Fishing limits lifted on wilderness lakes

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission last week removed the daily and possession bag-limits for seven lakes in the Bob Marshall Wilderness scheduled for rehabilitation work.

FWP initiated the South Fork Flathead Cutthroat Conservation Plan to replace nonnative fish with pure westslope cutthroat in 21 lakes altogether in the South Fork Flathead drainage to maintain genetic purity.

Replacement involves either chemical treatment or genetic swamping - heavy stocking of pure westslope cutthroat to dilute the nonnative genes. Four lakes have been treated to date. Lakes will be restocked after treatment to restore recreational fishing.

The daily and possession bag limits has been lifted for Necklace, George, Woodward, Pyramid, Pilgrim, and Upper and Lower Three Eagles lakes, including within 100 yards of the lakes for inlet and outlet streams, effective through Oct. 1.

Anglers should take note that because of late snow conditions, these backcountry lakes may not be reachable yet.

Necklace Lakes are scheduled for treatment in September with rotenone, a chemical that will kill all the fish in the lakes. The limit waiver will allow anglers to maximize fish harvest before treatment.

George, Woodward, Pyramid, Pilgrim, Upper and Lower Three Eagles lakes will be rehabilitated by genetic swamping.

The limit waiver will allow anglers to remove as many nonnative and hybrid trout as possible before the stocked pure westslope cutthroat start spawning. This is expected to make genetic swamping more effective.