05-07-2003, 10:30 PM
[angelic]Sorry tightline. I didn't mean to step on any toes. I guess I'm just so used to people not knowing that, that I jumped to an unfair assumption. I have caught them in the Green, using a 5 inch frozen minnow. I know that fish are a part of their diet. We boated a different species of Pikeminnnow over 7lbs. on Pend Oreille jigging a 4" tube. Montana and Idaho also have "Squawfish" derbys to try and thin them out in waters where they are not endangered, and/or not a native species.
I noticed that in the Eel River story, it says:
"Fortunately, some "bucket biologist" introduced the pike-minnow to Lake Pillsbury. The big minnow then made it way down into the main Eel River, where it has ravaged already declining salmon and steelhead populations ever since. Squawfish have coexisted with salmon and steelhead in the Sacramento, American and Feather rivers for thousands of years, but not in the Eel. Right now the squawfish seem to be prevailing over salmon and steelhead populations on the upper Eel."
The Pikeminnow are the intruding fish in the Eel. I hope they can get them out of there and save the fishery.
Out here, they are the endangered natives. They are having to deal with other fish competing for the same spawning areas, and It just so happens that the new fish, can eat the native if he gets too pushy.
Here is the message I got from DWR on the control issue out here.
"Chad, In response to your questions on control efforts for northern pike and channel catfish in the middle Green River I provide the following information. If you have any further question let me know. Project Summary: Nonnative fishes have become established in rivers of the upper Colorado River basin, and certain species have been implicated as contributing to reductions in the distribution and abundance of native fishes primarily through predation and competition. Controlling problematic nonnative fishes is necessary for recovery of endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha), bonytail chub (G. elegans), Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) in the upper Colorado River basin. Northern pike became established in the Yampa River in the early 1980's. Originally introduced as game fish in Elkhead Reservoir in 1977, the species escaped and invaded the Yampa River. Since then, northern pike have established a reproducing population in the upper Yampa River and have expanded their number and range within the Yampa and Green rivers. The purpose of this project is to begin active adult northern pike control in the middle Green River and develop and effective control program. The goal of northern pike control in the middle Green River is to sufficiently reduce the abundance of adults such that predatory and competitive impacts on growth, recruitment, and survival of endangered and other native fishes are minimized. The study objectives are to: 1.Capture and remove (lethal) adult northern pike from reaches of the middle Green River.
2. Reduce the abundance of adult northern pike in the middle Green River.
3. Determine the efficiency of removal efforts.
4. Identify the means and levels of northern pike control necessary to minimize the threat of predation/competition on endangered and other native fishes. Methods and Approach Known concentration areas for northern pike in the middle Green River during spring include: mouth of Brush Creek (RMI 304.5), Cliff Creek (RMI 302.9), Stewart Lake Drain (RMI 300.0), Ashley Creek (RMI 299.0) and Sportsman Drain (RMI 296.6). The primary habitats sampled were large relatively deep backwaters and tributary mouths. Sampling methods included the use of fyke nets, trammel nets and electrofishing. Trammel nets were regularly used in conjunction with electrofishing as a productive sample method. A total of 248 northern pike were removed from the middle Green River from March - June 2001. Lengths of pike ranged from 175 mm to 950 mm with an average of 612mm. The cleithra of all northern pike collected were removed from the fish for age analysis. Analysis of the cleithrum of northern pike indicate age classes from age 1+ through ten years old. Most pike collected were of the 2 - 4 year age class and ranged from 400 to 800 mm in length. Only 10 pike were aged older than six years.
Other nonnative species collected included 1170 channel catfish of which 1082 were collected near the mouth of the Duchesne River , 91 smallmouth bass with highest concentrations in the Duchesne River and Pariette Draw, and 33 walleye, mostly caught in the section of river from Split Mountain to the razorback spawning bar. Native species sampled included 235 flannelmouth sucker, 70 Colorado pikeminnow, 33 razorback sucker, 18 bluehead sucker, and 5 roundtail chub. 2002 Results: River flows were extremely low in the middle Green River during 2002. This made it difficult to find areas to sample and remove northern pike. Several traditional backwater and other flooded areas that have produced many northern pike in previous years with higher flows were to shallow or nonexistent. A total of 42 northern pike were removed from the middle Green River from March - June 2002. Lengths of pike ranged from 295 mm to 896 mm with an average of 632 mm. The cleithra of all northern pike collected were removed from the fish for age analysis. Analysis of the cleithrum has not been completed. Other nonnative species collected included channel catfish, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Native species sampled included flannelmouth sucker, Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, bluehead sucker, and roundtail chub. Recommendations: Continue with northern pike control in the middle Green River. Focus more on areas known to be concentration areas for northern pike including the Jensen and Duchesne River areas. Continue length at age analysis using cleithra to track changes in the composition of the middle Green River northern pike population. Continue collection of data on other sympatric species encountered while conducting removal efforts. The goal of the northern pike control program in the middle Green River doesn't include total removal of northern pike from the Green River. The goal of northern pike control in the middle Green River is to sufficiently reduce the abundance of adult pike such that predatory and competitive impacts on growth, recruitment, and survival of endangered and other native fishes are minimized. There will continue to be downriver migration of northern pike from the Yampa River as result of the continued presence of northern pike in Elkhead Reservoir and a reproducing population within the Yampa River. However, current control efforts on the Yampa should slow the rate of this migration. (I took out his name. I didn't ask if I could pass this along.) Aquatic Biologist"
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I noticed that in the Eel River story, it says:
"Fortunately, some "bucket biologist" introduced the pike-minnow to Lake Pillsbury. The big minnow then made it way down into the main Eel River, where it has ravaged already declining salmon and steelhead populations ever since. Squawfish have coexisted with salmon and steelhead in the Sacramento, American and Feather rivers for thousands of years, but not in the Eel. Right now the squawfish seem to be prevailing over salmon and steelhead populations on the upper Eel."
