Idaho Fish and Game crews are this week and next undertaking their triennial fish population survey of the South Fork of the Boise River.
Photo from the 2006 electrofishing survey.
The last such survey was in the fall of 2009 when results showed a large number of smaller 100 mm or 4 inch (2 year old) trout in the system. In fact, the numbers were very high for the small fish so it will be interesting to see if the demographic bulge makes its way through the age class distribution.
Electrofishing surveys have occurred every three years since 1994. In previous posts we have detailed the changes observed in fish population estimates, such as number of fish per kilometer. We have also paid attention to size distribution of the fish found in the river.
We expect the marking run to be completed this week, and the recapture run early next week. Then the numbers will be crunched and we will begin to hear results sometime in 2013.
The netting crew look like a bunch of larcosse defenders playing with the long sticks. Photo from 2006.
UPDATE: Additional information on the marking run at the westfly.com message board.
