Brown Trout Bounty Lees Ferry

[jeep.ster]

Brown trout in the colorado river at lees ferry will soon have a reward on their heads. Anglers will get paid to catch and kill them out of the river. Fishing them out instead of mechanical removal is the preferred method of local tribal beliefs.

National Park Service Plan Approved to Protect Native Aquatic Species in the Colorado River - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/10/14/heres-how-national-park-service-plans-cut-invasive-brown-trout/3948851002/

 

[benglish]

The Dam is invasive as well. Using National Park service rational, it should be removed as well.

 

[jangles]

Lets see , the brown was introduced almost 100 years ago and that chub is still around . Hmm , sounds really bad for a fish no one has a use for . I have never seen one myself so I wont miss it however I will miss the Brown trout once it is gone . Personally I will release every BT I catch there as well as any other trout . Does the chub bite on flys ? Is it big enough to eat ? Whats it taste like ? Hmmm. lol

 

[jeep.ster]

Lets see , the brown was introduced almost 100 years ago and that chub is still around . Hmm , sounds really bad for a fish no one has a use for . I have never seen one myself so I wont miss it however I will miss the Brown trout once it is gone . Personally I will release every BT I catch there as well as any other trout . Does the chub bite on flys ? Is it big enough to eat ? Whats it taste like ? Hmmm. lol

That's right ron. I suspect most of us will c&r any brown like any other trout. However I would like to know more about the cultural side of this and would not want to go against any blessings that were performed for this project to protect the chub. As I read it increased angling opportunities like guided tournaments will take its toll. Not us. Could be 40-50 boats on the water.

 

[silver creek]

I suspect the bounty will have about as much success as the effort to remove rainbows from the South Fork of the Snake River.

Fish and Game Offers Bounty on Rainbow Trout | Idaho Fish and Game

 

[jangles]

I suspect the bounty will have about as much success as the effort to remove rainbows from the South Fork of the Snake River.

Fish and Game Offers Bounty on Rainbow Trout | Idaho Fish and Game

I read that article you posted the link to . I know it was an older article but that smelled of a first class con game to me . lol . I'd be interested to know of anyone that actually got a check .

 

[Ray Redstone]

I have been fly-fishing at Lees Ferry for 15 years and finally put a few Browns in the net back in December. During those 15 years I must have caught and released at least 700 + Rainbows at the Ferry and not 1 Brown. Zero! Zip! Zilch....

Anyway, I will not be participating in the $25 BT bounty program. In my opinion the browns are not responsible for threatening the Humpback Chubb who are primarily found 60 miles downriver from Lees Ferry. The die was cast for the Chubb when Glen Canyon dam was opened back in late late 60s when it changed the Colorado River below the dam into a clear flowing cold water fishery.

I agree with others that bounty program Is a better alternative than Mechanical removal or electroshocking the river. At least the bounty program puts the choice of killing one of these beautiful fish in the hands of the individual angler…

You can view more of my Lees Ferry Fly Fishing images here

 

[LePetomane]

Ray, thanks for resurrecting this thread. I don't like being told what to do with the fish I catch. I don't like the idea of throwing them on the bank to die either as some have advocated. If someone wants to catch and keep/eat that's fine with me.

 

[Ray Redstone]

I agree. I wouldn't have the balls to tell another Angler what to do with a fish they catch.

I do know most of the Fly Fishers I know at Lees Ferry will release any Browns they catch.

You can view more details here including how many Browns have been turned in for a bounty payment so far. Its not a lot..

 

[Ray Redstone]

Guys, here is a link to a 1 minute video of a recent catch and release of a Lees Ferry Brown trout.

Link: Lees Ferry Brown Trout Release Video

 

[NCAndy]

Glen Canyon Dam is the main issue for the Humpback Chub. The cold water released from the bottom of Lake Powell averages in the mid 40s. The recent increase in chub populations around the LCR is probably due to the low levels in Lake Powell increasing the temperature of the water being released, sometimes into the upper 50s. Generally, water warms in the Colorado River about 1ºC for each 20 miles downstream. The LCR is at mile 62 from Lees Ferry or about 77 miles below the dam. Chub need more than 61º to spawn. The LCR being free flowing creates the habitat the chub need. The main Colorado not so much.

 

[Ray Redstone]

Glen Canyon Dam is the main issue for the Humpback Chub. The cold water released from the bottom of Lake Powell averages in the mid 40s. The recent increase in chub populations around the LCR is probably due to the low levels in Lake Powell increasing the temperature of the water being released, sometimes into the upper 50s. Generally, water warms in the Colorado River about 1ºC for each 20 miles downstream. The LCR is at mile 62 from Lees Ferry or about 77 miles below the dam. Chub need more than 61º to spawn. The LCR being free flowing creates the habitat the chub need. The main Colorado not so much.

I agree. The Die was cast for the Chub when the Dam went up...

 

[Monello]

I agree. I wouldn't have the balls to tell another Angler what to do with a fish they catch.

I do know most of the Fly Fishers I know at Lees Ferry will release any Browns they catch.

You can view more details here including how many Browns have been turned in for a bounty payment so far. Its not a lot..

I was able to fish at Lee's Ferry once when I visited Flagstaff 2 years ago. Down the Spencer trail around the bend. I don't know if I've ever fished in a more spectacular setting in my lifetime. Catching rainbow trout in a desert during August when the temperature is above 100 degrees. Wet wading with a chance of both heat stroke and hypothermia at the same time.

 

[moucheur2003]

All the trout in Lee's Ferry are introduced. Why are browns any different from rainbows?