there.... hopefully,
Matt[/quote][/quote]
I am curious about all of the animosity engendered by a F&G netting study to check on a potential problem. What was the harm in that? What should they have done instead?
What are your solutions?
Where are F&G trying to kill all the walleye in SFCR? Is this a hidden agenda the rest of us don't know about?
[signature]
[quote cpierce]
I am curious about all of the animosity engendered by a F&G netting study to check on a potential problem. What was the harm in that? What should they have done instead?
What are your solutions?
Where are F&G trying to kill all the walleye in SFCR? Is this a hidden agenda the rest of us don't know about?[/quote]
there are some simple steps they "could" take if they wanted too, like call neighboring state's that manage for walleye's too help them out and make the fishery for walleye's alittle better than what it currently is, and just maybe they will share some information on why the walleye are skinny compared too the rest of the country for there length,
"Where are F&G trying too kill all the walleye in SFCR?"
kinda in there hidden way, the only reason anything is every done that doesn't have too do with trout is when either the Walleye or Bass clubs get involved..... Idaho is starting too see the impact of warm water species "slowly" but there are seeing the light I believe, they got cascade going again after they saw that a lot of people didn't come there for trout but perch..... anything dealing with the Gov. has a hidden agenda.....
Matt
[signature]
From the study, I thought it was pretty obvious that they know what is wrong with the walleye. "“It’s their nature to eat themselves out,” Stanton said".
Too many walleye and not enough prey. The relative weight of the fish has dropped progressively.
I don't see where Montana or anywhere else would tell them anything different. Really only two things you can do. Reduce the number of walleye or increase the prey. Thus the suggestion on artificial habitat for more perch etc to survive when the water is down. But even if you increase the prey, more walleye will be born. They need enough harvest to keep their numbers in balance. As they said it is too expensive for F&G to go in and net them, and it looks like raising the limit wouldn't work either as people aren't harvesting their limit now. People and clubs have to get the word out. Harvest your limit. Don't put them back to grow. That just isn't going to happen. They won't grow well until their numbers are more in balance with the food supply.
We've had some bad water years, and it's showing its ugly side. The water drops too quickly for the prey species to spawn, or the spawn is left high and dry. Then when the reservoirs get below the weeds and brush it becomes an open fish bowl with no where for the ones left to hide. They get wiped out.
Maybe with a couple of good water years the prey species will have some good spawns and growth for the walleye will come back up. A waiting game, and not much else F&G itself can do.
Most will have to be up to the anglers. Increase harvest and do all you can to increase the perch numbers. Maybe if the perch numbers are low enough groups could see if there are possibilities of helping with a perch relocation project. That gets pretty spendy and might not be in the F&G budget this year, but if there is enough encouragement maybe it will happen in the near future.
I don't know your F&G people there, but several that I do know in other areas really care about the warm water species too. People think that they aren't doing anything, because they don't see stocking numbers etc. But once put into a reservoir, they seldom need to be restocked. The warm water species are very difficult to manage for that very reason. It is much easier to get a trophy fishery with sterile fish that you can limit the numbers on. Much more difficult not to have boom and bust cycles on the ones that spawn in the lakes.
[signature]
Sorry cpierce just venting in general don't mean to pit one group against another. Just disappointed State doesn't put as much effort and $$ towards warm water fisheries as other states. I do appreciate the interest F&G is showing in SFCR. I guess time will tell if they take any positive action to improve conditions. Till then guess I will keep driving to other states and spending my $$ there.
I am sure u are aware of F&G s effort to get rid of walleyes in
Lake Pend Oreille to save the Kokanee etc. Just worried same philosophy might trickle down here. I doubt we can come up with a solution between us on this board but that's what we do here "give opinions " I guess.... hoping we can all keep enjoying our favorite pastime FISHING [fishin]
Quote: I am curious about all of the animosity engendered by a F&G netting study to check on a potential problem. What was the harm in that? What should they have done instead?
What are your solutions?
Where are F&G trying to kill all the walleye in SFCR? Is this a hidden agenda the rest of us don't know about?
[signature]
35 years ago we'd go out there and catch wash tubs full of big perch, 25 years ago lots of Kokanee in whiskey slough, 20 years ago lots of big white and black crappie. The walleye have got bigger and bigger since they planted them 30 odd years ago. The dam has no way to release water so when is drawn clear down there is still 60 ft of water at the dam. I have lost 1000's of crankbaits on the steep canyon walls and submerged points. The upper end is silting up and the native species are suffering. Thank goodness there are no carp, have caught suckers and chubs but not many. 120 years ago the Indians camped there to catch the innumerable salmon and steelhead. Maybe small trout by the millions is the answer. The elevation is 6000 ft, it is not a warm water fishery. Did catch a largemouth during king of the water. I've caught smallmouth up to 3 lbs but never a bass bag over 10 lbs. that is why there are no bass tournaments there. Trout the size of shad raps would really liven the place up.
