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good local support for this project." Tim Miller and David Vlcek are friends and neighbors in nearby Fruita. Colorado. who have been coming to the park for nine years. On a 7S-degree autumn afternoon. they were elljoying an afternoon of fishing with Miller's teenage son. Shawn, "We come here to escape and have fun, plain aod simple." Miller said. "It'sjust II miles from home and there's lots of activities. We've done it all: camping. hunt- ing, boating. canoeing. barbecuing. hiking, swimming, and jet-skiing. But the main thing for us is fishing. The fish net has an important purpose and it improves the fishing for every- one, It works out well." Vlcek turned to his friend and said with a laugh: "And you need all the help you can get. We're still trying to catch the monster 12- pound trout we know is in there, One day. it will be ours.". High/hie Lake lInglers \\'ill see imprDl'cd spon fishing alllle sfafe park wilh aI/filial largemouth bass and hfuegifl stocking ejjl1r!s. For centuries, the most dominant tish in the Colorado River system was a minnow, The Colorado pikeminnow, formerly known as the Colorado squawfish. once grew to lengths at six feet and could weigh up to 80 pounds. Anglers in bygone days used mice, birds, and even small rabbits as bait for this aggres- sive sport fish. which is believed to have evolved more than 3 million years ago. The Colorado pikeminnow adapted and flourished in one of the world's most colorful river systems, which begins in the high mountains of Wyoming and Colorado and drops more than two miles in elevation on a 1,700-mile journey to the Gulf of California. The Colorado pikeminnow preyed on the smaller razorback sucker, bony tail. and humpback chub. but now all four species are endangered and protected by state laws and the federal Endangered Species Act. ''These are unique fish that are found only in the Colorado River Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) One uf the largesl slll.:"'ers In N\lrth America, rJzorhack." grow tll mnre than three feet Inng ilnd feature:.t high. stre:lInlined hump. Few young razortlilds are left In the Cllloraull RI\"ersystem. Colorado pikeminnow (Plychocheilus luc;us) The pikeminnow is the large~t mlnnm.... in North AmeriC:J. Early ~ellll'rs sometimes referred 10 these <JggressJve pred<JllIrs as "Cllloradu" lIr "while" s:JllIlon. Basin," said Robert Muth. a fishery biologist with the U.S, Fish & Wildlife Service's Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, "They don't look like your typical fish, They have unique characteristics that have helped them survive and adapt in their river system." These four fish are among 12 native upper Colorado River species which compete with more than 40 nonnative sport and bait fish that have been introduced into the state's rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. "There are a variety of reasons these four fish are endangered, including non- native predator fish (largemouth bass. channel catlish), competition for food and space. and hybridiza- Bony tail (Gila elegans) Bony tail are nearly extinct ;n the wild. They can live nearly 5U years and Iypically grow to 24 inches or mllrt'. Humpback chub (Gila cypha) This minnow. which can gww to nearly 20 im:he::- ilnd Jive 30 years, IS so named hecaust" of the ...triking, unusual hump hehind ib head The hump nus as a "keel" or .~tahilizing de\'ice in tht" turbulent fluw~ orthe Cnloradtl R1\'er ..md its tribut~lries tion," Muth said, "But there is no question that the alterations of the river system by humans had the greatest impact." Dams and canals constructed along the Colorado River basin provide water for power. irrigation. and public water supplies. They also restrict fish to approximately 25 percent of their range. block spawning routes. and affect water temperature. "All the problems will not be solved overnight," Muth said. "but the fish barrier net at Highline Lake State Park is a step in the right direction to save these fish," 8