Spotted Bass Regulation Meeting

[JohnF52]

In some lakes spots are a nuisance, stunted and overpopulated. I am for no limits on them, and no limits on usage (good cafish baits). Drastically decrease their numbers.

[Bass Ivy]

I went to a meeting about 3 years ago in Rogers, and they were going to do away with the length limit on spots then, but they didnt do it at that time. So I figure they have been studying this for several years. One thing I think does hurt Beaver as far as forage for the LM and SM bass is the whites and the stripers. I do like fishing for them though. And I can also say that there are more bigger bass in Beaver now than years ago. It is getting better, but the fish are poor. I caught one the other day it was skinny as a rail. Its a common thing for me to catch a skinny black. But alot of times the spots are fat and slick. I kinda wish they hadnt introduced the walleye. They are awesome fish, but the forage is already low. I dont think there are nearly as many whites now in Beaver as there was 20 years ago. You kinda have to look for them now, back years ago they were everywhere all the time. I know I try to put a dent in their population. I have a couple buddies that would eat the heck out of them spots. I would too if I knew it would help the fishery out, but I like to put them blacks and smallies back. I like eatin them, but just dont usually. I wish there were more shad in Beaver. Ive fished Grand a few times and that place is crawling with shad. Also comparing to Table Rock it has bigger and longer rivers feeding it. Plus it has no stripers or hybrids. The whites have a limit on them in Table Rock so their population is in check. They were out of control on Beaver in the past IMO. I dont catch very many of them small spots any more almost every fish we catch is a keeper, but I suspect its the baits we are using. Im ready for them to do it on the lenght limit. I will target them smaller spots if they do and fry em up. I just dont think there will be enough taken out to make much of difference. I know a couple guys that will eat them, but most of the bass fisherman dont keep any bass I know I dont. But if it will help I will fry em up. I know one guy who will eat every legal fish he catches he would have a feast on them spots. LOL. I just dont think the walley was a good idea dont they use the same forage as the LM and SM? Walleye are starting to be in good numbers too.

[J-Doc]

I'll keep every legal walleye I catch this year. Not because I want to catch them. But because the numbers are so string and yes, they eat a tin of forage.

I think its going to offer mixed results but yes, no limit on spots up to 12" but tournaments are not allowed to keep below 12" on spots as it stands now.

They also should focus on how to increase the forage. I thought there was a ton of forage myself from what iI've seen and heard. I do agree, stripers eat a ton of food for their size. So do the whites.

I'll catch em all. :-) And enjoy it. Except for walleye......Dork fish! :-). Tasty but not what I'm after.

[Chief Grey Bear]

The native spotted bass has lived in harmony with all of the other native fish for thousands of years. But some how they are now the cause of all the problems in the fishing world.

All we have to do is remove the spotted bass from this earth and all will be fine again.

I think Bass Ivy and J-Doc are knocking on the door of your problems.

[Feathers and Fins]

Brit we both know it comes down to $$$$$$$$$$ people want (quality fish) spots just are not what people would typically call quality. This area Bass and Bass fishing is KING remember Beaver was home to the first BASS Tournament.

I see Walleye as the next big money fish for Beaver and I would not be surprised in 3 to 5 years to see a National Walleye Tournament on the lake then people will want to increase the population of them. All about the $$$$$

Conflict always rises when you talk about any fish other than BASS in a lake, I have never seen a conversation on any forum where Bass Fishermen didn't want to remove other predators / competition from a lake and doubt it ever will happen they want BASS BASS BASS BASS and more BASS. I use to be one of those guys I know I wanted Bass, now I don't put such a high value on them I learned a balanced eco system is more important and consequently improves size of all species and health of the fishery. But spots are IMO one of the most prolific species in Beaver and ( small no quality ) yet are eating machines.

They need to be put in check and the Cats and Walters cant do it all so put a 10 fish limit on them and 0 size limit IMO from my experience on the lake will not hurt and possibly help the other species.

I think the reason I support this move is growing up fishing Lake Perris, it was a good lake and held the World record for Alabama Spotted Bass, But the majority were always small a 2 pnd fish was a good one. Then somehow FL strains got put in there and size and quality went up interestingly I saw many anglers keeping spots. My dad says catching a Spot in the lake now is very rare. Most the LMB are now averaging 4lb class and many 10lb class fish each year. The smaller slower growing spots also destroyed the lakes shad population where the state had to supplement, now they don't and there are shad balls hundreds of yards long. I cant help but to think it was the removal of the spots that have helped the lake. I could be wrong but its funny that the missing ingredient is the spot. Two different lakes but sure wouldn't be harmful to try.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I bet the Spot would think it was harmful. But who cares.

[RSBreth]

I've caught plenty of 3-pound and bigger Spots from Beaver. The big limiting factor on Black Bass size in Beaver is the Stripers, not other Black Bass. But who listens to me.

