Humpbacked Smallies

[Champ188]

If nothing else, summer emphatically illustrates one thing ... Table Rock Lake has an incredibly diverse user group. In addition to the well-known differences between the pleasure crowd and the fishermen, even the anglers themselves have greatly differing interests. Powerdive gets tired of catching bass on his walleye rigs. I'm not crazy about catching other species while bass fishing -- and although I certainly make an exception for a good eating-size walleye or two, I promise to release the big ones (anything over 5 pounds).

I'm in the camp of those who believe that all aging lakes tend to see a decline of bass populations in the river arms and a change of living/feeding habits by the fish. My opinion is that siltation takes away spawning grounds and wood cover rots away. Without this visible cover, the fish begin to spend more and more time in open water, following the shad schools. That's not to say they don't come in shallow to feed at times, especially on crawfish, but without the plentiful shoreline cover of the lake's younger days, most bass don't stay in the shallows around the clock like they once did.

I think the A-rig has tapped a small portion of these offshore fish. But in general, it's a tough task to catch suspended fish that are zoned in on schools of shad. It's just hard to offer them anything more appealing than the millions of baitfish they are living below.

I believe one other factor is water fertility. The mountainous, rocky land surrounding Table Rock doesn't offer a lot in the way of nutrient runoff. Yes, there are some cattle farms, but largely our rainfall runoff isn't carrying a lot of nutrients. By contrast, the consistently productive lakes of east Texas --- Fork, Rayburn, Lake O'the Pines, Ray Roberts, Richland-Chambers --- are largely surrounded by farmland and built upon nutrient-rich soil.

Consider this ---- Lake of the Ozarks and Grand Lake are two of our area's most consistent producers of big bass and big tournament bags. What do they have in common? Both are surrounded by lakefront development and a big portion of that is older homes with aging septic systems. Up to a point, that septic seepage into the lake water is a good thing because of the nutrients it adds. It helps support the lower end of the food chain, which is never a bad thing. And don't believe that there's no seepage.

I'm no biologist or scientist, so everything I've said could be wrong. But I've spent nearly all of my 54 years fishing and learning a thing or two here and there, so I doubt that I'm completely off-base.

[powerdive]

Nice, Champ. I agree. These can still be the good old days, with adaptation. I believe the overall bass population is quite strong for what the lake can realistically support. Just have to take the changes into account--for instance, the rise of the smallmouths...nowadays, there's enough of 'em to even see the occasional genetic deformity or mutation. Got meanmouths, too. Meanwhile, the largemouths and Kentuckies are getting scaled back through natural attrition.

[fishingaddiction]

Well written Champ. You hit the nail on the head with your information. I do however agree with merc on how well Texas takes care of the lakes under their control. I don't know where the revenue comes from to fund their stocking efforts, but whatever they are doing it works.

[Champ188]

I agree with both of you guys ... PD, adaptation has certainly been key for me and Donna in being able to find fish and catch them consistently in the White River arm, where we do most of our fishing.

FA, I do know from my years as an outdoors writer that until 2010, Texas Parks and Wildlife had a legendary fisheries chief named Phil Durocher who got some amazing things done for their lakes. He fought tooth and nail with state government for funds and won often enough that they have some hellacious good lakes down there.

[mojorig]

Texas does do a great job with stocking. Here is a link to their stocking history by lake (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/fishstock_water.phtml) or by species (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/fishstock_state.phtml). As you can tell, I am very envious of their website and the information they have on it. I have approached our administration about doing that with our website. Texas stocked 9,213,869 Florida and Northern Largemouth bass in 2013. In Arkansas, we stocked 2,288,886 Florida and northern largemouth bass (300,000 went into Beaver Lake). Texas hasn't posted any stocking numbers for 2014, yet.

I will say Texas does a great managing the fisheries of their state. AGFC meets with them and other southern states on an annual basis. Like Champ 188 mentioned they do have a lot of funds to help out. They received $16,287,011 just from Sport Fish Restoration Funds in 2014. Arkansas received $5,924,602 and Missouri received $7,285,965. These funds come from 10-percent manufacturer's excise tax on fishing rods, creels, lures, and flies. States receive a proportional share based on the amount of land and water area in the state (40%) and the number of paid recreational fishing license holders (60%). If you want to know more about this program, here is a great overview done by the Outdoor Alabama (http://www.outdooralabama.com/research-mgmt/sport-fish.cfm).

Champ188, I am very impressed with the water fertility posted!! Habitat and water fertility have impacts on reservoirs.

[Champ188]

Thanks, Jeremy. It's really great that you participate here on the forum. You guys have a tough row to hoe when it comes to funding, manpower, etc., and we are all aware that like any of us, you take orders from above regarding what you can do and to what extent you can do it. We appreciate you.

BTW, cool personal website.

[mojorig]

Thanks, Champ!!

[cbass12]

Caught this one the last Friday in June in mill creek

[evilcatfish]

Caught this one the last Friday in June in mill creek

Kind of freaky looking. I caught a couple largies in LOZ around 2006 with humpish looking backs but nothing that severe

[Skeeter007]

Had tho throw out this pic of a smallmouth I caught just after Thanksgiving last year near Aunts Creek.....