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Bucket biologist...dont be one.

BuzzH

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2001
Messages
16,990
Location
Laramie, WY
My wife and I take the dog for a walk around a local kids fishing pond quite often. A couple weeks ago we saw, what appeared to be a largemouth bass. The GF typically stocks rainbows, cutthroat, and even grayling in there.

So, I figured since Spring Creek that flows from the pond feeds the Laramie River, probably best to contact the local fisheries biologist. I told Steve Gale I was about 95% sure it was a bass, but the water was a bit cloudy. He said they would shock the area and see...told him I hoped I wasn't sending him on a wild...well, bass chase.

Anyway, I wasn't crazy shocked the bass right where we had seen it. Article is a good reminder for:

1. Don't be planting fish where they don't belong, it can have devastating impacts on local fisheries.
2. When in doubt, say something. You wont be bothering the GF by reporting things even if it turns out to be nothing.


From the article:

Biologists dissected the bass and discovered a native Iowa Darter in its stomach. Scales and otoliths were collected for further study and to help determine where the bass came from. “The bass was either raised in an aquarium until it got too big and was released into the pond, or someone transplanted it from another location. The brown trout most likely was moved from Spring Creek, as there is a wild population in the creek. Both scenarios are illegal,” Gale said.

Gale thanked Laramie resident Buzz Hettick, chairman of the Wyoming Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, for recognizing and reporting the illegally-stocked fish. Illegal fish introductions can destroy valuable sport fisheries and native fish populations. Penalties may include lifetime revocation of Wyoming hunting and fishing privileges, a fine up to $10,000, up to a year in jail, and penalties incurred by the department in removing the fish. If anyone has information on this illegal fish stocking, please call 1-877-WGFD-TIP to report.
 
+1

I'm a regional fisheries biologist for a state wildlife agency and can say that, without a doubt, dealing with illegally introduced species from well meaning anglers is the most expensive and time consuming portion of my job. Most of the time people truly have no idea that taking a sportfish species from one area and moving it to another area to improve their favorite fishing hole or to "add variety" is illegal and most times has long term impacts. I take the time to investigate every single report of non-native or potentially introduced species into waters I manage, especially if they are connected in one way or another to larger systems. In our area most waterways are connected via irrigation canals or diversions so putting a handful of non-native bass in an urban fishery eventually leads to a whole bunch of non-native bass feeding on fry in a river 6 miles away.
 
We have a small lake just outside of Ely NV called Comins Lake that has needed repeated poisoning by NDOW because some jack@$$ planted northern Pike from a lake about 20 miles away. The trout fishing used to be pretty darn good but now it's just so so because it's just coming back after the latest round of poisoning.
There is a very good reason doing such things is illegal.
 
Northern Pike and the Columbia River = 100's a millions of taxpayer dollars

Glad it sounds like they caught that one early.
 
Although not exactly the same situation, maybe the same in principle, but that's how wild burros and horses became such a problem. People set them free to survive on their own when they had no more use for them or couldn't take care of them. Starts with good intentions of uniformed or ignorant people...
 
Can't even take your pet bass to the park without gubbamint interface.

I still can't wrap my head around transporting a bass to Laramie just to release it. Would take a big fish tank to grow a bass that big.
 
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