Show IntermountainK Ur 1 Keen says it all depends on what the angler is "thfc looking for If they're looking for quantity angling experience may not be as favorable But if size what a person is looking for patience rewards with large fish is “(Quality and quantity) don't go together" Keen says One problem fish ' hatchery officials arc die-o- Fish and Game officials have observed fish congregating tothe areas around the lake with the highest levels of oxygen such as the stream mouths Staley Springs and the aerated area in front of the 31 Fly fishing outfitters in Island Park are looking e forward to the upcoming season especially with precipitation and snowpack levels during the winter Philip Chavez manager of Hyde Fly Fishing Outfitters in Island Park is also optimistic about this fishing season because of the effects of reopening the downstream water outlet at Island Park Dam on Christmas Day at 180 cubic feet per second He says that’s two to three times the water flow fish below the dam have seen in recent years "Better winter releases will minimize fish kills" he closer-to-averag- - ’ - says But what has Chavez even more excited is the fishing status on the river all the way up to Riverside Campground - traditionally the river has been closed from the Warm River confluence upstream until the last Saturday before Memorial Day But he says spring fishing this year opens up a whole new - year-roun- d new world for anglers stretch of river will He says the roughly be open when trout are gorging themselves bn stone 15-m- flies Matt Lyon assistant manayei'fr Henry's Fork Anglers says the warmth experienced during March may not help the area recover from the last three to four years of drought but in the short term may help olive mayflies mature fester the juvenile olives also benefited from cooler cloudier weather in April - they tend to hatch out on cool ff blue-wing- ed Blue-wing- ed half-mil- rainbow-cutthro- April 2004 New fishing status set for Island Park “It’s a formidable task especially for a large lake" Keen says hatchery While a small of' with is number the of assorted trout dropping dealing dissolved oxygen levels in and sculpin mortalities have been observed the actual some parts of the lake which have dropped far impact of this winter s harsh concern conditions won't be known to cause enough ice conditions until sometime in May Varying An Idaho Fish and Game employee lifts a Henry's combined with fluctuating Keen is confident Lake cutthroat in preparation for spawning of amounts aquatic Henry’s Lake will bounce back this year vegetation can lead to “When we get the gill nets in May that conditions where the amount of dissolved will give us a better idea" he says oxygen available for fish can reach dangerously low levels Every spring fishery employees set three In the early 1990s concerns over winter sinking and three floating nets in set locations throughout the lake leave them overnight and prompted officials to install a system to check the average amount of fish per gill net to aerate a small portion of the lake which created areas of open Water so oxygen could be added to monitor population trends' ' water's content The system is operated by a 25-- : Keen speculates that bnxk trout planted a horse power electric motor hooked to a blower year ago should be showing up in the creel The aerator runs two lines 300 yards into the surveys or what the fishermen are catching this fall e lake scattered throughout the shore in a circle The aerators help circulate warmer “They don’t bite well until they’re larger" he says’ water from the lake flcxir to the top which melts the ice and allows wind to mix with the The cutthroat hybrids and brxk trout stocked last year may not water ' Fish hatchery employees check the oxygen impact the creel this year he says levels each December and determine if Despite thi: lower dissolved oxygen levels oxygen levels warrant the aerators Keen says the in the lake Keen says “I'm confident that we'll aerators are not intended to “save the lake" It get all of the eggs we need for our 2004 directly impacts a small area of the lake planting” I ' overcast days ' “We're pretty optimistic about the year” he says stoneflies'on the Lyon recommends Skwala-lik- e lower river He also recommends Ujnd casting a size 10 olive Stimulator along die stream margins in fast water sections ' Nymphing continues to be productive when there Beadhead Prince Nymphs and is no hatch Size 6 red Copper Johns have been effective along with size 2 Bhck RubbeHegs Jon Stiehl manager of the Trouthunter is also optimistic for the yean “If we get more reasonable flows it'll be as good as even" he says He predicts Box Canyon this year will have some good fishing "We're looking forward to a bright summer but we hope it’ll be overcast" he says ' 12-1- at 10-1- - - -- Tyler Baum s |