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08/12/03
NORTHERN PIKE POSE THREAT TO COMINS LAKE
Northern pike, a voracious predatory fish that was illegally introduced into Comins Lake near Ely, is now threatening the lake’s rainbow trout fishery, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
Chris Crookshanks, NDOW biologist, said more than 100 pike have been caught at the White Pine County lake this year, up from the seven confirmed catches in 2002 and three in 2001.
“This is our worst nightmare,” said Crookshanks. “It has become a really big problem, really fast. It’s a shame because it is going to ruin one of our state’s premier trout fisheries just as it had gotten started.”
Most of the pike
that have been caught this year range in size from 18 to 20 inches, which
are fish that were spawned in the lake two to three years ago. Anglers
have also caught some pike that measure 12 to 14 inches and were produced
one to two years ago. There have also been a few fish caught that range
from 22 to 24 inches.
Crookshanks said the pike are certainly capable of consuming planter rainbow
trout and juvenile largemouth bass. He believes that over the past two
years the pike have decimated the largemouth bass spawn.
“In a reservoir
setting such as Comins, it (pike) just doesn’t work because there’s
no forage base. They need a self-sustaining forage,” said Crookshanks.
He believes the future for the trout fishery is not too rosy because the
pike will eventually eat all of the trout and bass. When those fish are
gone, the pike will then turn cannibalistic.
Crookshanks theorizes that someone put pike into the lake with the intent of developing a pike fishery. The fish were likely removed from Bassett Lake northeast of Ely and planted into Comins.
“This was a
selfish and irresponsible act that threatens an outstanding rainbow trout
fishery. It could also have some economic consequences for Ely because
the lake has been attracting a large number of anglers who are traveling
to the lake because of its reputation for producing nice catches of large
rainbow trout,” said Crookshanks.
Comins is located approximately seven miles south of Ely adjacent to U.S.
93.
