Northern pike removal resumes next month in northeast Washin

[3footvis]

Just saw this on WDFW site. I know this has been happening, but how has it affected the fishing in the past?

SPOKANE – For the second straight year, state and tribal fishery managers are joining forces to remove invasive, non-native northern pike from Box Canyon Reservoir on the Pend Oreille River in northeast Washington.

Starting in early March, crews from the Kalispel Tribe Natural Resources Department (KNRD) will use gillnets to remove pike from the reservoir and will work with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to monitor the results.

“Northern pike are voracious predators that pose a significant threat to native fish species,” said Bruce Bolding, WDFW warmwater fish program manager. “They can cause a great deal of ecological and economic damage.”

Surveys conducted by WDFW and KNRD between 2004 and 2011 documented a rapid increase in the number of pike in Box Canyon Reservoir and a decline in abundance of other fish species.

While the reservoir has the state’s largest population of northern pike, anglers have also reported catching them in the Columbia River just north of the Canada border, near Northport and Kettle Falls, and in the Spokane River from Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho to Long Lake in Spokane County.

“We’re very concerned about the possible spread of northern pike from the Pend Oreille River downstream into the Columbia River, where they could impact salmon and steelhead,” said John Whalen, WDFW eastern regional fish program manager.

Under state law, anglers can harvest unlimited numbers of northern pike, regardless of size, year-round. Because they are classified as a prohibited species, they must be dead before they can be removed from any waterway.

While fishery managers encourage anglers to catch all the northern pike they can, gillnetting is the most effective method for pike reduction, Bolding said. Both options were discussed at public meetings conducted by WDFW in 2011 and 2012 to discuss options for removing the invasive fish.

Last year’s gillnetting effort removed 5,808 northern pike, while anglers removed another 233 pike during two fishing derbies, said Bolding, noting that the total fell just short of the 87 percent reduction goal.

This year’s effort will run through April, followed by an assessment using WDFW’s annual Spring Pike Index Netting (SPIN) survey in May. If pike abundance is higher than the target removal number, gillnetting will continue through June, Bolding said.

Bolding said problems with northern pike started with illegal releases of the fish into the Flathead, Bitterroot and Clark Fork river systems in Montana, where they migrated downstream into Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille and into Washington.

“Moving live northern pike from one waterway and releasing them in another is illegal because it’s highly destructive to other fish communities,” he said.

KNRD will conduct a northern pike fishing derby May 17-19 to help reduce numbers.

[Anglinarcher]

I hear it pretty much destroyed the pike fishing, and gill nets do not protect other species caught in them either. Word has it that the Bass took a massive hit as well.

I don't have this as first hand knowledge though, I did not fish it last year.

[Amx]

That's what someone said last summer, that the bass fishing now sucks.

[Natebg1]

No Surprise to hear the latest news, go figure! Too bad the WDFW hasn't read the In Fisherman "PIKE" Book. It's a GREAT Read and has statistical summary reports of how to control over and under populated Northern Pike Fisheries. One of the biggest things that has an effect on a Pike Fishery is the BASS POPULATION! The bigger the Bass preferably Largemouth, the less likely the opportunities for Pike to reproduce at such a quick pace. Reason being is that the Largemouth love to eat baby Pike in the Spring while they are Spawning. As a matter of fact there are some years where Pike actually do not reproduce at all, learned this while in Saskatchewan Canada last summer on Last Mountain Lake after catching a few with eggs in them. Only 6 to be exact, it was a GREAT Shoreside Lunch! Out of the 6 Pike we caught, 4 had eggs in them and it was well past spawning season. What we found out, is that if the water temps change too quickly during Spring going into Summer it can cause the Pike to become almost lathargic and weak to the point where they can't reproduce. Any eggs they have in them actually become a type of food storage that there body will metabolise during the winter to keep them from being so hungry. Very interesting to learn, of course the other big factor is the Walleye population, because the Walleye help keep the Perch population in check which takes food away from the Pike, which in turn forces the Pike to eat themselves because they have nothing else to eat on. A Pike eating itself isn't necessarily a bad thing if it helps keep them in check. I would love to see what the Pend Oreille would be like with Pike, Walleye, Bass and other warmwater fish all together including Trout, Salmon and other types of Washington native Fish. I bet this river would be Dynamite as a whole with regards to the populations of different species. Oh, well I guess we will never know for sure, it's too bad because this could have been a huge meal ticket for Washington State and the WDFW if they would have at least given it a shot. Can't wait for Springtime!

