Kootenai River Fisheries Investigations; Stock Status of Burbot and Rainbow Trout and Fisheries Inventory, 1993 Annual Report.

• Main Author: Paragamian, Vaughin L.
• Other Authors: United States. Bonneville Power Administration.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) 1994
• Subjects: Rainbow Trout - Kootenai River - Statistics; Species Diversity; Abundance; Trout Burbot - Kootenai River - Statistics; Hydroelectric Power Plants; Environmental Aspects; Environmental Impacts; Burbot - Kootenai River - Statistics; 59 Basic Biological Sciences; Progress Report; Fisheries; 550100; Fish Populations - Kootenai River - Statistics 130600; Fishes; Fish Populations - Kootenai River - Statistics; 13 Hydro Energy; Behavioral Biology; Burbot; Lota lota; lota
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/10156841; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1314850/

Seventeen burbot Lota lota were caught in the Kootenai River with two sizes of hoop nets baited with fish. One burbot was a recapture. Burbot catch from March 19 through May 10, 1993 averaged 0.03 fish/net/day. Total length ranged from 367 to 701 mm and weight from 369 to 2,610 g (mean = 916 g). Nearly all burbot were caught at Ambush Rock. Preliminary findings are that burbot abundance in the Kootenai River is substantially less than it was in the late 1970s. Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and seven other species of fish were sampled in tributary streams of the Kootenai River. A single pass was made with a backpack electroshocker. Species diversity ranged from two found in Cascade Creek to eight each in Snow and Caribou creeks. Most streams were partially channelized in their lower reaches, and these segments were lower in species richness. Sculpins Cottus sp. were often the only species found in channelized segments. Trout were caught in all streams. Rainbow trout were the most abundant salmonid. Cutthroat trout 0. clarki numbers were highest in Cascade Creek. I estimated a total of 5,268 anglers fished 13,698 h ({+-} 3,913), for 129 h/km (n{+-} 36), from March through August 1993. Fisherman averaged 2.6 h/trip based on completed trip information. The estimated total angler catch was 5,937 fish ({+-} 3,395), of which 3,676 ({+-} 3,246) were kept. Angler effort for 1993 was similar to that of 1982. Angler harvest of rainbow trout was estimated at 700 fish ({+-} 873) and they averaged 276 mm total length. Mean catch rate for anglers fishing for rainbow trout was about 0.02 fish/h. Rainbow trout comprised 17% of the catch. Angler harvest of cutthroat trout was 105 fish ({+-} 118) at less than 0.01 fish/h and averaged 356 mm total length.