Mountain lake being prepped for rare trout species rescued during wildfire

State wildlife managers have withdrawn fishing limits at high mountain lake in anticipation of stocking it with a species of trout that was nearly wiped out by a wildfire seven years ago.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife ordered an emergency fish salvage at Hunt Lake on Monday, effective immediately. Anglers are allowed to catch all the fish that they can haul out between now and Sept. 11. 

At that time, CPW will clear out the remaining fish with an organic poison. The agency wants no competition for the lake's new residents. CPW plans to make it the new home for Hayden Creek cutthroat trout. 

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A determined group of state and federal wildlife biologists, along with a private fishing group, ran into Hayden Creek in July 2016 as residents were racing away from a lightning-caused wildfire. They gathered about 200 of the creek's cutthroats, saving the fish from extinction.

After the fire, Hayden Creek contained no Hayden Creek trout. The ash and debris from the blaze washed into the creek, clogging it, clouding it, rendering it uninhabitable.

The survivors have been distributed to other waters of the Arkansas River Basin. Hunt Lake, and the short stretch of the Middle Fork of the South Arkansas flowing out of it, will be the species' ninth home.

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Like other locations, Hunt Lake will be restocked annually for several years, then evaluated in hopes of having created a self-sustaining population, according to CPW Senior Aquatic Biologist Paul Foutz.  

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Hunt Lake sits at timberline near the Continental Divide and Monarch Pass. It is about three miles west of the town of Monarch on U.S. Highway 50, accessible by the Boss Lake Trailhead. 

Legal fishing methods must be used, and fishing is permitted only during daylight.  

"Everyone needs to be aware that the salvage operation does not extend into Boss Lake Reservoir," Foutz stated. "All existing catch and bag limits remain at Boss and CPW will continue to stock it with recreational cutthroat strains."  

Hunt Lake currently holds cutthroat trout previously stocked by CPW over the years.