08-07-2018, 08:18 PM
Joe -- I can't answer those questions specifically concerning Scofield. But, I can offer these ideas:
We are not trying, or asking, to have a self-sustaining trout fishery at Scofield. Rather, we are asking for hybrids (wipers, tiger musky, tiger trout) with the addition of some trout (rainbows / cutthroat). Almost all of these fish would require management through stocking. While it might be a great thing to do, habitat improvement on tributaries should not be a necessary requirement.
As for water levels, again, I can't answer what a normal water year looks like for Scofield. If levels fluctuate and are lowered frequently -- this would further complement a rotenone treatment. The less water there is in the lake, the less rotenone it takes to treat the lake. Drought years are great years to treat lakes.
Exposing young trout in low water levels may, or may not, be an issue depending on the stocking quotas and management plan. Maybe the trout stocking program would benefit the predators in the lake, if the forage fish population were knocked back far enough?
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We are not trying, or asking, to have a self-sustaining trout fishery at Scofield. Rather, we are asking for hybrids (wipers, tiger musky, tiger trout) with the addition of some trout (rainbows / cutthroat). Almost all of these fish would require management through stocking. While it might be a great thing to do, habitat improvement on tributaries should not be a necessary requirement.
As for water levels, again, I can't answer what a normal water year looks like for Scofield. If levels fluctuate and are lowered frequently -- this would further complement a rotenone treatment. The less water there is in the lake, the less rotenone it takes to treat the lake. Drought years are great years to treat lakes.
Exposing young trout in low water levels may, or may not, be an issue depending on the stocking quotas and management plan. Maybe the trout stocking program would benefit the predators in the lake, if the forage fish population were knocked back far enough?
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