Border war over stripers

[J-Doc]

Fear. 

That's what fuels the striper debate. For TR, it's trout. For Beaver, it's bass. 

People fear what they cannot predict or what they feel will hurt what provides pleasure or monetary resource. I get that. Totally understand. My deal is, you need an independent and reliable source to research it, predict results based on actual data, and possibly some controlled testing to see what happens vs jumping in head first.  

No one wants to hurt a fishery. You can argue the money debate all day on both sides of the fence. At the end of the day, no one can accurately predict the outcome.  But substantial effort and proven data is needed to provide a best guess and see what happens.  MDC should not have dumped stripers when they said they would not. A GMC needs to use data vs gut feeling.  Champ is right.....they are making their own arguments look like "Hog-wash" (let that pun sink in......deeply).  I think actual proven data based on other lakes, research, and tested theories is needed to resolve the debate. Until then, it's a debate that is unproven without a shadow of doubt. 

I myself like stripers. Taste good.  Fun to catch.  I also only fish for theme in winter and some in summer. Rest I'm bass or crappie fishing.  So I'd like healthy fish on all species.  I'm not willing to roll dice and see if what the result is however. 

[Stump bumper]

Stripers over trout? Dump in those stripers ! But don't stop the trout stocking, stripers have to eat.......

[J-Doc]

I laughed when people said there are no stripers in TR or the upper tailwaters. Yes, they went over the dam. But they are there. Few in number...but there. And trout are okay. Increase the numbers and duh.....trout won't be okay. It ain't rocket science.   Regulation. Moderation. 

I personally classify trout with catfish on table fare.  And I don't like catfish anymore either. I've had too much saltwater species last few years in Florida.  Snapper, grouper, mahi, amberjack, etc. 

Just imagine how people would "wig-out" if they tried stocking muskie?? Rioting would ensue. :-)

[Jerry Rapp]

If a fish was meant to be there, it would have been there, per Mother Nature.  You will never fool Mother Nature. 

[J-Doc]

True. 

There are successful lakes that have big bass, stripers, etc. There must be a formula.  It may be too difficult to recreate however. 

[Jerry Rapp]

15 minutes ago, J-Doc said:

True. 

There are successful lakes that have big bass, stripers, etc. There must be a formula.  It may be too difficult to recreate however. 

no formula needed.  Just let it be.

[Stump bumper]

1 hour ago, Jerry Rapp said:

no formula needed.  Just let it be.

Then the Smallmouth Bass does not belong in Table Rock since it was stocked south of the St Lawrence River by the rail road,Click here, or for that matter the entire lake chain should not be there since Mother Nature did not build those dams.

And don't forget the carp, that were brought from Europe for a food fish.

Stripers still make a Natural Run dictated by Mother Nature up the Arkansas River and Red River system, if not for the dams who is too say they didn't run up the white or wouldn't have run up the white. They are saltwater fish that spawn in freshwater and don't go into the saltwater until they reach 5-10 lbs.

Last I checked Missouri stocking programs include bass, crappie, walleye and even catfish along with a lot of trout so let it be has not been their motto for a long time. 

[Notropis]

This situation is a great example of one of the reasons I retired from the AGFC. Politically appointed Commissioners with an agenda getting into egotistical urination matches (trying to keep it clean here).  I've worked with some great commissioners who respected the biologists and listened to them before making decisions but I've dealt with some who had an agenda and totally ignored the recommendations of the biologists. 

It's interesting in the articles that the biologists managing the different lakes are not quoted.  Chris Racey, Chief of Fisheries, did a pretty good job of describing the situation in a non-biased way including his recommendation not to stock striped bass in Table Rock (which I agree with) but it sounds like one of the Commissioners didn't want to hear it and showed his animosity to the Chief and some of the other Commissioners. 

I miss working with the Fisheries staff and all the dedicated biologists and technicians that did their best gather good data and make sound biological decisions but I don't miss the politicks and egotism of some of the Commissioners.       

[Flysmallie]

14 hours ago, Stump bumper said:

Then the Smallmouth Bass does not belong in Table Rock since it was stocked south of the St Lawrence River by the rail road,

Not sure I buy that but I do know that the smallmouth were there before the lake was.

[Stump bumper]

5 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

Not sure I buy that but I do know that the smallmouth were there before the lake was.

Click on the link, smallmouth were originally in Canada and were spread during the early 1900s by the railroad. They go back 100 years but they are an invasive species.

Then again most people who fish for them are too...Even the "Native Americans" crossed over from somewhere. Then don't even get me started on the starlings, what a dumb bird to bring across the pond ! But stripers have run up this way since before men had spears so who people call "native" or "natural" need a history lesson that pre dates 1950.

We have changed the environment a lot and certain fish handle the new conditions better than the fish that were here, but I am just saying I have no problems with any man or fish but if you look into it you will be surprised as to what is "natural". 

Now if you want to know what doesn't belong on the lake lets talk Wake Boats !!!! I will take sharks over those !!!

By the way I am just having fun, no real feelings on the subject at hand, just useless information in my head.