indiscriminate gill netting on Lake Spokane/Long Lake?

[E-10]

Does anyone know what is going on with all the gill nets on Lake Spokane/Long Lake and several 20-yard roll-off dumpsters full of trout, bass, perch, crappie, and pike at the Riverside State Park; Nine Mile Recreation Area, Suncrest Park launch and possibly the Lake Spokane Campground?
I just paid 80.00 plus my discover pass to use this fishery, but it looks like the Parks Service is out to take everything larger than a 6" long trout out of the lake.
Someone said it was to remove all the Carp and Northerns but the dumpster I saw was full of large mature dead and dying game fish, not just pike and carp.

[dwh4784]

Wow, this is a fantastic warm water fishery. Little bit of everything. Honestly, what could they be thinking? This lake is also the only reason I get a Discover Pass, I may not do that now. And what about the big trout Avista has been stocking? If these gill nets are taking them out as well as everything else then what an idiotic move.

[E-10]

The article in yesterday's Spokesman Review said they are only targeting carp and pike http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors ... irst-week/ and that they are releasing large numbers of bycatch, but the dumpster I saw had more "bycatch" in it than the article suggests, I saw some huge Black Crappie and some Perch in one dumpster, but none were mentioned in the article, and the pictured tally sheet showed only 4 BC caught and 4 returned.
Also... Why are they releasing tench and suckers that are caught in the gill nets? Is there a huge group of anglers targeting these fish? Aren't these same fish a big part of why WDFW has had to kill off Williams and Badger lakes repeatedly every couple of years?
One last thing, if those numbers were right, why do they need a 20-yard roll off?

[AJ's Dad]

As I'm sure was done at the POR when they did their gill netting, the reports will show the public what the "Experts" want us to see. The fact that you witnessed more bycatch in the dumpster than they reported is proof that they will not publish the real numbers, and only what they want to show to make it look like they are accomplishing what they tell us is needed. It would have been nice to see a photo of the fish in that dumpster. Then we could send it to Rich Landers of the Spokesman Review. It would be interesting to see if he would do one of his stories on that fact. He always seems to write on the side of anyone that wants to kill off northern pike. I would love to see him go to print with something asking he "Experts" to explain what you saw in the dumpster.

[ridgeratt]

It looks like you are working on making some new friends!!
Good thing your in witness protection behind the keyboard!!

[ridgeratt]

One more thing Nice Avatar

[E-10]

I'm glad you like the avatar. I'm going to another forum to seek some answers. BRB