Netting lakers is not the answer

I have been fishing for over 50 years in Lake Pend Oreille, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game's plan to gill net the lake trout is not the answer to increasing kokanee.

Lake trout are beneficial in that they eat a large amount of "trash fish" that eat the kokanee spawn in the shallow water. Even if netting or anglers were able to completely eliminate all of the lake trout in Lake Pend Oreille it would not accomplish the department's goal of increasing the number of kokanee.

Another problem with attempting to gill net lake trout is that it will certainly kill a significant number of the bull trout, which are on the Endangered Species List and are federally required to be protected.

Since Fish and Game stocked the lake with mysis shrimp a number of years ago, the shrimp have flourished and have taken over most parts of the lake. This is a problem in that the shrimp are eating the vegetative food that the young kokanee depend on for survival.

Just allow us anglers to fish and reduce the numbers of the lake trout.

It is time for anyone who cares about having good sport fishing in our lake to get behind Art Webb, who has been fighting against the use of netting fish for some time. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in the future of fishing in Lake Pend Oreille, write to Idaho Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83707.

LOUIS HEATH

Sagle