Gil Netting in Lake CDA

[Abomb]

The lunacy does not stop. pisses me off to no ends. They say it's only research, well we know how "research" went on the PO.

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news ... 6eb32.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jd39]

What i don't understand about this pike issue is why can't the WDFW and IDFW pick a few bodies of water that don't have access to greater waterways/watershed systems and aren't ecologically sensitive for native species and stock pike in them, let pike anglers know where to go find them AND THEN commence eradication (really suppression, eradication isn't going to happen) efforts where they're harming native species? I must be missing something.....
There's probably fear of bucket biologist but how is that different than right now?
Personally I support efforts to restore native populations that we've messed up, hatchery/wild I don't really care as long as they're there, but would prefer it to not cost other anglers the opportunity to target their preferred species.
Seems to me there is a compromise somewhere in this situation....

[kevinb]

I can understand angler's eyebrows raising and skepticism but I wouldn't worry to much about i,at least at this point. A study,survey,research(which ever it's titled)is one thing but eradication isn't an option.CD'A is way to big to ever pull off anything like that,then add in the chains. I will have to double check but when Sprague Lake was rehabbed a few years ago,I believe it was on the top 10 list in the nation for largest body of water to have undergone a kill off,granted,"IF" CD'A was to be targeted for northern pike eradication,I could only see nets being the only viable option but again,the lake is way to large and my best guess would it would be a huge chunk of change to fund such an operation. For now,I'd say monitor the situation and stay informed. I'll be back over there very soon.

[Lucius]

What i don't understand about this pike issue is why can't the WDFW and IDFW pick a few bodies of water that don't have access to greater waterways/watershed systems and aren't ecologically sensitive for native species and stock pike in them, let pike anglers know where to go find them AND THEN commence eradication (really suppression, eradication isn't going to happen) efforts where they're harming native species? I must be missing something.....
There's probably fear of bucket biologist but how is that different than right now?
Personally I support efforts to restore native populations that we've messed up, hatchery/wild I don't really care as long as they're there, but would prefer it to not cost other anglers the opportunity to target their preferred species.
Seems to me there is a compromise somewhere in this situation....

I tend to agree with this take especially since man is the main reason on a lot of bodies of water why certain species have become extinct or drastically reduced. However, I am not for trying to re-establish a native fishery if the effort is pointless and cost taxpayers billions with no results. We man are a part of mother nature and isn't mother natures way only the strong survive? Part of only the strong survive is adaptation. There comes a point when mother nature moves on and I think it would be in our best interests sometimes to accept that and move on.

I am really not that worried as they have performed this exact same study very recently on the st. joe river to determine if pike were eating the native trout in the water. As it turns out they weren't. Also, pike have been in CDA since the 70's so if they were hell bent on gillnetting them out, I think they would have tried this method already a long time ago. I am a little worried that they are saying they are performing these studies because they want to establish the native cutthroat again...which we pike anglers know all to well what happens when an agency says they want to study one fish because they want to introduce a native fish again.....like Kevinb said....monitor closely.

[AJ's Dad]

I hate to sound like a doubting Thomas here but this article plain and simple, reads like an excerpt from the past PendOreille river fiasco.
Let me point out the words and comments with key similarities.

TRIBE
"STUDY"
FISH AND GAME
"STUDY"
NOT A REMOVAL
"STUDY"
ERADICATION IS NOT REALISTIC
"STUDY"
GATHERING INFORMATION
"STUDY"
WEST SLOPE FREAKING CUTTHROAT TROUT!
"STUDY"
I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF REMOVAL OF PIKE WAS ON THE LIST
"STUDY"

When they started this same game on the POR I was more than happy to report the information I gathered from tagged fish. I thought I was helping to enhance the fishery. I even tried to volunteer to help out on their boats. Then I saw what they did with their "Gathered information" and their "Study". I personally would not report one speck of information on a tagged fish I catch. You folks can do what you like but in my opinion, it reminds me of a line from your Miranda rights. Anything you say (or report) can and will be used against you. (and the pike).

