Earlier this year we had the fight to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes by ending the Chicago diversion that artificially connects Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River system. Now the Asian carp’s little brother is assaulting Mann Lake in Eastern Oregon.

According to an Associated Press article, biologists with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are pondering a plan to poison Mann Lake, in the hope of ridding the lake of invasive goldfish.

The first step requires volunteers to catch trout, in the hope that the trout can be restocked after poisoning the lake with the chemical rotenone, which kills fish by interfering with cellular use of oxygen.

Mann Lake, at the base of Steens Mountain, has a long history as a well-known trout fishery. Scientists believe that in 2001 live goldfish were somehow deposited in the lake, perhaps used for bait, and reproduced. Fishermen now catch goldfish up to 13 inches long, and the trout population has experienced a decline.

To answer the question we know is on your mind, yes, there is an overall U.S. IGFA record for goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) from 2002: 9 lbs. 6 oz. (4.26 kgs), out of Lindo Lakes, California.  No fly rod record. Yet.

That said, I’d much prefer rainbow trout as an invasive species.

The evolution of an angler to fly fisherman often includes embracing the concept of the ‘catch and release’ ethic — along the lines of Lee Wulff’s assertion that “The fish you release is your gift to another angler and remember, it may have been someone’s similar gift to you.” Conservation is part of our credo. In more recent years that credo has grown to adopt the concept that the survival of native fish is preferable.

Now Trout Unlimited and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have crafted a cash-for-rainbow program in the hope that the almighty dollar can sway fly fishermen to revert to the hunter/gather mentality to harvest the nonnative rainbows in the South Fork of the Snake River.

Seeking to thin out the competition for native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the blue ribbon fishery, Woodard’s organization, Trout Unlimited, has partnered with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to place a bounty on rainbows.

Fish and Game has inserted tiny, invisible tags in the noses of 571 South Fork rainbows with corresponding monetary awards ranging from $5 to $1,000.”

With any luck, maybe this fly fishing habit can pay off.

Yesterday The Wife nonchalantly observed that I haven’t been writing recently. I looked up and mumbled something related to lack of inspiration.

That’s not entirely true, but the truth is somewhere in a middle ground.

Right now the hustle is on in preparation for Opening Day, five days hence. At this time of year it seems like most everything requires marching double time. Stretching Opening Day weekend into a four-day trip means taking two days off at work. In turn, this requires a doubling up of the workload to avoid an inevitable avalanche of paperwork when I return; something guaranteed to quickly kill any post-fishing afterglow. It also cuts into time needed to regale co-workers with feats of fly fishing excellence.

Preparation requires the collection and inspection of gear more than once as I can’t won’t trust a mental checklist to ensure that all’s ready to go.

My overwhelmed mind hourly sorts through the various fishing options, trying to decide which river or stream to fish first or the order in which to fish them; an important decision that factors in variables such as likely catch rate, water flow, species, the payoff of trying an unfamiliar venue, and the desire for solitude.

Trips to the gym bring about physical agony and mental anguish. There’s an understanding of the long-term benefit — the ability to keep up on the river with the sons — but it takes time away from preparation. More energy’s wasted shoving aside thoughts of yard work.

All the while, anticipation slows time to a crawl.

This is the storm behind the calm.

Thank goodness I tied what I think will be enough flies last month.