Tag Archives: Fishing

Fate of stocked trout: 5 things learned from 4-year AZGFD study

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AZGFD Photo

Ever wondered what happens to the thousands of trout that the Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks into streams all around the state every year? You’re not alone.

We just completed a 4-year study (beginning in 2013) to investigate the fate of rainbow trout and Apache trout stocked into several of Arizona’s popular stream trout fisheries. As part of this project, AZGFD biologists conducted nearly 5,000 angler interviews on six different streams (Canyon Creek, East Fork Black River, East Verde River, Silver Creek, Tonto Creek, and West Fork Little Colorado River) during the trout stocking seasons (April to September) of 2013–2016.

From these interviews, biologists estimated total harvest (number of stocked trout kept by anglers), angler effort (total time spent fishing by anglers), and angler catch rates. Our biologists also implanted trout with radio transmitters in order to track their movements and determine how long they survived in the streams.

We will now be unveiling the top 5 things we learned. Each day from Tuesday, October 9 to Saturday, October 13, on our Fish AZ site (https://fishaz.azgfd.com/) and our “Fish AZ” Facebook page, we will be posting one of the five things we learned.

This is 4 years of data coming to fruition, and the results have been interesting, to say the least.

Thank you to all the anglers who reported radio tag information and helped make this study possible.

Scientific review suggests reclassification of the razorback sucker from endangered to threatened

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DENVER — The razorback sucker, a native fish found in the Colorado River basin is making a comeback thanks to the work of conservation partnerships between the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), state agencies, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department, federal agencies, Tribes, industry and environmental groups.

The Service recently completed a species status assessment (SSA) and a 5-year status review, utilizing the best available science, that concluded the current risk of extinction is low, such that the species is no longer in danger of extinction throughout all of its range. The SSA explained that large populations of adults have been re-established in the Colorado, Green, and San Juan Rivers. Populations are also present in Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and Lake Havasu. As a result, in the future the Service proposes to reclassify the fish from endangered to threatened.

The razorback sucker, a native fish found in the Colorado River basin – AZGFD Photo

The razorback sucker is the second of the four native Colorado River fish to be proposed for a change in status from endangered to threatened this year. The humpback chub has also been proposed for reclassification. The recovery success of these two fish would not have been possible without the strong partnerships and conservation efforts all along the river.

Razorback Suckers are “rounded up” at the AZGFD Bubbling Ponds hatchery prior to being stocked in recovery locations. – AZGFD Photo

“Our partners along the Colorado River have restored flow, created habitat, removed nonnative predators, and reestablished populations across these species range,” said Tom Chart, Director of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. “These partnerships have improved conditions, proving long-term commitments are a key component to recovery.”

The razorback sucker was first documented in the Colorado River system in 1861 and historically occupied an area from Wyoming to Mexico, often travelling hundreds of miles in a single year. The species gets its name from the bony keel behind its head, which helps it stay put when flows increase. Razorback sucker are part of the lake sucker family, preferring low-velocity habitats, in either backwaters, floodplains or reservoirs and evolved in an ecosystem with one large-bodied predator: the Colorado pikeminnow. Young razorback sucker have few defense mechanisms, making them vulnerable to predation, especially from toothed nonnative predators. Changes in river flows and introduction of nonnative fish caused dramatic population declines.

Thanks to intense management efforts, razorback sucker have made a remarkable comeback, especially in the Green and Colorado rivers. In the Green River in the mid-1990’s, the number of adults captured in a year could be counted on one hand; today, the population has rebounded to over 30,000 adults. The large populations are the result of successful hatchery programs. Stocked fish not only survive in the wild, but migrate, colonize new areas, return to historic spawning bars, and produce viable young.

Although this native fish is making a big step toward recovery, continued management efforts are needed to help the species cross the final threshold of being able to survive in sufficient numbers to reach adulthood. The Lake Mead population is the only population where juvenile fish routinely grow up into adults. All other populations are maintained through stocking efforts as the young are eaten by nonnative fish before they reach adulthood. Scientists are hard at work to determine the best ways to encourage survival of juveniles to naturally sustain the population. One wetland along the Green River managed for razorback sucker has produced over 2,000 young-of-year individuals in the past five years, the first substantial number of juveniles seen in over 30 years in the upper basin.

State, tribal, federal, and private stakeholders work together via the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, the San Juan River Recovery Implementation Program, and the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Partnership to stock fish, create habitat, and continue monitoring programs to reduce threats to this species’ recovery.

In the 5-year review, the Service also recommends that the species recovery plan be revised to incorporate the best available scientific information on the species needs and actions that will eventually allow the Service to delist razorback sucker. Efforts to propose reclassification and to revise the recovery plan will be ongoing in the coming year. The proposed reclassification rule and the revised recovery plan will be made available for public comment in the future.

