Walleye News
Walleye Slaughter - by Dale Gilbert
Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission Promotes Walleye
Slaughter
I don’t know if many of you saw the articles in the
Outdoors section of the Great Falls Tribune December 15 or
not. It is not a pretty picture. The reported trout
numbers are amazing – 6034 rainbow per mile - almost
double the long term average. But, there is another
article “Walleye met their Waterloo” – dealing with the No
Limit regulation on walleye adopted by the FWP Commission
and the trout guides who are bragging about all the
walleyes they are catching and killing on the Missouri
River below Holter. So here is some background and
information you might find of interest.
The Fish Wildlife and Park Commissioners adopted a “No
Limit” regulation on walleyes from Holter Dam to Cascade
and a 20 fish limit from Cascade to Great Falls” for the
2011 season and recently adopted the same limits for the
2012-2015 permanent regulations at their meeting in
October.
Why was this done? Apparently this was the result of a
number of Trout Unlimited enthusiasts who felt it was
necessary to protect the “wild trout fishery” that exists
below Holter Dam because of an increase in walleyes
numbers that have been found in the system. (I guess I
don’t understand how it is classified as a “wild trout
fishery” when there is significant flushing of hatchery
fish into the system on a frequent basis but that really
doesn’t matter to me).
The fact is there has been an increase in walleyes below
Holter Dam the last few years. The question is whether or
not it justifies the TU extremist/alarmist point of view
to implement a No Limit regulation on walleyes.
In 2008 the FWP electro-fishing crews captured 75 walleye,
2636 rainbows and 2422 brown trout in the Craig section of
the river. In 2009 they captured 59 walleye during their
electro-fishing. In 2010 they captured 120 walleyes based
on their electro-fishing that on the average is the result
of 2 boats, each spending 5 nights, and covering on an
average about 5.6 miles of the Missouri River. It is
interesting to note the FWP estimated the number of trout
> 10” per mile at 3387 in 2010. Now in 2011 I have heard
that 169 walleyes were captured and the FWP has estimated
the rainbow trout numbers at 6034 per mile in this section
of the river.
Yet, in going back and reviewing some of the prior year
flushing that had occurred in other high water years, you
will see that there has been similar numbers of walleyes
found in various sections of the river and there has never
been any documentation of damage or detriment to the trout
fishery. In fact the trout numbers have increased
substantially more than the walleye numbers as per the
above.
The FWP Departments own data shows significant flushing in
years past. In 1997 they documented that 64% (18 out of
28) of the walleyes tagged in Holter since 1995 have shown
up below the dam at Holter.
FWP data shows that in 1997, 114 walleye were captured in
the Pelican point area, but then in 1998 they only got 12
walleye.
Frankly this has been the norm for the past 30 years, and
bottom line there has never been any consistently
significant numbers of walleyes in the river. They have
been flushing through the system and successfully
co-existing with the trout for decades – especially in the
high water years. And since 2008 we have had some higher
than average flows and flushing including 2011 which was
the highest flows we have seen since 1975. As a result at
times, the best walleye fishing I have had in over 35
years across the country has been on the Missouri River so
we had a World Class trout fishery and a limited World
Class walleye fishery.
Bottom line for the record, contrary to the testimony of
some TU entusiasts, walleyes have successfully co-existed
in the Missouri River below Holter Dam for decades –
having been stocked in Lake Helena in 1952. It has been
well documented by the FWP that the trout numbers and
quality of trout fishing is outstanding and there has
never been any documentation that the walleyes have been
detrimental to the trout fishery in the river below Holter
Dam.
So, how is it then that the FWP Commission could adopt
such an abusive and gross “No Limit regulation on walleye”
for this area of the Central fishing district? When
pressed for justification and asked why, Commissioner
Moody from Lewistown says it was “purely political”. That
creates some extremely negative feelings when I think that
the resources of the state are being managed for “purely
political” reasons and that it has been done contrary to
the FWP Department recommendations and without any
scientific or biological basis. It was done purely to
satisfy the interests of one special interest group and
definitely not for the benefit of the people of Montana.
In the fall of 2010 the FWP Department actually initiated
a request to increase the limits on walleyes below Holter
Dam from the then 5 fish daily limit to 10 fish which
would have been consistent with the daily limit of 10 fish
on Holter and may have been justifiable. However, this did
not appease the TU enthusiasts who lobbied for the no
limit.
