Angler Input Requested, Thought I Would Share

[FRENZEL]

Wouldn't a little supplemental fish stocking go further than dumping brushpiles? Just a thought...Or spend the resources on additional game officials?

[abkeenan]

Wouldn't a little supplemental fish stocking go further than dumping brushpiles? Just a thought...Or spend the resources on additional game officials?

I am no biologist nor do I know what are or aren't healthy populations of particular species of fish but I would say Table Rock is just fine the way it is with game fish and shad populations. I really don't think they would need to stock anything other than maybe some walleye as they seem a little low on the totem pole on population numbers in TR. I also believe there is some stocking that goes on but don't quote me on that.

[kscullawl]

You can never have enough structure in an Ozark lake. With no vegetation, the more you have the better it will be. Especially for your forage. I think that is where adding structure helps the most. No secret why a lake like Fork is so good. Tons of wood cover with GRASS. TR will not have grass so the more structure out there the better.

Certain areas of the lake do have lots of cover, other areas are quite barren. I wouldn't want to be a minnow hiding around a barren rock bank.

[kscullawl]

Wouldn't a little supplemental fish stocking go further than dumping brushpiles? Just a thought...Or spend the resources on additional game officials?

Doesn't matter if you don't have the forage to support it. TR is a old lake with a huge population of fish. The dept of conservation could stock fish everyday and not even equal 1% of what is put in the lake naturally by current fish.

Make your habitat better, make sure good forage base. For example, what if you stocked a 1000 acre desert with 500 whitetail deer? Think they will thrive with no cover or food?

[Bill Babler]

Doesn't matter if you don't have the forage to support it. TR is a old lake with a huge population of fish. The dept of conservation could stock fish everyday and not even equal 1% of what is put in the lake naturally by current fish.

Make your habitat better, make sure good forage base. For example, what if you stocked a 1000 acre desert with 500 whitetail deer? Think they will thrive with no cover or food?

Don't really agree with anything in this post. Table Rock since the late 1990's or really since the mid 80's has not been loaded or even close to carring capasity for any of our game or pan fish varities. It does have a very accecptable population of fish and will continue to thrive on its own with very conservations minded fishermen that may I point out it does have. Forage populations are supurb in both threadfin and gizzard shad.

Having fished the lake since the early 1970's and professionally fished the lake since 1990, it has had an evolution, that is not only healthy, but is in fact helped it flurish after a horriffic fish kill and the constant fluction of water levels during the spawning seasons.

Call it evolution or survival of the fittest, I don't know, but most all fish on the White River Chain have addapted to other means of not only feeding but how they relate to structure. Our fish here on Table Rock have become much more migratory. They are very seasonal in their travels and feeding patterns and also very much a fish that for the most part does not even though it is available relate to much shoreline structure or shallow structure. They have very much including all three species of black bass become open water fish. From the heat of the Summer to the cold of Winter there are fish that just occupy open water and depth.

Not only have they adapted to this as this is where their forage is, but they have also adapted to this as these lake sections have the least ammount of enchroachment from man. ie fishing prussure.

Yes at times especially now there is and always will be a shallow bite on Table Rock. That bite is perhaps the hardest to comand on a daily basis,or the hardest to master. That is why fisherman from outside our area struggle here. Not only is the clarity of the lake a factor here, but the forage base mostly threadfin and gizzard shad do not occupy these shallow areas on a consistant basis. Crayfish also a top forage for most of our Black Bass spcies also can be found in much deeper water. Not unusual to see crayfish as deep as 40 ft.

For the past several years, MDC has been and has added countless structure that has been mentoned for the most part due to the fluctuating lake levels can be found on the bank or when the water is up just impossible to fish around. If you think we don't have cover, look at the structure map. Hundreds of piles. for the most part these piles are not holding concentrations of either forage or fish. Yes they may hold some crayfish or a few perch or sunfish, but MDC when putting them in made it their soul purpose to concentrate panfish and make them easier for the general public to catch.

DID NOT WORK, AND WILL NEVER WORK. The old movie saying "If you build it they will come. does not apply to Table Rock bass."

With the main forage base here on the rock, of course being the shad that for the most part occupy open water, at times however they will suspend in the deeper tree tops, the adding of the structure has done little more than make the areas it was placed harder to fish rather than the intended concentration. In fact on some of these locations in the dam area, it has rendered quality smallmouth banks to non-fishable, due to the smallmouth moving, and making them impossible to fish properly

You must remember here that we are dealing not so much with a largemouth bass population here but a spotted bass and a smallmouth bass fishery other than the river arms of the White River. These fish are extremely sight type of feeders. They are not ambush feeders for the most part. The spotted bass love to school and chase their prey, brush means nothing to them. They are also the big kids on the block and do not need it for shelter as so with the largemouth and the smallmouth. The smallmouth are roamers, they live everywhere and no where. They do not spend their lives living by a brush pile, the are travlers and transents. On the Whtie River, they just dearly love wide open slooping gravel flats. They love wind and they consume as much insect matter as any fish in the lake. Most of all they love mixed gravel and chunkrock that holds crayfish, and can be found in these areas. Again here a perch in a bruch pile means nothing to them.

