No Yuba Perch in '07

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Fishermen are like doctors...gotta have patience (patients).[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I can wait out the regs. Should be lots more big perch in 2008. Of the 4 year classes identified, the two largest at this point are the ones that were planted...and there really aren't that many of them.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The first year's good spawn are now in the 8" to 9" range. They will be 11" to 12" by the middle of '07 and will be mega toads when the lake is opened in '08. The really good news is that Yuba is full of that year class right now so they are too big for walleye and plenty big enough to spawn a bunch of new babies.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The downside, for the walleye fans, is that the hordes of perch are eating everything in sight. When the walleyes do spawn, the perch are likely to slurp up a lot of the new wallettes too. Really supports the old adage "eat or be eaten". With perch it is eat AND be eaten.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, we all know that once the "balance of power" shifts, and the walleye population explodes...as it always does...then the perch will be on the run and the crash will happen. The only thing that can delay it is to have a few more wet years. The perch need the high water and submerged vegetation to spawn, whereas the walleyes don't. A couple of dry years in a row and it will be all over again.[/#0000ff]
[signature]