Scofield Chubs Problem

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]In Brett Prettyman's "Tight Lines" column in the Tribune this morning, there was an article on the current chub problem at Scofield. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][url "http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_9480818"]LINK TO COLUMN[/url][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
Tight lines: Getting chub numbers under control at Scofield Reservoir
[url "mailto:brettp@sltrib.com?subject=Salt Lake Tribune: Tight lines: Getting chub numbers under control at Scofield Reservoir"]Brett Prettyman
Tribune columnist[/url]
Article Last Updated: 06/04/2008 06:39:16 PM MDT

Scofield Reservoir ranks in the top three fisheries providing vivid angling memories for my family.
A fish my brother caught from the bank at Scofield back in the early 1980s has fondly become known as "The Shark" in family stories. I'm sure many families have similar stories from Scofield.
Word that state biologists are again considering changes in the regulations at Scofield is troubling - it was only at the start of 2007 that a special 8-fish trout limit was put in place at the popular Carbon County water. But it didn't take long for me realize this is another necessary evil.
An alarming number of Utah chub were found during recent gill-netting surveys at Scofield. Enough that Roger Wilson, cold-water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, even mentioned the possibility of an expensive chemical treatment at the popular fishery if other means are not found to control the chub numbers.
Biologists found several age classes of chub and an average 200 of the nonsport fish in each net during the gillnetting in mid-May. Wilson called that a "dramatic" increase from last year. Biologists immediately began talking about ways to deal with the chub.
One of the options is to establish a slot limit similar to Strawberry Reservoir that would require anglers to release all tiger trout in the 15- to 22-inch range. The tiger trout are in Scofield as an experiment to see if they can control chub numbers by feeding on the nongame fish. The problem is getting the trout to a size large enough to make a dent in the chub population.
Another option is to stock Bear Lake cutthroat in Scofield. The cutthroat have illustrated that they can control chub in Strawberry if given the chance to grow large enough.
Wilson said it would be possible to maintain the 8-fish trout limit - the DWR promised it was for at least three years, after all - but it would only be on rainbow trout, and that has proven to be an issue at Strawberry.
This and other proposed fishing regulation changes are under discussion, and formal proposals will not be presented to the Utah Wildlife Board for approval until the fall.
In other troubling fishing news, DWR director Jim Karpowitz has issued an emergency order requiring anglers to kill all walleye they catch at Red Fleet Reservoir near Vernal.
Several age classes of walleye have shown up in gillnets at the scenic reservoir. Biologists feel the reservoir can't handle walleye, bass, bluegill and trout at the same time.
The walleye were undoubtedly placed into Red Fleet by bucket biologists, anglers who thought their favorite species would do well at the reservoir. Instead, the entire fish population may be removed in a costly treatment that would empty the reservoir of all species.
[signature]

[SBW]

I think it would be a waste of $$ and resources to chemically treat Scofield (once again).

If the experiment to introduce tiger trout to begin with was to control the chub population, then I would think it would be most logical to continue with that experiment and put a slot limit on the tigers to see if that will indeed control the chub population.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]There is no doubt that the tiger trout are minnow munchers of the first order. Most of the ones we caught last week were barfing up minnows as we brought them in...and the few we kept all had several minnows in their gut.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I also favor planting more tigers rather than the cutts. Anybody who has ever caught both will agree that the tigers are a lot better fighters...and better eating too. And, the reason for the slot limit on cutts at Strawberry is to allow cutts to get big enough to eat minnows. Well, the tigers start eating minnows almost as big as themselves as soon as they hit the water. Caught a 14 incher at Scofield last week that had at least a six inch minnow sticking out of it's throat...and it took my black fly as dessert.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[orvis1]

Tigers ROCK! I hope they put a slot in lower the limit and load it up with tigers, that would be my vote!
[signature]

[fuzzyfisher]

well one of the problems they will have at Scofield is the same they have at the berry.. the trout like to eat red sides more then chub.. i see a big drop in red side shinners befor the chub start takeing much of a hit..

that is a bummer..

at lest the DWR has not put splake in there yet..lol
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I think you are right. The redsides pretty much disappeared from Strawberry before the chubs showed much of a hit. The redsides must be the "prime fillet" for the predators.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fsh4fun05]

Not much trout knowledge so I hope this isn't a dumb question but what kind of cutts are in there, yellowstone?
If it is, what is the diffrerence between a yellowstone cutt and a BL cutt?
[signature]

[fishluvr]