As far as fry reproduction, man made brush is not a factor here, with our constantly moving lake levels. The main criteria for good fishing on the Rock is a steady water level during the spawn.

An earlier poster refered to lake fork as a case point. How wrong he was there. Lake Fork since 1989 has stocked more that 50 million florida bass fry. The sheer number of stocked fish in fork is by far greater than the entire fishery of this lake.

This lake is fine the way it is. However I to would like to see a continued effort with the walleye. They are very exciting and really fit into the current structure of Table Rock in great fashion, with the way they feed on shad on the deep flats.

Lets just leave good enough alone.

[Jacob W]

Well said...

[FRENZEL]

Doesn't matter if you don't have the forage to support it. TR is a old lake with a huge population of fish. The dept of conservation could stock fish everyday and not even equal 1% of what is put in the lake naturally by current fish.

Make your habitat better, make sure good forage base. For example, what if you stocked a 1000 acre desert with 500 whitetail deer? Think they will thrive with no cover or food?

So your saying Table Rock is at its carrying capacity? Table rock a desert? Not enough forage?... Pfffft....... Ten bazillion dying threadfin the last few months beg to differ with you. And BTW have you looked up the whitetail hunting in MEXICO?

[FRENZEL]

Don't really agree with anything in this post. Table Rock since the late 1990's or really since the mid 80's has not been loaded or even close to carring capasity for any of our game or pan fish varities. It does have a very accecptable population of fish and will continue to thrive on its own with very conservations minded fishermen that may I point out it does have. Forage populations are supurb in both threadfin and gizzard shad.

Having fished the lake since the early 1970's and professionally fished the lake since 1990, it has had an evolution, that is not only healthy, but is in fact helped it flurish after a horriffic fish kill and the constant fluction of water levels during the spawning seasons.

Call it evolution or survival of the fittest, I don't know, but most all fish on the White River Chain have addapted to other means of not only feeding but how they relate to structure. Our fish here on Table Rock have become much more migratory. They are very seasonal in their travels and feeding patterns and also very much a fish that for the most part does not even though it is available relate to much shoreline structure or shallow structure. They have very much including all three species of black bass become open water fish. From the heat of the Summer to the cold of Winter there are fish that just occupy open water and depth.

Not only have they adapted to this as this is where their forage is, but they have also adapted to this as these lake sections have the least ammount of enchroachment from man. ie fishing prussure.

Yes at times especially now there is and always will be a shallow bite on Table Rock. That bite is perhaps the hardest to comand on a daily basis,or the hardest to master. That is why fisherman from outside our area struggle here. Not only is the clarity of the lake a factor here, but the forage base mostly threadfin and gizzard shad do not occupy these shallow areas on a consistant basis. Crayfish also a top forage for most of our Black Bass spcies also can be found in much deeper water. Not unusual to see crayfish as deep as 40 ft.

For the past several years, MDC has been and has added countless structure that has been mentoned for the most part due to the fluctuating lake levels can be found on the bank or when the water is up just impossible to fish around. If you think we don't have cover, look at the structure map. Hundreds of piles. for the most part these piles are not holding concentrations of either forage or fish. Yes they may hold some crayfish or a few perch or sunfish, but MDC when putting them in made it their soul purpose to concentrate panfish and make them easier for the general public to catch.

DID NOT WORK, AND WILL NEVER WORK. The old movie saying "If you build it they will come. does not apply to Table Rock bass."

With the main forage base here on the rock, of course being the shad that for the most part occupy open water, at times however they will suspend in the deeper tree tops, the adding of the structure has done little more than make the areas it was placed harder to fish rather than the intended concentration. In fact on some of these locations in the dam area, it has rendered quality smallmouth banks to non-fishable, due to the smallmouth moving, and making them impossible to fish properly

You must remember here that we are dealing not so much with a largemouth bass population here but a spotted bass and a smallmouth bass fishery other than the river arms of the White River. These fish are extremely sight type of feeders. They are not ambush feeders for the most part. The spotted bass love to school and chase their prey, brush means nothing to them. They are also the big kids on the block and do not need it for shelter as so with the largemouth and the smallmouth. The smallmouth are roamers, they live everywhere and no where. They do not spend their lives living by a brush pile, the are travlers and transents. On the Whtie River, they just dearly love wide open slooping gravel flats. They love wind and they consume as much insect matter as any fish in the lake. Most of all they love mixed gravel and chunkrock that holds crayfish, and can be found in these areas. Again here a perch in a bruch pile means nothing to them.

As far as fry reproduction, man made brush is not a factor here, with our constantly moving lake levels. The main criteria for good fishing on the Rock is a steady water level during the spawn.

An earlier poster refered to lake fork as a case point. How wrong he was there. Lake Fork since 1989 has stocked more that 50 million florida bass fry. The sheer number of stocked fish in fork is by far greater than the entire fishery of this lake.

