I have lived a good number of years on Lake Tapps. We first bought a lot in 1962 and then settled on property, which is on the North East shore of the lake in 1966. There we built a summer home and enjoyed the lake every summer until 1976 when we moved to the lake occupying our summer residence as a permanent home. In over 50 years of residing on the lake we have observed many changes; most of them have been due to residential growth but then many have been changes to our fish and wildlife. The fish and wildlife changes are, in part, what I wish to address.
When we first lived on the lake we enjoyed many gifts of nature: (1) our children thoroughly enjoyed fishing and they didn’t care what they caught (trout, bass, croppy, perch, etc.) as long as they caught something, (2) the seahawk (osprey) was very visible and a very active fishing bird, which lived on the lake and was a pleasure to watch, (3) the fish were easy to catch and we had many small fishing tournaments where there was ample fish caught. I fondly remember our son fishing for an afternoon so that he would be able to serve ample trout to his parents in celebration of their wedding anniversary. He accomplished that endeavor, then (around the year 1980), but he would never do it today.
Somewhere in the last decade, the Washington fish and wildlife people have chosen to introduce the tiger muskie to Lake Tapps. Since then we have seen the departure of all of the “smaller fish” (kokanee, trout, croppy and perch) to the carnivorous appetite of the tiger muskie. There is still some bass fishing and, of course, fishing for the tiger muskie.
Who loses? Our young people and the osprey are the biggest losers. We very seldom see an osprey fishing the lake, today, and most of their nesting has disappeared from the Lake Tapps area. Our kids use to truly enjoy hauling in perch, croppy, bass, etc., right off of our dock – no more! I know that there is a strong lobby for the tiger muskie but is it worth it? The osprey is a beautiful bird and our kids (and grandkids) need to grow up knowing what fishing is all about – the young ones learn fishing best by catching any kind of fish. Members of our family (and many other “bird watchers”) have enjoyed, in the past, watching the osprey. They are very intense fishermen and they have nests, which are fun to observe (from a distance). All of us, who enjoy Lake Tapps, have missed that bird and their families.
I do not remember ever being asked by the Washington fish and wildlife people if we wanted the tiger muskie in our lake. Was there an announcement and if so, were we ever briefed on the consequences of adding the tiger muskie to Lake Tapps? What is the plan for the future and will you consult the people who live on the lake and those people whom, do not live on the lake but enjoy the lake? I feel that it should be mandatory that the Department of Fish and Wildlife consult with the people, who use Lake Tapps, about the future development of the fish and the environment around and in Lake Tapps. I am a strong supporter for bringing the osprey back to the Lake Tapps area and reintroducing the kokanee and/or trout to our Lake Tapps water. I would appreciate an answer to my questions and a statement concerning the future development of the fish and the osprey in and around Lake Tapps. Must we wait until the osprey is on the “endangered species list” before we act?