The Pikeminnow are the intruding fish in the Eel. I hope they can get them out of there and save the fishery.
Out here, they are the endangered natives. They are having to deal with other fish competing for the same spawning areas, and It just so happens that the new fish, can eat the native if he gets too pushy.
Here is the message I got from DWR on the control issue out here.
"Chad, In response to your questions on control efforts for northern pike and channel catfish in the middle Green River I provide the following information. If you have any further question let me know. Project Summary: Nonnative fishes have become established in rivers of the upper Colorado River basin, and certain species have been implicated as contributing to reductions in the distribution and abundance of native fishes primarily through predation and competition. Controlling problematic nonnative fishes is necessary for recovery of endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha), bonytail chub (G. elegans), Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) in the upper Colorado River basin. Northern pike became established in the Yampa River in the early 1980's. Originally introduced as game fish in Elkhead Reservoir in 1977, the species escaped and invaded the Yampa River. Since then, northern pike have established a reproducing population in the upper Yampa River and have expanded their number and range within the Yampa and Green rivers. The purpose of this project is to begin active adult northern pike control in the middle Green River and develop and effective control program. The goal of northern pike control in the middle Green River is to sufficiently reduce the abundance of adults such that predatory and competitive impacts on growth, recruitment, and survival of endangered and other native fishes are minimized. The study objectives are to: 1.Capture and remove (lethal) adult northern pike from reaches of the middle Green River.
2. Reduce the abundance of adult northern pike in the middle Green River.
3. Determine the efficiency of removal efforts.
4. Identify the means and levels of northern pike control necessary to minimize the threat of predation/competition on endangered and other native fishes. Methods and Approach Known concentration areas for northern pike in the middle Green River during spring include: mouth of Brush Creek (RMI 304.5), Cliff Creek (RMI 302.9), Stewart Lake Drain (RMI 300.0), Ashley Creek (RMI 299.0) and Sportsman Drain (RMI 296.6). The primary habitats sampled were large relatively deep backwaters and tributary mouths. Sampling methods included the use of fyke nets, trammel nets and electrofishing. Trammel nets were regularly used in conjunction with electrofishing as a productive sample method. A total of 248 northern pike were removed from the middle Green River from March - June 2001. Lengths of pike ranged from 175 mm to 950 mm with an average of 612mm. The cleithra of all northern pike collected were removed from the fish for age analysis. Analysis of the cleithrum of northern pike indicate age classes from age 1+ through ten years old. Most pike collected were of the 2 - 4 year age class and ranged from 400 to 800 mm in length. Only 10 pike were aged older than six years.
Other nonnative species collected included 1170 channel catfish of which 1082 were collected near the mouth of the Duchesne River , 91 smallmouth bass with highest concentrations in the Duchesne River and Pariette Draw, and 33 walleye, mostly caught in the section of river from Split Mountain to the razorback spawning bar. Native species sampled included 235 flannelmouth sucker, 70 Colorado pikeminnow, 33 razorback sucker, 18 bluehead sucker, and 5 roundtail chub. 2002 Results: River flows were extremely low in the middle Green River during 2002. This made it difficult to find areas to sample and remove northern pike. Several traditional backwater and other flooded areas that have produced many northern pike in previous years with higher flows were to shallow or nonexistent. A total of 42 northern pike were removed from the middle Green River from March - June 2002. Lengths of pike ranged from 295 mm to 896 mm with an average of 632 mm. The cleithra of all northern pike collected were removed from the fish for age analysis. Analysis of the cleithrum has not been completed. Other nonnative species collected included channel catfish, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Native species sampled included flannelmouth sucker, Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, bluehead sucker, and roundtail chub. Recommendations: Continue with northern pike control in the middle Green River. Focus more on areas known to be concentration areas for northern pike including the Jensen and Duchesne River areas. Continue length at age analysis using cleithra to track changes in the composition of the middle Green River northern pike population. Continue collection of data on other sympatric species encountered while conducting removal efforts. The goal of the northern pike control program in the middle Green River doesn't include total removal of northern pike from the Green River. The goal of northern pike control in the middle Green River is to sufficiently reduce the abundance of adult pike such that predatory and competitive impacts on growth, recruitment, and survival of endangered and other native fishes are minimized. There will continue to be downriver migration of northern pike from the Yampa River as result of the continued presence of northern pike in Elkhead Reservoir and a reproducing population within the Yampa River. However, current control efforts on the Yampa should slow the rate of this migration. (I took out his name. I didn't ask if I could pass this along.) Aquatic Biologist"
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