The 5 –year review and SSA are available for review at: Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program – Recovery Goals

Arizona Game and Fish Department proposes new fishing regulations

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is proposing fishing regulation changes and inviting the public to review and comment.

AZGFD will host and webcast a public forum on proposed fishing regulations changes 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on Monday, July 30 at department headquarters (Quail Room), 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix. The webcast can be viewed at www.azgfd.gov/webcast.

The topic of discussion will focus exclusively on proposed fishing regulation changes by AZGFD. Recommendations can be submitted in-person at the public forum, by email to fishregscomments@azgfd.gov or by mail to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Aquatic Wildlife Branch, c/o Andy Clark, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ, 85086.

Please include your first and last name to ensure a response during the forum. AZGFD will be accepting comments through August 31.

The changes are also scheduled to be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission at its Sept. 21-22 meeting. The public is welcome to attend and address the commission on these proposals.

The proposed changes are:

  • Open Fish Creek in Greenlee County, and tributaries Corduroy Creek and Double Cienega Creek, to fishing.
  • Close Chase Creek (Gila County) to fishing.
  • Designate new Community Fishing Program waters/regulations: Fain Lake, Yavapai Lakes in Urban Forest Park (Prescott Valley), Mansel Carter Oasis Lake (Queen Creek), Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex Pond in Yuma.
  • Change bag limits for bass at Arivaca Lake and Pena Blanca Lake to a statewide daily bag.
  • Change bag limits at Maricopa Lake (Youngtown) to a statewide daily bag.

See the PDF of the rationale behind each regulation.

AZGFD to address water quality issues at Luna Lake​​​​​​​

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is collaborating with the White Mountain Lakes Foundation and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to address chronic and long-term water-quality issues at Luna Lake near Alpine.

The ongoing project could eventually include other lakes located on the national forest: Carnero Lake, Lee Valley Lake and Crescent Lake.

– AZGF Photo

AZGFD plans to install the first aeration system at Luna Lake during the spring of 2019. If the concept and approach prove successful at Luna, funding for installation of aerators at the other three lakes will be pursued.

“Once started, installation of the aeration system at Luna should be finished in only a few months,” said Dave Weedman, AZGFD Aquatic Habitat Program Manager. “Luna Lake is the most cost-effective option because it is more easily accessible during the winter for maintenance than the other three lakes, and we have numerous partners in the area that will assist in the maintenance and upkeep of the facility.”

Successful project implementation will require collaboration between the AZGFD and Alpine Ranger District on the environmental compliance (NEPA) for beginning construction on the infrastructure. Both agencies have committed to begin the NEPA process immediately.

AZGFD biologists are monitoring water quality at all four lakes in an attempt to identify the causes for the water quality problems. Each of these lakes has periodically suffered from winter or summer fish die-offs as a result of poor water quality, low dissolved oxygen (DO) in the winter or excessively high pH in the summer. AZGFD has already solicited plans for installation of aerators to address low oxygen during the winters, and is pursuing the needed environmental clearances to pave the way for installation and operation of the equipment.

Each of these lakes is different and will require a multi-faceted approach to address the water quality causes for the fish die-offs.

For example:

  • Crescent Lake receives an elevated level of nutrients from the watershed that contributes to excessive plant and algae growth. During the winter, as the lake ices over, transfer of oxygen from the air to the water is cut off, as is production of oxygen through photosynthesis by the plants and algae, while decomposing plant matter under the ice burns up all the oxygen, leaving none to keep fish alive. Aeration, in combination with nutrient control, may prove to resolve this issue.
  • Luna Lake suffers from a similar condition during the winter, as well as an elevated pH and low oxygen problem during the summer as excessive plant growth and blue-green algae absorb carbon dioxide, causing the pH to rise during the day. At night, when photosynthesis shuts down, the production of oxygen also shuts down. Respiration by zooplankton and decomposition by bacteria consume oxygen, causing a daily low DO condition that may stress and/or kill fish.

AZGFD thanks numerous partners for their local and vocal support: Sportsmen for Wildlife, Alpine Alliance, Trout Unlimited, Arizona Flycasters Club, The Desert Fly Casters of Chandler, White Mountain Fly Fishing Club, Friends of Luna Lake and the White Mountain Lakes Foundation.

World record ahead?

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PHOENIX — David Worsham wasn’t at Prescott’s Goldwater Lake on Saturday, June 2 for the family fishing event or even the stocked rainbow trout. He was there to catch big bass. Yet the Avondale, Arizona resident left with a potential state and world record Gila trout.

Worsham caught a 23-inch, 5.12-pound Gila trout that is in the process of certification as an Arizona state record.

