Good news for Starvation Reservoir - making a comeback
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Good news for Starvation Reservoir - making a comeback
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08-23-2006, 04:29 AM
Walleye and yellow perch are doing well at Starvation Reservoir
[url "http://www.utahfishinginfo.com/news/2006/8-22starvation.php"]http://www.utahfishinginfo.com/news/2006/8-22starvation.php[/url] [signature]
08-23-2006, 05:47 AM
Wow thats great to hear!I havent been there in about 5 years and all the eyes we caught were skinny.Gonna try to make a trip there this fall and see if i can get into some of those healthy walleyes and perchies! [
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08-23-2006, 12:12 PM
that is good news!
i thought 2 or 3 years ago that the DWR was saying the perch that were illegialy planted was going to ruin the lake? sounds to me like thay are changing they toon... oh how the worm turns.. [signature]
08-23-2006, 01:37 PM
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i thought 2 or 3 years ago that the DWR was saying the perch that were illegialy planted was going to ruin the lake? sounds to me like thay are changing they toon... [/reply] Starvation was ruined when walleye were planted... [signature]
08-23-2006, 01:46 PM
Reservoir seems to be doing pretty well to me. [
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08-23-2006, 04:41 PM
YA YA YA... MOORE OF YOUR WALLEYE HATING B,S!!!! DID YOU SEE ON THE REPORT THAT ALL FISH NETTED WERE FAT AND HEALTHY? EVEN THE TROUT. ITS A WALLEYE LAKE AND ALWAYS WILL BE NOW. THANK GOD SOME BB HAD THE GUTS TO RISK HIS FISHING FUTURE OR RIGHT TO FISH IN UTAH!!!!! HE CARED MOORE ABOUT OTHERS STILL HAVING THE LAKE SURVIVE. I KNOW YOU HATE IT AND THAT MAKES US WARM WATER FISHERMEN SMILE!!!!!!
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08-23-2006, 04:54 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Ruined from WHAT???? Before walleyes the lake had a few nice browns but you couldn't get through the chubs to catch the browns. It was useless to try to ice fish. The chubs swarmed whatever you dropped before anything else had a chance.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]My observation is that Starvation has the potential to be another Yuba Reservoir...as it was in "the olden days". Only problem is that it is subject to the same up and down cycles. But, as long as there are plenty of perch fry for both big perch and walleyes (and smallies), the predators will get big and fat.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff] [#0000ff]Sorry the troutaholics "lost" another water. But, it will be better fishing for more people under the current conditions. Some Utah lakes just plain do better with non-trout species. Live with it.[/#0000ff] [signature]
08-23-2006, 05:04 PM
Sorry to inform you, but our walleye lakes in Utah have the lowest use...in fact, when lakes like Yuba and Starvation were first stocked with Walleye (Starvation was actually stocked by the DWR), the fishermen hours on those reservoirs went way down. Starvation will be better fishing for more people under the "CURRENT" conditions...but those conditions won't last. That's what these dumb Utah walleye fishermen don't get!
