10-30-2007, 08:12 PM
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3][unsure]Thought that you might have an interest in this subject. What is your position on it? With me the jury is still out.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3][/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Year-round fisheries discussed this week
DAVE STREGE
Register columnist
OUTDOORS[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]To fish year round or not to fish year round, that is the question the Fish and Game Commission will address regarding three Eastern Sierra waters in its meeting this week at Sacramento. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]A new fishing regulation that allows for year-round catch-and-release fishing on the East Walker River, Upper Owens River and Hot Creek took effect March 1, but not everybody was happy about it.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Opponents and proponents squared off in July before the commission, which has it on the agenda for discussion again Thursday. The Department of Fish and Game is to give a report on the subject. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Tim Alpers of Alpers Trout fame and whose property is located at the headwaters of the Owens River, is strongly opposed and would like to see the regulation rescinded. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]At least that has been his position. He was unavailable for comment. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]In previous interviews, Alpers voiced concern that the resource would be damaged, saying the spawning fish will get stressed and that "the fish are going to get hammered." He also worries that the spawning beds would get trampled by wading anglers. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Others worry about poaching. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Tom Loe, a fly-fishing guide and owner of Sierra Drifters Guide Service, wrote the commission in support of its decision, saying it would ease angling pressure on the small amount of existing year-round wild trout waters, namely the Lower Owens. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"We feel that the additional year-round fisheries and subsequent financial benefits will outweigh any negative impacts in the region," he said. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]But Dave Lentz, a DFG senior fishery biologist, questioned whether a negative impact is even a factor. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"You look at catch-and-release angling with barbless hooks and the amount of mortality is so low it's going to have virtually no affect on the total population," Lentz said. "Some of the finest trout waters in North America are open in the winter and some allow a harvest." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Lentz argued that a tremendous amount of winter mortality already occurs naturally. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"If you kill a few, some of those fish that would have died can replace those that are killed by hooking mortality," he explained. "You can't detect 300 fish dying because 300 other fish will survive that would've died anyway because of natural mortality. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"There's only so many prime spots in a stream for trout to survive. A lot won't make it without a prime spot." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Stomping on the spawning grounds already occurs during the open season in October and November without drastic impacts, Lentz said, adding that there are so many other eggs in the gravel those impacts can't be detected. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]As for poaching, Lentz said it "exists whether we have winter fishing or not." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"There are seven other waters that were selected (to open year round) and nobody's complaining about those," Lentz said. "In fact, they're pretty darned happy those opportunities are available. And I suspect there are quite a few people that are happy to have Hot Creek, East Walker and Upper Owens open." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Irvine Lake to reopen:The plan to reopen Saturday fell through, but the Orange County Fire Authority has given lake officials the go-ahead to reopen today for the first time in nine days. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]The hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The lake wasn't stocked last week because of the fire, but plenty of trout from the original 20,000 pounds remain since anglers only had two days of fishing before the winds and fire took over
[/size][/green][/font]
[signature]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3][/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Year-round fisheries discussed this week
DAVE STREGE
Register columnist
OUTDOORS[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]To fish year round or not to fish year round, that is the question the Fish and Game Commission will address regarding three Eastern Sierra waters in its meeting this week at Sacramento. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]A new fishing regulation that allows for year-round catch-and-release fishing on the East Walker River, Upper Owens River and Hot Creek took effect March 1, but not everybody was happy about it.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Opponents and proponents squared off in July before the commission, which has it on the agenda for discussion again Thursday. The Department of Fish and Game is to give a report on the subject. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Tim Alpers of Alpers Trout fame and whose property is located at the headwaters of the Owens River, is strongly opposed and would like to see the regulation rescinded. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]At least that has been his position. He was unavailable for comment. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]In previous interviews, Alpers voiced concern that the resource would be damaged, saying the spawning fish will get stressed and that "the fish are going to get hammered." He also worries that the spawning beds would get trampled by wading anglers. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Others worry about poaching. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Tom Loe, a fly-fishing guide and owner of Sierra Drifters Guide Service, wrote the commission in support of its decision, saying it would ease angling pressure on the small amount of existing year-round wild trout waters, namely the Lower Owens. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"We feel that the additional year-round fisheries and subsequent financial benefits will outweigh any negative impacts in the region," he said. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]But Dave Lentz, a DFG senior fishery biologist, questioned whether a negative impact is even a factor. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"You look at catch-and-release angling with barbless hooks and the amount of mortality is so low it's going to have virtually no affect on the total population," Lentz said. "Some of the finest trout waters in North America are open in the winter and some allow a harvest." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Lentz argued that a tremendous amount of winter mortality already occurs naturally. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"If you kill a few, some of those fish that would have died can replace those that are killed by hooking mortality," he explained. "You can't detect 300 fish dying because 300 other fish will survive that would've died anyway because of natural mortality. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"There's only so many prime spots in a stream for trout to survive. A lot won't make it without a prime spot." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Stomping on the spawning grounds already occurs during the open season in October and November without drastic impacts, Lentz said, adding that there are so many other eggs in the gravel those impacts can't be detected. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]As for poaching, Lentz said it "exists whether we have winter fishing or not." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]"There are seven other waters that were selected (to open year round) and nobody's complaining about those," Lentz said. "In fact, they're pretty darned happy those opportunities are available. And I suspect there are quite a few people that are happy to have Hot Creek, East Walker and Upper Owens open." [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Irvine Lake to reopen:The plan to reopen Saturday fell through, but the Orange County Fire Authority has given lake officials the go-ahead to reopen today for the first time in nine days. [/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]The hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The lake wasn't stocked last week because of the fire, but plenty of trout from the original 20,000 pounds remain since anglers only had two days of fishing before the winds and fire took over
[/size][/green][/font]
[signature]