Rainbow Smelt

Rainbow smelt also have been found in Missouri River impoundments in South Dakota, downstream from Lake Oahe, but are less common in these waters. Rainbow smelt are a schooling fish that prefer open water where they feed primarily on microscopic animals (zooplankton). Rainbow smelt commonly reach 6 to 8 inches in length and can live for up to 8 years.
 

Early in this century, smelt were introduced into waters connecting to the Great Lakes, and by the 1930's, smelt had greatly expanded their geographic range, having spread throughout all of the Great Lakes; presently smelt are a dominant pelagic species in the Great Lakes. Since then, this species has invaded many inland lakes of eastern Canada. 

Smelt prey heavily on young-of-the-year fish, and their introduction into lakes has led to major declines of native species, particularly lake trout, whitefish and cisco. In addition, the introduction of smelt into lakes also leads to increased levels of PCB's and mercury in top predators such as lake trout.
 

I believe Stephen Alfred Forbes said it best when doing research in 1908. "Among the enemies of Cyprinidae (Minnows), disclosed by our study of 1,221 Illinois fishes, already referred to, practically all are most predacious fishes, including the Dogfish, both our common species of Gar (the Walleyed Pike), both species of Pickerel (one is Northern Pike), Small and Large Mouth Bass, Yellow Perch, the Mudcat, crappies, and sunfish, etc."

THAT THIS LIST MIGHT BE CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED BY MORE EXTENSIVE STUDIES OF THE FOOD FISHES IS BEYOND A DOUBT. 

It is safe to say that no fish eating fish would, if hungry for fish, refuse a minnow of any kind, unless it seemed too small to be worth the trouble of capturing. It is not too much to say, consequently, that the number of game fish which any water can maintain is largely conditioned upon it's permanent stock of minnows".

A personal note: All of the northern basin states have overstocked the Missouri River lakes with too many game fish. As a result they are eating every "small" fish they can find. There is a reason the Walleyes in Lake Oahe are only 1.5 pounds at three years - they are starving. 

Hungry fish eat everything in sight. This includes their own young and the young of NATIVE FISH. The Rainbow Smelt are starving too. 

This is a quote from Wayne Nelson-Stastny, a Fisheries Biologist for the SDGF&P Missouri River Fisheries Center, "Smelt are carnivorous and in Lake Oahe consume mostly zooplankton. However, by weight, young-of-the-year smelt made up 63% of the bio-mass consumed by adult smelt in lower Oahe. Combine the high abundance of adult smelt with good reproduction in those years, and there is strong evidence of adult smelt cannibalizing young-of-the-year smelt." 

Here is another one from Tony Dean, South Dakota fishing Guru, "predation by a huge Walleye population and Oahe's other predators is the biggest problem, and with smelt in short supply they are eating everything in sight. They have decimated PERCH, and Spot tailed shiners, and have turned to Drum and Small Mouthed Bass." 

Does anyone believe the Smelt who are so hungry they have turned cannibalistic, and starving Walleye are not going to eat every fish in the lake? This includes Pallid Sturgeons, Sturgeon Chubs, Sicklefin chubs, Blue Sucker, Sauger, Spoon Bills, and every other fish that is loosing numbers above Gavins Point.

If ever there was an opportunity to go on the offensive which we have yet to do, this is it. 

It's past time to set the record straight and expose the "TRIPE" that has been coming from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana for what it is, self-serving non-sense that is killing NATIVE FISH while padding the pockets of their fishing industry. 

- Capt. Bill Beacom