According to Dave Banks, ODFW fish biologist in Lakeview, the agency lifted the fishing limits in anticipation of plans to treat the lake with rotenone (a fish toxicant) this fall.

The water body will be treated to remove tui chub and restore a popular rainbow trout fishery. Tui chub, which share the same food sources with trout, were first observed in the reservoir in 1989. Since then, as the tui chub population grew, the trout fishery declined.

The reservoir was treated unsuccessfully 1996, Banks said, when some tui chub moved from the reservoir into nearby Lofton Lake to avoid the rotenone. This year, Lofton Lake will be pumped dry prior to rotenone treatment in October.

The reservoir will remain closed to all fishing from Oct. 14, 2013 through March 31, 2014. Trout stocking will resume next spring, Banks said.

Rotenone, a plant substance, has been approved as a fish toxicant by the Environmental Protection Agency. At the concentrations used to kill fish, rotenone is not toxic to human, other mammals or birds. It breaks down completely in the environment and will not be detectable within weeks of treatment.

News Source: Oregon DFW - Jul. 02, 2013