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I ran across this on another forum and wanted to share it with those that may not have seen it. Impressive effort by F&G guys!
The discussion was about the size of the perch in Cascade etc.
" Many of you may be surprised to hear the facts and once you have you might lend them a 'tip of your hat' to their efforts the next time you meet an IDFG officer.
Here are some facts, verbatim from Martin Koenig Regional Fisheries Biologist Southwest Region:
"Cascade Reservoir has a long and storied history, which I don’t know that well. But, I will try to summarize the more recent efforts. Yellow perch have been in Cascade since probably the 1920’s. Historically, there was excellent perch fishing, but it declined big time in the 1990’s. It was thought that the explosion of pikeminnow was the main culprit. Over the last decade, IDFG (McCall office) has put forth an immense effort to restore the perch fishery. The first major step was to reduce the pikeminnow population in the reservoir. This was accomplished by installing an electric weir barrier in the NF Payette River to block their spawning runs. Next, rotenone was applied to the river several times a year during pikeminnow spawning periods, for several years. Huge trap nets were set in the main lake to remove additional pikeminnow. After this immense effort to reduce pikeminnow numbers, IDFG then began the herculean effort to stock yellow perch back into the reservoir to jump start the perch. Over 2005 and 2006, about 865,000 perch were trapped at Horsethief, Lost Valley Reservoir and Pillips Reservoir (in Oregon) and transplanted to Cascade at the right time to take advantage of the low numbers of pikeminnow.
At this time, the large perch being caught out there are about 5-6 years old – progeny of the original 2005/06 transplants. I would say it’s a great success story, and quite remarkable, since it is very rare to hear about a complete turnaround of any fishery in a reservoir of that size."
How's that for your fishing license monies well spent??? ![[Image: clapping.gif]](http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/Smileys/default/clapping.gif) ![[Image: thumbup_smilie.gif]](http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/Smileys/default/thumbup_smilie.gif) "
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Very cool! Thanks for the info!
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I really appreciate what they have done there[cool][  ][sly][fishin]
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I do too.
I don't think enough of the success stories are passed around. Many times there is too much of a focus on what people wish we had or what they don't like. Some of it being totally unrealistic or completely out of F&G's control. I know that the F&G people that I have known really work hard to provide some great fisheries.
Most of them are there because they love fishing, and usually all they get are complaints. They certainly aren't in it for the pay! [laugh][laugh]
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Yea, it is a great story, but you forgot it took over 10 years of people complaining for F&G too do something about it.... And the pike minnow may have had a hand in it, doesn't explain the millions that just died and were floating around.... Thanks F&G for doing something about it....
Matt
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Cudos to the F&G, Cascade was used as the brood stock for the rest of the state.
Perch are not native and the reason the squaw fish exploded is a no brainer. Where are the millions and billions of steelhead and salmon. My beloved sturgeon are starving to death. Just sayin . . . .
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agreed dtayboyz.
i would also add the squawfish, and musky probably helped the perch fishing. there used to be 'CLOUDS" of stunted perch all over the lake.
as for the big perch, not to worry the meat hunters will have it fished out as cj crappie were a few years back, and the cj perch are in the process of being soon. call me debbie downer but we really need limits now in my opinion
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agreed on the limits and maybe a slot size would be great, 1 over 14", I would say if they put a lake limit on perch 50 perch only 1 over 14" should pretty much satisfy almost all folks out there.... that's alot of fish too clean plus your not taking all the big moma's out.....
Matt
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Thanks for the great information . I wish they would put that much into one of our lakes in east Idaho . I would love some big perch . Curt G.
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I am going too try and get a petition going for a limit on cascade, I emailed the F&G today too see what I need too do too get the ball rolling on this deal,
Matt
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I used to call South Dakota home and have seen many fisheries back there rise and fall. Some bodies of water are consistently awesome and others consistently stink, with many more fluctuating somewhere in between. although fishing pressure can and will have a negative impact on a body of water, most of the time it is the environmental factors that have the biggest impacts on fish populations (see the lakes in east Idaho that had the water darined out of them this past year).
South Dakota has imposed a limit of 15 perch and crappies on most bodies of water in the state. If I recall correctly, ten or so years ago it was 25 and twenty or so years ago the limit was 50. As time goes on, we learn more and more about fish populations and are then able to react to that knowledge by setting limits, etc.
I honestly cannot believe that there are no limits on many species in this state. Just not sure how well a size limit will do on a bunch of perch that are 5 or 6 years old... I would much rather see them caught and enjoed than to die in the lake of old age.
Even though I have not had the opportunity as of yet to fish Cascade, I would be in favor of creel limits there as well as statewide. Get that petition going and I will sign it!
