Pike Lives Matter

[AJ's Dad]

Pike Lives Matter


No disrespect is intended with this title.

Once again we see evidence of what appears to be an oncoming effort to destroy yet another outstanding Northern Pike fishery, in the name of the cutthroat trout.
As some of us local pike fishing fanatics predicted, we are seeing many of the tell tale signs at CoeurDalene Lake that we saw when the genocide took place at the Pend Oreille River. Studying, sample gill netting, similar comments coming from a similar entity, and now, a new twist shows it’s ugly head. A “Bounty” placed on the heads of Northern Pike.
The bounty that will be offered by the CoeurDalene has a target area of “The southern end of the lake”. I would imagine a map indicating that area will be offered. They say fish caught outside the target area are not eligible and any angler caught falsifying records to obtain funds fraudulently will be prosecuted and no longer eligible for the program. How can they tell if a fish has been caught outside the “Target Area”? Will they even try to determine that? My guess is that it would be impossible to determine what area of the lake a fish was caught in.
I personally find the bounty of $5 to be humorous. I would imagine most people that have the ability to catch pike in numbers that would be worth making a run to the Heyburn State Park won’t be interested in participating. Avid pike anglers wouldn’t want to see these fish gone from Cda Lake.
Data collected. The word is that stomach contents of the turned in fish will be collected and recorded in an effort to determine what these fish are eating. I wonder how readily available the collected data will be to the public, and how accurate it will be. It can be easy to say, every fish turned in had a belly full of cutthroat trout and kokanee as long as you don’t have to show photographic evidence. My opinion is that if they are going to do anything further, it should have to be done in direct affiliation and with the participation of the IDFG.
The “Catch for Cash” program is set to run from October 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016 and “May” continue for additional years. Well, if they only buy the first 1000 fish each year that will be great, as long as they don’t expand that number, then start a gill netting process like was done at the POR.
The “Catch for Cash” term is comical. At the Pend Oreille River that’s exactly what was being done. Catching pike in gill nets, to get cash from the BPA.
I personally don’t think the Cda tribe is doing this to make a buck, like I feel was being done at the POR. I can’t imagine they need the money and I don’t see how the deep pockets of the BPA would have anything to do with the Cda system.
It will be interesting to see the data collected, and how it is interpreted. My hope is that they find very few “Salmonids” in those bellies and we can all move on and let the pike fishery continue. I believe The pike fishery in Cda Lake is the best pike fishery west of the Rocky Mountains, and I for one would love to see it stay that way.
A fellow Northwest Fishing Reports member has told me that the state of Idaho has already done a study and determined that pike have nothing to do with the declining numbers of cutthroat trout in the Cda system. He has vowed to supply that information. I hope he is correct and that he can find that info. If he is correct, why would any further studying need to be done?

Chime in with your comments on this subject but please keep them respectful.

[strider43]

there is nothing to offend with that tittle

[farmer_aa]

I read the article you're referencing. What's most fascinating is that the check station appears to be getting set up at the Heyburn State Park Headquarters, run by, yes indeedy, the State of Idaho Fish and Game. Yet they played it all coy and claimed that they just had heard about this from the tribe. Sure, you did. I hope this program is a total flop. I can tell you this from my own catch and keep studies of the stomach contents of northerns; 5" long perch are the most prevalent prey species for the smaller pike I keep. And I promise you, there is no shortage of this fish in the system. Besides this, it seems the tribe is claiming jurisdiction over the waters of Chatcolet and Round Lake in administering this program, if I read the article correctly. Hmmm, interesting, as this is also within Heyburn State Park, and I'm required to hold an Idaho License in these waters, not the tribal license. The tribal waters extend only to the North of the Chat trestle, with a slight jog into a portion of Round Lake. None of Chatcolet or Benewah should be eligible for this program from a legal standpoint, without the full cooperation of Idaho Fish and Game. But I can promise you this; if the tribe wants to try to make elimination of pike their ultimate policy in their waters, I've bought my last tribal license. And if I see gill nets in my favorite Idaho State waters next spring, I'll guarantee you they won't be blocking my boating access for long. Nobody is going to come into my long-time home waters with the intent to exterminate my favorite fish without facing some subversive pike protection patrols. Those are my comments, respectful or not.

[AJ's Dad]

This is the only map I could find showing tribal boundaries. It appears that the line is just south of where the river comes into the main lake and goes as far south as St Maries on the St. Joe. Am I reading this right? is an angler required to have a tribal license on Cda lake south of Harrison?

[k1500guy]

This is a great article.

http://newwest.net/topic/article/standi ... e/C41/L41/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AJ's Dad]

Great reading and I agree with this guy whole heartedly!!!! Too bad we can't get the so called "experts to think like this guy.
I like the other guys writing style although I don't like his opinion of the pike, I could read his stuff all day. Too funny.

Thanks for posting this Justin.