What's Your Opinion?

[riverfish]

i had a good friend fishin this past weekend at the mouth of big creek he was throwing topwater at first light up toward the bank when he heard some activity behind the boat out in a little deeper water he flung his gunfish right in the rings of the last surfacing fish and proceeded to catch the biggest bass ever on table rock he fought and fought the fish as it made powerful run after run he finally got it to the boat and it turned out to be a 10lb striper. i always knew their was a few but hoped that most of them stayed way up on the upper end. whats you guys' thoughts about this

[dtrs5kprs]

If you get to Kimberling stop in at Mark's shop and check out the pic he has of the big beast striper caught around Pt 16.

It is a big, deep lake. God alone knows what is actually swimming around down there. If stripers can live in Beaver and Bull they can surely find some deep water to call home at TR.

[Sprint21fter]

Agree, some slip through the cracks of the dams and swim along ways to find food. Big sprawling lake. Would rather them stay in Beaver, since TR and Bull are fishing unbelievable now.

[Feathers and Fins]

Duane ( ducky) and I were talking about this yesterday while at Taneycomo. There are far more stripers in TR then people know. If you are near the 62 bridge at the tailwater at the right toime you will see a wall of them charging trout. I have caught them with enough on the RR AND WR arms and several in the Kings arm and a few other place on TR to know there are far more then you think. A 10lb striper is both unsettling and at the same time makes me smile. Unsettling because that is not an old fish! Possibly came over the Beaver dam but Possibly means a Spawn took place and held. Smiling side of me because I really think TR could become an outstanding striper fishery!

I know TR has a ton of Gizzard Shad in it and Stripers will Eat those Big shad which could improve the Smallmouth Fishery and I am all for the Double WIN they could provide for the fishery and for the local economy.

[riverfish]

my opinion about this is that our tr fishery is just starting to get back to where it once was and i would just as soon see our bass population grow larger (quality and quantity) and thrive more than to see striper in here eating up everything in sight and i also have fished the kings river arm my whole life hence the name and i have never caught a striper nor heard of one being caught although i have caught some 3 to 4lb class whites and several of them on the kings. i personally don't like the stripers and there is a reason they have not been stocked here let them stay in beaver

[Feathers and Fins]

River, Please explain to me why you hate stripers and why you think they would not benift Tablerock?

[riverfish]

feathers, i know a striper guide that has been coming to table rock lake to catch shad by hundreds maybe even thousands to take back to beaver to use on his guide trips this tells me one of two things the stripers have really worn down the shad population on beaver or its just flat out easier to catch them here either way he has been reported i also look at the tourney #'s put up on beaver lake and they are nowhere near table rock and i feel like that probably has alot to do with the lack of forage in the lake for the lmb to feed on. i just like the direction our lake is headed and i wouldn't want food to be a reason for decline. i mean when you think about it a striper is going to outeat a lmb ten to one how long could it take before TR shad population starts to decline. i have heard you mention a few times on the forum about how "shad rich" TR is and it is because there are not stripers being stocked just my opinion

[Feathers and Fins]

Actually he is doing it because how easy they are to get on TR, They also go over to the Grand to get them. It has nothing to do with the shad population on Beaver being unhealthy but the ease of getting the bait. Beavers Shad population is in great shape! Anyone who was in Praire Creek, Avoca Monte Ne etc this last fall and winter can tell you that. But those are the few shallow areas where you can get them vs the TR and its numerous areas especially around the rivers.

Gizzard and for that matter Threadfin shad's optimal size for a foreage fish is 2'' long. That is the size that is most productive for Crappie and Bass to feed on. There is also a great amount of scientific reports showing that when shad get to big they stop reproducing. But the larger shad none the less are a Biomass in the lake that competes for food from the smaller shad which are the primary forage fish.

The removal of the Large Shad will keep the population healthy and large thus generating more and larger game fish. The only fish capable of predating on the larger Shad with any affect is Striped bass. If you want direct evidance they are good for lakes you can look at the big bass lakes out west ALL have stripers in them yet they produce monster bass and lots of them.

The biggest threat to TR bass ( from another fish ) is the Walleye. Unlike stripers that prey primarily on shad, walleye are known bass predators!

Tablerock would actually become a better bass lake all around with Stripers to keep the larger shad population in check because it will provide more smaller shad for the bass and crappie to feed on.

There is plenty of science on the subject, but the best proof is as I said look at the west! It undeniably produces LARGE bass on a frequent base and Numbers.

Lets look at the BASS TOP 100 LAKES

#1 Falcon

#6 Amistad

#8 The Delta

#12 Pickwick

#15 Toledo Bend

#17 Kentucky Lake

# 19 Sam Rayburn

Are there any doubts about the Bass producing capabilities of those lakes? And there are plenty of Lakes on that top 100 that have stripers!

[riverfish]

yes all lakes mentioned aslo have much longer growing season because of milder winters as well and they dont stop eating as much and also lots of florida strain lmb in those lakes as well especially in texas which is over half the lakes mention above like i said in the title ad also my post my opinion is my opinion just like you have yours and them boys can go to grande all they want but it is illegal to transport bait fish across state line from one lake to another according the mo con agent i spoke with they can get their bait from their own lake

[Feathers and Fins]

I can respect your opinion, But you still have not answered the question as to why you Hate Stripers or why they would not Benifit Tablerock? I respect you do not like the guide breaking the law, I to agree with that as its clearly in the MDC regs. Not trying to be mean or anything but when the science and the evidance points to something being benificial to a fishery I would think people would want it, so im trying to understand why you hate them and dont think they would benifit TR.