SILVERTHORNE, Colo. – If you love fishing, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are hoping you’ll take the bait to help remove illegally introduced predatory fish from Green Mountain Reservoir.
CPW officials, along with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, are offering anglers $20 for each northern pike caught at Green Mountain Reservoir this year.
The program started Thursday.
CPW biologists say the northern pike in the reservoir is a significant concern, because if they escape and go downstream to he Blue and Colorado rivers, sport-fishing opportunities for trout could have a negative impact.
Biologists say if the northern pike were to eventually reach federally-listed critical habit in the Colorado River, several of the state’s endangered species – including the Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, razorback sucker and bonytail -- could be at risk of being preyed upon.
To participate, anglers must bring their northern pike to the Heeney Marina along with their driver’s license and fishing license.
CPW will keep fish heads for analysis, returning the body of the fish to the anglers. Anglers not wishing to keep northern pike can donate their catch to the Marina for later distribution.
For more information, contact CPW's Hot Sulphur Springs office at (970) 725-6200, or Heeney Marina at (970) 724-9441.
