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Fishing Newsletter Fishing Newsletter 2008

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Fishing Newsletter Fishing Newsletter 2008 ANNUAL EDITION 2008 FISHING NEWSLETTER FISHING NEWSLETTER 2008 Table of Contents Region 1 Regional Overview....................................................................................................................... 3 South Fork Flathead Westslope Cutthroat Trout Conservation Project .................................. 6 Hatcheries and Aquatic Education ........................................................................................... 7 Lower Clark Fork Quick Highlights/Notables.............................................................................. 8 Noxon Rapids Reservoir ............................................................................................................... 8 Region 2 Bitterroot River............................................................................................................................... 9 Upper Clark Fork ........................................................................................................................... 10 Flint/Rock Creek Drainages......................................................................................................... 11 Clearwater River Drainage ......................................................................................................... 12 Blackfoot River Restoration: The First 20 Years........................................................................... 13 Region 3 Arctic Grayling Recovery Program ............................................................................................ 14 Westslope Cutthroat Trout Restoration ...................................................................................... 16 Region 4 Pallid Sturgeon Recovery in the Middle Missouri River ............................................................. 17 Canyon Ferry Reservoir ................................................................................................................ 18 Hauser Reservoir ........................................................................................................................... 20 Holter Reservoir ............................................................................................................................. 21 Westslope Cutthroat Trout........................................................................................................... 21 Choteau Area .............................................................................................................................. 23 Great Falls Area............................................................................................................................ 25 Lewistown Area ............................................................................................................................ 27 Region 5 Bighorn River ................................................................................................................................. 28 Boulder River ................................................................................................................................. 29 Stillwater River ............................................................................................................................... 29 Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River ........................................................................................... 30 Middle Yellowstone River............................................................................................................. 31 Lower Yellowstone River .............................................................................................................. 31 Musselshell River............................................................................................................................ 33 Bighorn Lake ................................................................................................................................. 33 Cooney Reservoir ......................................................................................................................... 34 Deadmans Basin Reservoir .......................................................................................................... 35 Lake Elmo/Lake Josephine.......................................................................................................... 36 Broadview Pond ........................................................................................................................... 37 Absaroka-Beartooth Lakes.......................................................................................................... 37 Region 6 Fort Peck Reservoir and Upper Missouri River Paddlefish Stock............................................... 37 Fresno Reservoir ............................................................................................................................ 38 i FISHING NEWSLETTER 2008 Nelson Reservoir............................................................................................................................ 38 Beaver Creek Reservoir ............................................................................................................... 39 Lower Missouri River...................................................................................................................... 39 Fort Peck Reservoir ....................................................................................................................... 41 Region 7 Yellowstone River Paddlefish....................................................................................................... 42 Other Yellowstone River Fishing Opportunities.......................................................................... 44 Tongue River ................................................................................................................................. 44 Tongue River Reservoir................................................................................................................. 45 Prairie Ponds.................................................................................................................................. 45 Montana Fish Record........................................................................................................................ 47 State Fish Art Contest ........................................................................................................................ 48 Community Ponds ............................................................................................................................. 49 Montana’s Future Fisheries Improvement Program..................................................................... 50 ii FISHING NEWSLETTER 2008 Welcome to our annual Fishing Newsletter. The articles in this issue highlight the wide diversity of tremendous fisheries we manage in the state; from hatchery supported walleye and trout fisheries in a variety of reservoirs to our internationally recognized wild trout fisheries. The biggest news for the fisheries of the state this year is the removal of several barriers to fish movement that will greatly enhance our river fisheries. Of course everyone has heard about the removal of Milltown dam. As I write this the old powerhouse is coming down and in the next month the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers will be flowing free once again. Thousands of fish representing several species that have been blocked from completing their annual spawning migrations for over a hundred years will be able to return to historic spawning and rearing grounds. But I will wager that most of you are not aware of the fish passage projects on the Tongue and Yellowstone rivers that will re-open hundreds of miles of habitat for river dwelling warm water species such as sauger, channel catfish, shovelnose sturgeon, paddlefish and the endangered pallid sturgeon. These projects are just as exciting and important as the Milltown dam removal. I hope you will have many opportunities this year to get out with your family and friends to enjoy this diversity of great fishing. Remember to take a kid fishing this year. Sincerely Chris Hunter Fisheries Administrator FISHING NEWSLETTER 2008 Introduction Efforts to maintain and enhance Montana’s renowned fishery resources were as much as challenge in 2007 as in any previous year. Almost 390,000 anglers purchased fishing licenses during the year, and with this purchase comes a wide range of expectations and opportunities. Many like to fish the lakes and reservoirs; some of these have naturally reproducing fisheries, but others do not and require stocking from our 10 fish hatcheries. These facilities produce a wide variety of sport fish for the angler, including salmon, trout, grayling, walleye, bass, and northern pike. The hatchery system also provides a critical role in helping to restore sensitive and endangered species like pallid sturgeon and cutthroat trout. The sport fisheries in our streams and rivers are largely self-sustaining, meaning they receive no hatchery supplementation. This is why Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) invests heavily in habitat and water quality protection efforts. One water quality feature we have little immediate control over is rising water temperatures brought on by drought and our warming planet. Since 2005, the FWP staff and Commission have instituted a river closure policy where we can close streams to fishing if water temperatures exceed 73oF for three consecutive days to avoid undue stress to fish. Slight differences occur
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