Stewardship Tip: Don't Dump Your Bait Bucket

Just got an email from Recycled Fish with one of their stewardship tips...here you go:

Dick’s Sporting Goodshas deep roots in fishing.   DICK’S started as a small bait-and-tackle shop over 60 years ago.   Today, DICK'S is proud to partner with Recycled Fish to assist in the ongoing stewardship of our fisheries. Quick Links   Recycled Fish Online Stewardship Tips SAFE Angling Volunteer Premium Membership Partners   Rainbow Trout were introduced into fishless Diamond Lake, near the headwaters of the Umpqua River, in 1910. The rainbows thrived. Fish weighing 10 pounds were not uncommon. In the 1940′s, tui chubs were introduced into Diamond Lake. The chubs were used as live bait; a practice that was legal at the time. Eventually, the tui chubs established themselves. While the rainbows ate the chubs, the chubs feasted on zooplankton.  They thrived, multiplied, and, literally, cut off the rainbows’ food chain at its base.   The effect was devastating. Catch statistics indicated that anglers caught 12,807 rainbows in 1947 with an average length of 15.75 inches. In 1953, the number dropped to 8,455 rainbows with an average length of 9.6 inches. Diamond Lake was treated with rotenone in 1954 and, according to the Oregon DFW, the treatment was 100% successful. Trout were successfully reintroduced.   In the 1980′s, tui chubs were introduced into Diamond Lake once again. This time illegally.  In Oregon, it is now against the law to use live bait fish in freshwater streams and lakes.   In 2006, the Oregon DFW treated the lake with rotenone, a second time, to rid the lake of 95 million tui chubs.   Don’t dump your bait bucket:  When we mention aquatic nuisance species, we often think of  exotic species such as zebra mussels or Asian carp.  We do not think that the contents of our bait buckets as something that can be a nuisance.  But the contents of your bait bucket can spell trouble for your local waters.   Don't dump your bait bucket in the local lake.  Take any unused bait home and bury it in the garden.  If you don't have a garden, dispose of your unused bait, bagged, in the trash.

So go out and do your part you little minions, keep our planet safe and healthy for our children and children's children. Conservation starts with you guys and is done one angler at a time.


Boom...Morgan