[J-Doc]

Aren't we some bitter folk. :-)

I think the best way to increase the growth rate for any species is better genetics. That's common practice in game management. Does that mean we are going to setup food plots for fish?? Lol!! No!

The AGFC is doing good by asking public opinion, taking studies, samples, and most importantly......

THE RESTOCK PROGRAM....

It was mentioned in the initial post but its overlooked by the abused spotty. :-)

Reatocking the lake with good brood stock is a good practice vs allowing thousands of short fish reproduce naturally. They will more than likely reproduce short fish with slow growth rates. Introduce fish with faster growth rates, increase forage stock and provide habitat foe growth development (to escape the boogie man aka stripers) and a few years from now you will have some signs of progress.

In my opinion.....

Not enough anglers will keep below 12" spotted bass to make a dent but I will do my part if I feel it will help and if the BIOLOGIST who know their respective field say it will help also.

So......

Poor little "Spotty" will not be abused or picked on, called mean names, or tagged as a nuisance in my camp. Just dinner and hope for a brighter future for the lake overall for the spotted bass species........and for all species to live naturally and in balance.

(This is the part where we all hold hands and get along). Lol!!

[J-Doc]

Man....so many typos.....

Oh well.....back to my boat repair. Lol! Hope some of you ate out catching ole "spot" cause I'm stuck on the trailer for a few more days.

[Bass Ivy]

Its not that I would want to see the spots be gone forever in Beaver it would be nice if the spots were of the same quality as they are in Table Rock. TR has some nice spots. Maybe it would be a good idea to introduce some new genetics into the spots in Beaver. Bring in some different strain of spots and let them cross with the native spots. When I was a kid my dad would take me fishing at the War Eagle mill. We would go down there and catch a nice mess of crappie maybe some nice perch and some bass. But Ive seen times where we could catch 100 of them small spots right there under the bridge at the mill. Most people dont know this but the Beaver Lake length limits never did count under the bridge at War Eagle mill. Beaver Lake regualtions started down the river a ways. Like 100 yards below the War Eagle dam or something like that. I dont go down there much any more, but If the conditions are right I will take my kids down there and catch some fish. But those little spots are not in there like they used to be years ago. Now its common to catch some nice smallmouth and walleye in there. But it used to be fun to stand down there with a bucket of minnows and catch them little bass all day. Would catch an occasional large mouth but they were mostly small spots. To be honest I really dont think there are as many spots in Beaver as there was 20 years ago. I may be wrong, but Im just going off my own fishing results. I know there are not nearly as many whites. Some folks may not agree, but Im pretty sure the white bass population has gone down. In the early 90's I could just slay and I mean slay the whites. We would catch so many it shouldnt have been legal. Ive never counted the fish some of them times, but Ive had my live wells on a 96 Bass Cat Sabre completely full of whites you couldnt even shut the lids and they would be laying two deep in the floor of the boat, and do that in 4 hours with 3 of us fishing. Fillet them all out and have 3/4 of a five gallon bucket of just fillets. We used to catch them like that all the time, but usually I would just take home about 20 and turn the rest back. Catch them like that from the middle of May till the middle of July at night.

This is what I have noticed in the last several years there are more crappie than I think there has been in a long time in Beaver and the LM and SM and Spots have noticebly gotten consistenly bigger. The Walleye have really taken off. The whites have went down hill as far as population goes wich should help on the forage alot. Lots of people thinks Beaver is the worst catfishing there is, but I beg to differ. Beaver is awesome catfishing. But I read all the time people saying how bad Beaver is for catfishing, and everyone needs to go to Grand. But im tellin ya Beaver is thick with Flatheads. Lots of small to 10 or 12 pounders. Ive caught several in the mid 20's, but I dont target big Flattys. There are some big Flatheads in Beaver though. Ive caught Blues to 39 pounds, but there are way bigger ones than that. The blues that Ive seen are always healthy looking. But they are slender alot of times. Id say the 39 pounder we caught would weigh over 50 if it would have been in the Arkansas River or somewhere, big long fish but slim. Something about the Channel cats in Beaver that ive never understood is a 5 pounder is a big one in Beaver. I caught a 15 pound channel cat out of Lake Brittny in Bella Vista, but 3 or 4 pounders is about it out of Beaver. I dont understand that. You would think there would be some monster Channel cats in Beaver, but I dont think there is. Most of the time I will take two other people in my boat on Beaver catfishing and we can have a limit of catfish most of the time if we want to. But I will say this Ive never caught a big ole fat Flathead out of Beaver like you see in pictures. They are usually long and slender. Most of the time they will have crawdads in their stomach. The Flattys are usually in good shape, but they are not fat for their size they are lean. So I think the Blues and flats are not overly fed either there just needs to be more forage all around. People need to keep hammerin them whites and take every one of them out of the lake they can and take them little spots home and eat them too. It would be nice to increase the shad population.