[signature]
There is some great fishing in Idaho. I think we have a good mix of both native and non-native species to go after. But not everyone will always be happy with a current condition somewhere. There are things that we can do about it. Go to your local F&G office and talk to the biologists there about your concerns. At the same time express your appreciation for their efforts. Then ask what you or your club can do to help.
They have a really hard job and will never please everyone. Most of them are there because they love their work. It couldn't be for the non-existent money! Budgets for them are always tight. Most people either don't know or forget that our F&G depts are funded only by license sales, not from general state funds. In recent years costs have skyrocketed, while sales of licenses has gone down. A pat on the back can go a long ways.
Walleye and perch will be cyclic in our reservoirs. A few good walleye spawning years such as abt 2010, followed by our last couple of years of drought just about guarantees an imbalance in the feed levels.
The management plan for SFCR is focused on that cyclic problem. Sorry pdf files don't copy and paste well.
Here is some of the management plan info on SFCR:
Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir was completed in 1912 and until the spring of 1984 was considered
a closed system. As a result, it has received plantings of many species of fish through the years.
Record snows in the drainage caused the reservoir to fill and spill for the first time in the spring of
1984. No evidence has been found to indicate that any fish survived the spill below the reservoir.
It currently has a greater variety of game fish species than any other reservoir in the area. Game
species currently in the reservoir are rainbow trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout x rainbow trout
hybrids, brown trout, yellow perch, black crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and
walleye. Salmonids are maintained by hatchery stocking. Walleye and kokanee are the two most
recent additions and both species have done well; however kokanee stocking was halted in 2010
when no kokanee were harvested despite increased stocking levels. With the addition of walleye,
numbers of nongame fish have declined and an additional forage species, the spottail shiner, has
been introduced to supplement the forage base.
The walleye fishery in Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir is very popular with anglers. An angler
survey undertaken on the reservoir in the summer of 1995 indicated approximately 2,900 walleye
were taken by anglers and the number taken per year has been steadily increasing. Trophy-size
walleye are occasionally caught in the reservoir with two state record fish being caught during the
last 5 years. Naturally reproducing walleye populations tend to be very cyclic with a few years of
strong age classes followed by years of low numbers. Walleye forage is also influenced heavily
by walleye abundance which contributes to the walleye cycles and may impact walleye growth.
Trout fishing remains good in the reservoirs with the stocking of larger catchable rainbow trout and
limited numbers of fingerling Yellowstone cutthroat trout x rainbow trout hybrid fingerlings
On going plan:
Monitor angling pressure and harvest. Annual monitoring of both
walleye and walleye forage species. Establish fishing rule options
depending on walleye population chara
cteristics. Emphasize species
diversity. Evaluate return rates of stocked hatchery trout, alter
hatchery requests accordingly
T
[signature]
Maybe it's global warming. Lol
The wife caught a nice trout there last Saturday and it was clear full of eggs. To bad they are sterile hybrids.
[signature]
F&G uses enough money and has a ton of those fingerling trout they could use too feed the reservoir....[sly]
Matt
[signature]
I am sure u are aware of F&G s effort to get rid of walleyes in Lake Pend Oreille to save the Kokanee etc.
I'm not - please do share. I know there has been a huge effort to save the koks up there but as far as I know it's been all about reducing the Mackinaw population.
Rod
F&G boat..... Far as I tell no bag, size, possession limit on walleyes
[signature]
There are lots of empty raceways, I think they sold the water. Something is screwy.
[signature]
Well from what I understand they do stock the trout at a larger size to give them a fighting chance.
They also stopped stocking kokanee since no kokes were getting past the walleye anymore. Maybe that's the problem, they quit feeding them the salmon!
Those are some nice walleye in PO. It seems a shame, but if they get lower numbers on them and the lake trout, maybe the kokes and others will make a comeback. A nice thing is that they will never get all of them out, so if you can find them there should be some good sized walleye in there too. A balance will make it a good all around fishery.
[signature]
Wonder how many native fish still spawn in salmon falls creek above the res? May be a Nevada problem. Why plant hybrids instead of native strains, they already haul fish back and forth from hells canyon and Buhl.
[signature]