“It kind of fought like a catfish at first,” Worsham said. “Once it started getting closer to shore it started peeling drag. I loosened the drag so she could run a little bit. I didn’t want to horse it to shore and chance it breaking off.” Worsham said he kept the fish.

He caught the behemoth Gila on a lipless crankbait. The rest of his rig consisted of a Megabass Levante Diablo Spec-R rod, a Daiwa Tatula 100 baitcasting reel and 15-pound fluorocarbon line. He said he was fishing one of Goldwater’s coves for big bass when he noticed a lunker cruising from deep water to the shallows and back. He switched from a swimbait to the lipless crankbait and hooked the Gila.

The previous inland waters, hook-and-line Arizona state record Gila trout was 3 pounds, 5.6 ounces and 19 1/4 inches caught by Roberts Woods of Flagstaff from Frye Mesa Reservoir in 2011.

This unique fish species is one of two native trout species to Arizona. Gila trout are found only in Arizona and New Mexico. The New Mexico state record Gila trout is 4 pounds, 8 ounces. The International Game Fish Association All-Tackle World Record Gila trout stands at 3 pounds, 7 ounces and was caught by Bo Nelson in 2011 from Arizona’s Frye Mesa Reservoir. Of course, Worsham’s fish is heavier than both. His catch has not yet been certified by the IGFA.

Ironically, Worsham’s record fish came from brood stock in New Mexico’s Mora National Fish Hatchery. AZGFD believes the fish likely came from a 2016 batch of 2- to 3-pound stocked Gila trout.

AZGFD is stocking more Gila trout this month into Goldwater Lake and the West Fork of Oak Creek.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes reclassification of humpback chub from endangered to threatened

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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

PHOENIX — Through collaborative conservation efforts, the once-dwindling endangered humpback chub has been given a fighting chance against the currents of extinction, building a wild population large enough to soon be reclassified as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The success was due to the efforts and commitment of multiple agencies, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD); Colorado Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); National Park Service; U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; U.S. Geological Service and others. As a result, the FWS recently conducted a species status assessment with assistance of AZGFD staff and determined the fish is no longer in danger of becoming extinct.

Within the next year, the FWS will propose the chub, which is found in the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, be reclassified from endangered to threatened.

“The recommendation is based on sound science and data, and is the result of great conservation efforts implemented throughout the Colorado River,” said Chris Cantrell, AZGFD Aquatic Wildlife Branch Chief, who in 2009 led the first translocation of humpback chub into Shinumo Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River.

“This is a special time for the Arizona Game and Fish Department and partner agencies whose hard work has brought a species back from the brink. While it’s great to have seen significant progress, we realize the chub will continue to need the commitment and expertise of the Department and its partner agencies to conserve and protect this species for generations to come,” Cantrell added.

There are currently five populations of humpback chub, with the lower basin population occurring in the Colorado River and its tributaries below Glen Canyon Dam. The lower basin population is the most robust, estimated at 12,000 adults.

The humpback chub, which was first described as a unique species from collections in the Grand Canyon in the 1940’s, was not discovered in the upper Colorado River basin until the 1970’s. It was placed on the original list of endangered species in 1967.

The chub prefer canyon-bound reaches of river where they complete their life cycle in swift, turbulent currents. The species gets its name from the fleshy hump behind its head. That adaptation coupled with large, curved fins allows the species to maintain position in the turbulent flows.

Army Corps of Engineers looking to lower lake level at Alamo Lake

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PHOENIX — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, has a draft Environmental Assessment for the Alamo Dam Flushing Flow Release available for public review and comment. According to a public notice issued by the Corps, it proposes to release water from Alamo Dam outside of the normal non-flood release schedule in order to facilitate required maintenance activities.

According to the public notice, the proposed release would occur as a flood pulse hydrograph designed to mimic a typical rain event in the downstream watershed released with appropriate seasonal timing. While the exact details of the release are subject to variation based on conditions at the time of release, such as water surface elevation and weather, the release will conform to the following general
parameters:
​​​​​​​

  1. Maximum release will not exceed 5,000 cfs.
  2. Total release time, including ascending and descending limbs, would not exceed 20 days.
  3. Ascending limb of the hydrograph will be moderate.
  4. Descending limb of the hydrograph will initially drop steeply, followed by a gradual return to base flow.
  5. The peak of the hydrograph will be completed prior to March 15.

The Corps is soliciting comments from the public; federal, state, and local agencies and officials; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed project and alternatives.

Comments will be accepted through February 10, 2018.

There are two ways to submit comments. Either by mail to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Los Angeles District
ATTN: Pam Kostka, CESPL-RGN-L
915 Wilshire Blvd., 13th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Or, comments can be sent electronically to: pamela.k.kostka@usace.army.mil.

