Bass Being Massacred In Colorado

[iceintheveins]

Here in Colorado, we have a very special river, the Yampa River. It's a river where 3 - 5 pound smallmouth are very common, and a 100 smallmouth day isn't out of the question.

In addtion to that, it has some fantastic pike fishing. You can catch 10 - 12 pike per day, many of those being 36" or longer. In fact we have caught numerous pike in the 40 inch range, including one 51" giant that was well above the state record. However due to the situation on the River, we released it.

Since 2002, the US Fish and Wildlife service, with help from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, has been removing and killing bass and pike from the Yampa. They are doing this to supposedly aid native suckers and chubs that were supposedly once abundant in the river.

More than 25,000 smallmouth bass, 7600 pike, and 6000 catfish have been removed from the river. Most of them are killed.

Despite this, the data shows no response from the native fish in the Yampa River. The senseless slaughter has done NOTHING to bring back native rough fish. Yet they cast aside their own data,  and continue it anyway.

In the Colorado River, more than 5000 smallmouth bass and 3000 largemouth bass have been removed and killed since 2004, all for the same reasons. It has yielded the same results, NO benefits to native or endangered fish species. Yet the biologists around here continue to lie, spin, and push this useless slaughter project.

The Colorado DOW is the same agency that for 30 years tried to recover Greenback Cutthroats. Recently, it was found that for all those 30 years, they were stocking THE WRONG CUTTHROAT TROUT in their recovery efforts.

Thoughts and comments?

[FD.]

That's criminal.  I wonder what Ray Scott thinks about this.  Maybe a call to BASS is a good way to start.

[Grey Wolf]

Suckers and chubs !!!!!!

Are they endangered species ?

Aren't they considered trash fish in most waters ?

[iceintheveins]

Suckers and chubs !!!!!!

Are they endangered species ?

Aren't they considered trash fish in most waters ?

Yes they are considered trash fish, even in these waters (except by fisheries agencies though). The same people who are trying to save them once poisoned them 30 - 40 years ago.

[iceintheveins]

That's criminal. I wonder what Ray Scott thinks about this. Maybe a call to BASS is a good way to start.

BASS opposes it. But fisheries agencies don't care about anglers in our area.

[pondhopper]

I predict that they will eventually restock with trout and the streams will only be accessible through outfitters. There is big money in guided fly fishing. Sounds totally Colorado to me.

[iceintheveins]

I predict that they will eventually restock with trout and the streams will only be accessible through outfitters. There is big money in guided fly fishing. Sounds totally Colorado to me.

Colorado is jacked. The majority of Colorado anglers are dead set against this, and most like to fish for species other than trout as well. Most of the rivers in Colorado, such as the ones I have listed, are too warm for trout.

[fishizzle]

I am appaulled.  that is outragous.

Sound like the best smallmouth river in the US

and they're trashing it for suckers---who fishes for those?

Sounds like a good place for a picket or rally

Get us an email address and we'll overwelm them with outrage

Bass Times does alot of environmental issues--maybe they would do an article on it

[iceintheveins]

I am appaulled. that is outragous.

Sound like the best smallmouth river in the US

and they're trashing it for suckers---who fishes for those?

Sounds like a good place for a picket or rally

Get us an email address and we'll overwelm them with outrage

Bass Times does alot of environmental issues--maybe they would do an article on it

The public information officer for the program is Debbie Felker.

debbie_felker@fws.gov

[iceintheveins]

I am appaulled. that is outragous.

Sound like the best smallmouth river in the US

and they're trashing it for suckers---who fishes for those?

Sounds like a good place for a picket or rally

Get us an email address and we'll overwelm them with outrage

Bass Times does alot of environmental issues--maybe they would do an article on it

The Yampa isn't the best smallie river in the US, but it is one of the best, not to mention the best pike fishery in Colorado, and we have lots of good pike fisheries.

[MNGeorge]

I smell "Sierra Club".

[iceintheveins]

I smell "Sierra Club".

On the appointed "committee" that decides the path the fish killers will take, there are representatives from the nature conservancy, but NO ONE representing sportsmen.

[Bassn Blvd]

How many needy families are fed the fish that are being slaughtered?

It breaks my heart and quite frankly ticks me off to read about things like this. And it seems like their reason for doing it doesn't justify anything.

[iceintheveins]

How many needy families are fed the fish that are being slaughtered?

It breaks my heart and quite frankly ticks me off to read about things like this. And it seems like their reason for doing it doesn't justify anything.

None of the fish are given to families in Colorado. Most are taken to the dump or left to rot on the banks.

[RoLo]

Before your brief hiatus from the forum, I remember you mentioning

the mismanagement woes on the Colorado. It looks like man

will never learn that "no management" is often the best management.

In the final analysis, they'll probably realize in retrospect

that their beloved chubs and suckers actually benefitted

from populations of pike and smallmouth.

Just recently I was speaking to a fellow who lives in my retirement community.

He hails from Ohio and was telling me about some reservoir there

where northerm pike completely wiped out the walleyes (yeah right).

Then I asked him, "So what are the pike eating Larry?" I'm not sure he got it.

Roger

[pondhopper]

Colorado is jacked. The majority of Colorado anglers are dead set against this, and most like to fish for species other than trout as well.

Good to hear that. I watched a show filmed on the Frying Pan River a while back that did not impress me much.

[XcoM274]

Chubs and suckers? Are they serious? Perhaps they could write the Michigan DNR and secure some of the truckloads of those garbage fish they scrape out of St. Clair and Huron every year. Ridiculous. I like your story about them stocking the wrong trout too, made me laugh.