Upper Missouri River Reservoir Fisheries Management Plan 2010-2019 February 2010 Upper Missouri Reservoir Fisheries Management Plan 2010-2019 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Fisheries Bureau February 2010 Approved: Joe Maurier, Director Prepared By: Eric Roberts, Fisheries Biologist Adam Strainer, Fisheries Technician R-4, Helena R-4, Helena Troy Humphrey, Fisheries Technician George Liknes, Fisheries Manager R-4, Helena R-4, Great Falls Ron Spoon, Fisheries Biologist Bruce Rich, Fisheries Manager R-3, Townsend R-3, Bozeman Karen Zackheim, Operations Section Supervisor Don Skaar, Fish Management Section Supervisor Helena Helena Contents List of Figures List of Tables Executive Summary and Plan Implementation ........................................................ E-1 Section 1 Management Plan Area ................................................................................ 1 Canyon Ferry Reservoir and Missouri River (Toston Dam to Canyon Ferry Reservoir) ......... 1 Reservoir Operation ..............................................................................................................2 Fisheries and Water Quality ..................................................................................................5 Canyon Ferry Reservoir ..................................................................................................5 Missouri River (Toston Dam to Canyon Ferry Reservoir) ................................................. 6 Hauser Reservoir, Holter Reservoir, and Missouri River (Hauser Tailwater) .......................... 9 Reservoir Operation ...................................................................................................... 11 Fisheries and Water Quality .......................................................................................... 11 Hauser Reservoir ..................................................................................................... 11 Missouri River - Hauser Tailwater (Hauser Dam To Holter Reservoir) ..................... 12 Holter Reservoir ....................................................................................................... 13 Section 2 Missouri River (Toston to Canyon Ferry Reservoir) ................................... 15 Management History ........................................................................................................... 15 Management Goals and Limiting Factors ............................................................................ 15 Missouri River (Toston Dam to Canyon Ferry Reservoir) Management Goals by Species .. 16 Rainbow Trout ............................................................................................................... 16 Brown Trout ................................................................................................................... 17 Northern Pike ................................................................................................................ 17 Walleye .........................................................................................................................18 Section 3 Canyon Ferry Reservoir .................................................................................... 19 Management History ........................................................................................................... 19 Canyon Ferry Reservoir Management Goals and Limiting Factors ...................................... 25 Canyon Ferry Reservoir Management Goals by Species .................................................... 27 Yellow Perch ................................................................................................................. 27 Rainbow Trout ............................................................................................................... 28 Walleye .........................................................................................................................29 Brown Trout ................................................................................................................... 32 Burbot (Ling).................................................................................................................. 33 Forage Fish ................................................................................................................... 33 Northern Pike ................................................................................................................ 34 i Other Canyon Ferry Reservoir Fisheries Management Issues ............................................ 35 Reservoir Operations ..................................................................................................... 35 Derbies/Tournaments .................................................................................................... 35 Use of Live Fish as Bait ................................................................................................. 37 Habitat ...........................................................................................................................3 8 Disease and Aquatic Nuisance Species ........................................................................ 38 Prescivorous Birds......................................................................................................... 39 Access ...........................................................................................................................39 Flushing Losses at Canyon Ferry Dam .......................................................................... 40 Section 4 Hauser Reservoir ............................................................................................... 41 Management History ........................................................................................................... 41 Hauser Reservoir Management Goals and Limiting Factors ................................................ 42 Hauser Reservoir Management Goals by Species .............................................................. 46 Rainbow Trout ............................................................................................................... 46 Kokanee Salmon ........................................................................................................... 47 Walleye .........................................................................................................................48 Brown Trout ................................................................................................................... 49 Yellow Perch ................................................................................................................. 50 Burbot (Ling).................................................................................................................. 51 Northern Pike ................................................................................................................ 51 Other Hauser Reservoir Fisheries Management Issues ...................................................... 52 Low DO .........................................................................................................................52 Flushing Losses at Hauser Dam .................................................................................... 52 Walleye Flushing from Canyon Ferry Reservoir ............................................................. 53 Habitat ..........................................................................................................................54 Disease and Aquatic Nuisance Species ........................................................................ 54 Derbies/Tournaments .................................................................................................... 55 Section 5 Missouri River - Hauser Tailwater (Hauser Dam to Holter Reservoir) ..... 57 Management History ........................................................................................................... 57 Missouri River - Hauser Tailwater Management Goals and Limiting Factors ....................... 58 Missouri River - Hauser Tailwater Management Goals by Species ...................................... 59 Rainbow Trout ............................................................................................................... 59 Brown Trout ................................................................................................................... 60 Kokanee Salmon ........................................................................................................... 61 Walleye .........................................................................................................................61 Other Missouri River - Hauser Tailwater Fisheries Management Issues .............................. 62 Walleye Flushing from Canyon Ferry Reservoir ............................................................. 62 Habitat ..........................................................................................................................62 Disease and Aquatic Nuisance Species ........................................................................ 63 Creel Survey.................................................................................................................. 63 Motorized Access .......................................................................................................... 64 ii Section 6 Holter Reservoir ................................................................................................