Buster's Big Walleye Had A Gut Full Of Bass

[mojorig]

MDC and AGFC doesn't have exact numbers of natural reproduction and recruitment number for each year. Walleye are hard to sample. However, there have been several studies to look at the contribution of stocking walleye on the walleye populations in Bull Shoals and Norfork. While these were conducted well before I came into this district, I can summarize the results.

The results suggested that stocking has a bigger impact on the walleye population during low water years. During high water years, stocking has little impact on the overall population numbers. This suggest that recruitment (not natural reproduction) is greater during high water events.

With any sport fish fishery, recruitment (number of fish surviving to a defined age or size) has a bigger impact than spawning success. You can have a year with great spawning success (meaning many fish were spawned) but have a poor year class development due to poor recruitment. Poor recruitment could be do to environmental impacts, physical impacts, or food availability.

This same impacts of high water will effect most sport fish in Bull Shoals. These fisheries are very boom and bust unlike more fertile waters such as Tennessee River reservoirs.

Finally, remember fish that prey on fish will do so whenever they are hungry. They are going to try to eat anything they can get their mouths on. It doesn't matter if it is their brother or sister or someone's favorite sportfish. I've seen bass dead because they tried to eat a bass the same size as them. I've seen crappie eat bass and bass eat walleye. We have to release the nursery ponds with walleye in them when the fish are 2 inches because they start eating each other.

Thanks

Jeremy

[mjk86]

That is one heck of a walleye! Wowzers! He guides for walleye only during this time of year with jerkbaits? Is that what right? Bass the rest of the year? I wanna hire him for a day, ive never fished upper bull, but would love the chance (or just watch him have a chance lol) at getting one that big!

[rainbow]

mjk86, on 21 Jan 2015 - 10:32 AM, said:

That is one heck of a walleye! Wowzers! He guides for walleye only during this time of year with jerkbaits? Is that what right? Bass the rest of the year? I wanna hire him for a day, ive never fished upper bull, but would love the chance (or just watch him have a chance lol) at getting one that big!

Here's a link to his FB page. https://www.facebook.com/buster.loving.1 HIs number is on the About section.

[mjk86]

Here's a link to his FB page. https://www.facebook.com/buster.loving.1 HIs number is on the About section.

thanks.

[lonkm]

the only fish I keep are the ones that taste good. I have never eaten a bass that was worth keeping and I have tried a few times. I treat bass the same way most people treat carp. throw that worthless sucker back and hope to catch a eye, crappie or nice fat catfish. When I can find some bull gills I will camp on them. making my self hungry, got to get my gear ready!!s

[lonkm]

Buster What kind ow weights do you use on you sticks> do yours slowly sink ? I am a beginer and need all the help i can get. 2 or 3eyes per year is a great year for me. going to try your method. thanks lonnie