Don't mess with public fisheries

It's hard to fathom the motivation of "bucket biologists" who take it upon themselves to decide what kind of fish should be available in Montana waters.

Because the fact is, illegal fish introductions have a long and well-known record of causing immense and costly damage to existing fisheries. The latest case, sadly, is the hugely popular and beautiful Lion Lake just north of Hungry Horse Reservoir.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks had maintained a healthy cutthroat and rainbow trout fishery since 1992, when the lake was "treated" with a natural toxin to remove illegally introduced perch and pumpkinseeds. Fishing use increased from a dismal 300 angler days per year to 3,000 angler days.

But several years ago, some knucklehead figured the lake needed perch again. And just this month, state biologists for the first time netted northern pike, black crappie and a white sucker species found only in eastern Montana waters.

One net brought up 50 fish, mostly perch. Only four were trout. Trying to maintain a trout fishery is hopeless now, so the state will no longer stock the lake until it can once again muster the money to kill off the illegal fishery. That could take a couple years and will likely cost far more than the $20,000 spent on treating the lake in 1992.

The lake now presents a broader threat, with potential for the introduced fish to dribble into an outlet stream that flows into the South Fork Flathead River below Hungry Horse Dam.

Lion Lake is just one of 540 Montana waters that have been spoiled by illegal fish introductions, according to statistics from Fish, Wildlife and Parks. And the biological fallout from many of the introductions has been profound.

Montana anglers should not hesitate to report any suspected illegal fish introductions. Lawful anglers, after all, shoulder the consequences and the costs of bucket biology.