08-03-2018, 01:21 PM
[quote Lonnie] The predatory management plan is only in its 2nd year. My point is lets give it 3 or 4 years when the TM start to reach a 40" range, and the wipers take hold, and maybe some steril walleye are introduced .
Then we will have a better data base to see if it is working or not . [/quote]
Again, (beating a dead horse), WHY WAIT? Why do you guys want to wait 3-4 years (or more) to see if it is working or not? Why waste those years??
[quote Gemcityslayer]The naysayers aren't interested in trophy fishing opportunities - if they were, they wouldn't be for poisoning a lake with a huge supply of food in it (for predatory fish).
They want the status quo. They want a lake where you can go and catch a cooler full of 2-4lb healthy rainbow trout in a few hours and call it a day. ...
...If in 5-10 years they can't take advantage of the chubs... the answer will clearly be to poison it and start over. [/quote]
Now we are waiting 5-10 years!!
Gem -- you couldn't be further from the truth! I want a trophy fishery! One with wipers, and TMs! The difference between you and me is that I understand fish populations.
Here is what you can't get through your head: small fish, even tiger musky and wipers, rely on zooplankton to live when they are small. Amazing, I know. Those fingerling fish do not start eating chubs when they are 1" long! Crazy, I get it. But its true.
What do chubs eat? The same thing. So all those wipers and tms and walleyes are all competing for the same food that those chubs are already consuming.
The result? SLOW GROWTH. Those mean, nasty, voracious, toothy predators can't compete with the lowly chubs! And because of this, it takes them years, and years, and years to establish and develop a base that can compete with chubs. Not control, but rather compete. It will take a very long time before those predators can ever take over control of that lake.
On the other hand, if you rotenone it and knock those chubs back by 80-90%, the immediately restock with the wipers and tms and walleyes -- guess what? Those 1" fingerling no longer have to compete for zooplankton. What does that mean? FAST GROWTH. Those predator fish then quickly grow to a size where they are able to convert over to pisciverous (fish eating) diet. It happens fast! Once they convert, then they have the upper hand, and chub populations are then controlled! All in 3 years!!
So, here we are in year 2. We are still discussing and preaching patience. Give it more time. Another 3-4 years, and maybe then we'll know if it's working or not...
Next year could have been an awesome year at Scofield. We could have been catching 25 - 30"+ tms. 18" wipers. Possibly even some 18-20" cutthroat and rainbows....
Instead, we'll continue to talk about small cutthroat, missing wipers, and the potential to catch a 40" tm in another 4 years. But it will still be a great place to catch chubs!
[signature]
Then we will have a better data base to see if it is working or not . [/quote]
Again, (beating a dead horse), WHY WAIT? Why do you guys want to wait 3-4 years (or more) to see if it is working or not? Why waste those years??
[quote Gemcityslayer]The naysayers aren't interested in trophy fishing opportunities - if they were, they wouldn't be for poisoning a lake with a huge supply of food in it (for predatory fish).
They want the status quo. They want a lake where you can go and catch a cooler full of 2-4lb healthy rainbow trout in a few hours and call it a day. ...
...If in 5-10 years they can't take advantage of the chubs... the answer will clearly be to poison it and start over. [/quote]
Now we are waiting 5-10 years!!
Gem -- you couldn't be further from the truth! I want a trophy fishery! One with wipers, and TMs! The difference between you and me is that I understand fish populations.
Here is what you can't get through your head: small fish, even tiger musky and wipers, rely on zooplankton to live when they are small. Amazing, I know. Those fingerling fish do not start eating chubs when they are 1" long! Crazy, I get it. But its true.
What do chubs eat? The same thing. So all those wipers and tms and walleyes are all competing for the same food that those chubs are already consuming.
The result? SLOW GROWTH. Those mean, nasty, voracious, toothy predators can't compete with the lowly chubs! And because of this, it takes them years, and years, and years to establish and develop a base that can compete with chubs. Not control, but rather compete. It will take a very long time before those predators can ever take over control of that lake.
On the other hand, if you rotenone it and knock those chubs back by 80-90%, the immediately restock with the wipers and tms and walleyes -- guess what? Those 1" fingerling no longer have to compete for zooplankton. What does that mean? FAST GROWTH. Those predator fish then quickly grow to a size where they are able to convert over to pisciverous (fish eating) diet. It happens fast! Once they convert, then they have the upper hand, and chub populations are then controlled! All in 3 years!!
So, here we are in year 2. We are still discussing and preaching patience. Give it more time. Another 3-4 years, and maybe then we'll know if it's working or not...
Next year could have been an awesome year at Scofield. We could have been catching 25 - 30"+ tms. 18" wipers. Possibly even some 18-20" cutthroat and rainbows....
Instead, we'll continue to talk about small cutthroat, missing wipers, and the potential to catch a 40" tm in another 4 years. But it will still be a great place to catch chubs!
[signature]