Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is investigating the illegal introduction of a northern pike into Pine Grove Pond, a small but heavily used family fishing site in Kalispell. This is another example of illegal introductions threatening existing fisheries, such as with largemouth bass in Maine and smallmouth bass in Chilliwack, B.C.
Fisheries managers were worried after seeing a photo of somebody holding a northern pike near Pine Grove Pond circulating on social media last fall, fearing it was dumped into the pond after the picture was taken. To investigate, FWP set eight tip-ups to see what if they could pull a pike out of the waterbody. On January 29, biologists confirmed their suspicions when they caught a northern pike that wore the same distinctive tail markings as the fish in the photo.
“We’re pretty confident that we caught the pike that was in that photo,” said Dillon Tabish, regional communication and education program manager for FWP. Tabish noted that it was impossible to verify that it was the same fish, or that it was the only pike placed in the pond.
A Direct Threat to a Managed Trout Fishery
“This is an extremely disappointing and damaging act,” Mike Hensler, FWP regional fisheries manager in Kalispell, said in a release. “Pine Grove Pond was built and managed as a place for kids and families to learn to fish and enjoy catching trout. Introducing pike could ruin that experience for everyone.”
Pine Grove Pond is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and westslope cutthroat trout and is managed primarily as a youth-friendly, catch-and-release fishery. Because the pond is isolated from other waterbodies, officials say the pike could only have arrived through illegal human introduction.
Northern pike are apex predators known for aggressive feeding behavior and rapid growth, sometimes exceeding 30 pounds. Even a single fish can significantly reduce stocked trout populations under the right circumstances.
“In small waters like Pine Grove Pond, just a few pike can quickly wipe out a stocked fish population,” FWP officials stated.
Rewards and Enforcement
FWP is asking anglers to kill and report any northern pike caught in Pine Grove Pond and submit them to the agency’s Kalispell office. The public is also encouraged to report information about the illegal introduction through the state’s tip line.
Rewards of up to $3,500 are being offered for information about the illegal introduction. FWP is fronting up to $1,000, with additional monies being contributed by conservation groups. The Flathead Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited is putting up $2,000 in reward money, with Flathead Wildlife offering $500. Tips on the illegal introduction can be submitted at tipmont.mt.gov.
Officials stress that moving live fish between waterbodies is illegal in Montana. Violators can face fines, loss of fishing privileges, and restitution for damages caused to public fisheries.
“This is a reminder that one selfish act can erase years of conservation work and take away a special place for kids to fish,” Tabish said in a release.
A History of Damage from Illegal Pike Introductions
Northern pike have a long history of illegal introductions in western Montana, with significant ecological consequences. Originally native only to the Saskatchewan River drainage east of Glacier National Park, pike were illegally introduced west of the Continental Divide beginning in the 1950s. From there, they spread rapidly. By 2018, they had established populations in more than 80 waterbodies in northwest Montana.
In the Flathead River system, northern pike have been linked to declines in native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout populations through both predation and competition. Their presence alters food webs and threatens native species recovery efforts.
Illegal introductions in the Swan River drainage led to aggressive suppression efforts after pike began consuming native trout and whitefish, prompting costly management actions including netting and monitoring programs.
And in small lakes and ponds across northwest Montana, similar to Pine Grove, pike have “obliterated local fish populations in just a few years,” according to fisheries managers, eliminating stocked trout fisheries that communities rely on for recreation.
Ongoing Monitoring
Although one pike has been removed from Pine Grove Pond, uncertainty remains. FWP officials acknowledge there is no guarantee that only one fish was introduced. The agency is considering environmental DNA (eDNA) testing to determine whether additional pike are present.
In the meantime, anglers play a critical role in early detection and response. Report any pike sightings to tipmont.mt.gov.
