What Factors influence the Smallmouth population

[Al Agnew]

9 hours ago, tjm said:

But the water will still be warm? And the water will still be stained? Will removal of spotted bass make the stream less fertile?

Is there another place where the spotted bass has colonized to the detriment of other black bass, or is this watershed unique in that respect?

It was established on page 4 or 5 that no one wants to believe a Fisheries Biologist. (Stupid college grads know nothing and will not say what I want to hear?)  Some one on this forum did say that he has studied to be a fish biologist, was it Mocarp? 

 

Actually, spotted bass have had major adverse effects on smallmouth in many of the northern Ozark streams.  The first place where it was very noticeable was the Moreau River and its forks.  Maries River and Tavern Creek were also impacted.  The lower Gasconade used to be all smallmouth, now there are spotted bass in some numbers well up into the middle Gasconade.  Keep in mind that on the smaller streams like Tavern Creek, they have pretty much taken over the habitat most suitable for them on the lower portions of these streams, but are uncommon in the upper portions where the habitat doesn't suit them as well.  But those lower portions once had good smallmouth populations--they don't anymore.

I don't know what the smallmouth fishery was like in rivers like the Sac and Pomme de Terre, but it was probably better before spotted bass.  Some streams seem to be more or less immune to spotted bass invasion.  They are rare in the Niangua above Tunnel Dam; probably the dam shortstops them coming up from Lake of the Ozarks, but it could also be the influence of the cool water from Bennett Spring.  They don't seem to be much of a problem in the Big Piney.  

[Basfis]

I get the desire to reverse mans impact and I love catching brownies. 

That said, somewhere along the way they have to dominate on their own. Be it better genes or a little help from anglers. Talk of eliminating competition from other native (never mind lumped in the family) fish is kinda over the top. 

There was a post the other day about a tagged fish that grew like 1” in 3 years. That kind of genetic drive leaves openings.