Final Report Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s High Lakes Fishery Management Program Prepared for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Olympia, Washington Prepared by Parametrix 5808 Lake Washington Blvd. NE, Suite 200 Kirkland, Washington 98033 (425) 822-8880 www.parametrix.com Bob Pfeifer, Senior Fish Biologist and Mike Swayne, PhD Trail Blazers, Inc. and Brian Curtis Washington State Hi-Lakers WDFW High Lakes Fishery Management Report 553-3766-001 (01/06) Final Report i September, 2001 K:\working\3766\HLFMR\Final Report_Part 2.doc ABOUT THE AUTHORS Bob Pfeifer was the District Fish Biologist in the greater Seattle area for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife between 1978 and 2000. Prior to this he was a habitat biologist for the same area between 1972 and 1978. Mr. Pfeifer’s management district contained approximately 670 lakes and ponds on lands managed by the US Forest Service, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, three large municipal watersheds (Everett, Seattle and Tacoma), and major timber owners. In addition to managing this large and diverse number of waters, Bob hiked to and surveyed most of those that support fish – many of them multiple times. He worked closely with other WDFW managers and members of the Trail Blazers and Washington State Hi-Lakers to develop an improved system for monitoring the fishery, and collaborated on the development of databases both inside and outside the agency. Pfeifer guided the development of Washington’s only golden trout captive brood stock. He was the High Lakes Program Coordinator in the Seattle (Region Four) regional office between 1980 and 1999, coordinating the volunteer stocking and fishery monitoring over a 10-county area. Bob’s passions are mountaineering, high lake fishing, and outdoor photography. He was the President of the Washington State Hi-Lakers for two years, and is currently the Treasurer of the Trail Blazers. (Bob is here seen in 1989 reveling in the awesome views from the summit of Three Fingers Mountain in Washington’s North Cascades. The view is to the east over the Squire and Clear Creeks drainages.) WDFW High Lakes Fishery Management Report 553-3766-001 (01/06) Final Report ii September, 2001 K:\working\3766\HLFMR\Final Report_Part 2.doc Mike Swayne has been a member of Trail Blazers, Inc. since 1958. An avid climber in his youth, Mike made a number of notable first ascents in the central and north Cascades. He has been a passionate and active hiker/mountaineer for over 40 years. Mike manages an environmental consulting business that develops databases for environmental projects specializing in the identification and remediation of hazardous and toxic chemicals at municipal, industrial, military and mining sites. As the long-time Librarian of the Trail Blazers, Mike has led the development of an extensive, comprehensive database on Washington's high lakes and fishery that would be the envy of most other state fishery agencies. The database identifies 3,837 high lakes and ponds in Washington with an associated 12,352 fish introductions and 11,403 fish observations. Mike acknowledges the assistance of the following agencies and organizations in developing this database: Trail Blazer library stocking and survey records; Hi-Laker library survey records; Snohomish County Sportsmen stocking and survey records; WDFW lake identification and stocking records in Olympia; WDFW regional biologist stocking and survey records; North Cascade National Park lake identification; biological and chemical survey records; Forest Service fish, wildlife, vegetation, and camp records; USGS chemistry records, StreamNet surface water topology records; and EPA chemistry records. (Mike is here seen in 1992 atop unnamed Peak 7722 in the Charlotte Alplands in the British Columbia Coast Range. The view is to the northwest.) WDFW High Lakes Fishery Management Report 553-3766-001 (01/06) Final Report iii September, 2001 K:\working\3766\HLFMR\Final Report_Part 2.doc Brian Curtis has a degree in fisheries management, and has been a member of Trail Blazers, Inc. since 1987, and the Washington State Hi-Lakers since 1973. Like Mike Swayne, Brian maintains a powerful database on Washington's high lakes fishery, with an emphasis on trip survey reports. Brian and his father, Walt Curtis, are leaders in the development of lightweight backpacking and fishing equipment, some of which was indispensable in the collection of information presented in this report. (Their remarkable 20-oz pack raft is shown in its stuff sack in Plate 4, and in use in Plates 6, 11, 26, and 33.) Brian was the President of the Trail Blazers in 1994 and has served as the communications point of contact between the Trail Blazers and WDFW since 1997. (Brian is seen here on a recent [August 2001] trip to the Great Bear Wilderness in Montana. The view is over the Spotted Bear River towards the Bob Marshall Wilderness from Gunsight Peak.) WDFW High Lakes Fishery Management Report 553-3766-001 (01/06) Final Report iv September, 2001 K:\working\3766\HLFMR\Final Report_Part 2.doc ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report is the result of the combined efforts of many people, spanning nearly three decades. The primary author’s role was largely one of synthesizing the collective experience of others. Past and present WDFW fish biologists provided technical information contained within the report. It would have been impossible to produce the report within the allotted time frame and budget without the pro bono contribution of time and database analysis by Dr. Mike Swayne of the Trail Blazers, Inc., and Mr. Brian Curtis of the Trail Blazers and the Washington State Hi-Lakers. The majority of the database information on the number of lakes, their size, stocking statistics, and volunteered angler reports was provided by these individuals. Their assistance and friendship is greatly appreciated. The Trail Blazer library was started by “Honest” Charlie Yadon soon after the club was formed in 1933. Charlie acquired his nickname due to his attention to detail and meticulous record keeping in log books, journals, annual reports, minutes, and notes from coordination meetings with the early Department of Game. Without his fine work much of the early years of Trail Blazer stocking efforts would have been lost to history. In more recent years the Trail Blazer library has been coordinated with Brian Curtis, the Washington State Hi-Lakers Librarian. Figures 1 through 5, 6b through 7b, 14, 17, and Appendix K Plates 1 through 13 were prepared by Mike Swayne. All photographs were taken by the primary author unless otherwise noted. Many photographs or transparencies were freely given to the author over the years, and this was, again, sincerely appreciated. Individuals who were particularly helpful for this report include Gerry Ring Erickson, Jim Cummins, Larry Hirni, and Bill Henkel. The first draft of this report received review from many WDFW area fish biologists, many of whom provided valuable feedback. The author gives credit to Jim Uehara and Bob Gibbons, WDFW program managers, for the contractual arrangements that made this report a reality. Preparation of this program summary had been a career goal of his for many years. Bob Gibbons’ extensive comments on the first draft and discussion with the primary author were essential to the report’s completeness and relevance. Bob Pfeifer September 16, 2001 Kirkland, Washington WDFW High Lakes Fishery Management Report 553-3766-001 (01/06) Final Report v September, 2001 K:\working\3766\HLFMR\Final Report_Part 2.doc TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...............................................................................................................................V ACRONYMS ..............................................................................................................................................XIII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................................XIV 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 REPORT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE..................................................................... 1-1 1.2 REPORT PREPARATION METHODS ............................................................................. 1-2 2. HISTORY .......................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 PRE-1933 ............................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 1933 TO 1971...................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 1972 TO DATE ................................................................................................................... 2-3 3. POLICIES, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES......................................................................................... 3-1 4. FISHERY VALUE ............................................................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 PROGRAMMATIC HATCHERY COST COMPARISON................................................ 4-1 4.2 RELATIVE COST TO PROVIDE TROUT ANGLING OPPORTUNITY........................ 4-3 4.3 PARTICIPATION AND FISHERY VALUE ..................................................................... 4-3 4.4 ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................