Also, the boom and bust cycles Yuba sees are more bust than boom...the fishing there has been good the past couple of years because the walleyes aren't there in number...but, as soon as the walleyes start reappearing in good numbers, the bust will be back. It is funny how much misinformation is out there...in the late 1990's or early 2000's the DWR with cooperation from other angling groups began gillnetting and removing small walleye in hopes of allowing chubs to recover so that the walleye fishery could rebound from its declining/dismal state. About that same time perch were discovered and the DWR knew that any attempts at helping the chubs rebound would be for naught because the perch would also prey and outcompete the chubs so the gillnetting practice ended. The good fishing now in directly related to those gillnetting years back five or so years ago...we are now seeing those effects. The problem is that the perch will decline in numbers just as the chubs did and the walleye will eat themselves out of house and home...but don't believe me. Here are the facts: The Starvation Forage Enhancement Project "A promising walleye management strategy on a prime Utah walleye water is lost to an illegal fish introduction" By Ray Schelble The Starvation Forage Enhancement Project actually had its start in the mid-1990s when the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) contracted with Dr. Chris Luecke of Utah State University to study predator/prey relations in several Utah walleye reservoirs. RMA and the Utah B.A.S.S. Federation were invited by the DWR to participate in a steering committee to help guide the focus of the study, as was Utah State Parks. Starvation Reservoir was one of the waters in the study. In the 1990s Starvation became a trophy walleye fishery that gained a national reputation. RMA members regularly went there to catch large walleyes that tipped the scales at 10-pounds and over. The lake’s smallmouth bass also became a source of pride to biologists and anglers. The Utah chub, a problem in other Utah reservoirs, provided the forage for Starvation’s success. The idea to form RMA was hatched on Starvation’s boat ramp in the late 1980s, and if any water could be considered a home water for RMA members, Starvation was it. But biologists, particularly Ed Johnson of the DWR Northeast Region, warned that all was not good with Starvation. It was hard for anglers to believe given the beautiful trophies that were being brought to boat. But as the new century neared anglers detected a noticeable drop in the fishery. By then, Dr. Luecke’s study had documented a problem that showed up all too frequently in other Utah walleye waters: a decline in the forage base. The numbers of chubs declined in Starvation to the point where the fishery’s future was in jeopardy. The root of the problem appeared to be overpredation of small chubs by undersized predators. The lake had disproportionately high numbers of small walleye and smallmouth bass under 12 inches long. Predation by the numerous smaller-sized fish virtually eliminated young chubs each year long before they could grow to spawning size. In addition, the chubs these gamefish ate were so tiny they did not provide adequate nutrition for the gamefish to grow. In 2000, the average age of chubs in the lake was about 20-years-old, and these old fish provided virtually all the yearly chub spawning. Year by year, chub numbers in the lake dwindled as these old fish died off. The fear was that when these older chubs were gone, the lake would crash due to lack of any younger chubs that could spawn and provide forage. A setback like this could take a decade or more to recover from, if at all. After studying and discussing options, the Starvation Forage Enhancement Project was proposed to address this problem. Biologists emphasized that a minimum three-year commitment would be necessary to see if it could help the reservoir recover. The majority of the steering committee members agreed it was worth trying and the DWR laid the groundwork. Over a period of four weeks each summer, small-mesh gill nets were set throughout the reservoir daily to trap the smaller (under about 12 inches in length) walleye and smallmouth bass and remove them from the reservoir. In theory, removing these smaller predators for several years would reduce the pressure on the young chubs enough to allow at least some of them to reach a size where they could spawn and reestablish the reservoir’s productivity. Given that the chubs presently in the reservoir had supported the walleye fishery for some 20 years, it was hoped that if the project succeeded the gillnetting could be repeated periodically to maintain a spawning population of Utah chubs. The idea of removing walleyes to help walleyes was controversial. It went against the instincts of anglers who had grown to think of carefully catching and releasing caught fish as protecting a fishery. In 2000, the project began amid skepticism from some anglers and others. Some of the opposition was very vocal. DWR biologists continually emphasized that the results of an undertaking like this may not be apparent for up to five years or maybe longer. Volunteers, an average of about a dozen a day, figured heavily in making it all work. The volunteers