If You Could Interject Any Species

[Phil Lilley]

I think you guys are simplifying this a bit. To say it's ALL about the $$ is like saying "always" all the time (one of my pet peeves). Using the word all means there's no room for any other reason- period. I think that's alittle narrow minded.

I tend to consider the thinking of a fisheries biologist. Mixing certain species of fish isn't smart. You don't stock stripers and rainbows in the same pond. You don't overstock a pond- every pond, lake or river has a carrying capacity- a balance that nature tends to take care of herself. When man tries to interject something that does work, you have trouble... stunted and/or deceased fish.

And I might have said this earlier in this thread- can't remember- but I know from talking to MDC biologists in the past, their stance in these kinds of issues is, "if it's not broke, don't mess with it". And I know they don't think Taney is broke. As a matter of fact, they are pretty proud of what they've done here and I don't blame them.

Fisheries management is about fish, water, food, structure and fishermen- and in the end, it should make a profit.

[rainbow]

Phil, I agree completely. Taney is just fine the way it is. If someone wants to fish for those other species they can go to a lake or river that has them. There is enough diversity in Taney if you really want to fish for other fish.

[drew03cmc]

Phil, I agree completely. Taney is just fine the way it is. If someone wants to fish for those other species they can go to a lake or river that has them. There is enough diversity in Taney if you really want to fish for other fish.

Diversity? The spawning habitat for anything else is horrible. Smallmouth bass (native, I might add) can barely sustain a fishable population due to crappy spawning grounds; walleye (also native) also cannot hardly spawn due to spawning habitat. If a species has to be maintained through spawning, make it something exciting!

Now, about the overstocking thing, Phil, I believe they overstock Taney by stocking hundreds of thousands of trout in there each year. If they managed the regulations more carefully, I know the slot is a good thing, they would not have to stock so aggressively. I am sure I am in the minority here, but to me, catching a 14" rainbow is not something worth the drive down to Taney. I can do that in winter stocked lakes, or at Bennett Spring (about 2 hours less driving for me). So, in my opinion, there really is nothing driving me to take the trip down there, and if I had the chance at a 30" striper while trout fishing, that would make the choice a little easier. So, I am sorry to have offended anyone, but to me, there is no reason to drive 5-6 hours for 14" stocker rainbows.

[Trav]

Its about feasibility as much as it is money. There are so many trout that there might not be any room for more smallies and walleye.

I have always stated that stripers wouldnt mix with the trout.

But the cold hard facts still are that even "IF" it was feasible to put in stocker walleye and smallmouth, the MDC is too invested in trout to spend the money on the stocking management.

Money does simplify. EVERYTHING!

[twosets]

Andy

Fish are stocked and harvested out of Tany as a regular thing, there is no "overstocking" or excess quantity of 10 to 13 inch fish. Many anglers enjoy catching and keeping a limit of those. God bless them. We also have the slot limit thing in the upper lake which is more to my taste, with huge browns as well as some huge rainbows, the best of both worlds in my opinion.

The cold water from the bottom of the dam (which provides power) has been put to excellent use. It would be silly for the state to stock rainbows to feed stripers.

Feel free to fish or not fish anywhere you want, this is still America.

[Phil Lilley]

Diversity? The spawning habitat for anything else is horrible. Smallmouth bass (native, I might add) can barely sustain a fishable population due to crappy spawning grounds; walleye (also native) also cannot hardly spawn due to spawning habitat. If a species has to be maintained through spawning, make it something exciting!

Now, about the overstocking thing, Phil, I believe they overstock Taney by stocking hundreds of thousands of trout in there each year. If they managed the regulations more carefully, I know the slot is a good thing, they would not have to stock so aggressively. I am sure I am in the minority here, but to me, catching a 14" rainbow is not something worth the drive down to Taney. I can do that in winter stocked lakes, or at Bennett Spring (about 2 hours less driving for me). So, in my opinion, there really is nothing driving me to take the trip down there, and if I had the chance at a 30" striper while trout fishing, that would make the choice a little easier. So, I am sorry to have offended anyone, but to me, there is no reason to drive 5-6 hours for 14" stocker rainbows.

You know- these issues are fun to discuss but none of us are fisheries biologist with all the facts that really matter when it comes to managing a fishery. I for one can't argue intelligently about the subject, nor can anyone else unless he has all the facts, knowledge and training to decipher these facts.. we're all guessing here... so if we have any fishery biologists in the crowd, please speak up. Unfortunately, the ones I know won't step foot on forums.

Taneycomo is and always will be a trout lake. I believe that's set in stone and will never change unless TR dam is removed and it becomes a river again. Trout receives first consideration from MDC- again something that won't change. Why? Because in 1958 Taneycomo became a coldwater lake and the feds promised to stock trout to replace smallmouth bass. The state, thankfully, decided to pitch in. Don't think we'd have much of a trout fishery if all we got were federal fish.

As for offending... not. Opinions are good here.

[drew03cmc]

you pose a good point Phil, but the thing is, you stated Taney has always been a trout lake, not so. It has for the last half century, which made the lake more famous. Would you be interested in for C&R for all browns in the upper lake, or for the lake as a whole? I would like to see larger fish as a whole there, but from my perspective, I would see it as a financial thing.

[Phil Lilley]

Wasn't clear on the trout thing... I did say from '58 on but... oh well.

Browns catch and release... problem is I don't think we'd see much of an increase in number of size of browns even if it was c&r. Ask Trav- they are hard to catch for 10 months of the year and fairly hard the other 2 months when they're below the dam. I don't see that many browns being caught out of here.

Would I like to see it- sure. I do know there was pressure within MDC to widen the trophy area and/or add more restrictions on keeping trout in other parts of the lake- by even biologists- but it didn't fly. Even the director at that time was for it but... it didn't get done.

We may see changes in the regs within the next 5 years... but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Greg]

"if it's not broke, don't mess with it". And I know they don't think Taney is broke. As a matter of fact, they are pretty proud of what they've done here and I don't blame them.

Very well put. And I agree with you 100%.

Drew I would agree with you about not driving 5 to 6 hours for 14" fish IF that's all that were caught. But that's just simply not the case.

Greg

[bigredbirdfan]

I really love this. Just like the energizer bunny of topics. Thanks Trav. I know you get serious enjoyment out of this.