Scofield. M.O.T.S.S.

[Fishrmn]

Against my better judgement, I went to Scofield today. M.O.T.S.S. More Of The Same Shtuff. Underdeveloped cutts, and still chubs.




[red]⫸[/red][orange]<{[/orange][yellow]{{[/yellow][green]{[/green][size 4][green]⦇[/green][/size][blue]°>[/blue]
[signature]

[grandpafish]

I assume you were near the dam or is the reservoir frozen?
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

Madsen Bay. Whole reservoir is frozen.

The chub put up the best fight of the day.



[red]⫸[/red][orange]<{[/orange][yellow]{{[/yellow][green]{[/green][size 4][green]⦇[/green][/size][blue]°>[/blue]
[signature]

[PBH]

no worries Fshrmn. In about 6 years, maybe, we should have enough information for someone to decide to keep up with M.O.T.S.S.
[signature]

[Kent]

[quote PBH]

In about 6 years, maybe, we should have enough information for someone to decide to keep up with M.O.T.S.S.

[/quote]

You are an optimist if you think it will only be for another 6 years. In10 years (or more) and nothing has changed, but they will say be patient because it will in another 5 or 6 years.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

That is great, from the sounds of it you caught more cutts than chubs, so things are improving.[cool] Some of us look at it from the perspective of the glass half full, while others look at as half empty. From what I have read from the post of many members that fish there, things are improving at Scofield. Cutts always take time to grow, especially for the first year or two after they are planted. In just about every lake they are in, they are underdeveloped until they reach a certain size.
[signature]

[doggonefishin]

Just out of curiosity, what were you expecting?
[signature]

[PBH]

[quote wiperhunter2]That is great, from the sounds of it you caught more cutts than chubs, so things are improving.[cool] Some of us look at it from the perspective of the glass half full, while others look at as half empty. From what I have read from the post of many members that fish there, things are improving at Scofield. Cutts always take time to grow, especially for the first year or two after they are planted. In just about every lake they are in, they are underdeveloped until they reach a certain size.[/quote]


Had they poisoned it, his chub catch would have been 0, and the cutthroat would have been the same. So the net result is that we are behind schedule. That's a downer.
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

No, things aren't improving. I've always caught more cutthroats than chubs. In fact, I used to have to deliberately try for chubs. Now they just hit the same stuff I'm using for trout. They're still there, and they're still too numerous to allow the other fish to get anything to eat. Under developed is one thing. Emaciated, snaky, shoelace sized fish are another. We've been at this for at least 18 years. Another 6 would make a quarter of a century.




[red]⫸[/red][orange]<{[/orange][yellow]{{[/yellow][green]{[/green][size 4][green]⦇[/green][/size][blue]°>[/blue]
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

[quote doggonefishin]Just out of curiosity, what were you expecting?[/quote]
Pretty much what I got. I certainly wasn't expecting the kind of fishing that Scofield used to provide. I wasn't expecting the kind of fishing that you get after a fishery has been restarted after a rotenone treatment.



[red]⫸[/red][orange]<{[/orange][yellow]{{[/yellow][green]{[/green][size 4][green]⦇[/green][/size][blue]°>[/blue]
[signature]

[ice_sled]

Put some master predators in Scofield. More Tigermuskies, more Wipers, Walleye and maybe some Blue cats. In short time there would be no Chubs or shoestring Cutts. Maybe some Bluegills. Better tugs than Hatchery carp!
[signature]

[Northman]

Maybe they should do another state wide survey from anglers, that seemed to help🙄. Or possibly a 8 fish trout limit to help cull the trout so there is more chow to go around🙄. Or maybe... just maybe they should poison the lake, start over, and get it over with.

The bottom line is Scofield is the number 1 reservoir in the state for growing large trout fast. It is getting insulting to keep being told the same fairy tale story line year in and year out with little results.