Before you know it, they will probably report that they have aquired the services of the "Nationaly Renowned Pike Expert" Mr. Jason Conner. "The Pied Piper of the PendOreille".

It simply looks to me like the BS that went on at the POR has set a presidence. Now every soverign entity that has ever had a West Slope Freaking Cutthroat Trout swimming in their waters, or an avenue to the Columbia River (which Cda Lake has), or that can claim a particular predetory fish will eat the native species (referring to the Red Band Trout issue in the columbia and the "Study" on how the walleye are effecting them) , will be holding their hand out hoping for the big BPA dollars. Those dollars get dolled out by the MILLIONS by the way.
How about putting this stuff to a vote and see if the tax paying, fishing public wants to see the study and potential eradication attempts continue. Lets see, as an angler I can choose to spend lots of money to go out and catch a hard fighting, potentially 40"+ fish, or I can spend lots of money trying to catch a nearly extinct potentially 12" long West Slope Freaking Cutthroat Trout.

Stay tuned to see if this issue doesn't turn out like the POR River Massacre, and have a Pot Of Gold at the end of the BPA rainbow. (I wonder if it's a Red Band Rainbow? That's a joke)

Oh man, I hope I'm wrong. Please let me be wrong. (It wouldn't be the first time.)

I can't bear to think about it. I think I'm going to puke now.

[Lucius]

I hate to sound like a doubting Thomas here but this article plain and simple, reads like an excerpt from the past PendOreille river fiasco.
Let me point out the words and comments with key similarities.

TRIBE
"STUDY"
FISH AND GAME
"STUDY"
NOT A REMOVAL
"STUDY"
ERADICATION IS NOT REALISTIC
"STUDY"
GATHERING INFORMATION
"STUDY"
WEST SLOPE FREAKING CUTTHROAT TROUT!
"STUDY"
I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF REMOVAL OF PIKE WAS ON THE LIST
"STUDY"

When they started this same game on the POR I was more than happy to report the information I gathered from tagged fish. I thought I was helping to enhance the fishery. I even tried to volunteer to help out on their boats. Then I saw what they did with their "Gathered information" and their "Study". I personally would not report one speck of information on a tagged fish I catch. You folks can do what you like but in my opinion, it reminds me of a line from your Miranda rights. Anything you say (or report) can and will be used against you. (and the pike).

Before you know it, they will probably report that they have aquired the services of the "Nationaly Renowned Pike Expert" Mr. Jason Conner. "The Pied Piper of the PendOreille".

It simply looks to me like the BS that went on at the POR has set a presidence. Now every soverign entity that has ever had a West Slope Freaking Cutthroat Trout swimming in their waters, or an avenue to the Columbia River (which Cda Lake has), or that can claim a particular predetory fish will eat the native species (referring to the Red Band Trout issue in the columbia and the "Study" on how the walleye are effecting them) , will be holding their hand out hoping for the big BPA dollars. Those dollars get dolled out by the MILLIONS by the way.
How about putting this stuff to a vote and see if the tax paying, fishing public wants to see the study and potential eradication attempts continue. Lets see, as an angler I can choose to spend lots of money to go out and catch a hard fighting, potentially 40"+ fish, or I can spend lots of money trying to catch a nearly extinct potentially 12" long West Slope Freaking Cutthroat Trout.

Stay tuned to see if this issue doesn't turn out like the POR River Massacre, and have a Pot Of Gold at the end of the BPA rainbow. (I wonder if it's a Red Band Rainbow? That's a joke)

Oh man, I hope I'm wrong. Please let me be wrong. (It wouldn't be the first time.)

I can't bear to think about it. I think I'm going to puke now.

I can't argue with the facts....everthing you have mentioned is true. I am with you....i hope you are so wrong!!!

[Abomb]

I have been real busy lately and just wanted to get this news out there. I meant to come back in here sooner and post up my thoughts on this issue. Well AJ's Dad said pretty much exactly what I was going to say, . I do understand that the CDA lake system is MUCH more of a beast then the PO river, as far as pike eradication goes. That pretty much goes without saying for anyone who knows this area.

