The discovery of whirling disease in Montana in 1994 prompted an all-out effort by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to expand trout population monitoring and testing to all river basins in the state. Whirling disease is a parasitic infection that can impact some trout populations. Since its initial discovery in Montana, the parasite has been found in more than 80 locations in the state. Because sculpins carry spores that resemble those that cause whirling disease, in April 1995 the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, as an emergency precaution, banned the collection and use of sculpins as bait in all of Montana. Whirling disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that infects young trout. Although harmless to humans, the disease can impact wild trout populations, especially rainbows. The disease can be spread through spores in the water and through tiny worms that live in the mud. Researchers are seeking a solution, but once the parasite inhabits a body of water there is no known way to remove it. Anglers can take these few simple precautions to help prevent the spread of whirling disease.
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