Citing extensive public input, Idaho Fish and Game has decided against pursuing lake trout suppression on Priest Lake in the northern part of the panhandle.
Priest Lake will continue to be managed primarily as a lake trout fishery, with efforts to protect native 
cutthroat and bull trout populations that are impacted by lake trout. Idaho Fish and Game has engaged in public outreach in recent years to gauge support for management change on Priest Lake, most recently conducting mail and email surveys and holding open houses on the matter.
“We had tremendous participation from the public during this process, which gives us confidence that we understand public desires for the Priest Lake fishery,” said Andy Dux, the northern Idaho regional fisheries manager. “The Priest Lake fishery is a public resource, so periodically it is important to ask the public how they want to see it managed. We learned there isn’t quite enough support to justify major change, but we didn’t have a good read on that until we asked the question.”
“Major change” has meant aggressive netting efforts on Lake Pend Oreille and on waters in Montana’s Flathead Basin, including Swan Lake, Flathead Lake and lakes on Glacier National Park’s western flank that are connected to the Flathead River system.
Idaho Fish and Game, with input from a Priest Lake Fishery Advisory Committee, presented anglers with three choices in the recent surveys: status quo management for a lake trout fishery; reducing lake trout populations to boost kokanee and native fish numbers; or slightly reducing the trout lake population in an attempt to achieve corresponding increases in other species.
A random mail survey of anglers showed 52 percent did not want any change as compared to 48 percent who wanted change.
An email survey of anglers showed 45 percent did not want change and 55 percent did want change.
Resident anglers who frequently fish Priest Lake showed the most support for maintaining the existing lake trout fishery. Anglers who used to fish Priest Lake, but don’t now, were most likely to support change.
“We were clear from the start that unquestionable support for change was necessary in order for a drastic shift in management to be publicly accepted and successful,” Dux said.
Changing the management of Priest Lake would require substantial time and resources from the department and patience from the public, a press release from Idaho Fish and Game states. “Without a clear mandate for change, fisheries managers decided to recommend to the commission continuing with the current management.”
Priest Lake’s fisheries have changed over time. Native sport fish including cutthroat and bull trout were impacted after the non-native lake trout and kokanee salmon were introduced decades ago. Kokanee supported the trout species until mysis, a freshwater shrimp, were introduced in the late 1960s to provide more food for kokanee.
What happened instead — and the same happened on Montana’s Flathead Lake — was mysis became an abundant food source for young lake trout, causing the lake trout population to grow at the expense of kokanee as well as the native trout species.
But the lake trout population has grown to be popular with anglers over the last few decades.
“Plenty of opportunities lie ahead for Priest Lake anglers,” Dux said. “Anglers looking for unique fishing opportunities in a scenic location will find them at Priest Lake.”
Dux said fishing will likely remain the same it has been in the foreseeable future.
“Lake trout will continue to be abundant, kokanee will persist at low densities but large in size. Cutthroat trout will also be present in moderate densities and smallmouth bass will remain abundant.”
The recent decision from Idaho Fish and Game will be part of a Priest Lake Fisheries Management Plan that will be presented to the state’s Fish and Game Commission next fall as part of a State Fisheries Management Plan.
Source: Idaho Fish And Game Decides Not To Pursue Lake Trout Suppression In Priest Lake