This lake is fine the way it is. However I to would like to see a continued effort with the walleye. They are very exciting and really fit into the current structure of Table Rock in great fashion, with the way they feed on shad on the deep flats.

Lets just leave good enough alone.

Walleye sound good to me!!! mmmmmmmm....

[abkeenan]

Don't really agree with anything in this post. Table Rock since the late 1990's or really since the mid 80's has not been loaded or even close to carring capasity for any of our game or pan fish varities. It does have a very accecptable population of fish and will continue to thrive on its own with very conservations minded fishermen that may I point out it does have. Forage populations are supurb in both threadfin and gizzard shad.

Having fished the lake since the early 1970's and professionally fished the lake since 1990, it has had an evolution, that is not only healthy, but is in fact helped it flurish after a horriffic fish kill and the constant fluction of water levels during the spawning seasons.

Call it evolution or survival of the fittest, I don't know, but most all fish on the White River Chain have addapted to other means of not only feeding but how they relate to structure. Our fish here on Table Rock have become much more migratory. They are very seasonal in their travels and feeding patterns and also very much a fish that for the most part does not even though it is available relate to much shoreline structure or shallow structure. They have very much including all three species of black bass become open water fish. From the heat of the Summer to the cold of Winter there are fish that just occupy open water and depth.

Not only have they adapted to this as this is where their forage is, but they have also adapted to this as these lake sections have the least ammount of enchroachment from man. ie fishing prussure.

Yes at times especially now there is and always will be a shallow bite on Table Rock. That bite is perhaps the hardest to comand on a daily basis,or the hardest to master. That is why fisherman from outside our area struggle here. Not only is the clarity of the lake a factor here, but the forage base mostly threadfin and gizzard shad do not occupy these shallow areas on a consistant basis. Crayfish also a top forage for most of our Black Bass spcies also can be found in much deeper water. Not unusual to see crayfish as deep as 40 ft.

For the past several years, MDC has been and has added countless structure that has been mentoned for the most part due to the fluctuating lake levels can be found on the bank or when the water is up just impossible to fish around. If you think we don't have cover, look at the structure map. Hundreds of piles. for the most part these piles are not holding concentrations of either forage or fish. Yes they may hold some crayfish or a few perch or sunfish, but MDC when putting them in made it their soul purpose to concentrate panfish and make them easier for the general public to catch.

DID NOT WORK, AND WILL NEVER WORK. The old movie saying "If you build it they will come. does not apply to Table Rock bass."

With the main forage base here on the rock, of course being the shad that for the most part occupy open water, at times however they will suspend in the deeper tree tops, the adding of the structure has done little more than make the areas it was placed harder to fish rather than the intended concentration. In fact on some of these locations in the dam area, it has rendered quality smallmouth banks to non-fishable, due to the smallmouth moving, and making them impossible to fish properly

You must remember here that we are dealing not so much with a largemouth bass population here but a spotted bass and a smallmouth bass fishery other than the river arms of the White River. These fish are extremely sight type of feeders. They are not ambush feeders for the most part. The spotted bass love to school and chase their prey, brush means nothing to them. They are also the big kids on the block and do not need it for shelter as so with the largemouth and the smallmouth. The smallmouth are roamers, they live everywhere and no where. They do not spend their lives living by a brush pile, the are travlers and transents. On the Whtie River, they just dearly love wide open slooping gravel flats. They love wind and they consume as much insect matter as any fish in the lake. Most of all they love mixed gravel and chunkrock that holds crayfish, and can be found in these areas. Again here a perch in a bruch pile means nothing to them.

As far as fry reproduction, man made brush is not a factor here, with our constantly moving lake levels. The main criteria for good fishing on the Rock is a steady water level during the spawn.

An earlier poster refered to lake fork as a case point. How wrong he was there. Lake Fork since 1989 has stocked more that 50 million florida bass fry. The sheer number of stocked fish in fork is by far greater than the entire fishery of this lake.

This lake is fine the way it is. However I to would like to see a continued effort with the walleye. They are very exciting and really fit into the current structure of Table Rock in great fashion, with the way they feed on shad on the deep flats.

Lets just leave good enough alone.

Good stuff Bill and I would also love to see a greater effort to get the Walleye going on TR. Not to say that MDC isn't doing their best, just would like to see them concentrate more of an effort on them specifically.

[exiledguide]

.

This lake is fine the way it is. However I to would like to see a continued effort with the walleye. They are very exciting and really fit into the current structure of Table Rock in great fashion, with the way they feed on shad on the deep flats.

Lets just leave good enough alone.

I don't understand why the walleye fishing is not emphasized more once I moved to central Arkansas and started catching better walleye in Lake Catherine by accident than I caught in NW Ontario I quit wasting time and money making that 1400 mile drive and since moving here and finding out the walleye fishing here is about as good as in Arkansas, I have to wonder why it is not promoted more. You can't catch the Northern Pike here like you can up north but I think we catch bigger Smallmouth than we caught up north and I think if either state promoted the walleye fishing maybe some of those guys sitting in there cars for hours in International Falls waiting to cross the border might take a look at this area as a closer less costly fishing vacation. I know I have.