FWP follows up on Open House Meeting regarding Fresno Reservoir Management
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Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks held a public meeting on March 12 in Havre to address concerns over fisheries management in Fresno Reservoir. Nearly 60 members of the public attended the meeting and voiced their opinions on topics ranging from stocking more fish and angling pressure to reservoir water level management and improving fish habitat in the reservoir.
“It was a very good conversation and we heard loud and clear that folks want a change in management direction on Fresno,” says Steve Dalbey, FWP Region 6 Fisheries Manager in Glasgow.
FWP is working on evaluating stocking rainbow trout as well as supplemental walleye plants. The rainbow trout would provide another gamefish opportunity for anglers, especially in the winter months. “We think we have the flexibility to shift rainbow trout plants from other waterbodies in Northeast Montana to Fresno,” said Dalbey. “One complicating factor in this evaluation is that rainbows would need to be grown to a larger size to avoid predation.”
Supplemental walleye plants into Fresno are also being evaluated to increase angler catch rates for this species. “Natural reproduction of walleye in Fresno has been exceptional during this prolonged wet-cycle we’ve experienced across the Hi-Line,” says Cody Nagel, Havre area fisheries biologist. “Based on feedback from the public, it really comes down to angler catch rates and finding that balance between angler satisfaction and population dynamics of the Fresno fish community,” Nagel adds.
Attendees also asked if FWP could run a survey to measure angler use. A summer creel survey is also being pursued to measure angling pressure, catch rates and harvest in 2020. “If implemented, this creel survey would closely resemble the survey we conducted in 2015,” says Nagel.
Lastly, FWP is considering the development of a long-term management plan for Fresno Reservoir. “These plans have been developed and implemented on many Montana fisheries, such as Fort Peck Reservoir,” says Dalbey.
“If we go forward in developing a plan for Fresno Reservoir, it will offer an opportunity to bring everybody with an interest to the table and provides directive for long-term management of the fishery.” said Nagel.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic will determine the timing, FWP plans to reconvene with interested anglers to go over the management options that are being evaluated.
