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Frank Varga

BELLINGHAM — Fred Moormeier has a plan to improve fishing at several lakes in Skagit County.

He’s done it in Whatcom County and now the recently formed Trout Enhancement of Washington is setting its sights on lakes in Skagit County.

In particular, the group will look to improve fishing at Campbell and Clear lakes in 2008 and at Cavanaugh Lake in 2009.

“Our mission is what we call the Youth Fishing Initiative,” said Moormeier, a bank manager in Lynden. “Our goal over the next few years is to develop six lakes in both Whatcom and Skagit counties. Our group will work to develop a sustainable trout fishery in these counties. And for right now, we have chosen those two lakes (Campbell and Clear in 2008) in Skagit County.”

The lakes in Whatcom County include Silver, Terrill and Samish.

“We are in the process of developing trophy trout in those local lakes, so that children of all ages can experience the satisfaction and reward fishing offers,” Moormeier said.

Trout Enhancement of Washington is about as grass-roots as organizations come. Moormeier and three others make up its entire membership.

The not for profit group is operating with support from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“We have forged a great relationship with fish and wildlife,” Moormeier said. “We don’t do anything without the approval of the department of fish and wildlife.”

Basically, the group is paying for increased plants in the six lakes. The coastal cutthroat bound for Campbell and Clear lakes are being raised at the Kendall Creek Fish Hatchery in Deming. Cavanaugh is scheduled to be planted with Kamloops triploid rainbows.

“They are supplying the necessary funding for us to raise the fish,” said Mark Downen, WDFW inland fish biologist. “They are purchasing the food and paying for the electricity and we are providing the space, manpower and know how. We provide the expertise in regards to the survival of these fish.

“We at the department of fish and wildlife are always happy to be able to partnership with groups and provide space and manpower where we can.”

The relationship between the two entities continues to grow.

“The fish get great care at the Kendall Creek Hatchery,” Moormeier said. “Their biologists check our fish and that’s phenomenal. We don’t have to worry about entering any diseases into the watersheds.”

Moormeier approached Downen with his planting strategy. It was one the fish biologist had wanted to institute for some time.

The strategy is simple. Hold the fish longer at the hatchery, grow them larger and release them later.

What the group proposed and Downen supported was plantings later in the year. Instead of planting the fish in the spring, the fish will be released in the fall.

Campbell Lake will be the beneficiary of 20,000 cutthroat while Clear Lake will receive 18,000 of the species. Cavanaugh will be planted with 4,000 triploids in 2009, and Clear and Campbell lakes will receive another planting in 2009.

These plants are in addition to what the state stocks.

“Cavanaugh is a big lake,” Moormeier said, “so it can support big fish. There’s plenty of feed in there when it comes to snails, crawdads and shrimp.”

Downen believes planting later will have benefits.

“We have employed similar strategies with kokanee in Samish Lake,” Downen said. “I am confident this is a very credible strategy when it comes to improving fisheries.”

There are a number of reasons fall plants will lead to improved fishing, said Downen and Moormeier.

The top factor is predation. The lakes are loaded with warm-water species, in particular, bass. Bass are aggressive predators and ravenous eaters that go after small trout.

“Basically, we put fish in as fry and they are nothing more than bass food,” Downen explained. “The small fish are even available to the smallest bass. By keeping them at the hatchery for a longer period, we are allowing them to outgrow an entire age group of predators.”

Plus, with the onset of colder weather, bass tend to become less active as their metabolism slows.

“They become more dormant,” Moormeier said. “So the cutthroat should have a higher survival rate. They are swimmers as opposed to schoolers and that gives them a fighting chance to stay away from the bass.”

Colder weather also tends to keep the less-hardy anglers off the water.

“Not a lot of people hit those waters in winter,” Moormeier said. “So the fishing pressure isn’t as great.”

He added that the densities in which the fish will be planted will also be a positive. Campbell and Clear lakes will have fish planted at a density rate of between 50 and 55 fish per acre.

“Those are good densities,” Moormeier said. “If the density is too large, then you start to see birds rafting up on the lakes. A lower density means we should lose less to predation.”

As opposed to the triploid, the cutthroat species will be a fertile fish capable of spawning.

By November, the cutthroat will be 6 to 8 inches in size.

“The goal of these stockings,” Moormeier said, “is to allow the fish a longer time frame to become more familiar with the lake. In turn, this makes them more of a challenge (for fishermen) to catch. These fish will spend the winter growing and will be large by the following fishing season.

“We are not interested in supplying a put (in)/take (out) fishery. We want a sustainable fishery. We want the cutthroat to have the opportunity of spawning and growing to be big. And letting those fish (triploids) get a chance to settle in the lake, well, that will make people have to fish for them. We want the fishing to be a challenge. And we want the fish to be worth the effort.”

It’s about having patience.

“This is just the first step,” Moormeier admitted. “We aren’t in any rush. We’ll see how things are after this year and then decide what to do next.”

The group’s attitude has sat well with Downen.

“I have really enjoyed working with them,” he said. “We have a very healthy relationship. They are very supportive and have always accepted any ideas the WDFW put forth. What I like about Fred is the fact that he was willing to start small and evaluate the program before moving up. The plan is very methodical. It’s also very well thought out.”

Of course, raising fish comes with a price tag. But Trout Enhancement of Washington’s fundraising efforts have been very effective.

Its budget for 2008 is $3,120. It breaks down as follows: $2,000 for medicines to keep fry healthy, $770 for feed and $350 for electricity. What that equates to is about four cents per cutthroat.

When the Kamloops triploids are added in 2009, the cost per fish will be nine cents. The increase is because of the bigger appetite of the triploids.

“We want to reach out to groups in Skagit County,” Moormeier said. “We need people to come forward and help us out. Every little bit helps. You’d be surprised how much even $50 helps. Right now, we have had some great support in Whatcom County from numerous individuals and groups.”

Eventually, Trout Enhancement of Washington wants to establish its own rearing pond at a WDFW facility. That will come at a cost of about $12,000. As Moormeier said, “That’s a one-time expenditure and then it’s done. But that’s down the road.”

In the meantime, the bottom line is providing more opportunities to catch better fish.

“It’s all about having a sustainable trout population,” Moormeier said. “And getting folks out on the water fishing. If people, in the next couple of years, can begin to catch 18- to 24-inch cutthroat, it’s going to go a long way in revitalizing fisheries. People in Skagit County aren’t going to have to travel to catch quality fish. They’ll be able to that in their own backyard.”

To learn more about Trout Enhancement of Washington or to make a donation, contact Moormeier at 360-319-3926.

“We are always looking for companies, service groups and individuals to help make this happen,” Moormeier said. “Every donation is a huge help and will put more trout in local fisheries.”

Vince Richardson can be reached at 360-416-2181 or by e-mail at