I noticed the red side drop in Strawberry as well. We float tubed Scofield a couple weeks ago and in one area we couldn't keep the chubs off our flies. It was one after another and pretty much one every time we threw our fly lines out. I must say they are pretty aero-dynamic as they fly through the air towards the rocky shore.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Obviously there are some genetic differences, but from an angler's point of view it is mainly the size and the coloration. BL strain gets bigger, naturally but is much less colorful...especially during spawning. Yellowstones are some of the prettiest. We have seen tons of pics of the BL strain from both BL and Da Berry. They are mostly silver with spots. Here is a pic of a Yellowstone cutt.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]
[center][/center]
[/#0000ff][#0000ff]In my opinion, neither are nearly as good on the end of the line as rainbows and especially the tiger trout. [/#0000ff]
[center] [/center]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]But...if you are a ways from shore, it is also soul-satisfying to give them a complimentary gillectomy, with your thumb, and then let them contribute back to the underwater ecology. If the tigers don't get 'em the crawdaddies will.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Of course, for those of us who enjoy the fine and genteel pursuit of whiskerfish, chubs provide a great means of arranging introductions to kitty-kind. This time of year they make great additions to the soil in your garden too. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]They ARE good for something.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Majja]

So when is it the best time to go up and try to ge a mess of the little buggers for bait? And is it better to use a trap or a net?
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Not wise to use a cast net around much of the Scofield shoreline. Too many unseen rocks and snaggy stuff to grab those expensive nets. Better to just take a couple of minnow traps. You can get all you need...and more...when the minnows are around the shoreline. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Right now, and for the next couple of months, there will be lots of shiners and sometimes schools of chubs within easy reach of the traps. If you wanna keep the kids entertained, put a small hook and a piece of worm about 4 feet under a bobber. Kids have a ball catching the minnows and you get bait.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Shoot me a PM and we can plan a combo fishing and minnowing trip next week. Use some of your accumulated "slave labor" time.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[cat_man]

Don't forget the Colorado River cutts. Those have some of the most brilliant laser yellow and orange coloration during the summer! You can catch them in some of the south slope Uinta rivers, like Uinta and Whiterocks rivers, for example.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]No doubt about it. The Colorado cutts are purty little thangs. But, not enough in Utah to compare to Yellowstone or Bonneville...and I don't think they would be on the proposed list to plant in Scofield.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Here are front and back pics of a Colorado cutt, for those who have never seen one.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]



[signature]

[cat_man]

Wow, either that's a closeup or a huge one! I've never seen one over 10 inches! Course I've only caught them in high mountain streams.
[signature]

[ifishutah]

The answer is what they've already done in Otter Creek in Southern utah. Same situation as Minersville. Smallmouth Bass. They co-exist nicely and effectively control chubs. I've talked with the biologist in So Utah about this issue and the smallmouth bass is a great compliment to the trout fishery.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]You're liable to get the troutologists running for cover...holding their eyes and ears. When the first few smallmouths "strangely" showed up in Strawberry it was like Chicken Little..."The sky is falling." [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, even though smallies can survive and grow, after they reach a certain age, they have a tough time with the long winter cold spell. Seems there is not enough for baby smallmouth to survive on during the lean months. So, even if the smallies spawn, the young have a tough time making it to a size big enough to feed on larger invertebrates and ultimately the chubs. The irony is that the chubs eat all the stuff the baby smallies need to survive. That is also why they outcompete rainbows in many waters. They clean up the table before the rainbow smolts get there.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]An interesting thought is that if DWR had a source of semi mature smallies to dump into Scofield, with a C & R only...or a severe slot...they would almost be like planting sterile hybrids. If they cannot reproduce well, they will not create an imbalance.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, I will leave all the heavy brain work to the DWR biologists.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

Smallies would be too busy eatin' crawdads to ever bother with the chubs.
[signature]

[ifishutah]

I definitely understand what you're saying about the the growing season. However, the smallies are more capable than you might imagine. I'm positive that they can and would compete directly with the chubs and would provide an biological solution to the problem.
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

If they compete with the chubs, they also compete with the planted fingerling trout. Until they EAT the chubs they aren't doing much good. And until the crawdads are gone, they won't eat chubs.

[quote TubeDude]An interesting thought is that if DWR had a source of semi mature smallies to dump into Scofield, with a C & R only...or a severe slot...they would almost be like planting sterile hybrids. If they cannot reproduce well, they will not create an imbalance.[/quote]

They already have a sterile hybrids, and that is the strategy for now. We DON'T need bucket biologists making the decisions.
[signature]