I attended the meeting last night in Evanston, to add to the last paragraph above:
Main focus is on reducing pups 23”’s and smaller. There was a similar crash of the fishery in the 80’s that they stocked their way out off, but Kokanee were put in the reservoir way back as a food supply for the lakers, bows and browns and now are prized target. Burbot numbers are declining as a result of the derbies and now with low koke numbers the fry are being feed on by the under 23” pups. Crawdad numbers are way up with the declining burbot numbers which creates another issue for the redds in the lake. Creel samples indicate that angler catch is made up of 65% natural spawn kokes past few years. Netting the small lakers was talked about but would be an expensive option that the biologist don’t feel would be effective currently, with the samples they have taken for their data, fishermen at derbies catch more pups then they do with multiple sets. Eliminate any limit on pups to encourage anglers to take. Changes in regulations in regard to catch and keep 1st 3 kokes is not being well received by management and enforcement so limit changes etc not likely. Looking at stocking options for kokes other then “ramp” dumps to get higher survival numbers of fry. Introducing more bait fish like “chubs” is problematic due to not being able to get disease free and certified stock. Said current conditions/cover in lake do not support high natural recruitment of chubs. Appears to be 2 genetically different lake trout in the lake, 1 will reach trophy size and other will not get above the 23” size
Adam Eckel was ther filming, and when I asked him about an airing he said probably early December but not sure his show time slot will show whole presentation
Ryan Mosley was also there but was not part of the information sharing by WDFG
Ok found a copy of the presentation, link below
https://youtu.be/hxPjRVp9nPo?si=JDKECDJAjcRO-zCm
Main focus is on reducing pups 23”’s and smaller. There was a similar crash of the fishery in the 80’s that they stocked their way out off, but Kokanee were put in the reservoir way back as a food supply for the lakers, bows and browns and now are prized target. Burbot numbers are declining as a result of the derbies and now with low koke numbers the fry are being feed on by the under 23” pups. Crawdad numbers are way up with the declining burbot numbers which creates another issue for the redds in the lake. Creel samples indicate that angler catch is made up of 65% natural spawn kokes past few years. Netting the small lakers was talked about but would be an expensive option that the biologist don’t feel would be effective currently, with the samples they have taken for their data, fishermen at derbies catch more pups then they do with multiple sets. Eliminate any limit on pups to encourage anglers to take. Changes in regulations in regard to catch and keep 1st 3 kokes is not being well received by management and enforcement so limit changes etc not likely. Looking at stocking options for kokes other then “ramp” dumps to get higher survival numbers of fry. Introducing more bait fish like “chubs” is problematic due to not being able to get disease free and certified stock. Said current conditions/cover in lake do not support high natural recruitment of chubs. Appears to be 2 genetically different lake trout in the lake, 1 will reach trophy size and other will not get above the 23” size
Adam Eckel was ther filming, and when I asked him about an airing he said probably early December but not sure his show time slot will show whole presentation
Ryan Mosley was also there but was not part of the information sharing by WDFG
Ok found a copy of the presentation, link below
https://youtu.be/hxPjRVp9nPo?si=JDKECDJAjcRO-zCm