9562

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9562
• Author: Hawkins, J., C. Walford and T. Sorensen.
• Title: Northern Pike Management Studies in the Yampa River, Colorado, 1999-2002.
• USFW Year: 2005.
• USFW - Doc Type: 98a,
• Copyright Material: NO

transported into Elkhead Creek and the Yampa River. The loss of gamefish from the
reservoir into the river was significant enough to be noticed by reservoir anglers. There
was a large reduction in catch of these species in the reservoir soon after the event.
Further evidence that this event introduced substantial numbers of fish from the
reservoir is that prior to 1992 Nesler (1990) found small mouth bass eXtremely rare in
the Yampa River. Both species increased in the 1990s with peaks of northern pike in
1992 and 1999 as monitored by ISMP (C. McAda, in Iitt.). Both northern pike and
small mouth bass are now abundant and widespread. Since their introduction, northern
pike have increased their distribution and abundance throughout the Yampa River and
the species is now a gamefish river wide (Davis 1995; Haggerty 2001). Northern pike
currently reproduce within Elkhead, Stagecoach, and Catamount reservoirs and
movement of tagged adults from Stagecoach Reservoir to the river was reported by Hill
(2004). The volume and timing of movement and the relative contribution of adults or
young from these reservoirs is unknown. Hill (2004) also reported spawning near
Hayden, in sloughs, backwaters, and gravel pit ponds but the relative contribution of
riverine spawning is also unknown.

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