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[cool][#0000ff]Thought the C&R crowd might like to read Bret Prettyman's article in this morning's Tribune. Good info on the problem of "introduced" lakers in Yellowstone Lake and the effect they are having on the native cutts.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_4071322"]LINK TO ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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The article is correct except for this: "Anglers are required to kill all lake trout caught in the lake, something the Gorge regulars - notorious for releasing lakers in hopes they will reach 50 pounds - will have to prepare for someday." While the lake trout food in Yellowstone is wild cutts, Flaming Gorge lake trout survive on stocked rainbows, kokanee, and smaller lake trout. The rainbows are raised and dumped right into their mouths. The kokes are stocked, reproduce naturally in the lake and tributaries, and are "assisted" in spawning at Sheep Creek. In the past two weeks, I've caught several larger lake trout with baby, 16" lake trout in their throats. They have several food sources, and some are manageable.
Gorge anglers should never have to prepare for someday being required to keep all lake trout. I assure everyone that they are not starving to death or running out of forage. Utah DWR has been crying that tune since the early 90's, yet I haven't seen any evidence of "starving to death" lakers. Heck, most of the time they aren't even hungry!
So while lake trout are a threat to Yellowstone Lake and the entire Yellowstone ecosystem, they are not at the Gorge. If the stocking truck keeps coming and the kokanee remain stable, the lakers will continue to thrive and grow.
As for Yellowstone, how about a bounty on lake trout? If the Park Service would put a bounty on lake trout, I'd sure head up there, kill a boat load for 'em every day, and enjoy some fly-fishing for cutts every evening. Sign me up!
And a side note. The "old-timers" in the Jackson area have told me that they've caught and seen lakers in Yellowstone lake since the early 70's, so I guess it took a while for Park biologists to "discover" them. I suspect they got there from the next drainage over, Lewis-Shoshone, where they've been for a long time. Heart Lake has some big ones! (oops, hot-spotting . . .)
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I think that Jim has a great idea with the bounty. Best I've heard of anyway. Jake
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[cool][#0000ff]There's a lot of varmints that need a bounty put on 'em, but we won't get pers'nal.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As you probably know, bounties on unwanted species has been a method of control instituted on several waters over the years...mostly along the Pacific coastline to protect salmon and steelhead. In Alaska there used to be a bounty on Dolly Varden trout, that dined heavily on both roe and the young of the salmonids. Oregon and Washington have both had temporary bounties on the squawfish/pikeminnow for the same reasons. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Generally all the bounties do is enrich a few no-good, lazy, worthless guys that would rather just go fishin' than work. Sounds good to me.[/#0000ff]
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hey who you calling a varmint? [sly]
i say go up to yellowstone lake and net all the laker's out.. go up to E-lake and net all them stinking yellowstone cutt's out of there and just trade them straight acrost..
then we all would be a lot more happy!!! [sly]
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