New regs on Spotted bass for Truman Lake

[Walcrabass]

dtrs5keepers,

 As far as the "plenty of 15" spots in Table Rock" ..... there are records that you can obtain from Missouri Dept. of Conservation that show how many, what kind, and how long the bass were found to be in their Electro-fishing studies from year to year. When I review these studies it is my humble opinion that there are NOT plenty. Some, yes, plenty, no.

You may have nailed it in that last bit. Guide Services and Tournament guys really want every available fish ( expecially aggressive Kentuckies) in the lake. It gives their clients something to catch. It gives them a chance to get another fish in the live well for weigh in.

As far as Stockton goes..... if their are plenty of Kentuckies over 15" in that lake I don't have the ability to catch them. I have caught very few truly ( that is measured ) over 15". If there are that many in the lake then we have already waited too long for this regulation.

Happy Feet,

Walcrabass

[dtrs5kprs]

Electrofishing is tricky with K's because the better ones are generally not shallow, even during the spawn.

There are lots of 15"+ spots in TR. Could always be more, and it does take a while to get them there. It is easily one of the best lakes going for good kentuckies.

[Walcrabass]

I have been told by a biologist that they "might" make the 15" size in Table Rock in the last 6 months of their lives.

As far as the Stun Gun goes...... I did not know that they could elude it that well. Guess that is why they don't bring Orca to the top very

often. Just kidding.... that is very interesting.

Wally

[fishinwrench]

15 minutes ago, Walcrabass said:

I have been told by a biologist that....

 

 

[dtrs5kprs]

3 hours ago, Walcrabass said:

I have been told by a biologist that they "might" make the 15" size in Table Rock in the last 6 months of their lives.

As far as the Stun Gun goes...... I did not know that they could elude it that well. Guess that is why they don't bring Orca to the top very

often. Just kidding.... that is very interesting.

Wally

Some info on electrofishing and depth. It's way, way down in there.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.gov.scot/resource/doc/295194/0096725.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiR3uOKqcbKAhVquIMKHZz4BfYQFggiMAM&usg=AFQjCNFVlsQIXD3Q_G14zVg6w5Bo2qCIsA&sig2=YqDDLS6Da_5CvvBwZCLzNA

From Florida's game and fish, with respect to effective depth of electrofishing.

http://m.myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/black-bass/fisheries-tools/

Hard to find info from MDC, but have read annual reports covering TR that provide some detail on methods. Lot of night sampling in shallow water is the take home message. Just leaves a lot of gaps for some species.

Those better K's are not up in 5'-10' very often. Usually more like 20'-35'. 

 

 

[dtrs5kprs]

3 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

 

 

I agree in this case. Contradicts info from MDC's annual report for TR. If the report is correct, blacks are taking 4 years to reach 15" and K's are taking 5 years to reach 15", give or take. Pretty fast if you think about it. Report hints at the difficulty of shocking deeper fish, with respect to smallmouth in this case.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.ozarkswaterwatch.org/documents/2014TABLEROCKLAKEANNUALREPORT.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwikx8m6sMbKAhVpkIMKHRm8DgwQFggdMAE&usg=AFQjCNGJQI25xpYpmfGpeMh3hgLyRxc5gg&sig2=0hyfyLQZNRLhWJRgdCmHRw

[Walcrabass]

To All,

  Sounds like we are all pretty much "In the Ballpark" with the info we are writing here on this post. The average life expectancy for a Spot is SIX to 7 years. The SIX part comes pretty darn close to hitting the 15" mark around six months or so before death. I am pretty sure that the Dept. doesn't mean that at 5 years and one day of age that the majority of the Kentuckies will be 15" or longer. More like " in their 5th year they CAN reach 15" ( and I am thinking they would be one of the lucky ones) The difference is that the Largemouth lives to an average of around 16 years. Just a better fish in the long run ( pun intended)

Wallenheimer

[dtrs5kprs]

Not on board with the 7 year lifespan. Maybe in moving water. If that is right, then they are growing much faster in TR. There are 15" and larger spots available all year long. Schools of them in summer. Think that is where the sampling discrepancies come into play. Not going to shock them up out of 35' of water.

[Walcrabass]

I am not 100% sure but 99% sure that I got the 6 to 7 year thing from the biologist for Table Rock Lake.

 

Wally

[drew03cmc]

Wally, why, if their lifespan in so short, are we able to pull 16"+ spots from rivers and creeks in the SWMO region on just about any given day? Here's a 17" fish from small water for you.