Nate

[YellowBear]

Word has it that not only did the nets kill off large numbers of Bass but many birds of prey fell victim to them as well.

[Mark K]

Its all about the money to the Kalispels. Nothing will change it. The same reason they are sandbagging the Spokane's Casino in Airway Heights. Money. I like how they actually call Jason Connor a "National Pike Expert". Get over yourself loser. The Kalispel's wanted to protect the Pike with slot limits a few years ago. They seen the benefit it would have on their community. That was before Jason Connor and his gang found their BPA handout. Now there is only one winner.

[Lucius]

Thats too bad!!! I think a big problem is looming on the horizon....

[AJ's Dad]

It's fun to talk back and forth amoungst ourselves and contemplate what kind of fishery the PendOreille River was and could have been. However. This body of water is a perfect example of how one entity can spread it's propaganda around and convince particular influencial individuals to follow their line of thinking, and hand over virtually millions of dollars to the cause.

Should the leader of the pike removal squad be called a "Nationally known expert"? I would say not. Maybe more like the "Pied Piper of the PendOreille". Follow me, follow me he cried. LOL

I couldn't resist making a comment on this forum, but I as a broken hearted "Former" fisherman of the PendOreille have moved on. Or should I say moved back. Back to Idaho my friends. The land of the Northern Pike!!

See you on the water. I'll be the guy with the pike stink on his hands.

Happy fishing

[Dan Boone]

Man, I was really looking forward to trying the Pend Oreille before they started gillnetting last year.

[Abomb]

It's fun to talk back and forth amoungst ourselves and contemplate what kind of fishery the PendOreille River was and could have been. However. This body of water is a perfect example of how one entity can spread it's propaganda around and convince particular influencial individuals to follow their line of thinking, and hand over virtually millions of dollars to the cause.

Should the leader of the pike removal squad be called a "Nationally known expert"? I would say not. Maybe more like the "Pied Piper of the PendOreille". Follow me, follow me he cried. LOL

I couldn't resist making a comment on this forum, but I as a broken hearted "Former" fisherman of the PendOreille have moved on. Or should I say moved back. Back to Idaho my friends. The land of the Northern Pike!!

See you on the water. I'll be the guy with the pike stink on his hands.

Happy fishing

Couldn't agree with you more Aj's Dad. Had the PO dialed, then they pulled the plug. Back to the waters in my back yard. Pike should be hitting hard baits soon.

[kevinb]

It's fun to talk back and forth amoungst ourselves and contemplate what kind of fishery the PendOreille River was and could have been. However. This body of water is a perfect example of how one entity can spread it's propaganda around and convince particular influencial individuals to follow their line of thinking, and hand over virtually millions of dollars to the cause.

Should the leader of the pike removal squad be called a "Nationally known expert"? I would say not. Maybe more like the "Pied Piper of the PendOreille". Follow me, follow me he cried. LOL

I couldn't resist making a comment on this forum, but I as a broken hearted "Former" fisherman of the PendOreille have moved on. Or should I say moved back. Back to Idaho my friends. The land of the Northern Pike!!

See you on the water. I'll be the guy with the pike stink on his hands.

Happy fishing

I tend to agree,been fishing this river for several years but didn't really learn it until several outings with Mark K. Was a great fishery with even better scenery but can't justify the drive from Seattle on scenery alone,however,I still might drop in some time this season for a day trip while making base camp on CDA. We'll be over there again soon,will keep you posted if you want to try some northerns on CDA/Chains,probably participate in a few NIPA tournies as well.

Would dive into this topic more but need to get these kids to sleep.