More aggressive measures needed to reduce non-native smallmouth bass on Rapid River
A wild native Rapid River brook trout caught by the author. (Kris Thompson photo)
“The Rapid River is special. It is to Maine what the Batten Kill is to Vermont, Beaverkill River is to New York, South Platte is to Colorado, Henry’s Fork is to Idaho, Madison is to Montana, and Snake River is to Wyoming: the state’s most famous trout river.”
NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard speaks up in regard to the nonnative, and highly invasive, smallmouth bass in Maine’s Rapid River. Per Mallard, “We need to do far more than we are doing if we are going to save this iconic wild native trout fishery.”
Don’t think bass are a threat to brook trout, think again… (Downeast Salmon Federation photo)
“To be clear, no wild native brook trout river has escaped a non-native bass introduction unscathed, and the Rapid is no different. The bass compete with native species for food and habitat, and also prey on brook trout. I recently saw a picture of a bass from Down East that had two, four-inch brook trout in its stomach.”