I want Scofield Reservoir back!!!!
[signature]

[RockyRaab]

But, but...where would people get catfish and Strawberry bait?
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

[quote Northman]Maybe they should do another state wide survey from anglers, that seemed to help🙄. Or possibly a 8 fish trout limit to help cull the trout so there is more chow to go around🙄. Or maybe... just maybe they should poison the lake, start over, and get it over with.

The bottom line is Scofield is the number 1 reservoir in the state for growing large trout fast. It is getting insulting to keep being told the same fairy tale story line year in and year out with little results.

I want Scofield Reservoir back!!!![/quote]

☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎☝︎
[signature]

[PBH]

[quote ice_sled]Put some master predators in Scofield. More Tigermuskies, more Wipers, Walleye and maybe some Blue cats. In short time there would be no Chubs or shoestring Cutts. Maybe some Bluegills. Better tugs than Hatchery carp![/quote]

hmmm....in short time? Or maybe in 10 years. Maybe. That's a really big maybe. In fact, it's a maybe not.



The problem with this logic is size and quantity. It isn't easy to raise enough (quantity) large (size) predators to stock in the lake to make a difference, especially "in short time".

So, as an alternative, they do what they did. They stock a lot (quantity) of small predators. The problem with small predators is that they eat the same thing the chubs eat. And, guess what? The chubs do a better job of eating that same food, and thus outcompete those predators, causing them to grow (or die) very slowly. And the chubs keep reproducing, and reproducing, and reproducing.


There is nothing "short" about the current strategy. If "in short time" were truly desired, rotenone would have been used, and Scofield would already be kicking out nice sized predators.
[signature]

[ice_sled]

If I remember correctly there wasn’t a Chub problem until they raised the limit to 8 fish limit a few years ago. A lot of big fish were e taken out at that time. Trophy sized fish.
[signature]

[ice_sled]

There is still a good supply of Chubs in the Price River.
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

Did you happen to see the two year old Wiper that the UDWR showed from the gill nets? I'd be willing to bet it was one of these. And it hadn't grown any in the year that it was in Scofield.

SCOFIELD RES CARBON WIPER 2250 7.5 10/13/2017
SCOFIELD RES CARBON WIPER 2250 7.5 10/13/2017
SCOFIELD RES CARBON WIPER 399 10.51 10/13/2017

I like Wipers. I wish they could do well in Scofield. I just don't think they will. I've had conversations with guys who work for the UDWR that don't think they will either. As in, if they don't plant them at least 8 inches long, they won't survive. 6 months of cold water, and dormancy is pretty hard on them.



[red]⫸[/red][orange]<{[/orange][yellow]{{[/yellow][green]{[/green][size 4][green]⦇[/green][/size][blue]°>[/blue]
[signature]

[PBH]

[quote ice_sled]If I remember correctly there wasn’t a Chub problem until they raised the limit to 8 fish limit a few years ago. A lot of big fish were e taken out at that time. Trophy sized fish.[/quote]

A few trophy sized fish does not = a healthy fishery. A healthy fishery is often determined by growth rates. If average growth rates are slow, there is a problem.
[signature]

[PBH]

[quote Fishrmn]

I like Wipers... [/quote]

I LOVE wipers. I think they are awesome, and they do a fantastic job in waters infested by chubs. They have proven in numerous places to effectively control (eliminate?) chubs populations. They have been an amazing tool for our fisheries managers.




[quote Fishrmn]...I wish they could do well in ScofieldI just don't think they will. I've had conversations with guys who work for the UDWR that don't think they will either. As in, if they don't plant them at least 8 inches long, they won't survive. 6 months of cold water, and dormancy is pretty hard on them.
[/quote]

I'm with you, and them. I have a hard time believing that they will be able to thrive at Sofield's elevation. I really think we are pushing their limits.

I agree with that other guy -- let's put some blue catfish in there too! At this point, why not? Let's just go for broke and prove how futile this plan is!
[signature]