Scofield Netting Results

[k2muskie]

Biologists are pleased with the fishery at Scofield Reservoir! We just completed spring gill netting and would like to share some of the results.

The cutthroat trout catch rates are the highest we’ve seen in the last 20 years. Their lengths ranged from 11-27 inches, and the average length was 13.5 inches. Nets collected five cutthroat trout over 25 inches and 7 pounds, and most of those fish were released. The largest cutthroat of the day was 26.5 inches and 8 pounds (and the fish was released).

The rainbow trout catch rates are the highest we’ve seen since 2009. Their lengths ranged from 11-16.25 inches, and the average length was 13.5 inches. We saw the highest combined catch rate for all trout since 2010.

The nets collected eight tiger muskies and their lengths ranged from 20-26.5 inches. The average length was 25 inches. Stomach contents had 2 6-8” chubs

Nets collected a single wiper: 14.75 inches.

We’re seeing a continual decline in Utah chub catch rates. This was the lowest spring catch rate for chubs that we’ve seen since 2007. This is partially because of cold water temperatures and the chubs haven’t moved to into shore. However, there has been a significant decline in chub numbers over the last four years — significant enough that the rainbows are surviving and growing. The average size Utah chub was 10.11 inches — that number is increasing, indicating an older population.
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[Kent]

Nice to hear it is headed in the right direction.
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[cje04]

Thanks for the info!
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[Theekillerbee]

Very cool!
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[Northman]

Those Rainbows look like they were raised in a hatchery to get to that size then planted. The fish tails don’t get beat up like that getting planted as fingerlings then growing to that size in the lake. You can’t plant 14 to 16 inch Rainbows in the fall then net those same fish in the spring to justify that the “management”plan is working. The Hail Mary was that the Wipers could mow down the chubs.... and they found one that survived the winter. The only good thing I can see is that the Tiger muskys are doing well. But the muskys take advantage of the large chub population not control it.
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[Troll]

Nice.

Interesting how 2 of the muskies were so close in the net.

Notice the crawfish...yummy.
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[Fishrmn]

[quote Northman]Those Rainbows look like they were raised in a hatchery to get to that size then planted. The fish tails don’t get beat up like that getting planted as fingerlings then growing to that size in the lake. You can’t plant 14 to 16 inch Rainbows in the fall then net those same fish in the spring to justify that the “management”plan is working. The Hail Mary was that the Wipers could mow down the chubs.... and they found one that survived the winter. The only good thing I can see is that the Tiger muskys are doing well. But the muskys take advantage of the large chub population not control it.[/quote]
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The rainbow trout catch rates are the highest we’ve seen since 2009. Their lengths ranged from 11-16.25 inches, and the average length was 13.5 inches. We saw the highest combined catch rate for all trout since 2010.

They didn't plant Rainbow Trout from 2013 through most of 2017. Of course the catch rate has gone up.



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[dubob]

[quote Northman]Those Rainbows look like they were raised in a hatchery to get to that size then planted. The fish tails don’t get beat up like that getting planted as fingerlings then growing to that size in the lake. You can’t plant 14 to 16 inch Rainbows in the fall then net those same fish in the spring to justify that the “management”plan is working. The Hail Mary was that the Wipers could mow down the chubs.... and they found one that survived the winter. The only good thing I can see is that the Tiger muskys are doing well. But the muskys take advantage of the large chub population not control it.[/quote]
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[wiperhunter2]

Bob, you know you just can't reason with the Naysayers, no matter what the stats say they will always come back with, "If they has poisoned it we would have been better off", more and more evidence mounts that the DWR's new approach is working and in a much shorter time. I say, nice going DWR for thinking outside the box and going a different direction.
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[Northman]

How can you look at the picture of the Rainbows on the measuring board and not see the thin belly’s with extra skin? Or the beat up fins? These are hatchery raised fish that have gone hungry since being introduced to the reservoir.

