Proposed Striper Stocking On Hold

[Wayne SW/MO]

I think you're right rangerman, but lakes like it are very tough to fish because all of the fish holding structure is hidden. Tenkkiler and Eufaula in OK are good examples, one is similar to BS and Beaver in habitat and the other more like Truman/TR. They're close enough to one another to have the same weather, but one produces better because it;s easier to fish.

There hundreds of bass lures out there, but it;s tough to get many of them past 15'.

[Quillback]

Here's what the AGFC thinks as far as striper predation on black bass. If there are studies showing that stripers are impacting black bass populations, please post them. I'm open minded on this subject, but so far the biologic evidence indicates there is no impact on black bass populations when stipers are present.

Striped Bass are a open water species preferring the deep portions of Arkansas Lakes. Ever since their introduction into inland lakes, striped bass have been suspected of preying directly on popular sportfish. In response to this concern, numerous food habit studies have been conducted in several Southeastern reservoirs.

Repeatedly these studies indicate striped bass are extremely unlikely to eat black bass or other game fish. (Miranda, et al. 1998).

A nine-year study (Nash, et al. 1987) dealt with the establishment of a striped bass population in Lake Wateree, South Carolina.

Largemouth bass growth, abundance, and condition were not detrimentally affected by the striped bass.

The largemouth bass length-weight relationship did not change after striped bass were introduced.

During a Lake Texoma study (Harper & Namminga, 1986) it was determined after establishment of a striped bass population, changes in the abundance of several other species, including black bass and crappies, was the result of periodic strong year classes of those species.

Striped bass predation did affect the size distribution of the gizzard shad population but had no apparent influence on native predator or prey species other than shad.

Another Lake Texoma analysis of striped bass interaction with black bass (Matthews and Hill, 1986) included the analysis of 250 striped bass stomachs.

The diet of these stripers was mostly shad.

The second most abundant food item was found to be inland silversides.

In parts of spring and early summer stripers also fed heavily on insect larvae as they were abundant at that time.

Striped bass study on Lake Powell, Arizona:

(Gustaveson, et al. 1985) indicated a virtual absence of a threadfin shad forage base.

Under these adverse conditions striped bass in Powell were observed to barely feed (many documented with empty stomachs) and their condition withered to near starvation levels.

The recorded condition for the striped bass collected was the lowest on record at that time. Only the youngest stripers foraged affectivity and utilized zooplankton for their diet.

During 1982-1985 on Lake Powell a self-sustaining smallmouth bass population was established.

There was no evidence of smallmouth fingerling predation by the starving striped bass. This could be attributed to the fact the smallmouth are a littoral (shallow water) species.

Reservoirs capable of sustaining a healthy striped bass population must have sufficient thermal refuge areas for the striped bass to survive high summer water temperatures.

The striped bass also must have access to a plentiful forage base of threadfin and gizzard shad or other closely related species (alewife or herring). Landlocked striped bass have been found to be very sensitive to temperature variations within stocked waters and will sacrifice food requirements to remain in areas with cool water during the summer months (Moss, 2001).

In Arkansas, two striped bass studies have shown that predation on sportfish is insignificant.

Beaver Lake:

Fourt (1985) examined 104 striped bass stomachs and found approximately 95% of the content was shad. Most of these shad were 1-4 inches in size. Seventeen hybrid stripers were also examined for stomach content. These also contained about 93% shad.

Lake Hamilton:

Filipek (1984) found during a food habit study of Lake Hamilton, Arkansas, the striped bass diet consisted of 92.8 percent shad with the remainder of the diet consisting of rainbow trout, sunfish, minnows, and crayfish. During this period of study (2-years) Lake Hamilton was under a winter drawdown of 9-feet which further concentrated prey species with the stripers. Sample size consisted of 116 adult striped bass which were all examined for stomach contents. The same study documented the hybrid striped bass also prefers mainly shad with a slightly more diverse diet including crayfish and minnows. Shad accounted for nearly 82% of the hybrid diet.

Norris Reservoir, Tennessee:

A more recent study (Smollen, 1999) investigating striped bass food habits was conducted on

Norris Reservoir, Tennessee. This study was also conducted during a winter drawdown period. In this study stomach contents of 85 striped bass were examined. Over 99% of the striped bass stomach content was alewives and threadfin/gizzard shad.

A study by the Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit (Miranda, et al. 1998) assessed if the predation of forage species by striped bass limited the native game fish population. Results of this study indicated striped bass in Norris Reservoir, Tennessee could potentially compete with coexisting game fishes for food if the prey-supply-to-predator-demand ratio is low. Miranda estimated by discontinuing stocking of striped bass, the remaining predator population biomass could increase by 5-10% total weight.

