By Anthony Naples, on May 20th, 2009
Whirling disease researchers optimistic about Montana’s trout
May 20, 2009 — By Evelyn Boswell, MSU News Service
BOZEMAN — Whirling disease now infects about 150 streams across Montana, but researchers say they are still optimistic about the future of trout fishing in the state.
One of the most promising developments, they say, is the discovery of wild rainbow trout that are naturally resistant to whirling disease. Another is the mysterious rebound of rainbow trout in the Madison River, the first Montana river where whirling disease was discovered.
“There’s hope,” said Montana State University ecologist Billie Kerans. “There’s some hope for the trout in Montana. Not all drainages have responded the same way to whirling disease.”
Read the whole article at the Montana State University Website Whirling disease researchers optimistic about Montana’s trout.
By Anthony Naples, on April 16th, 2009
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission posted the largest recorded fish caught in Pennsylvania 2008. The interesting thing to me is the brown trout list – 4 out of 5 on the list were caught in Lake Erie Tribs. The largest, a 13-lb, 30-inch Brown was caught Jan. 19, 2008 on Walnut Creek.
See the full list at the PA Fish Commission Site, PA’s Biggest Fish of 2008.
Is this a new trend? Well, I looked at the list of biggest fish back through 2001 – and based on this not so exhaustive literature search – it is a new thing. There are no other years in that time span with such a preponderance of the largest recorded browns coming from Lake Erie Tribs. However in 2005 four of five of the largest browns came from Lake Erie itself.
The brown trout showing up in Erie and its tributaries in Pennsylvania is incidental – a result of stocking of adult trout in some of the tributary streams, and stocking by other states. It is not a result of an effort to develop this fishery. But that is changing.
The PA Fish Commission is on-board with developing a brown trout fishery in the Erie Tribs. No later than 2009, the PA Fish Commission — plans to begin stocking 50,000-100,000 brown trout each year in Lake Erie itself or its tributary streams.
Read a good article about this in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
