04-06-2018, 05:20 PM
Hi All,
Just a few quick comments. DWR has actually been using hoop nets in the inlet channel to capture fish and not gill nets. See attached for a pic of what a hoop net looks like. These nets funnel fish into them and then hold the fish in the throat of the net until we empty them. There is none of the entangling that is involved with gill nets so these are a great gear for keeping fish alive and in good shape. Hoop nets are most effective in flowing water, so they are rarely employed in lakes and wouldn't be a good alternative to gill nets there. This is our first year using the hoop nets in the inlet and though they've been quite successful, the gill nets in the main reservoir still catch a majority of the fish.
While I have not been out there myself working on the hoop nets, I am in contact with those that have been working them almost daily and have not heard of any walleye mortality associated with these nets. The walleye aren't the only fish utilizing the channel this time of year, so these nets do sometimes have quite a few catfish and other spiny fish in them. I think in those cases some fish do get a little banged up, but they usually recover just fine. We do release fish we catch in these nets, but very few of those have been walleye as most of the walleye we catch are transported to our spawning operation. We do occasionally release male walleye that are surplus to our spawning needs that day, but most of the fish that are released have been catfish, yellow perch, and crappie. Since I was not there to see fish that people think were dead after being caught in these nets, I can't totally dispute those claims, but I think the fish were most likely recovering when released and it took them a while to regain equilibrium after being held in the hoop net and possibly bullied by some catfish.
Regarding utilizing the inlet more. This is a good thought but there are a couple things to consider that limit its utility. First, the inlet is only productive for part of the walleye spawn and the proportion of the walleye population that uses it is considerably less than that of the fish that spawn along the shorelines . With this in mind, relying on the inlet alone would considerably limit our egg take. Second, the inlet is only productive as long as the there is considerable flow going into the reservoir. Our catch of fish usually dries up in the inlet about half way through the spawn, which is another reason we can't rely solely on its use.
Thoughts on a fish trap like at Strawberry - this probably isn't feasible since we're dealing with water that is generally much deeper than that of the river at Strawberry. Second and probably most important, the inlet of Willard is considered part of the critical embankment of the reservoir, which means it would be very difficult for us to justify drilling or digging into the inlet with the federal water authorities and their safety personnel for the sake of netting more fish. It may seem like a small thing, but those authorities are cautious of anything that could even slightly compromise the integrity of the water structures as there is a lot at stake in terms of human safety and water security.
[signature]
Just a few quick comments. DWR has actually been using hoop nets in the inlet channel to capture fish and not gill nets. See attached for a pic of what a hoop net looks like. These nets funnel fish into them and then hold the fish in the throat of the net until we empty them. There is none of the entangling that is involved with gill nets so these are a great gear for keeping fish alive and in good shape. Hoop nets are most effective in flowing water, so they are rarely employed in lakes and wouldn't be a good alternative to gill nets there. This is our first year using the hoop nets in the inlet and though they've been quite successful, the gill nets in the main reservoir still catch a majority of the fish.
While I have not been out there myself working on the hoop nets, I am in contact with those that have been working them almost daily and have not heard of any walleye mortality associated with these nets. The walleye aren't the only fish utilizing the channel this time of year, so these nets do sometimes have quite a few catfish and other spiny fish in them. I think in those cases some fish do get a little banged up, but they usually recover just fine. We do release fish we catch in these nets, but very few of those have been walleye as most of the walleye we catch are transported to our spawning operation. We do occasionally release male walleye that are surplus to our spawning needs that day, but most of the fish that are released have been catfish, yellow perch, and crappie. Since I was not there to see fish that people think were dead after being caught in these nets, I can't totally dispute those claims, but I think the fish were most likely recovering when released and it took them a while to regain equilibrium after being held in the hoop net and possibly bullied by some catfish.
Regarding utilizing the inlet more. This is a good thought but there are a couple things to consider that limit its utility. First, the inlet is only productive for part of the walleye spawn and the proportion of the walleye population that uses it is considerably less than that of the fish that spawn along the shorelines . With this in mind, relying on the inlet alone would considerably limit our egg take. Second, the inlet is only productive as long as the there is considerable flow going into the reservoir. Our catch of fish usually dries up in the inlet about half way through the spawn, which is another reason we can't rely solely on its use.
Thoughts on a fish trap like at Strawberry - this probably isn't feasible since we're dealing with water that is generally much deeper than that of the river at Strawberry. Second and probably most important, the inlet of Willard is considered part of the critical embankment of the reservoir, which means it would be very difficult for us to justify drilling or digging into the inlet with the federal water authorities and their safety personnel for the sake of netting more fish. It may seem like a small thing, but those authorities are cautious of anything that could even slightly compromise the integrity of the water structures as there is a lot at stake in terms of human safety and water security.
[signature]