Not sure why this is a good idea

[wiperhunter2]

I'd like to respond to this by saying that there are no plans to change the current stocking of lake trout and/or cutthroat trout in Bear Lake with the results of this study.  Nor would there be a catch/kill regulation implemented on lake trout.  I can tell you that the stocking of both species IS dependent upon the numbers of Bonneville cisco and Bear Lake sculpin in Bear Lake since both cisco and sculpin are the main diets items of both cutthroat trout and lake trout (stocking of predators, either cutthroat trout and/or lake trout is dictated by the bi-state Bear Lake Fisheries Management plan objectives for each species). In fact, UDWR has made several adjustments to cutthroat trout and lake trout stocking numbers during the last 40 years.  Both cisco and sculpin numbers are monitored closely by both the UDWR and IDFG and the best "tool" the fisheries managers have to protect the endemic forage fish is to adjust stocking numbers to balance the stocked predators with the endemic prey.  One thing for sure is that fish populations are always in a state of flux due to many factors (some we can control, such as stocking numbers and fishing regulations; and others we can't control, such as drought, lake levels, temperatures, etc.) and being able to make adjustments allows us to do the best job we can to manage a fishery by using the best data we have available.

Scott, you and Chris have addressed my concerns about this issue, pulling nets every 2 hour is a daunting task, I assume they will be pulled at the end of each day until they reach their quota? You said cisco and sculpin are the cutts and macks main diet, are the chubs in BL is such low numbers that they do not add to their diet in any significant way?


wiperhunter2 - good questions.  My understanding is the most of the netting will take place in the early morning hours and then the nets will be rested on the boat at the end of each session. The active netting could just as soon take place at night too.  Either way, the netting is most effective in low light hours when fish have a harder time seeing the nets.  Plus there's the other benefits of cooler surface water, less boat traffic, etc.  Idaho would be best to answer the stipulations of the netting with the contractor such as whether they are contracted to stay until they get the 400 fish or whether they are simply mobilized for roughly 10 days.  I'm inclined to think it's the latter as with most of our transfer work we have a target number of fish we'd like to get, but can usually make do if we fall short in numbers but are somewhere in the ballpark of the number we need. 

I'll let Scott chime in regarding the chub question.

Thanks Chris.