blackfoot res

[ugly-stick]

anybody fished it lately out of a boat? headn that way next week
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[windriver]

By looks of the lack of responses doesn't look like people have been going to Blackfoot out of the boat. All the reports that I have heard have been from people wading around shooting carp.

Windriver
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[jbaldwinblkft]

I've gone up there a couple of times so far this year. It's at about 75%, excellent news. The pelicans are thick and they look like they are in very good condition. The reservoir action looks like it's on the far eastern end near the area IF&G was planning the new boat lanch. There are lots of springs there that come up from the bottom, and historically there have been some nice fishing days there. Because of the water conditions over the past ten years or so the fishing will probably still take a substantial amount of time to recover, even if we get normal water years. However, the good folks at both campgrounds were hopeful that things will get better.
I fish mostly in the river and my success has been mixed, but the cutthroat are in excellent shape.
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[Soda]

I believe that the water conditions have definitely affected fish numbers but where that is out of our control, pelican numbers are (or should be) in our control.

Pelicans are fish eating machines and their numbers are unbelievable and artificially inflated.

I don't understand how anyone can stand by and say that fish numbers should suffer rather than control the population of pelicans.
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[cpierce]

Fish and Game can't do much that is lethal to control the pelicans, but they are doing what they can. (It is a Fed issue) They can and have restricted some of the breeding areas, and they can only do that before the pelicans arrive. They are actively seeking other solutions also.

It is getting to be quite a problem. The pelicans are really putting a hurt on the native cutts, as they target them in their spawning streams. Last year when F & G marked a bunch of cutts 80% of those bands showed up on the pelican islands. A pelican eats about 9 lbs of fish a day!

Yes, reducing the pelican numbers should be in our control not the Feds!
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[jbaldwinblkft]

Ditto! They are wrecking some of the best places on the middle snake too. It seems funny to me that we can kill all the rainbows we want on the South Fork to help out the cutts, but can't lift a finger against the pelican.[:/]
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[windriver]

This year the F&G stocked some of the Pelican breeding islands with badgers and skunks. They are hoping that they will do a number on the pelican eggs this year.

Windriver
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[packfish]

All Badgers swam to the main land and I think 1 skunked died and they have no clue on the others.
Canada just shot the cormarants and then said oops.
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[gstott]

I never would have believed that badgers could swim until I saw one crossing Newton last year. That was an awkward sight.
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[ugly-stick]

so anybody fished it lately?
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[cpierce]

No, I haven't, but would like to know how you do when you go, so let us know.
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[jbaldwinblkft]

Like I say, I've been up there looking things over but my hunch was to wait to fish it until later in the season. I don't know what exactly made me think so, maybe high water and less than pleasant weather. I did fish the river in a couple places on the way home, and caught a few. Nothing photo worthy, but very fun just the same.
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[L_P_R]

I'm taking the family up Saturday. Gonna take a picnic with us and see what we can catch. If it gets to slow up there, we are going to buzz over to Chesterfield for a while. I will let you know how it was when we get back.
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