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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Where the sheets have no stains
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    22,063

    Yellowstone River is closed!

    http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com...ae0afd47e.html

    Not something you expect to hear, is it?

    State officials announced Friday morning that a parasite-caused disease killed thousands of whitefish in the Yellowstone River.

    Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said in a press release that the cause for the kill is proliferative kidney disease, which it said is “one of the most serious diseases to impact whitefish and trout.”

    The disease is caused by a microscopic parasite. It has been documented in Montana two other times in the past 20 years. Recent research has shown the disease has the potential to cause 20 percent to 100 percent mortality in trout, FWP said.
    I have been in this State for 30 years and I am willing to admit that I am part of the problem.

    "Happiest years of my life were earning < $8.00 and hour, collecting unemployment every spring and fall, no car, no debt and no responsibilities. 1984-1990 Park City UT"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    idaho panhandle!
    Posts
    9,949
    I've been watching this story for a few days now and talking to friends who are on the river almost every day. It's sad the number of MWF that have died and many more that will die. They are a vital fish to the river system. Hope this disease doesn't move on to trout, the impact could be massive.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,345
    Latest word on the decline of the gerrard fishery in Kootenay Lake is that the relatively recent influx of cormorants in the southern half of the lake near Creston have brought in a parasite that kills the trout. This after repeated statements that nutrient balances, kokanee predation, and the sport fisheries are to blame. Tough times for the fishies these days

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    873
    Yeah we floated an 8 mile stretch yesterday south of Livingston. It's fucking disgusting how many dead white fish there are. Still saw plenty swimming around though, and they were active yesterday despite the high temps. Kind of a shocker they are seeing smallies as far upstream as Livingston now too.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    CO
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    873
    We didn't see any dead trout, but only time will tell.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    idaho panhandle!
    Posts
    9,949
    Quote Originally Posted by homebrewd View Post
    Yeah we floated an 8 mile stretch yesterday south of Livingston. It's fucking disgusting how many dead white fish there are. Still saw plenty swimming around though, and they were active yesterday despite the high temps. Kind of a shocker they are seeing smallies as far upstream as Livingston now too.
    I have been reading reports of the small mouth migrating up for quite some time now. As much as I hate them fuckers in rivers where they're not supposed to be, the disease will be far worse than they are on the trout.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    2,274
    And you thought the upper mad was packed with guideboys before this....

    But seriously this really sucks. Was talking to FWP at pine creek a couple weeks ago when he was telling me his boss was about to put restrictions on the river below carter's. Things are going to get worse before they get better

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    873
    What's the status on the yellowstone? I've seen an article here and there about reopening some stretches, but wondering if the fish kill slowed up after the first few weeks? I thought it was a bit odd that they had noted longnosed dace and sculpin kill off since the parasite they had initially sited as being the issue was specific to the salmonidae family.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Where full grown men pretend to be cowboys
    Posts
    559
    We floated Mill-Mallords the day before the river closed and saw hundreds of dead whities and a couple of dead rainbows. Since the river reopened in September, I haven't seen more than 1-2 dead fish per day- usually none at all. I did see a dead sucker by 89 last week- a big feller.

    I'm no biologist, and I have no factual information for you, but my naive observations lead me to believe that the situation has improved for Señor Blanco.

    Maybe because we finally got some moisture/cooler water temps that made it hard for the little jellyfucker to thrive? Maybe because the parasite's potential hosts are less vulnerable now because they aren't getting caught twice a day and being tossed back into bath water? Like I said- no facts here, just speculation.

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