Dead fish...polluted river???...Montana...
I went whitewater kayaking near Missoula Montana yesterday and there were hundreds of dead fish in the water. Someone told me that it was due to water temps being up to 80 degrees...thing is, these were not trout which need the colder water temps...I think most of them were squaw fish. Anyway, I came down with a very bad sinus infection today from paddling there yesterday...makes me wonder what's in the water. Now I may have to go get some antibiotics b/c of this emphysema...
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Contact fish and game and see if they were doing anything to kill the squaw fish. it might have been an effort on thier to kill the fish to restablish a trout/salmon or steelhead run. 0 -
The only good squaw fish is a dead squaw fish.
There used to be a bounty on those here in WA state at $3 a fish.
There were guys making a couple hundred dollars a day catching them.0 -
Thanks, I'll pass this on to a mt. buddy and see what his take on it is. 0 -
I may contact Fish and Game...to see if they know what's going on. I know that my sinuses burned every time I rolled. 0 -
Clark Fork river Eric? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by HobbyGuy
Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. Where was this Eric? We floated 12 miles of the Bitterroot yesterday and about 10 miles of the Blackfoot on Friday. We took water temperature readings both days and didn't come across any temps like that. We've seen bears along the river banks both days, so that may be why we haven't seen any dead fish. I'm suppose to go again in about twenty minutes, but I'm too worn out to do this three days in a row. [^]
This was the Clark Fork...through the Alberton Gorge.
What is the Bitterroot and Blackfoot like??? Whitewater???0 -
quote:Originally posted by MVP
The only good squaw fish is a dead squaw fish.
There used to be a bounty on those here in WA state at $3 a fish.
There were guys making a couple hundred dollars a day catching them.
There is still a bounty for them here in WA. $4/fish up to the first 150, then the bounty goes up. 2-3 weekends ago was the big catch weekend. I live near the columbia and yakima river where there is a big push to catch ever squaw fish in the rivers.0 -
quote:Originally posted by MT357
Clark Fork river Eric?
Yep...How'd you know?[:)]0 -
What are squaw fish? Never heard of them. I'd contact the game & parks people there and let them know what you saw & are going through. 0 -
Just more proof that the EPA is strangling Industry with their so-called rules.
Oh well...0 -
I heard that is the results of Hobby Guys new catch and release policy. 0 -
EEC:
I am disappointed by the transparent attempt to discourage people from moving in and corrupting your beautiful State.
Shame!!0 -
I like the catch and release on shore method, Here in eastern washington, we don't feed bears, we feed cyotes and seagulls. Which is good, cuz they need to eat too. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo
EEC:
I am disappointed by the transparent attempt to discourage people from moving in and corrupting your beautiful State.
Shame!!
I know it worked for me, I am moving to Texas instead.
NOT!0 -
quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo
EEC:
I am disappointed by the transparent attempt to discourage people from moving in and corrupting your beautiful State.
Shame!!
[:D] Why...I don't know what you are talking about...[;)][:D]0 -
Someone told me today (rumor again) that Fish and Game puts some kind of chemical in the water that depletes the oxygen in the water to kill off the fish...and that they do this to help the trout and kokanee (sp?) populations...I don't know if it's true or not. HeDog??? 0 -
This is what they use around here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotenone0 -
quote:Originally posted by He Dog
quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo
EEC:
I am disappointed by the transparent attempt to discourage people from moving in and corrupting your beautiful State.
Shame!!
I know it worked for me, I am moving to Texas instead.
NOT!
Ya got a problem with Texas puppy breath? Its OK jealousy is a sum bitch. Damn straight0 -
quote:Originally posted by HobbyGuy
Hey stinkfoot, good to see you around these parts again. [^]
ECC - Eric, is that (the "de-oxigenation" chemical) what brought on your sinus problems?! Are you feeling better yet?
You are quite correct about the trout and kokanee problem. Surprisingly, pike are mostly responsible for the low sport fish numbers in our "blue ribbon" rivers. [:0]
Jim
I have no idea what killed all the fish. Someone told me about that chemical today. I'm not sure what brought on the sinus infection either...except that it had to have something to do with the water. I ended up using quite a bit of colloidal silver and Zicam...and I think I have it beat.0 -
what is a squaw fish? 0 -
I don't recall ever hearing of anyone eating a squawfish. They must be rather nasty. We caught a ton of them at Noxon a while back. I was hoping to get in on some big pike there, but it seems like the squawfish outnumbered everything else 100:1. I think that they are considered trash fish.
I've heard of pike being in the Bitterroot River, but I've never been lucky enough to catch one, but then again, I only fish the southern part of the river.0 -
Heck my dad and I used to go up the Columbia river 20 years ago to catch squaw fish for bounty. The he told me was the squaw fish would sit at the bottom of the Bonniville damn and eat the baby salmon that weren't strong enough for the current yet. 0 -
Here in Orygun, all we have is them damned squaw fish.
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by HobbyGuy
quote:Originally posted by ECC
This was the Clark Fork...through the Alberton Gorge.
What is the Bitterroot and Blackfoot like??? Whitewater???
Eric - Although there are a few spots with rapids, the Bitterroot is more of a fishing river than a kayaking river. The Blackfoot is pretty much the same, with some rapids above Johnsrud Park (about twenty minutes out of Bonner/Mill Town). Most of the college crowd gets in the river with their tubes at Johnsrud and float 6, 8, or 11 miles to the various exit points.
The Blackfoot connects to the Clark Fork just a few miles East of Missoula. The Bitterroot connects to the Clark Fork just North West of Missoula. The Clark Fork runs right through Missoula and heads West through Alberton and on to your neck of the woods in Idaho.
We love the rivers in Western Montana and spend most of our free time in, or on the rivers. [^]
Hope you're feeling better. [;)]
Jim
Ditto! The Gallatin River is also excellent for whitewater rafting.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Gunnut358
I don't recall ever hearing of anyone eating a squawfish. They must be rather nasty. We caught a ton of them at Noxon a while back. I was hoping to get in on some big pike there, but it seems like the squawfish outnumbered everything else 100:1. I think that they are considered trash fish.
I've heard of pike being in the Bitterroot River, but I've never been lucky enough to catch one, but then again, I only fish the southern part of the river.
Gunnut...Noxon is not far from me. Do you live near Noxon?0 -
Stinkfoot, Nope, Texas is great, it is Texans I can't stand.[}:)]
ECC, I don't know, I would have thought that trout would have high oxygen requirements and that they would be effected. It could be they are using the rotonone to eliminate all the fish and then planning to restock with just the desirable species. I don't believe rotonone is very selective.0
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