Park goes barbless

Anglers in Yellowstone National Park must use barbless hooks when catching fish starting May 27, in part to reduce injury to native species such as the Yellowstone cutthroat and arctic grayling.

The new rule takes effect after years of fish sampling by Yellowstone biologists and a yearlong public-comment period. More than 90 percent of public-comment respondents supported the change, said Todd Koel, the park’s supervisory fisheries biologist.

Biologically, there aren’t any studies proving that barbless hooks affect fish mortality rates, but that’s not the reason behind the change.

“From a mortality standpoint, we can’t justify the change,” Koel said. “But from an aesthetic and visitors point of view, barbless hooks do help.”

People come from all over the world to fish in a protected ecosystem like Yellowstone, and deformed-looking fish caused by overfishing can negatively affect that experience, he said.

“And we just don’t like to see injured fish,” Koel said. “Barbless hooks, of course, will help that. There’s less handling time and they are easier to remove. All we’re asking is to bend or crimp your barbs.”

Penalties for breaking the new rule can include fines and loss of fishing rods.

Rick Halloran, who works in Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop in Livingston, Mont., said it’s easy to go barbless with a barbed hook.

He suggested using an unserrated set of pliers to clamp down on the hook while holding the pliers perpendicular to the barb.

“Make sure you crimp your barb first, before you tie your fly,” said Dean Reimer of Hatch Finders Fly Shop in Livingston, Mont. “Because if you break the hook, then there goes all your work.”

Associated Press

NATIONAL FORESTS

Forest wants to step up ORV enforcement

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest wants to hire up to six new patrol rangers to help enforce off-road rules within the forest.

With three law enforcement officers covering an area larger than Yellowstone National Park, it’s difficult to catch the people who ride on roads and rails that are closed to motorized vehicles, said Jack de Golia, forest spokesman.

“Enforcement is a problem; we just don’t have enough people to cover all the roads and all the ways to get in,” he said.

In the past five years, officers have issued 21 tickets for violating off-road rules across the forest, de Golia said. Over the same period, forest officials received 291 calls reporting violations that were investigated but never led to citations.

Forest officials recently announced they are applying for grants from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to hire a ranger for each district within the forest. The rangers would patrol throughout the summer and hunting season.

But Gene Loder, president of the Beaverhead Outdoors Association, a motorized access advocate group, said his organization opposes extra ATV rangers and believes law-abiding forest users are diligent about reporting violators.

“The public will pretty much police itself,” he said.

“We know what’s right and what’s wrong,” he said “Why do we need to have our tax dollars going toward something like this?”

Montana Standard

HUNTING

Idaho extends application deadline

Idaho’s big-game permit application deadline for deer, elk, antelope and black bear has been extended through Monday.

Applications are available online, at vendors and Fish and Game offices or by phone at (800) 554-8685.

Rich Landers