Striped bass reproduction has only been documented in the

Arkansas River as the striped bass eggs must stay suspended in flowing water until hatching. The AGFC must stock fingerlings at interval to keep year-classes present in our reservoirs. Viable striped bass fisheries exist in Arkansas in Lakes Hamilton, Lake Greeson, Catherine, Lake Ouachita, Beaver, and Lake Norfork.

Important to note is these fisheries also have strong black bass populations. Smallmouth bass have been successfully re-introduced into Beaver Lake while sustaining the stocking of striped bass.

As stated in the draft AG&FC

Striped Bass Management Plan (Fourt, et al., 2000) of vital importance is the accurate evaluation of shad densities in our striped bass waters. The shad prey base should be regularly monitored for trends as there can be competition for the same prey species between striped bass and black basses .

Bibliography:

Filipek, S. & L. Claybrook, 1984. Stripers and Hybrids, What Do They Really Eat? Arkansas Game and Fish Magazine. Volume 15, Issue 4. September/October 1984. pp 8-9.

Fourt, R., D. Brader, & S. Wooldridge, 2000. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Striped Bass Management Plan, November 20, 2000 (Draft).

Fourt, R.A., 1985. Age, Growth, Food Habits, Angler Harvest, Tournament Catches, and Stocking of Striped Bass and Hybrid-Striped Bass in Beaver Reservoir, 1985. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, In-House Report.

[Wayne SW/MO]

GREAT information! Pretty much sums it up.

[CaptainJoe]

Great summary. At Castaic Lake in CA, the bass and stripers coexist with no problems. Castaic Lake has, I believe, 4 of the top ten biggest bass ever caught. My education on the subject is as posted by Quillback. Spend those fishing license fees before the funds are raided for other purposes.

[Bill B.]

I also got to fish Beaver Lake shortly after it filled. As Wayne said, it started tough and never changed, unlike Bull Shoals and Table Rock.

[Feathers and Fins]

Great summary. At Castaic Lake in CA, the bass and stripers coexist with no problems. Castaic Lake has, I believe, 4 of the top ten biggest bass ever caught. My education on the subject is as posted by Quillback. Spend those fishing license fees before the funds are raided for other purposes.

I think it was more than 4 at one time I cant tell you how many 8 to 12 pound fish i caught from it and other So-Cal lakes. There is no arguement that can be made that would not support striper stocking other than BASS fishermen not wanting it based on some myths or stories. ALL the Science proves they would not harm the LMB population and in fact could actualy help it. But people will never listen to the science when they think their and that is " their" in quotation Bass might be harmed. Who cares it would boost the economy and help the lake my bass might get ate by the big bad striper.

[taxidermist]

There is zero reason to delay the stocking of striped bass.

Original stocking occured back in the mid to late 1970's

Bass fishing was good back then.

Many many huge stripers came from Bull Shoals.

The accidental stocking that is now producing fish from 40 to 55 lbs is doing fine.

The huge shad population is the food base as discussed.

I have recently skinned 6 striped bass over 40 lbs and two over 50 lbs and the stripers have had zero bass or crappie nor any walleye in their guts.

The had some suckers, lots of shad (Not anywhere near 7-10lbs each) and one had three rainbow trout stockers and came form Howard Creek.

20,000 stripers every other year as optioned will not hurt anything, will produce a larger economic impact for Docks and resorts on the lake.

The lake is getting old the habitat has changed drasticlly size the 1970's when I was a kid.

as the lake changes so are the breeds of fish it will support.

The lake during the warm months has a very narrow band of shoreline that will support fish and fishing. right now the thermocline is at 24 feet. and you drop from mid 70's to 63F and the heat will make it change again soon..

Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass and spotted bass sedom venture below the thermocline, nor do crappie. the majority of walleye will be found right at the thermocline (when present) and the stripers will be finding deep cold water this time of year. Then we get into the lack of O2 inthe water later int he summer and the stripers die off, not all but several.

What really bugs me about the stocking of stripers, is the studies that have been done show little to no impact on the bass fisheries in any of the other lakes. Yet people will scream Oh my crappie,Oh My Bass.

Is it they just dont want anymore fishermen on the lake?

[Wayne SW/MO]

BS has changed as you said and one of the bigger changes is in shoreline structure. There is neither good cover for nests or fingerlings and the fact is simply that the shad are a competitor to a species that struggles when the lake remains normal. After last years high water small bass are everywhere in the upper section, and probably all over the lake. If the need is for more bass I suspect getting the COE to hold the lake 5' high every spring during the bass spawn would increase all species.

Stripers would mean a lot of dollars for the upper lake and there is no evidence it would hurt any other species, except oversized shad.

They put them in Texoma in the 70's and the bass fishing never missed a beat until the environmental changes had them add smallmouth.

[Hunter91]

Taxidermist,

Do the stripers still taste good when they get that big?

[Feathers and Fins]

Taxidermist,

Do the stripers still taste good when they get that big?

Yes, cute the blood line and they are fine.