03-02-2005, 11:08 PM
Here's something that I found on the F&G website.
Drouht may cause fish shuffle
If you are already planning your spring and summer fishing trips make sure you consider how lack of water may affect your favorite spot.
As Idaho enters a sixth year of drought, Fish and Game hatchery managers are looking at ways to provide the most opportunity to anglers without wasting any hatchery- raised fish. That means they will probably have to put fewer fish than normal in some places, and increase the number of fish they plant in others.
Unless March and April are wetter than normal, chances are many reservoirs will become low or even dry by late summer or autumn. The hardest hit will likely be small reservoirs that store irrigation water, like Magic, Mountain Home, Little Camas, Mormon and Winder.
In 2001, hatchery managers changed their stocking plans in southern Idaho because of drought. For example, 40,000 fingerling trout that were supposed to go to Fish Creek Reservoir were taken to C.J. Strike Reservoir instead. Meanwhile, 400,000 fingerlings that were supposed to go to American Falls Reservoir went to C.J. Strike, Hayden Lake and other locations. In all, managers moved 1.3 million fingerlings from fisheries that were drying up to places with enough water for the fish to survive. That represents 10 percent of the total number of fingerlings Fish and Game produced in 2001.
That same year the department put 78,000 catchable-sized fish in places they were not originally supposed to go. Most of those transfers involved fewer than 10,000 fish. Popular fisheries like Magic, Little Camas, Fish Creek Reservoirs and others lost catchables. Instead, hatchery trucks took those fish to Horsethief, Salmon Falls Creek, and Cascade Reservoirs. Fish & Game also took 20,000 catchables to C.J. Strike instead of Oxbow in Hells Canyon. The good news is the 78,000 catchables represent only 3.7 percent of the total number produced that year.
Fish and Game is trying to provide as much fishing opportunity as possible during the 2005 season. Hatcheries are producing millions of fish. But with little snow in the mountains, hatchery managers are preparing to do some shuffling again this year.
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Drouht may cause fish shuffle
If you are already planning your spring and summer fishing trips make sure you consider how lack of water may affect your favorite spot.
As Idaho enters a sixth year of drought, Fish and Game hatchery managers are looking at ways to provide the most opportunity to anglers without wasting any hatchery- raised fish. That means they will probably have to put fewer fish than normal in some places, and increase the number of fish they plant in others.
Unless March and April are wetter than normal, chances are many reservoirs will become low or even dry by late summer or autumn. The hardest hit will likely be small reservoirs that store irrigation water, like Magic, Mountain Home, Little Camas, Mormon and Winder.
In 2001, hatchery managers changed their stocking plans in southern Idaho because of drought. For example, 40,000 fingerling trout that were supposed to go to Fish Creek Reservoir were taken to C.J. Strike Reservoir instead. Meanwhile, 400,000 fingerlings that were supposed to go to American Falls Reservoir went to C.J. Strike, Hayden Lake and other locations. In all, managers moved 1.3 million fingerlings from fisheries that were drying up to places with enough water for the fish to survive. That represents 10 percent of the total number of fingerlings Fish and Game produced in 2001.
That same year the department put 78,000 catchable-sized fish in places they were not originally supposed to go. Most of those transfers involved fewer than 10,000 fish. Popular fisheries like Magic, Little Camas, Fish Creek Reservoirs and others lost catchables. Instead, hatchery trucks took those fish to Horsethief, Salmon Falls Creek, and Cascade Reservoirs. Fish & Game also took 20,000 catchables to C.J. Strike instead of Oxbow in Hells Canyon. The good news is the 78,000 catchables represent only 3.7 percent of the total number produced that year.
Fish and Game is trying to provide as much fishing opportunity as possible during the 2005 season. Hatcheries are producing millions of fish. But with little snow in the mountains, hatchery managers are preparing to do some shuffling again this year.
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