I read a book to my children when they were little that I think you could benefit from. It’s called “The Emperor has no clothes”.
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[Stickleback]

Without asking and knowing it was a DWR doing a study I would guess from the “thin belly’s and loose skin” that they all just had their stomach’s pumped for a diet analysis. But I am just assuming and we all know what that means.
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[dubob]

[quote Northman]How can you look at the picture of the Rainbows on the measuring board and not see the thin belly’s with extra skin? Or the beat up fins? These are hatchery raised fish that have gone hungry since being introduced to the reservoir.

I read a book to my children when they were little that I think you could benefit from. It’s called “The Emperor has no clothes”.[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]I'm very surprised to learn that you can actually read based on your lack of comprehension of what has been written in this post thus far. And since you continue bad mouthing the DWR without full knowledge or understanding of their methods and data analysis, I'll say it again.[/size][/#800000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3][/size][/#800000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Apparently you feel an overzealous desire to remove all doubt. Our Constitution's First Amendment gives you that right, so go for it - remove all doubt.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[catchinon]

We caught plenty of fat, feisty, and full-finned rainbows there last fall and again through the ice. I know it is only "anecdotal evidence" but I'll bet other members could contribute a boatload of similar experiences. And I couldn't even catch one chub to enter in the Other category in the Ice Fishing Challenge, dang it! []

I like the old saying, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." I doubt that anyone can convince you and your ilk that things are going well, and I'm sorry about that. Those who are convinced that the plan is working well base it on empirical evidence, personal experience, and reports of others. I don't know what you base your opinion on. Maybe you guys go around in circles telling each other how bad things are.
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[Northman]

The DWR does a excellent job on most body’s of water. Scofield over the last decade has not been one of them. Scofield is capable of being the number #1 body of water in the state for Rainbow trout. When I see Rainbows come out of that reservoir that are fat I will know that things are on track. I don’t care if it’s a 12” bow as long as it’s fat.

I think a huge opportunity was missed when the lake level was so low last year to do a treatment. Now with all the snow pack it will likely fill to full capacity. What are the chances the chub population doesn’t explode with favorable water conditions?

Time will tell which of us is the idiot....
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[Northman]

Be a sport and post up some pictures of these fish you are catching.

Do they look like these?
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[catchinon]

Those are some nice looking rainbows. Sure, some of the ones we caught last fall looked like those; I expect that it will take a little longer for all of them to grow up. I don't take a lot of photos of what I catch because I don't have anything to prove to anyone (except for in the contests I enter). Maybe I should do more because it seems people like to see fish the members here catch. Where did you catch those nice fat fish? Maybe you should just fish there and not worry about Scofield.

P.S. I was in favor of rotenoning Scofield and was at first dubious that the DWR management plan would work. I was pleasantly surprised that it did. Let's give it a little longer to see how it all works out. After all, how big would the rainbows that would have been planted after killing the lake be by now? And what would they have used as a forage base?
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[dubob]

[quote catchinon]I like the old saying, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]This would about sum it up for him:[/size][/#800000][/font]

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[Northman]

Those fish were caught at Scofield... Notice the fins aren’t beat up or thin belly’s even after being cleaned. Rainbows this size were the normal before the DWR implemented the 8 fish trout limit to “fill the coolers” that was the precursor to the chub explosion. Now here we are, being “patient” 10 plus years later.... Here is another picture of a ice fishing trip we took in 2006. These large Rainbows were extremely common and not even the big boys in the reservoir. I think it has been so long since fishing has been like that people have forgotten and are happy to see anything.
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[Northman]

Hey, no hard feelings. If the DWR tells you that brownies are tapered on both ends and found in the grass, I’m still going to tell you it’s dog crap before you eat it.
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[Kent]

[quote catchinon]

After all, how big would the rainbows that would have been planted after killing the lake be by now? And what would they have used as a forage base?

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That all depends on when they would have poisoned the reservoir, but definitely, they would be growing much faster than they are now.

They would be eating what they are eating now plus everything that the chubs are eating would also be available to the other fish to eat. Rainbows don't need minnows to eat to grow huge.
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