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+--- Thread: More on Red Fleet Walleyes (/showthread.php?tid=420621)
More on Red Fleet Walleyes - TubeDude - 06-05-2008
[cool][#0000ff]We had a post last week that announced the findings of walleyes in Red Fleet. Brett Prettyman had a writeup in this morning's Outdoor section of the Tribune that provides more info. [/#0000ff]
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Walleye found at Red Fleet; reward offered for culprits
[url "mailto:brettp@sltrib.com?subject=Salt Lake Tribune: Walleye found at Red Fleet; reward offered for culprits"]By Brett Prettyman
The Salt Lake Tribune[/url]
Article Last Updated: 06/04/2008 07:07:57 PM MDT
Whoever illegally introduced walleye in Red Fleet Reservoir probably thought they were increasing the number of species available for anglers. In reality, they may have put an end to all fishing, at least temporarily, at Red Fleet.
Division of Wildlife Resources biologists found walleye, an aggressive predatory fish, in Red Fleet during routine net surveys last week. The fish have never been stocked legally in the reservoir because Red Fleet is not very productive and cannot sustain walleye in addition to the rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill already there.
Twenty-two walleye, representing at least two age classes, were caught in two of the three survey nets placed by fisheries officials.
The threat of a walleye takeover at the reservoir led fisheries biologists to ask DWR director Jim Karpowitz to sign an emergency order requiring anglers to kill all walleye they catch at Red Fleet. That order was signed Wednesday.
To show anglers that this "bucket biology" is not acceptable, two fishing clubs have donated money for a $2,500 reward to catch the people who illegally planted the walleye. Rocky Mountain Anglers, a group that promotes fishing for all species in the state, but focuses on walleye, contributed $500.
"No. 1, it is an illegal introduction. We are also concerned about the fact that people put them in lakes that are not managed for walleye and it just destroys the resource that is there," said Brad Cutler, president of Rocky Mountain Anglers. "We like fishing for walleye, but we understand that we really don't have a lot of waters in the state that are good for them."
The Utah Bass Federation has a standing offer of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any case involving the illegal introduction of fish in any Utah water. Another $1,000 was obtained from the DWR's Help Stop Poaching Hotline.
DWR officials and Cutler admit that catching people who illegally introduce fish into new waters is tough, but say the effort should still be made.
"It will be difficult, but my guess is someone knows," Cutler said.
Biologists will monitor the lake; if they feel the walleye population has grown beyond a point where angling can control the fish, a chemical treatment will be pursued. That will wipe out all the species in the reservoir.
"Treating a reservoir of this size is expensive and also complicated by the fact that Red Fleet Reservoir provides culinary water to the Vernal area," Roger Schneidervin, northeastern region aquatics manager for the DWR, said in prepared release. "We simply will not accept and manage a fish species that some irresponsible individual has illegally introduced."
Wildlife biologists are concerned about walleye becoming established in the reservoir, which could lead to them eventually ending up in the Green River. The Green is home to Colorado pikeminnow and razorback suckers, both endangered species that could be affected by walleye.
This is not the first time walleye have been found in Red Fleet. One walleye was caught in a net six years ago and another was landed by an angler the same summer. Because no walleye have appeared in gill nets since then, officials had hoped that all the illegally introduced fish had been removed.
"It's difficult to emphasize just how much damage an illegal introduction can cause to a fishery or an entire aquatic ecosystem, for that matter," Schneidervin said. "The monetary cost and lost fishing opportunities are going to be felt by anglers and taxpayers alike."
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Re: [TubeDude] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - lov2fish - 06-05-2008
man this sucks [mad] i have never fished there but if they have to kill all the fish that are already there that sucks.
We should all meet up there one sat and just consantrate on the eye and hit them where it hurts.
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Re: [TubeDude] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - Troll - 06-05-2008
To bad for Red Fleet. I say don't treat it. If Walleye eat themselves out of house and home, so be it. Let it be a lesson to bucket bio's. You mess with a fishery and ruin it, it stays ruined forever.
As far as Walleye in the Green, they can swim up from Powell or down from Starvation as it is now, mute point.
