This winter, the state of Vermont imposed some serious baitfish regulations in an attempt to slow or prevent the spread of VHS (Viral hemorrhagic septicemia), a viral disease that can cause high fish mortality. 

VHS is currently widespread in the Great Lakes and has been quickly spreading to fish populations in surrounding areas.  While not currently found in Vermont, the state’s Fish and Wildlife Department fears that the virus may be brought into the state via the transport of baitfish.  So in order to reduce the potential for spread, emergency regulations were passed this winter that prohibit the harvest of any species of baitfish aside from smelt or perch, substantially prohibit the use of bait, and put strict regulations on bait dealers.   

The strict emergency regulations are set to expire in February, and public hearings are currently taking place at 5 locations around the state in order to draft more permanent regulations. 

Read more about the regulation details and meeting dates here

Read an article about the virus and regulations from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche here

James Phillips, avid angler and active member of a local Indiana chapter of Trout Unlimited, wrote an article reflecting on the first ever catch and release fishing regulations in sections of three Indiana streams. 

A flyfisherman who strongly supports catch and release, Phillips seemed very satisfied with the new regulations, and noted high catch rates and the lack of other anglers in the catch and release sections.  He and others kept personal fishing logs to evaluate their success.

I cannot recall anyone predicting in meaningful detail in advance of the season what effect catch-and-release regulations might have on fishing on the Little Elkhart River, our most hallowed and historically important trout stream. Nor do I recall anyone defining what might constitute success.
But within a few weeks, everyone agreed the fishery exceeded the most optimistic expectations. Crowds of anglers on the catch-and-release waters were nonexistent.

So was catch and release better for the fishery in these stretches of Indiana streams?  Phillips believes that catch rates were higher and that these stretches were fished less often, making the experience more valuable for those who chose to fish the C&R waters.

Determining whether fishing regulations are successful depends on how the value of a fishery is measured.  Is the goal to provide the most number of fish caught for the most people?  Is it to extend a fishing season so that anglers can fish for a longer period of time?  And does it include the value of an individual’s personal experience, which can be affected by the number of other anglers around? 

In Mr. Phillips’ case, the value of a fishery is measured by the ability to catch consistent numbers of fish over a relatively long period of time with few other anglers around.  This position is shared by many other anglers, but not all.  In other cases, the value of a fishery may be measured by the ability to take the family fishing for a couple of weekends, toss in a gob of worms and catch a nice mess of trout to take home.  Catch and release regulations may affect the ability for some to have such an experience. 

So overall, we can surmise that restrictive fishing regulations are beneficial to some at the cost of others.  I’m not familiar enough with the details of the Indiana regs to make more specific comments, but I do know that imposing restrictive regulations involves an important balancing act to provide unique fishing opportunities while ensuring that the values of all anglers are taken into account. 

The rapid improvement of the Great Lakes muskie fishery in the waters of Green Bay has caused anglers to urge the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to increase the minimum length limits for the fish in order to further protect trophy fish.

A public meeting is scheduled for the end of the month at the Green Bay Yacht Club to discuss changing the length limit, a proposal that has the support of many anglers, with majority support in 25 of 26 counties.  Biologists believe that more information about the ecology of the Green Bay population is necessary to make a proper decision about length limits.

Read more here……

Bait it! Hook it! Eat it!

I picked this hat up from the riverbank while doing field work a few weeks ago.  I was counting brown trout redds in one of the spawning locations in my study area and just saw it lying there.  The funny thing was, the hat was on the banks of a special regulations section of water, which doesn’t allow the use of bait!

Signs posted at popular fishing locales throughout the United Kingdom are just in time for the Holidays, and targeted at eastern European immigrants, such as the Polish, who traditionally enjoy eating a dish of pike or carp for Christmas.

The fish are prized by European sport anglers, who primarily practice catch and release.  Officials and anglers hope that the signs prevent those ‘less sophisticated’ immigrants from ’stealing’ their valuable sport fish. 

It’s an understandable cause, but doesn’t it make you wish there were more fish around for those traditional Poles who just want to catch Christmas dinner?  I propose that we Americans (and Australians too) make our own version of these signs:  PLEASE TAKE OUR CARP!!!

If you’ve been following the Fish Geek blog regularly, you might remember a post I put together about proposed regulation changes in Idaho’s Silver Creek.  I interviewed Magic Valley fishery manager Doug Megargle about the proposed changes.The controversial regulations would have allowed anglers to keep brown trout in this popular fly fishing destination and change the way fishermen could access the river.  Below is an email I received regarding the update on the public process and the decisions recommended by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.  The region has recommended that the changes in Silver Creek not go forward, mainly because of the division in public opinion and the lack of strong public support for the changes.

California anglers will now be able to fish year-round in three popular fishing waters, a great new opportunity……one which met with opposition just like every other new regulation proposal.

I enjoyed reading Jim Matthews’ San Bernardino Sun column about opposition to the new changes.  California Department of Fish and Game biologists were confident that the changes would have little to no negative effect on the fishery, but opposition to change, with little or no logical reason, is inevitable.

The new extended season on these three waters will provide more angling opportunity, take away pressure from other waters, and provide economic benefit to a few local communities.  But any time change comes along, you’ll have opposition.   

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is considering allowing anglers to harvest a limited number of bull trout in Lake Pend O’Reille, the northern Idaho lake where bull trout, as well as the popular kokanee salmon, have been threatened by the introduction of nonnative lake trout.  Bull trout are a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, but may be harvested under special circumstances with permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  It sounds like Fish and Game biologists are trying to balance numbers of bull trout and kokanee in the presence of lake trout, which can often be very tough.  The Department is seeking public comment on the proposed decision.

See the details here

I just received an email from Doug Megargle, fisheries biologist with Idaho Fish and Game, regarding the proposed Silver Creek regulation changes.

An open house is scheduled for Sept. 11th in Hailey, ID to gather comment on the Silver Creek and other proposed regulation changes.  See the information below.

Also check out my interview with Doug regarding the reg. changes.

PLEASE NOTE:  Idaho Fish and Game has scheduled an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. September 11, in rooms 301-302 at the Community Campus, 1050 Fox Acres Road in Hailey, to gather public comment on proposed statewide and

Magic Valley regional changes in fishing rules for 2008-2009. 

Directions:  Heading north on Highway 75 proceed through

Bellevue. Drive past the

Friedman Memorial Airport runway, which will be on the left. At the first traffic light in Hailey, turn right onto Fox Acres Road. Proceed down Fox Acres and go straight through the stop sign. Proceed around the curve to

Wood River High School. The Community Campus will be next door on the right. Pull into the driveway on the right, stay to the right and park in the lot.

Starting in January, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources imposed restrictive fishing regulations in the Upper Savage River system to protect brook trout populations.  The regulations included restricting the use of bait, and prohibiting the taking of brook trout.  While the regulations were probably well intentioned, they met a ton of opposition from local anglers and sporting groups, resulting in a petition with about 1,000 signatures handed over to the DNR. 

State senator George Edwards has voiced his opposition to the regulations quite clearly, but with little or no response from the DNR.  Edwards insists that some type of compromise could be made where some of the waters would be open to bait fishing, while local groups are further petitioning to completely overturn the regulations. 

Should local groups quit whining and conform to the regulations, or did the DNR bite off more than they could chew?  I think a compromise might be the best solution for both the DNR and anglers, but I can only hope…….

Read more here