Poisoning Lake Tahoe in order to reintroduce the native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

Someone, cannot remember who, mentioned at the Bendo at Mendo 2, that this was under consideration. I'd actually be very supporive of it if true. The Lahontans are a beuatiful and tasty fish even if not the greatest fighter. For Catch-and-release fishing, their size makes up for their lack of fight. And I like the idea of restoring the native fisheries.

Anyone know if this is jsut a pipe dream, rumor, or if it 'has legs'?

IMO Tahoe is too big, too deep and attracts WAY too many tourist $$$ for that to ever happen. It is a fine fishery as is. Like the saying goes, " If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

With all due respect, this is the stupidest idea of all time.

Almost as stupid as tearing down the hetch hetchy dam.

What the hell is a "native" fish anyway?  Seriously, everything comes from someplace else at some time.  More misguided spending of money in my mind.

Reminds me of watching the governator last night on the tube at some fancy signing of the global warming bill at treasure island.  ISN'T THAT WHAT YOUR DESK IN YOUR OFFICE IS FOR ARNOLD?  What a waste of money.

And people wonder why their taxes are high.

MolBasser

Yeah, I cannot argue with the logic, but the introduction of non-native trout like the Mackinaw that are beyond the reach of most fishers isn't exactly the fruit of genius either.

Once we introduce a species, what criteria should we use to determine if they should stay and that it was the right decision? Simply put: squatter's rights are not enough--or the Mitten Crab, Zebra Mussell, and New Zealand Mud Snail should be welcomed.

I'd like a lake with Lahontans in it. they belng here and were here first would be still if not for the stupidlty and unbridled greed of man. Shouldn't we make amends and restore something we despoiled?

Certainly not Tahoe since its so commercial anyway, but what about Stampede or others in the region?

Is the key criterion commercial value? Then maybe we should introduce Tilapia everywhere and let them crowd out he LMB which are far less important for food. Besides, all that trolling weight makes catching a Mackinaw akin to catching a lead weight or Brian's 'rock' fish in Alaska. Might as well net them and be done with it. Or use trot lines for all the sport it provides. I'd like to see some surface game fish returned to Tahoe.

Heck, when you get right down to it, Northern Pike are better game fish than trout, let's palnt them all over then and be done with it. Maybe the guy who polluted Davis Lake was forward thinking.

Just beign a Devil's Advocate because I am bored and cannot go fishign this weekend 

I'll take that devil's advocate.

You are posting up some destructive species.

Mitten crab are a big threat because they hurt the levie and are worthless in general.

trading one trout or troutlike fish for another does not bother me a whole lot.

If we are getting rid or non native fish we can go with LMB SMB bluegill crappie catfish.....jeebus, practically every gamefish out here.  I think even stripers.

I think that rational cost benifit analysis needs to be done.  Mitten crabs come with a big huge negative and little if any positive.

MolBasser

Actually, Mitten Crabs are putatively a delicacy in China--not speaking from firsthand knowledge though. Maybe we just don't know how to harvest them efficiently commercially and how to prepare them. Our tradition of crab consumption is based around big meaty crabs like Dungeness, Opeilio, and Blue so perhaps we don't understand processing the mitten as cuisine. Maybe we need to figure it out since they are here to stay.

I understand all the rationality behind counter arguments to my Advocatus Diaboli position and they are hard to debate on sound logic. My motivation is that I'd like to see trout diveristy returned: the Lahontan, Cutthroat, Golden, Bull, and Redband back to their original ranges. Maybe, given the scope of man's development, particularly interefering with the watershed via dams, deforestation, and sedimentation, it is impossible now without an expense bordering on the Iraq War tally in monies. Oh well. I gues what really gets me is that we have strong advocacy for marine fishes, but as long as DFG can pump bland stockers into unnatural lakes so people can fish Powerbait from lawn chairs, we call it a trout fishery think everything's fine. 

Ah, what's the use? If I really just had to have great Trout fishing, I could always move to Oregon, Washington or BC But I'd miss Stripers big time 

Man I need to go fishing--haven't caught anything in two weeks counting the Zero at Mendo 2