Hybrids in Bull Shoals?????

[2bfishn]

Ok guys this is a rumor and rumor only. I was told third hand today that the MDC released a large number of Hybrids in Bull Shoals this year. Can anyone confirm this? I know some of you have contacts with MDC officials. I would really like to know if this is true. If it is things are gonna get interesting at the Pot hole in a few years!!!!

[Dutch]

A few years ago they did restock some stripers. I haven't heard about hybrids but they need to do something since the white bass population is nearly gone. If you really want to know you can call A J Pratt at the MDC office in West Plains. He is the BS biologist.

[wildminnow]

or you could just ask hornyhead chub he is an expert in all things fish

[hornyheadchub]

If you really want to know you can call A J Pratt at the MDC office in West Plains. He is the BS biologist.

This is the only way to get the real scoop.

The speculation on where the original stripers came from has been rolling about for years. Some say that AR did it, others say that MO did it, some say the wrong Federal hatchery truck showed up. Regardless, this lake is subject to management from no less than two state agencies and US Fish and Wildlife, so contacting AR may be neccesary as well.

Don't forget that there are BOTH Stipers and Whites in BS, so the possibility of EITHER Palmetto OR Sunshine Bass being born of natural circumstances is undeniable.

If MDC ever gets their heads out of their butts, we might have info like this available at the click of a mouse.

Here is a great link to info on Hybrid Temperate Bass.

[Phil Lilley]

WOW- way to go Kansas!!

[Wayne SW/MO]

I wish.

[Sam]

I don't know about the hybrid rumor. I hope it's true.

The virtual disappearance of white bass in upper Bull Shoals is still a mystery to me. I haven't heard a good explanation yet, and I've asked a couple of Conservation biologists about it.

In my experience, white bass fishing in the upper lake was good and generally reliable through 2004. White bass were my "insurance" there - I'd fish for other species, but if I couldn't do any good I'd devote the last couple of hours of a trip to white bass. I could nearly always catch some of those, year round.

In 2004, there seemed to be a population explosion of white bass 12 to 14 inches long. In October and November of that year I had a ball with them. They were feeding on the surface all over the lake, and they were chasing the shad so hard you could find white bass by watching the seagulls. Several times I sat on schools of them so thick I was scoping a 10 foot bottom where I knew it was 30 feet deep. I'd throw a roostertail and catch and release white bass until I just got tired and went home with the fish still biting.

Then, in 2005 there was no spring white bass run. There was hardly a white bass to be found, and it's been that way ever since. I just don't understand that.

All those fish couldn't have died at once in the winter of 2004-05. There were millions of them - if they died they'd have been floating, and I didn't see anything like that and neither has anyone I talked to.

In 2005 and early 2006 the crappie fishing got better on upper Bull Shoals. I've wondered if they filled the "niche" the white bass used to occupy. That doesn't make too much sense though, since white bass feed on shad in the main channels and crappie generally stick to the banks and cover. If anything's going to benefit from the white bass being gone and no longer feeding on shad suspended in main channels, I'd think it would be spotted (Kentucky) bass.

So, I don't know what's going on with upper Bull Shoals. I haven't had a real good crappie trip there for almost a year, a good bass trip for about two years, and the walleye guys are having a hard time, too. White bass have been scarce for three years now. When I go there, I see a lot more gar and carp than I used to.

I'm afraid something has got into the water and changed the balance. I hope not, but that's the way it seems. Whatever happened it doesn't affect the whole lake, because when I drive to Theodosia I still do just fine.

[Dutch]

It took MDC 2 years to admit there was a problem because they do most of their sampling on the other end of the lake.

As far as the fish disappearing, a diver reported that the bottom was litterly covered with dead white bass in the winter of 04-05. As for you not seeing them, dead fish don't necessarily float.

[taxidermist]

Stripers were introduced to BS, in the miod 1970's Arkansas did th stocking.

What we found was this, the stripers woould charge the net pens in which rainbow trout are being raised in, trout would jump out of the pens and the stripers would feed on them.

About 3 years ago a fellow driving a fish truck from the Lonoke Hatchery dumped a load of stripers into Bull. I was told they were stripers, not wipers.

I do know just a couple weeks ago I saw a school of stripers surface in Bull. I saw them pretty close but failed to hook up with any. So they are there in Mid Bull.

I have heard MDC bio say they would not stock anything in Bull because of the border lake and Mo would not receive max, benefits from the expense.

Benefits from stocking must exceed what the cost of stocking to include multiplication factors. MDC requires a profit so to speak.

This most likey applies to all stockings of any fish.

My feeling from talking with AR bio. over the years is Norfork and Beaver will receive the major stockings and they have less border worters and in Beavers case ZERO.

The lake in the Hot Springs area get annual stockings of stripers and wipers.

as does Greeson, Greers Ferry and other lakes isolated inside Arkansas, not to forget the Arkansas river system.

I mounted a lot of 45-50lbs Bull Shoals Stripers in the early 1980's. I wish they would stock more, but I think something about BASS tournaments has a lot to do with it.

Mark Oliver once told me his hands were pretty well tied about what he could do in BUll SHoals. He had even recommended more LAKE TROUT stockings as they did very well. Most locals had no idea about the LAKERS BEING STOCKED!!

Stocking of fish is pretty political, just look at the TIGER MUSKY situation in Arkansas. People scream they eat the trout!!! Me I would love have the Tiger Musky in catch and release areas. Hell I like trout but to catch a TM when you lest expect it!!!!

Also there could be some natural hybrids going on in Bull, there was during the Striper hay days.

There has been some natural reproduction of stripers in the Arkansas river system. I read a report on it it is unexpected but happening!!

John

[Wayne SW/MO]

I live very close to Swan, and not that far from Beaver, and while I'm not a biologist I thinks its obvious why the Whites have gone south.

I can only remember one year in the last 5 or 6 where there was a flow enabling a decent spawn. Whites don't nest, they scatter and there has been either too little water for hatching or so much that the eggs were lost to silt in the lake. When they enter a creek, say Swan, in the evening and begin the spawn, among predator fish, which is natural, and before they can hatch the eggs are carried by high water into the lake, the eggs die.

At least thats my take, no water, no fry.