included members of RMA, B.A.S.S., the Salt Lake County Fish and Game Association, many participants in the Utah Dedicated Hunter program and anglers and others who were just interested in participating. The gillnetting was conducted five days a week for four weeks. The nets were put out on Sunday afternoon and pulled and reset each day. Fridays and the day before the July 24 holiday they were picked up so they would not be a hazard for weekend boaters. The project removed 2,758 small walleye in 2000. In 2001, with some fine-tuning of the mesh size in the nets, 6,468 small walleye were removed. The opposition to the project slowly began to dissolve when anglers excitedly started reporting consistent catches of larger walleyes. Although the chubs were not yet showing up as hoped, it appeared the project was having a positive impact. When the gillnetting began in the summer of 2002, there were thoughts that the project may be extended for a year or two given the indications of its success. Shortly after it started, though, a complication started to become apparent—yellow perch started showing up in the gillnets in numbers. Apparently, the perch had been illegally introduced into the reservoir. The totals for 2002 came to 7,067 walleyes and 1,098 yellow perch. The impacts of yellow perch to the reservoir are largely unknown. For the short run, the project has been ended because the additional predation of the yellow perch on the chubs cannot be overcome by gillnetting. Biologists feel that with perch eating the young chubs now as well as the walleyes, the Utah chubs will likely lose any chance of making a comeback. On the other hand, the forage that perch will provide to the walleyes will undoubtedly improve the walleye fishery for the next several years. In the long-run, however, the outlook may not be as rosy. Even in waters where perch are native they are prone to ups and downs in their numbers. Some worry that Starvation could end up like other perch/walleye reservoirs in Utah, such as Deer Creek and Yuba, where the walleye and perch are subject to cycles of boom and bust. Hopefully, Starvation will be different. What it does mean is that a promising walleye management strategy had to be ended. It may have been possible to repeat the gillnetting in cycles, say every decade or so, to allow some Utah chubs to get to spawning size and rejuvenate the fishery. The illegal introduction of perch eliminates this option and leaves precious little beyond changing fishing regulations that can be done. Some observations from working on the Starvation Forage Enhancement Project: • The DWR is willing to experiment with reasonable management options when anglers support them and work to help make them happen. • This type of project provides many public relations benefits for the DWR. Numerous anglers have a new appreciation of the work DWR does because of the hands-on, on-the-water experience they got on this project. They also got to know and talk to biologists, law enforcement personnel and other DWR employees for an extended time while working together. • On the flip side, DWR personnel get to work alongside anglers in an informal setting. They have the opportunity to see first-hand the support and enthusiasm for what they are doing ahd hear what the anglers have to say. • Illegally adding another species to a water may seem like a good idea but it never is. It can have unforeseen consequences. • Although the ultimate goal for Starvation of new spawning-sized chubs was not realized, much was learned that could benefit other waters. RMA will continue to work with the DWR and other fishing organizations to ensure that Starvation and other waters are managed in the best way possible. [signature]
08-23-2006, 05:08 PM
[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][size 3]"i thought 2 or 3 years ago that the DWR was saying the perch that were illegialy planted was going to ruin the lake?"
As I recall, the story went that perch would flourish for awhile and the walleye would do great during that same period. Then the walleye would get too abundant and eat most of the perch and crash again. If that forecast is correct (and probably is based upon Yuba), we need to enjoy the boom period while we can because it won't last forever.[/size] [/size][/black][/font][/size][/black][/font] [signature]
08-23-2006, 05:23 PM
LAKES WILL NEVER BOOM AND BUST IF THE WATER STAYS IN THE WEEDS TO PROVIDE THE SPAWNING HABBITAT FOR THEY PREY FISH... ITS LOW WATER THAT KILL WHOLE YR CLASSES OF PREY. PERCH ATTACH THERE EGGS TO WEEDS THEY DONT DROP EGGS IN GRAVLE LIKE OTHER FISH. IF THERE ARE NO WEEDS THE FISH ABSORBE THERE EGGS AND SKIP IT THAT YR. WALLEYES DO THE SAME THING WHEN COLD WEATHER COMES DURRING SPAWN. ITS COMMON SENSE NO WATER NO PREY SKINNY STUNTED FISH. ABUNDANT WATER HEALTHY FAT FISH. THATS WHY THEY BUILT THE NEW DAM AT YUBA. TO CONTROLL WATER IN THE WEEDS PROVIDING COVER FOR PREY THAT WILL NOT DROP DOWN BELOW SAFE FORAGE LEVELS. ASK CHUCK ABOUT IT KENT.
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08-23-2006, 05:26 PM
[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]"THANK GOD SOME BB HAD THE GUTS TO RISK HIS FISHING FUTURE OR RIGHT TO FISH IN UTAH!!!!! HE CARED MOORE ABOUT OTHERS STILL HAVING THE LAKE SURVIVE."