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Re: [TubeDude] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - HaggardW - 06-05-2008
Wow, I love Red Fleet... I spend a couple weeks a year up there. I'm thinking my problem is going to be targeting Walleye - I typically fish techniques and baits which aren't exactly a Walleye producer, and if I attempt to target them I have a feeling I will end up releasing little bows all day
I have a feeling the fishing would be pretty slow just looking for Wally, but perhaps I will dedicate a second pole to the hunt.....
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Re: [HaggardW] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - TubeDude - 06-05-2008
[cool][#0000ff]Theoretically, there are tackle and techniques that work better for targeting walleye. But, the truth is that there are probably many times more wallyes caught in Utah by accident, while fishing baits or lures for other species, than by fishing specifically for them. Whatever you are fishing for bass or trout will catch walleyes too. And sometimes, what you fish for walleyes catches only the "other guys".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The more you know about walleyes and how they feed in any given water...and where they like to hang out...the better your chances of catching a few. But, in most waters that have walleye, there are other predator species too...and they all feed on the same food sources. So, in many cases, when you find perch, bluegill or bass you can often find walleyes too. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The main difference is that walleyes are more bottom oriented than some other species (like bass). And, they sometimes can be taken better at night. Serious walleye chasers at Starvation, for example, fish for perch during the day and walleyes at night. Perch seldom bite at night and walleyes feed well after dark...especially during the warmer months.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The bad news...it is virtually impossible to clean out a lake's walleye population by angling methods alone. Walleye are too tough to catch and they would never get down to less than a breeding population only through the efforts of anglers. But, it is possible to remove enough from the ecosystem to delay the inevitable. Just like at Yuba, there will be a balance of walleyes and perch for awhile, but sooner or later the walleye population will expand beyond the point where there are enough perch to feed them. Then, CRASHO. The boom bust cycle has been completed once again.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That is the likely outcome at Red Fleet, if they are not poisoned. The will slurp up all the other species, while they are young and tender, and pretty soon the older "forage" species will die out and there will be no more food for the walleyes. CRASHO. Nothing but a few skinny walleyes until they die out too.[/#0000ff]
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Re: [TubeDude] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - HaggardW - 06-05-2008
Your forecast doesn't leave me feeling warm and fuzzy TD
[
]Well, I for one will give it a heck of a try (operation wipeout wally) although I have never caught them in RF before but I usually fish close to the surface... this year I might just bounce me a worm or minnow.... we'll see what happens
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Re: [HaggardW] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - TubeDude - 06-05-2008
[cool][#0000ff]If you want warm and fuzzy...get a big furry cat. Preferably one that can dive and catch walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I calls 'em as I sees 'em. Hope I am wrong.[/#0000ff]
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Re: [TubeDude] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - HaggardW - 06-05-2008
Got him.... turns out he hates walleye - go figure [cool]
I have heard you say before most Wallies in Utah are caught by accident, I agree, but isn't that more because the popular bait choices (minnows, worms) and trolling methods (tube drifting, etc) are conducive to Walleye?
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Re: [HaggardW] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - TubeDude - 06-05-2008
[cool][#0000ff]Egg zactly. I have caught more walleyes at Willard on cranks and plastics fished for wipers than I have while fishing crawlers or other rigs for walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Same with Utah Lake. I have caught a grundle of walleyes on purpose, but I also have caught a bunch on lures and baits being fished for white bass or catfish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, at both Starvation and Yuba, I rig with stuff that I know will catch both perch and walleyes and just fish away. I catch mostly perch but the occasional walleye climbs on too. it's all good.[/#0000ff]
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Re: [TubeDude] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - fsh4fun05 - 06-06-2008
I can't doubt your knowledge TD, you've been fishing longer than I've been alive but I don't think the walleye will dissapear from Red Fleet unless they poison it. (I hope they don't) I'm not saying I want to see walleye in RF but that bust and boom cycles come and go and there are always the walleyes that survive to the next boom.
Just like chubs in Starvation, the walleye are feeding on perch now but when we have the inevitable bust they will go back to chubs which have been on the down low for the last couple years. Then the 'eyes will shrink and the perch will regain and so on.....
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Re: [fsh4fun05] More on Red Fleet Walleyes - TubeDude - 06-06-2008
[cool][#0000ff]No argument. As long as there is anything edible in the water, at least a few walleyes will survive on whatever is available. They will munch crawdads, insects, leeches...anything. They may be few and stunted under poor conditions, but as they said in JURASSIC PARK..."Nature will find a way".[/#0000ff]
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