Colorado's annual Ridgway Reservoir Smallmouth Bass Classic is underway, with one fisherman, Chase Nicholson, poised to continue his legacy of winning the $10,000 prize for removing invasive fish from the reservoir.
In addition to the hefty prize money that comes from winning the competition, anglers feel it's a necessary event to prevent the population of the highly invasive smallmouth bass from wreaking havoc on the native ecosystem "before it becomes unstoppable," Nicholson told Colorado Public Radio.
Smallmouth bass are native to the Great Lakes and were introduced by humans years ago. They feast on "beloved native and endangered species." According to CPR, they have already invaded the Green and Yampa rivers, making them even more dangerous.
Smallmouth bass populate quickly. As Cornell Chronicle stated, "Their arrival led to declines of native fish species and stunting of growth rates in prized brook and lake trout, which compete with bass for the same prey."
Invasive species that impact native fish populations have ample economic impacts. They can lead to a decline in the fishing industry's production as they drastically change the habitat where particular fish are found. Further, they can push out the necessary keystone species, which can harm the native design of the waterway, ultimately changing the operation of entire communities.
The annual tournament is crucial to rebalancing the native populations of the reservoir. Nicholson and other competitors navigate torrential waters for a chance to win the prize money.
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"It can get ugly out here when the wind's blowing and the waves are 3 feet tall, swells rolling past and you're trying to paddle from one side of the reservoir to the other," Nicholson told CPR. Nevertheless, competitors brave the landscape for five weeks every summer.
Eric Gardunio, an aquatic biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told CPR that because humans brought the invasive bass to the area, it's our job to remove them.
This year, the competition began on July 5 and will end on Aug. 10.
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