Borderline insanity

[mixermarkb]

Very mucho exactly right on the button nose money Quill! 

 

So, how do we open a dialogue with the MDC? I see mojo from AFGC around here on a regular. Anyone from MDC a member? In all seriousness, does anyone have any relationship with Bass Pro and Mr. Morris? He seems to have a vested interest in the Ozarks, maybe he could influence the MDC toward a bass stocking program. I know lots of folks gripe about BPS and MDC, but we have a solid start of a grassroots community here on the OAF. Anyone have any good ideas on how to use it?

[moguy1973]

On 4/27/2019 at 5:37 AM, tjm said:

 

I see, strange the things people say and how it changes the language over time. So, the anglers want this and are OK with the damage done to their fishery? They are adults and responsible for their own actions? They know that the spawn is happening and they are deliberately attempting to disrupt it.   I think insanity would be stocking any fish in a water that could be self-sustaining if not abused by the users.

I guess the alternative for MDC would be to close the season on the lakes til spawn is over. If they allow one boat to fish they must allow all boats to fish, eh?

Or they could do what they do on the streams and not allow any possession of black bass between March 1st and Memorial Day.  Would make all these tournies move to a CWR format. 

[moguy1973]

On 4/27/2019 at 9:53 AM, mixermarkb said:

Texas is the absolute class of the world as far as fisheries management for bass. They had their version of the big bass tour on Sam Rayburn with something like 1000 boats! And guess what, their lakes crank out giants each year, even Lake Fork, which gets an insane amount of pressure, due to its proximity to Dallas, and it's national fame. Thanks to stocking and programs like Share-A-Lunker, while it isn't what it was at its peak, it's still a productive lake with real chances of a double digit bass on any given day.

I don't think any of us are asking for the MDC to waste money, but I do think it is silly that they will stock walleye, crappie, trout, stripers occasionally, etc etc, but won't stock a bass to save their lives. Maybe a protected spawn season on the lakes is part of the answer, but personally I'd rather the tournaments happen during the spawn and move the fish around than have them happen in June or July when the water is warm and kill them straight away. 

All we are asking is MDC to look at supporting the fisheries a little more. They are obviously bringing money into the economy. Like derby fishing or hate it, 700 boats are gonna buy some gas and food, which is gonna help the tax base in the lake area. We just need MDC to proactively manage the resource so those fishermen keep coming, or God forbid tell their friends to come too, because the fishing is so amazing. Texas does it, we can to, if it becomes politically benificial.

The thing about Texas is they have a 4 season bass season. Their water supports growing bass all year long.  They also have several places that can support Florida strain bass due to the temperatures they have and those bass grow a lot faster than typical largemouth do. I do believe a lot of lakes there have a slot limit on a lot of lakes, lake Fork being one of them. 

[tjm]

1 hour ago, moguy1973 said:

Or they could do what they do on the streams and not allow any possession of black bass between March 1st and Memorial Day.  Would make all these tournies move to a CWR format. 

 

Quote

I guess the alternative for MDC would be to close the season on the lakes til spawn is over.

I guess I left the words black bass out; should have read 'close the black bass season'..... Same intent, I think. But I believe the tourney fishers would balk at that, they seem to think all fishermen are liars, and will find a way to cheat- it's been said on this forum a time or few.

[curtisce]

Time for my 2 cents worth. Over the last few years the lower lake especially around the dam is predominately smallmouth. No one is going to win a tourney with a bag of smallmout so perhaps it gets less tourney pressure. The size of smallmouth in that area has grown IMO. This year on several outings there our catches have been over 50% keepers with 17 & 18" fish common. hope they don't get much bigger or they will be taking a boat ride soon.

[mixermarkb]

1 hour ago, moguy1973 said:

The thing about Texas is they have a 4 season bass season. Their water supports growing bass all year long.  They also have several places that can support Florida strain bass due to the temperatures they have and those bass grow a lot faster than typical largemouth do. I do believe a lot of lakes there have a slot limit on a lot of lakes, lake Fork being one of them. 