This is just a money grab, plain and simple.

The west slope cutts are a great fish in of themselves as I stood side my side with many anglers to instill strict catch and release rules on the CDA river system. Now in just 6 short years that river is now a true Blue Ribbon trout fishery.

Of all the pike I have caught and killed I have only seen one little trout in the stomach. Does that mean anything, who knows. I do however pull several perch/bluegill/bass/crappie from them, so in reality they are helping keep the other predator species in check.

There are many non native species in that lake that pose a threat to the cutts, ie: Blueback that the fish and game just seem to go freakin crazy for. So glad they gill netted and killed tons of an ESA listed fish in the name of the Blueback in Lake PO, the Bull Trout, which is a very very cool fish, and NATIVE, .

[YellowBear]

I recall the WDFW said it would be near impossible to eradicate the Pike out of the Pend Orellie. There was never a more untruthful statement made. The Pend Orellie is one of the most vulnerable waters that this state has for Kill nets.It has a controlled flow and we all know were the warm water species spawn, and we all know pretty much when they spawn. Lake CDA and the CDA chain of lakes is only as big as the spawning areas as far as the Kill nets go. If the fish and game decides to use there kill nets for a couple of years they will wipe out the big spawners. Then if they decide to plant some of there hybred Trout, the fry will be there food source leaving what ever may be left over for anglers to take. My bet would be that they can wipe out the Pike fishery in 5 years.
When rotenone was the main kill tactic, big water like CDA and moving water like the Pend Orellie were unsuitable for rotenone to be used. Now that the Mgrs use Kill nets, No body of water or species is secure. IMHO!

[Gone Fishin]

If you want to know if its possible to wipe the pike out of a body of water with nets look up studies that have been done in Canada and the Midwest. They did exactly what they are doing on the PO river and quit after a number of years because it didn't affect the pike population. I will say that the PO river is more vulnerable to the netting because it is pretty easy to cut off the sloughs with nets. The majority of the pike in there use the sloughs for spawning and feeding. A place like CDA doesn't have that issue and they could never dream of eradicating the pike with nets. Sure they can change the size dynamic of the pike with netting but it is really unlikely that it would change the population of pike in a system like CDA. I would hate to see them try it but even if they did, within a few years they would have wasted a lot of money, not had a huge effect and hopefully like other states and provinces have, they would realize that its not a viable option and stop. It is a shame that they have taken the stance they have on the PO river, a fishery that had potential to be one of the best pike fisheries in the country. Hopefully in a few years when they realize that no matter how many nets they put out there are always going to be pike in there, they will change their minds..... Or use their brain

[Lucius]

The funny thing is that they caught more pike this year in the nets then they did last year...so are the same results as Canada and the Midwest actually coming to fruition in the POR.....hhhhmmmmmm

[AJ's Dad]

Theye're still catching pike in their gill nets, but what size are they? My guess is they are small ones. I still haven't heard of anyone going up there, let alone going up and haveing a good day pike fishing.

[Abomb]

From a very reliable source I heard that in the nets on the CDA they "reported" killing 600 small mouth bass as well as pike. They also caught a number of large mouth but did not divulge that number.

Talked to a couple guys on Hayden at Sportsman launch who fish the CDA heavy for pike and they stated the fishing was very poor. Also that a few bays had nets from point to point blocking the bay.

[farmer_aa]

Did anyone notice the front page article in the Spokesman Review today about the latest native cutthroat study in Benewah Creek? Despite catch and release requirements, it seems the spawning cutthroat population is low. Blame it all on the pike, as usual. A study, it seems, is also being conducted jointly by the Coeur d' Alene Tribe and the U of I Fisheries doing forced regurgitation examinations of pike stomach contents. Should be interesting. But it would also be interesting to conduct those studies on the other numerous predatory fish in the lake that eat small cutthroats... Stay tuned. The results are to be published in December.

