04-24-2011, 03:23 PM
Does anyone know when the smallmouth bass were stocked in Ririe? How long ago?
If these are "accidental" fish, and it doesn't seem too likely, I don't think there is any attempt at cover-up.
All F&G have said is that they are illegal fish. No matter how a fish gets in the drainage, if they haven't been approved for stocking there they are "illegal".
Frankly, I think there are many people out there who don't follow the rules, especially about live bait. It would be very easy to "bucket bio" somewhere and not even do so intentionally. ---- A live-well full of lively little "minnows" from another reservoir (who knows where) may have been dumped in Ririe when the owner got nervous. Do you think they would care what species the minnows were?
Either way, no matter how the walleyes got there; the question now is what to do about them. So far it looks like efforts are going to be centered around keeping the walleye population numbers in check through anglers and possibly netting.
I think that MM Don is right in that the most immediate loser will probably to be the kokanee population. Studies and examples from other lakes bear that out. Maybe F&G will plant higher numbers to offset losses to the walleye.
Long term down the road --- the possibilities for good or bad are there --- no one knows. That is why it is illegal to move live fish!
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If these are "accidental" fish, and it doesn't seem too likely, I don't think there is any attempt at cover-up.
All F&G have said is that they are illegal fish. No matter how a fish gets in the drainage, if they haven't been approved for stocking there they are "illegal".
Frankly, I think there are many people out there who don't follow the rules, especially about live bait. It would be very easy to "bucket bio" somewhere and not even do so intentionally. ---- A live-well full of lively little "minnows" from another reservoir (who knows where) may have been dumped in Ririe when the owner got nervous. Do you think they would care what species the minnows were?
Either way, no matter how the walleyes got there; the question now is what to do about them. So far it looks like efforts are going to be centered around keeping the walleye population numbers in check through anglers and possibly netting.
I think that MM Don is right in that the most immediate loser will probably to be the kokanee population. Studies and examples from other lakes bear that out. Maybe F&G will plant higher numbers to offset losses to the walleye.
Long term down the road --- the possibilities for good or bad are there --- no one knows. That is why it is illegal to move live fish!
[signature]