During 2011 this item was put back on the agenda again
with the proposed 2012-2015 Permanent Fishing regs. A
letter was sent by the President of Walleyes Unlimited of
Montana with a petition with some 780+ signatures opposed
to the No Limit regulation that was put in place for 2011.
Much to my dismay, this letter was not even acknowledged
by the Department or the Commission during the written
summary of comments, much less considered. Obviously a
significant number of people felt what was done in 2011
was not right. The FWP Department subsequently revised
their recommendations to implement a 20 fish daily limit
vs. the No Limit put in place in 2011 based on pressure
from TU and Commissioner Moody who has verbally chastised
the Department for even putting this issue back on the
agenda at one of the Commission meetings this summer.
So when the 2012-2015 regs were put out for public comment
and on online survey was developed, it was interesting to
note that not one single comment or question provided
individuals an opportunity to comment on the walleye
limits. Bottom line, there was nothing done to encourage
public comment on this issue which is contrary to what the
Montana Code says should be done. Looks a lot like another
pretty obvious message from the Commission and Department
– that we don’t want your comments and don’t care what you
think anyways.
So contrary to the FWP Department recommendations, and
without any consideration of the history or real facts and
any scientific and/or biological data to support the
limit, the Commissioners approved Commissioner Moody’s
motion for the No Limit from Holter to Cascade and 20 fish
limit from Cascade to Great Falls for the 2012-2015
fishing regulations.
What I have learned from this process is that the FWP
Commission is basically accountable to no one. I did some
research to learn what guidelines and authority the
Commission has and learned that they can do anything they
want to do and are not required to consider the FWP
Department recommendations, or any scientific or
biological data in making their decisions. If they want
they can implement rule changes without any justification
whatsoever.
To me, this suggests that the system needs some fixing
because this is not right.
We need a change in representation with people who will
serve in their position of public trust and follow the
laws and guidelines established by the Montana Code for
the “benefit of the people of the state.”
And/or we need to look to changing the statutes and
guidelines the Commissioners have so that in no case can
the management of the state’s resources be based on
“purely political” reasons and that we can avoid the
situation like it appears we have now, where individuals
can abuse their power and not be held accountable to
anyone.
The No Limit regulation on walleye below Holter and the 20
fish limit from Cascade to Great Falls does nothing but
promote the gross misuse, abuse, and slaughter of a
valuable resource and was implemented without any
reasonable, logical justification.
A reasonable compromise offer was made to Trout Unlimited,
but it apparently fell on deaf ears.
And to add to the irony of the whole issue, while TU says
this had to be done to protect the trout fishery, at the
same time they increased the harvest limits on trout in
the same section of river. Frankly, I don’t really care,
but I have a real difficult time accepting their logic.
This section of river is one of the heaviest fished water
bodies in the state. No limits on walleyes and increased
harvest limits for trout simply brings more people, more
pressure, and more conflict to what already exists. What a
shame.
A friend of mine also just relayed the following from a
friend who lives and fishes regularly below Holter: “He
tells us he now finds dead walleye thrown up on the bank
and abandoned on a regular basis.”
I know that for me this is not a dead issue. What has been
done is wrong – both in principle and process to the point
I have lost all faith and respect for this system as it is
today.
The question today, is how can this be changed when the
Commissioners have pretty much sent the message that they
don’t care what the biologist say, and they don’t care
what the majority of the public feels. Maybe more people
need to let their local Commissioners know how they feel.
Fishing Info
Lakes
and Ramps Info
Fishing
Links
Aquatic
Nuisance
Fishing Report - January 31st 2012
Anglers are reminded that ice conditions can be
extremely variable on the reservoirs. Ice thickness can
range from thick enough to support a vehicle to open
water. Extreme caution should be used when accessing the
ice.
Canyon Ferry: Ice conditions of 12 to 14 inches continue
to be reported south of Confederate Bay and the ice line
remains just north of White Earth. The rainbow trout bite
has been best between the Silos and Pond 4 using various
colors of jigs or ice flies, tipped with worms or maggots,
in 2 to 10 feet of water. Yellow perch continue to be
caught between Duck Creek and Hole-in-the-Wall. Hali Jig’s
and Swedish Pimple’s, tipped with maggots or worms and
fished in 40 to 50 feet of water, continue to work well.
