Jon Pski
Member
Registered: 04/15/02
Posts: 5743
Loc: Winsted, CT
Being that we have had 15 years of Bass Management practices now, what is the management plan moving forward? 15 years now should be able to tell you if goals of increased numbers of large bass have been achieved. 15 years will also be able to show shifts in size densities of both predator and prey(panfish). Could you please provide a link to the 2006 assesment and provide any other reports since then?
As an avid and active angler, I can honestly say I have not seen any significant change on most of the bass management lakes in NW CT with the possible exception of perhaps Winchester lake.
Any insight you could provide as to the future of the Bass Management lakes would be appreciated.
Attached is a copy of the 2010 final bass report. It explains the results of the Bass Management Lake “experiment”
The bottom line is in the discussion in the attached report. Special length limits in the Bass Management lakes resulted in no significant improvement in bass populations among them. The main reason is that voluntary release of bass regardless of size in CT has gotten so high (and harvest rates so low) that traditional management strategies such as length and creel limits are becoming biologically irrelevant. Over the past 5 years we have been exploring non-traditional methods for managing bass, including a 4-year study involving bass genetics and supplemental stocking of bass from unfished water supply reservoirs into public lakes. This report will be available to the public sometime late next year. At that time we’ll submit a copy for your readers. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your question
They admit it isn't working...that's a start. It seems they are putting most of the blame on catch and release fishing and stunted bass populations as a result. Bringing unpressured bass to a body of water doesn't seem to be the best way. How about stocking food such as sunfish, alewives,crayfish, freshwater shrimp or minnows to give the fish adequate nutrition and put high creel limits on fish below 12"? Killtaker management 101. Dusty has been saying our lakes need fish harvested to improve the fishery but who believes what he says anyway? LCD vs Plasma...
Wait.....you mean Dusty might actually know what he is talking about???? Management plans are built off of modifying creel patterns....it's a simple strategy...modify bass populations by steering the public towards the population control that will best help the overall population. If the public is not keeping the fish...then the management objectives are meaningless as the appropriate creel objectives are not being met.
Team Daiwaimano Team too many broken rods to count Team bluefish lawn ornament Team "oh shiit we are out of gas"
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