Trout Disease Spreads

Sun., July 28, 1996

Associated Press

Fishing

Rainbow trout in the Little Prickly Pear Creek north of Helena, a tributary of the Missouri River, have tested positive for whirling disease.

The disease also is suspected in a trout taken from the Missouri between Wolf Creek and Craig, another waterway previously thought to be free of the ailment.

“This is a significant discovery,” said Larry Peterman, chief of the fisheries division for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department. “It appears that whirling disease has put another major Montana trout fishery at risk, but no one can say how the disease will affect this fishery.”

The stretch of the Missouri between Holter Dam and Cascade is one of the most heavily fished in the state. Anglers in the area between Holter Dam and Cascade spend about $4.6 million annually.

Meanwhile, anglers report the best fishing in years on this stretch of the river.

“We feel it’s a light infection that is not widespread at this time,” said Jim Petersen, department fish specialist. “It’s a mystery how it got up here. We have not found it in the Missouri River above or below Canyon Ferry Reservoir, nor have we found it in any of the Missouri River reservoirs.”

The disease, which has been detected in 27 other locations throughout the state, is a parasitic infection with no known cure. The parasite does not affect humans, department officials said.

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