Dollar Lake treatment planned
Pinedale fisheries managers are planning to restore the fishing in Dollar Lake adjacent to the Green River north of Pinedale. The lake has become infested with the nonnative white sucker, so the plan is to remove all the fish and restock it with both the rainbows the lake had become known for and Tiger Trout, a sterile Brown Trout-Brook Trout hybrid.
In 2007, fish biologists made a startling discovery when the first non-native white sucker was captured during routine monitoring of the fish population in the lake. Since then, white sucker numbers have grown exponentially and today account for 99% of the fish population in the lake. Given the popularity of suckers as a live baitfish in other parts of the state, it is suspected that the white suckers may have been illegally introduced into Dollar Lake by bait fisherman. This popular lake attracts thousands of anglers every year due to its close proximity to the Upper Green River road (FS 650) and its historically good rainbow trout fishing.
The best means of dealing with sucker populations like the one in Dollar Lake is to completely eradicate them. In most instances, eradication of a fish species involves the application of a fish toxicant, such as rotenone, that will remove all of the fish in a water body. Rotenone has been successfully used to remove undesirable fish species in many places. Pinedale fish biologists are planning to treat the lake in late August 2018. Once the white sucker population has been removed, the lake will be restocked with the rainbow and tiger trout later this fall where they will likely flourish again in a competitor-free environment.
Tiger trout can be a predator of other fish and will be used to prevent the future establishment of another white sucker population. Rainbow trout that are stocked in Dollar Lake would be too large for most tiger trout to eat. Other species of fish native to the lake, such as speckled dace and mountain sucker, may also be introduced to rebuild the original fish community.
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This article is from the 2018 Pinedale Region Angler Newsletter. Read the full newsletter online.
In 2007, fish biologists made a startling discovery when the first non-native white sucker was captured during routine monitoring of the fish population in the lake. Since then, white sucker numbers have grown exponentially and today account for 99% of the fish population in the lake. Given the popularity of suckers as a live baitfish in other parts of the state, it is suspected that the white suckers may have been illegally introduced into Dollar Lake by bait fisherman. This popular lake attracts thousands of anglers every year due to its close proximity to the Upper Green River road (FS 650) and its historically good rainbow trout fishing.
The best means of dealing with sucker populations like the one in Dollar Lake is to completely eradicate them. In most instances, eradication of a fish species involves the application of a fish toxicant, such as rotenone, that will remove all of the fish in a water body. Rotenone has been successfully used to remove undesirable fish species in many places. Pinedale fish biologists are planning to treat the lake in late August 2018. Once the white sucker population has been removed, the lake will be restocked with the rainbow and tiger trout later this fall where they will likely flourish again in a competitor-free environment.
Tiger trout can be a predator of other fish and will be used to prevent the future establishment of another white sucker population. Rainbow trout that are stocked in Dollar Lake would be too large for most tiger trout to eat. Other species of fish native to the lake, such as speckled dace and mountain sucker, may also be introduced to rebuild the original fish community.
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This article is from the 2018 Pinedale Region Angler Newsletter. Read the full newsletter online.
Pinedale Region: 307-367-4352