Obviously, we aren’t going to have Florida teen bass in our lakes like Texas does. Yes, their growing season is longer.

We aren’t talking about having similar size, we are talking about how their fish and game folks use supplemental stocking to keep their fisheries healthy with extensive fishing pressure. No reason MDC couldn’t do that, and no reason MDC couldn’t run something similar to Share-a-lunker to get the 8-9 pound fish that these lakes used to kick out each spring happening again. We aren’t gonna have 17 pounders, but the fact is, we used to have 8 and 9 pounders on a regular basis, and we just don’t anymore.

[tjm]

Every thing is bigger and better in Texas, shouldn't even bring them into the discussion.  dang if I liked Texas and the way they do stuff I'd move there pretty pronto.

Problem here is there was a good fishery, that has been historically self-sustaining and abuse has reduced it. So, if the abuse stopped today, do you think the fishery would regenerate? 

[Devan S.]

49 minutes ago, tjm said:

Every thing is bigger and better in Texas, shouldn't even bring them into the discussion.  dang if I liked Texas and the way they do stuff I'd move there pretty pronto.

Problem here is there was a good fishery, that has been historically self-sustaining and abuse has reduced it. So, if the abuse stopped today, do you think the fishery would regenerate? 

We will never know....IMO. The biggest complainers about the lack of bass are the tournament guys and frankly they aren't willing to give up their system(this excludes the small group on here). They want an outside resource to come to their aid.

I've said it once and I'll say it again removing a bass or stressing a bass during the spawn is the equivalent to killing EVERY SINGLE FUTURE OPPORTUNITY for spawning. This isn't a guy sawing off the fillets of a limit, this is guys(hundred/thousands every weekend) killing on the magnitude of BILLIONS of opportunities.  

I am admittedly not a bass fisherman but you cant compare bass to walleye stocking. Very rarely is anyone consistently catching 5 fish limits of walleye on any of the local lakes and walleye receive in comparison a fraction of a single digit percentage of the pressure that the bass do. You put that pressure on that small of a resource and your talking about never seeing another walleye  even if you quadrupled the number of fish stocked. 

Before MDC spent a dollar on stocking here is a list of things I think they should consider:

1.Ban on tournaments/possession of bass until memorial day. You wont stop incidental catches and fishing but imagine all the gain in stocking by just give nature an opportunity for a year.

2.Reduce length limit on Kentucky bass(just like Stockton) or slot length covering all bass to protect say the 50-90th percentile fish.  

3.Drop the possession/daily limit(I think this should be done on just about every species on the lake).  

The problem with doing this would be the backlash from the same group that consistently wants MDC to spend $$$ on stocking but you cant have your cake and eat it too. After a certain period of time, if conditions don't improve under management like that then one has a valid point for stocking. 

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

With the water as clear as it is on Table Rock right now in the mid lake area, all the "We dont have enough bass" talk has totally left my mind.  I spent 6 days there last week and the amount of fish i saw  and caught was insane. Probably caught more keepers this week than i did all last year.  I used to think it was full of small bass, but i had my eyes on more 3,4,5 pounders i could count.   Look at tournament results this year.  Weights are way up with more 5+ fish than ive seen since i started really getting into it 5 years or so ago.     I just dont think the problem is a vast as everyone thinks.  

I even let a almost 3lber go yesterday because i didnt think he would make it in the live well for a weigh in.  It swallowed a megabass jerker.   And had two hooks in the tongue. Sometimes they have no chance, but i at least gave that one the chance. Would have won the little club tournament with that one but Oh well

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

What about closing certain areas of the lake for a few weeks at a time to tournaments.  The whole lake doesn't spawn at the same time.  Collect data for a few years and find the spawn patterns.  That info is surely already available.  The area(s) that are likely spawning should be restricted in some way.  This would have to be on your honor.   We already have tournaments that restrict certain baits/lures. Why not certain areas for a short window.  

I don't like the idea of closing off the whole lake due to small businesses not being able to collect much needed income.    

We can blame many things on why the size is just not there, but maybe, just maybe catch and release is over crowding the prime areas.  Just a thought.