01-26-2009, 03:13 AM
Kokanee populations at Ririe probably could not support an increased limit. Ririe is not a real fertile reservoir(mesotrophic) and kokanee populations are limited on food availablity thus keeping their numbers down. In northern Idaho in the 50's and 60's upwards of one to two million kokanee were caught without hurting the fish population due to excellent lake shore spawning conditions thus supporting a 50 fish limit (recently 25 fish limit). Now I believe Kokanee fishing in Lake Cour d' laine has been closed. Things are messed up up there for know.
Mackay Reservoir might support a higher limit some years but it would be confusing to the public if the limit had to be dropped some years. Also in wild spawned populations like Mackay they have population swings or cycles that drive fisheries bioligists nuts because they can't control the population total. A few years great fishing then a population crash and then over three or four years the population is good again. Kokes in Ririe are stocked but it depends on the year's food supply if the stocking survives well enough to support a good fishery. Variability is the name of the game. Also walleye are water wolves. It's a big question whether thay will seriously damage the kokanee fingerlings stocked there. Also walleye evolved with perch in their native habitat back in the upper Midwest. We could see the perch fishery seriously decline in Ririe.[:/]
DeeCee
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Mackay Reservoir might support a higher limit some years but it would be confusing to the public if the limit had to be dropped some years. Also in wild spawned populations like Mackay they have population swings or cycles that drive fisheries bioligists nuts because they can't control the population total. A few years great fishing then a population crash and then over three or four years the population is good again. Kokes in Ririe are stocked but it depends on the year's food supply if the stocking survives well enough to support a good fishery. Variability is the name of the game. Also walleye are water wolves. It's a big question whether thay will seriously damage the kokanee fingerlings stocked there. Also walleye evolved with perch in their native habitat back in the upper Midwest. We could see the perch fishery seriously decline in Ririe.[:/]
DeeCee
[signature]