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LETTER: The Real Threat is Pike

By Beacon Staff

After reading articles and letters on the lake trout and mysis shrimp introduction I have to comment on the pike and their devastating effect on trout.

When mysis shrimp was introduced I was doing lots of volunteer work for Fish and Game. Most all my work was for bull trout done in Cole Creek but the red counts were also done in the Glacier National Park, Hungry Horse Reservoir and the Bob. Within a year the first pike was found in the Stillwater, it was about 12 inches in length. I feel Fish and Game is keeping this secrete.

Trout Unlimited printed an article in the Daily Inter Lake on April 24, 2008, stating how the pike has had a devastating effect on the trout population in Idaho’s Lake Coeur d’Alene. Lake trout have been here longer than I, but the pike have not. I believe they are pushing the lake trout into other streams and lakes they have not been in before for their survival.

I have watched my favorite fish to eat, brookies, disappear along with the cutthroat and perch in my favorite fishing spots. I quit fishing these spots two years ago as the eatable fish I catch has dropped dramatically. I feel guilty keeping even one knowing it needs to spawn. Pike are everywhere now, small lakes and rivers.

Fish and Game needs to do what’s best for the trout, let the trout live and get rid of the real threat, the pike. Not everyone likes to catch a large aggressive fish nor do we need to catch a trophy fish. Some of us like to fish for the food. The money from the warm water license should be used to delete the pike not grow the pocket book.

Pike fishing should be open year around. Any caught should be eaten or destroyed. That includes ones caught in the gill nets. People who want to fish for pike should take a nice fishing trip to place where they are native and leave our fisheries alone.

Gee Weaver
Kalispell