[size 2]We should never praise bucket biologists.[/size] [/size][/black][/font][/size][/black][/font] [signature]
08-23-2006, 05:41 PM
Crossineye, please don't tell me you are naive enough to believe that a dam on a Utah reservoir was built to protect the weed beds...we live in the desert; what are Utah reservoir designed for? Irrigation, maybe. Thinking that we can keep water levels up every year in this desert state is very limited thinking...
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08-23-2006, 06:27 PM
IM NOT THINKING. IM KNOWING!!!! ONLY TIME WILL TELL RIGHT? THE FRONT HALF STAYS UP THE REAR IS DRAWN FOR FARMERS IS WHAT I READ ABOUT THE DAM AT YUBA. IVE BEEN AFTER EYES FOR A LOT OF YRS AND WITNEST BOOMS AND BUST BUT NEVER DURING HIGH WATER YRS. ONLY AFTER DROUTS CAME ON. I HAVE A LIBRARY OF WALLEYE BOOKS AND VIDEOS FROM ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY AND UTAH IS A LITLE BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THE JUST OF WALLEYES. AND WHAT DOES IT MATER TO YOU IF THEY BOOM AND BUST ? YOU DONT LIKE THEM ANYWAY. SO WHY WORRY ABOUT IT? DONT THE TROUT POSSES THE MAJORITY OF UTAH WATERS ALREADY? IS IT THAT YOUR JUST SO SELFISH YOU CANT STAND ANY OTHER FISH SWIMMING IN UTAH BESIDES TROUT? LET US HAVE OUR CHOICES IN FISHING AND LIFE WITHOUT YOU WHINING AND CRITTIZAMS. THANK GOD YOUR NOT IN CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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08-23-2006, 06:37 PM
Crossineyes, the more you write the more you show your ignorance.
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08-23-2006, 06:59 PM
W&B... The more you write, the more "Elite" you think you are. How about you quit being a troll on this board... The only time you come in here and post is to disagree with people, and to stir the pot.... Not that you don't make valid points sometimes. But don't come here just to stir things up.
If that's all you like to do, then I know of a forum where there are a bunch of you elitest. [signature]
08-23-2006, 09:00 PM
I think both sides have some valid points.
Boom and bust most likely is affected by water levels, as well as predators eating themselves out of house and home. Really it doesn't matter which it is, or if it is both. The fact is, Utah is a desert-like state, and we have periods of drought, and of good water, historically cycling through them about every 10 years. When water levels are low for several years in a row, dissolved oxygen levels usually drop due to warmer water temps., and fish numbers also usually drop. While many banks are left high and dry, new vegetation grows there on the dry ground. Meanwhile, the part left with water has little or no structure/weeds, so spawns are not as successful. Come the next good water year, the reservoir fills, floods all that vegetation, then we get a banner year of good spawning/reproduction. If the water remains up for a couple years in a row, then enough prey survives to create a boom in population, with the predators following suite. Then, the cycle repeats itself. Is this going to change? NEVER. In fact, it will most likely get worse as the population in Utah continues to grow and we continue to need more and more water from these reservoirs. Fishing is always a 2nd priority on almost every Utah Reservoir, because the water is stored and owned by water users associations, local governments, etc. and used for irrigation and potable water. That need is always growing. The amount of water to be used is not. Think about this -- even Strawberry Reservoir in the next 10 years will begin to have more of these problems, because they will be piping water from it to Diamond Fork/Spanish Fork Canyon, to be used in Utah and Salt Lake counties. That will cause its levels to fluctuate more each summer as well. What we need to do is enjoy the boom years, and pray for their return during the bust years. Also, keep the bucket biologists from spreading species and further complicating more waters. The list of waters already affected by boom and bust cycles is many -- and growing. [signature]
08-23-2006, 09:45 PM
Thanks Cat Man for being a voice of reason and neutrality. As for me, I would be happy catching anything be it trout or walleye or brine shrimp. I guess for me fishing is much more about enjoying the outdoors and some peace and quiet and less about bickering online about fishing population trends so I will leave that up to the those who enjoy such things. While you are all arguing, mud slinging and TEXTUALLY SCREAMING at one another, I will be out there trying to catch your fish (emphasize trying as opposed to catching) [
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