Trout Removal at Desolation Wilderness Lakes

Here’s something for Desolation Wilderness hikers who also like to fish, especially for trout. The Forest Service is removing non-native trout from seven lakes to protect the mountain yellow-legged frog, which the trout have been gobbling up since the fish were introduced to the lakes in the 1950s.

Trout Removal from Ralston Lake, Cagwin Lake, Tamarack Lake

Employees have begun setting gillnets at Ralston, Cagwin and Tamarack lakes in the Desolation Wilderness in an effort to remove trout and restore once-friendly frog habitat, the agency’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit announced.

Trout Removal from Margery Lake, Lucille Lake, LeConte Lake, Jabu Lake

Over the next decade, the Forest Service plans to remove brook and rainbow trout from Margery, Lucille, LeConte and Jabu lakes in the wilderness area just west of Tahoe, they said.

The lakes were selected due to their proximity to current populations of the frog, a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Prior to the 1950s, lakes in the wilderness area had no fish and supported viable frog populations, biologists said.

Predation by introduced nonnative fish helped eliminate the frogs from more than 90 percent of their native habitat.

Trout Fishing in Desolation Wilderness

I personally have little experience with fishing, but I have a great appreciation for people who do it. I think it requires patience, knowledge of fish and their habitat, and present-moment awareness.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us