Early morning has been the best time to fish. A few
walleye are being caught throughout the reservoir. No
report for ling. Adam Strainer, FWP, Helena
Hauser: Rainbow fishing is fair from shore below Canyon
Ferry Dam while using egg sacks. Rainbow fishing has been
very good through the ice at the Causeway while using
green or red ice jigs tipped with maggots or a worm. Ice
at the Causeway is 8 inches thick while Black Sandy has
4-5 inches. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Holter: The ice is still too unstable to go out on. Troy
Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee fishing is
very good with chartreuse or pink jigs tipped with a
maggot or corn at 15 to 35 feet deep. There is 12-14
inches of ice. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Spawning
The 2012 Spawning reports will be out in mid year. Click on the link below for past years reports.
Canyon Ferry and Fort Peck 2011 Spawning report
Fort Peck Hatchery
Several years ago
warm water anglers from across the state of Montana banned together to
promote the building of a Warm Water Multi-Species Fish Hatchery at Fort Peck
and thanks to the hard work and persistence of these anglers the Fort Peck
Multi-Species Fish Hatchery was built.
This hatchery has been and continues to be supported by sportsman’s groups,
individuals and businesses all across Montana but it seems every year and
every legislative session we have to confront Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
(MFWP) on the funding of the hatchery. This upcoming year will be no
different but comes with some very different ideas on how to further fund the
hatchery.
In the fall of 2007 MFWP asked legislators, individuals and sportsman’s
groups from across the state to come together with MFWP to come up with and
decide on funding proposals that would fund the Fort Peck Hatchery for all
time. Three group meetings were held and proposals and needs were discussed
and the proposals were narrowed down. MFWP decided on two proposals both of
which would lift the restrictions on the species raised in the hatchery and
in turn MFWP would start raising trout in the hatchery. In order for this to
take place the current laws applying to the Fort Peck Hatchery would have to
be changed by the legislature.
It is Walleyes Unlimited of Montana’s opinion that 8.5 Cold Water Hatcheries
in Montana is enough and that the warm water anglers of Montana are entitled
to at least one hatchery solely dedicated to raising warm water species and
therefore we do not agree with MFWP’s proposals. The Fort Peck Hatchery by
law can be funded by two sources the Warm Water Stamp and any type of Federal
Funds available. Walleyes Unlimited will be asking the 2009 legislature to
pass a bill forcing MFWP to give the Fort Peck Hatchery its fair share of
Wallop/Bureaux federal funds to cover the additional funding needed for
operation and maintenance.
The Fort Peck Hatchery is one of the most state of the art hatcheries on the
Missouri River and WUM hopes that the following facts list will help to
inform the people of Montana about the history and the current workings of
the Fort Peck Hatchery and why it needs to stay a strictly Warm Water Multi
Species Hatchery.
Release numbers from the first year of production at the Fort Peck Multi-Species Fish Hatchery.
27,050,000 walleye fry stocked out this spring
Fort Peck Lake 2,947,228 walleye fingerlings
Nelson Reservoir 201,197 walleye fingerlings
Fresno Reservoir 199,569 walleye fingerlings
Lake Frances 101,270 walleye fingerlings
Box Elder Reservoir 49,887 walleye fingerlings
Little Warm Res. 10,836 walleye fingerlings
Dry Fork Reservoir 5,225 walleye fingerlings
Cow Creek Reservoir 7,805 walleye fingerlings
Beaver Creek Res. 10,449 walleye fingerlings
Wadsworth Reservoir 5,476 walleye fingerlings
Total fingerlings stocked numbered 3,538,942. These fish averaged 758/lb and were 1.6" long. Average pond survival was 71.8%, well above the expected 50% mark.
Bear Paw Reservoir 5,112 advanced fingerlings
Beaver Creek Res. 6,350 advanced fingerlings
Nelson Dredge Trout Pond 500 advanced fingerlings
Box Elder Reservoir 1,000 advanced fingerlings
Nelson Reservoir 8,993 advanced fingerlings
Total advanced fingerlings stocked numbered 21,955. These fish averaged 100/lb and were 3.5" long. Average pond survival was 93.3%, again well above the 50% mark.
Chinook releases for 2006 are as follows:
175,217 released into Fort Peck Lake as 3” fish
4,988 released into Fort Peck Lake as 7” fish