Arizona state fish returns: AZGFD to resume stocking Apache trout

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PHOENIX – The Apache trout, one Arizona’s two native trout, are returning to lakes and streams in the White Mountains by May. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is scheduled to stock around 55,000 Apache trout of a catchable size from its Silver Creek Hatchery from May through September.

Stockings could not occur in 2017 due to federal hatcheries having tested positive for Bacteria Kidney Disease (BKD). The state relies on federal hatcheries to supply the eggs necessary to raise Apache trout.

This year, AZGFD is expecting to receive about 200,000 Apache trout eggs. AZGFD has around 100,000 Apache trout eggs (BKD free) at its Tonto Creek Hatchery that came from Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery and are scheduled to be stocked next year.

AZGFD typically stocks Apache trout into Lee Valley Reservoir, East Fork of the Black River, West Fork of the Black River (campground), West Fork of the Little Colorado River at Sheep Crossing (below Mt. Baldy), West Fork of the Little Colorado River in Greer, and Upper Silver Creek.

Subscribe to our fishing reports and stay tuned for more stocking details. Apache trout can be caught by a variety of methods, including wet or dry flies, small lures, or natural baits, in either lakes or streams. Artificial flies produce the best results. Best natural baits tend to be worms or grasshoppers.

See more information about Apache trout.

Double your outdoor fun: Buy a hunt/fish combo license!

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PHOENIX — With the approaching elk and pronghorn hunt application deadline, this is a time when many hunters buy their license.

If you’re someone who typically buys only a hunting license (or an angler who only buys a fishing license), you’re missing out on one of the BEST DEALS around. Consider buying a hunt/fish COMBO LICENSE this year and double your outdoor fun!

A combo license costs Arizona residents $57—only $20 more than buying just a hunting or fishing license. It includes all the privileges of a general hunting license as well as fishing privileges for state waters and Community Fishing Program waters, and privileges for trout, two-pole and Colorado River fishing. Nonresidents can buy their Arizona hunt/fish combo license for only $160.

During the next month, there should be some hot fishing for yellow bass and crappie – both are excellent table fare. Hot spots for yellow bass in Arizona are Apache, Saguaro, and Canyon lakes in the Tonto National Forest. Prime waters for crappie are Roosevelt, Bartlett and Alamo lakes.

If you haven’t already purchased your license, you can conveniently buy it online 24/7 or when you are submitting your elk/pronghorn draw application.

So make it a COMBO LICENSE this year and be ready for your upcoming hunting and fishing adventures!

Why wearing a life jacket should be one of your New Year’s resolutions

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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard

PHOENIX — The importance of wearing a life jacket while out on Arizona’s waterways was sadly reflected in the boating tragedies of 2017. A majority of the recreational boating fatalities were individuals who drowned and were not wearing a life jacket — the most important piece of safety gear one can wear whether on a boat, personal watercraft or paddlecraft.

This was the case for eight of the 12 fatalities that occurred last year. And it’s a number that’s echoed nationally: The U.S. Coast Guard reported that 83 percent of drowning victims in 2016 were not wearing a life jacket.

The Coast Guard also names alcohol as a leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, which was reflected in Arizona. Operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs was a contributing factor in five of the fatalities.

“As you make your New Year’s resolutions, add boating safety to the list,” said Tim Baumgarten, boating law administrator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). “Designate a sober operator, wear a life jacket and ensure that others on your boat do so as well. Together we can prevent many boating tragedies and keep Arizona’s waterways safe for everyone.”

AZGFD aims to both keep the public safe by patrolling the state’s waterways and also educating people on best practices for boating safety and operation. Enforcement efforts including sobriety checkpoints and participation in initiatives like Operation Dry Water allow officers to make contact with watercraft users throughout the state and share the important messages about sober boating, while helping to stop unsafe behaviors.

The department’s Boating Safety Education program holds free monthly courses in Phoenix and Lake Havasu City with the goal of reaching as many Arizonans as possible. The classes include instruction on the basic skills required to safely operate a boat or personal watercraft, navigational rules, legal requirements and boating emergencies.

“Our courses are beneficial for both those new to boating and veterans of the waterways,” said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for AZGFD. “The classes are always free, and the investment of your time will pay off the next time a question or unexpected issue comes up when you’re on the water.”

AZGFD also wants to remind the public that life jackets must be worn by children 12 and younger anytime they are onboard a boat or watercraft, and that a properly fitting life jacket must be available for all passengers. For boaters who do not have enough or the right size of life jackets for everyone going out on the water, life jacket loaner stations have been installed at lakes Apache, Bartlett, Canyon, Havasu, Mohave, Patagonia, Pleasant and Saguaro as well as Cattail Cove on the Colorado River.

Whether boaters need to borrow a life jacket or (better yet) come prepared with their own safety gear, taking the step of wearing a life jacket can help prevent a tragedy.