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When it comes to fish to eat, I would throw every trout back in favor of a bunch of those scaly, beautiful, orange and green pin cushions. Unfortunately it seems that us perch lovers are in the minority. Many people don't understand the fun and the challenge of catching perch. And until they are educated I'm afraid these fish will continue to be on the bottom of the totem pole.[:/]
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More and more people here in Utah are discovering how good eating perch are compared to Slimers and are starting to target them more and more especially during the ice fishing season. Utah does impose a 50 fish limit on the perch but I would rather see it lowered to 25. Walleye are another great eating fish and more and more people are starting to go them here as well.
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Fun to catch... Exceptional to eat... what is not to love about perch, walleye and many other spiny rays???
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I did not guess like you did, I looked it up and perch live 7-9 years there boss, since you lived in SAd that makes you an expert? Alittle history on myself than, I grew up in NE Montana, so I think we have about the same credentials, only been here 12 years..... This is my thinking, a ton of little perch will eat more invertebrates than big ones, there growing rapidly, and obviously it's better too have many big versus little, take cascade versus any lake in the state, y'all keep saying keep the big ones and let the little go.... How is that good practice, seems like you are being selfish, and wanting too turn cascade into every other lake in the state with stunted little perch.... The only time I keep anything over 14" sometimes 13" is for a tourney.... Be a sportsman and stop being selfish, those big perch eat a ton of those little ones too help out the Eco-system, I could be off base but it seems pretty reasonable too me,
Matt
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What up with the bashing duck slayer??? You seem to be missing my point altogether...
I did not guess at all on the age as I also used the handy dandy internet (as well as a couple of my reference books from school) and found out that perch actually have a lifespan of up to 13 years... but in many cases will not live beyond 7. In addition, my living in SDak does not at all qualify me as an "expert", but a cirriculum in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at South Dakota State definitely would allow me to say that I probably know more regarding fish, their habitats, etc. than the average person.
The statements in my earlier post made no such claim that anyone should keep all the big ones and let the smaller ones go. I did mention that I did not think a"one over" limit would work the way you think it will, however, I could be wrong. I am actually in favor of some strict creel limits, especially when a trophy fishery is concerned and again can really not believe that there are none in this state. Most of those "one over" limits are used with less prolific species (usually predatory in nature) such as walleye, pike, bass, etc.
But kudos to you for your self imposed limits of not keeping anything over 13 or 14 inches, except during tourneys...
I am no way in favor of or asking for regulation or management practices that would cause an overpopulated and stunted population of any species. If that is what you gained from my previous words, I am sorry but that is an incorrect assessment!
BTW, just curious of how many little perch you have found in the bellies of the big ones? Is that common at Cascade?
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OK, everybody. Close your eyes and repeat after me.......Om.........Om.........There now, isn't that better!
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...and for the record, South Dakota State has one of, if not the best Wildlife and Fisheries program in the entire country. I would know, I went to college there for that program.
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Yes I agree,
Graduated there in '78 with a major in Wildlife and a minor in Botony, even was on the Hobo Day Comm. for 2 years and also started a ski club there as well.
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[font "Calibri"]Here is my take on it. These are just my general observations from many years of fishing. Perch in Cascade with cycle just like they do everywhere regardless of fishing pressure and limits. It’s just the way nature works. You can only have 1 ten pound catfish in the pond, or 10 one pounders. A perfect example is the Goldfish in Lake Tahoe, [/font][url "http://www.livescience.com/27309-monster-goldfish-lake-tahoe.html"][font "Calibri"][#0000ff]http://www.livescience.com/27309-monster-goldfish-lake-tahoe.html[/#0000ff][/font][/url][font "Calibri"] . Someday, if nothing is done, the lake will have a abundant population of 3 inchers. Disease, predators or what have you will keep the population in balance as to size and quantity. Humans intervention just shortens the time between peaks of the cycles. So with Cascade this cycle has been repeated several times. This last time the perch population got stunted the squawfish population exploded feeding on them. If nature would have been allowed to work the collapse of the squawfish population would have eventually happened. Followed by a rebound of the perch. As they rebound the average size tends to be larger but fewer fish. At some point we will be at that balance of 10” perch and a moderate population. And then eventually back to the over populated stunted fish thing. Time is the only question. Nature’s way may take 10, 20, heck 50 years to play out. Humans intervene and can shorten those cycles down to 5 to 10 years, but at a huge cost. I’ve watched these trends with a multitude of species on several local bodies of water over the years.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Arrowrock / LP – perch, kokanee, trout and squaws[/font]
[font "Calibri"]CJ strike – bass, perch and crappie[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Brownlee – bass, perch and crappie[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Coeur d’ Alene – crappie, perch, bluegill, koks, kings, pike, bass[/font]
[font "Calibri"]And just about every puddle of fresh water I’ve every fished has a similar story of one or more species. The only constant in life is change. Enjoy the good years while the sun shines on the Cascade perch !! [/font]
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