[Lucius]

I can already tell you the results that will come out in December. "Studies have shown that the Northern Pike are consuming the Cutthroat trout, thus minimizing the trout available to spawn. Therefore, something has to be done to reduce the Northern Pike Numbers in Coeur D'Alene Lake...." or something of that nature.

You know, I wonder if any of these wildlife departments ever thought the reason for "SOME" bucket biology is themselves. They try and fix one thing at the cost of another. You make a set of anglers mad because of this and they retaliate by bucket biology. Especially in a state where there are plenty of people that are anti-government. I don't think actively trying to reduce pike numbers is going to go over very with with a lot of the folks of CDA. I mean the pike have been here for over 30 years and now you have a problem. Idaho is one of only 3 states to have state records over 40lbs (set in 2010 as compared to the other records set back in the old days), and now we want to demonize this fish? COME ON!!!! Mother natures way is to adapt and it appears to me the cutthroat trout isn't very good at adapting. Hell it is even the USA model in some instances to adapt. Isn't there other bodies of water that have cutthroat in them?

[AJ's Dad]

My guess is that the studies will show no west slope freaking cutthroat trout in the bellies of the pike. Hell, they say there aren't any west slope freaking cutthroat trout out there so how the heck can they find them in the bellies of the pike. They will find nothing and they will still blame the depleted population of the west slope freaking cutthroat trout on the pike. Just like they did in the POR.

Ever since I heard that they thought pike would eat a west slope freaking cutthroat trout I have been fishing a jointed swimbait specifically hand painted to look like one. I can't even get a bite on it. There's proof that pike don't eat them.
I threw the damn thing away because the pike wouldn't hit it.

[Mark K]

I wish there was another group that could perform non biased surveys. Kalispels did the surveys on the river, and now the CDA's in Idaho. We know how this will turn out. For Millions of BPA dollars that CDA survey will show whatever they need it to. Just like the Kalispels...

[oly1]

Has anyone seen the report that was supposed to be done in December?

[Mark K]

http://www.cdacasino.com/estore/index.p ... cts_id=324" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Beginning of the end... de ja vu.

[AJ's Dad]

I would probably have entered this tourney if it wasn't a harvest only event. I saw this last week. No thanks.
As far as the beginning of the end in refrence to the POR. I think if they are going to charge $100 per team to enter, there will probably be a small number of teams entered. Then again, fins and feathers charged $80 per team this year and had 100 boats. The 5 fish creel surprises me to. If they wanted to make a dent in the population, they should have had an unlimited creel. I'm not saying they aren't on the road to going for the big money handout to try to get rid of the pike, I;m just surprised they had their tourney set up like they do if that's where they're headed. From a conversation I had with Jeff Smith of fins and feathers, I believe Idaho F&G wants all pike tourneys in to be harvest only.
I have never seeen a gill net in Cda or any of the chains. Can anyone else say they have seen them lately? I know someone said they heard someone else did way back in this thread. Maybe they have abandoned the issue. I guess I would say if the nets are going to be out there, it would be in the spring grabbing the spawners headed for shallow water.
If anyone sees the results for this tourney posted, number of boats entered, big fish, winning weight, winning team, I would love to see it posted.

[Fish-N-Fool]

This is just a money grab, plain and simple.

Well that's exactly what the P.O. River was all about as well. The Indians didn't care about the pike being in there, "Heck they are the ones that planted them in there some 15 years ago", they just wanted the BPA money.
If they did an all out gill netting on all the major spawning areas like the did on the PO river they could severely hurt the Pike population in the CDA system. They could not get all the pike out of the P.O. River either and never will, but they did ruin the fishery.

When it come to Idaho's F and G dept. I have little to no faith in them, They have proved over and over again that they do not care about any species of fish other then native trout or them stupid non native bluebacks.
My favorite bass lake McArther, north of Sandpoint (a small reservoir) they purposely drained dry and killed off the best Bass lake in Idaho at the time. It was full of huge fish and it was common to catch 10 to 15 L.M. Bass over 4 pounds in an evenings outing with many fish over 6 lbs. Now you can't even catch sunfish there.