abkeenan Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 I just don't understand why they would do it (aside from the whizzing contest). You already have a few lakes that have strippers in the area within easy driving distance. Why add them to a lake that is more than fine without them and adds no additional appeal or extra draw for anglers? Anglers who would already be going to Beaver or Bull anyways if they want to go after the beasts? If it ain't broke don't fix it.
mjk86 Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 1 hour ago, Champ188 said: Bull Shoals has very very few stripers at this point because Arkansas stopped stocking them a long time ago and they died off. Fortunately, they aren't capable of reproducing in a freshwater reservoir environment. Only after quite a few years without a significant striper population did Bull's black bass fishery return to decent status. I watched stripers take a huge bite (pun intended) out of the bass fisheries at Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs, AR, beginning in the 1970s. Same for nearby Lake Hamilton. I doubt any of us want that for Table Rock. I'm not claiming that stripers eat a significant amount of bass, but they will reduce the available forage to the point that bass numbers will decline. They are pelagic saltwater fish, meaning all they do is swim and eat. As Quillback pointed out, the irony of it all is that state wildlife agencies have long defended the practice of stocking stripers into freshwater reservoirs, claiming they do no harm to other populations. And now, out of the blue, they are using them as weapons in a childish whizzing match. So the apparent truth is what many of us have contended all along ... they ARE harmful to other fish numbers. I guess im just calling in to question the validity of said "whizzing match". I agree with you that it would be dumb to stock stripers in some sort of retaliatory purpose...that said....It doesnt take much credibility to write an opinion article on the internet for a news agency. Its a poorly written article at that. What I am saying is that you have nothing to worry about. Its highly unlikely that the AGFC is going to intentionally destroy the bass fishery in table rock by stocking stripers in their small piece of it. Its fantasy land, and sensationalizing to get someone to read the article. I believe the term is "click bait". It causes knee jerk reactions, and inflammatory reactions with very little if any basis in reality...ahh the internet, dont ya love it. Champ188 and Ham 2
abkeenan Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 1 hour ago, mjk86 said: I guess im just calling in to question the validity of said "whizzing match". I agree with you that it would be dumb to stock stripers in some sort of retaliatory purpose...that said....It doesnt take much credibility to write an opinion article on the internet for a news agency. Its a poorly written article at that. What I am saying is that you have nothing to worry about. Its highly unlikely that the AGFC is going to intentionally destroy the bass fishery in table rock by stocking stripers in their small piece of it. Its fantasy land, and sensationalizing to get someone to read the article. I believe the term is "click bait". It causes knee jerk reactions, and inflammatory reactions with very little if any basis in reality...ahh the internet, dont ya love it. Well said and I agree. Nothing is going to happen. Just a lot of hot air in the end. Table Rock is the "golden child" of the White River chain and their money cow. They would NEVER tamper with it as there is too much money on the line. Money always rules the roost. Just ask Tim Wolfe and the Missouri Football Program. jfrith, mjk86 and Ham 3
Champ188 Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 1 hour ago, mjk86 said: I guess im just calling in to question the validity of said "whizzing match". I agree with you that it would be dumb to stock stripers in some sort of retaliatory purpose...that said....It doesnt take much credibility to write an opinion article on the internet for a news agency. Its a poorly written article at that. What I am saying is that you have nothing to worry about. Its highly unlikely that the AGFC is going to intentionally destroy the bass fishery in table rock by stocking stripers in their small piece of it. Its fantasy land, and sensationalizing to get someone to read the article. I believe the term is "click bait". It causes knee jerk reactions, and inflammatory reactions with very little if any basis in reality...ahh the internet, dont ya love it. Well said, and I can't disagree with a word of it. I will say that this newspaper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, is where I made my living for 35 years before they decided I was making too much money and had me on the short list of layoffs before I beat them to the punch. No severance package, nothing. Three-and-a-half decades. So I do know the source pretty well, and I will say that the paper is well respected for a major market (285,000 circ.) publication. It's a good newspaper but this article wasn't particularly well written or researched. If I was to bet a dime, I'd say you're dead right that nothing will come of this. Money will stop it before anything happens, even if it's Johnny Moneybags' funds. I just took it as a good opportunity to soapbox a little about the bad things that come from stocking stripers in a black bass-dominant fishery. abkeenan 1
Champ188 Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 1 hour ago, abkeenan said: You already have a few lakes that have strippers in the area within easy driving distance. Can you shoot me a Google map on my cell and drop a pin or two on those strip joint locations? abkeenan and dtrs5kprs 2
abkeenan Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 2 minutes ago, Champ188 said: Can you shoot me a Google map on my cell and drop a pin or two on those strip joint locations? Check out Beaver sometime, some real classy ones around there. Heyyyooooooo, I'll be here all week.. This is a family site James. Get it together. Champ188 and dtrs5kprs 2
dtrs5kprs Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 1 hour ago, abkeenan said: Check out Beaver sometime, some real classy ones around there. Heyyyooooooo, I'll be here all week.. This is a family site James. Get it together. I'm going to be good and run from this... Ham and Champ188 2
abkeenan Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 2 minutes ago, dtrs5kprs said: I'm going to be good and run from this... I understand. You are better at dealing with ground hogs than you are beavers. Still some tickets left for my Friday night act guys. Champ188 1
Fishrman Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 We do have some stripers above Holiday Island, I know a friend of mine was up there this summer and witnessed a striper chase a bass toward his boat, watched the bass go under come up and break the surface on the other side to eventually be eaten by the striper, said it was an awesome sight. So, I hope we see nothing of a stocking program. Champ188 1
Gavin Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 it does not matter. Fish have food preferences. Thinking that Stripers would prefer tender shad and trout over boney bass.
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