White Bass Overharvest...

[Stump bumper]

I know on Beaver there are no limits and there are a lot of people who only fish during their spawn in their spawning grounds to fill boats with them. In past years it hasn't even dented the population so whatever happened with mother nature is IMO much worse than what fishermen can do, but put the two together and white fishing my get a real blow for the next few years.

I just hope these people don't switch to eating bass.

[Phil Lilley]

Would like the opinion of a fishery biologist.

In OK, until just recently, there wasn't a limit on sand bass and there seemed to be an unlimited number of them on many lakes. They were once considered trash fish so many at that time they weren't harvested like they are today.

I believe it would be difficult, but not impossible, to over harvest them. The damage to the population would be as they are or just before they spawn and that's when they're targeted the most and easiest to catch. I say difficult because one female lays so many eggs. The thing that hurts the population most is weather/rain. Cold fronts at the wrong time and/or a lack of rain and/or other weather related conditions will put the hurt on the spawn and affect future populations much more than harvesting them, I would think.

[dtrs5kprs]

Have heard others concerned about whites at LOZ and in our local NE KS lakes. Weather and spawn issues aside, I wonder what impact C&R vertical fishing, or even jump fishing for fish coming up from 20+ feet has on the population. Personally I have stopped to fizz deep jig spoon whites, especially nice ones, but would guess a lot of folks might not bother to do so.

[laker67]

Have heard others concerned about whites at LOZ and in our local NE KS lakes. Weather and spawn issues aside, I wonder what impact C&R vertical fishing, or even jump fishing for fish coming up from 20+ feet has on the population. Personally I have stopped to fizz deep jig spoon whites, especially nice ones, but would guess a lot of folks might not bother to do so.

The whites and hybrids are plentiful at loz this year. This past october, I saw schools breaking the suface that would cover 2 to 3 acres at a time. Kdan and I witnessed that on several occasions. One evening in particular, they stretched from owens point almost across the lake to knotty pine. Hundreds of feet wide out to about a quarter mile. Couldn't see what was happening past that point. No shortage here. I would say that FW could keep 7 this year and not hurt the spawning population.

[FishinCricket]

The whites and hybrids are plentiful at loz this year. This past october, I saw schools breaking the suface that would cover 2 to 3 acres at a time. Kdan and I witnessed that on several occasions. One evening in particular, they stretched from owens point almost across the lake to knotty pine. Hundreds of feet wide out to about a quarter mile. Couldn't see what was happening past that point. No shortage here. I would say that FW could keep 7 this year and not hurt the spawning population.

I'd love to see that!!!

[kdan]

What laker is saying is true. We did see this on several occasions. In Oct several of us went on our annual white bassin trip on loz. We caught them by the dozen but kept only enough for

that nights supper if that was what we were eating. We did give some away. Guess this is off the subject.

Well, white bass are the only ones to reproduce. Hybreds and stripers are stocked several times a year. IMO it would take alot to over fish them. As long as EVERONE abides by the limits

I think we should be in good shape on loz for a long time. As long as we keep having the shad hatch at millions per acre.

Wrench this doesn't answer your original question other than my opinion.