Post by greg on Apr 20, 2015 9:06:21 GMT -5
I want to start with getting some scientific experience as a basis for weighing the pros and cons. There seemed to be no better place to start with than a highly respected fisheries biologist, Mr. Charles Inman. I have had the privilege knowing Charlie since I moved to east Texas in the mid- 70's. He retired from the Parks and Wildlife Department several years ago, but the respect for his knowledge of fisheries has kept him in demand for input in private lake management. It should also be appreciated that Mr. Inman was inducted several years ago into the Freshwater Fisheries Hall of Fame in Athens, which was for recognition of his impact on bass management in the state.
In general Charlie felt that fishing for bedding fish would not negatively impact a lake. There are several reasons for this assumption. For starters even in a clear-water lake there are, in theory, a large number of bass that should spawn and never be subject to fishing pressure by being found by the fisherman. The exception here is if the lake is very small or there is extensive repetitious pressure in a small area. Those conditions can put real stress on the spawning population by having them either selectively removed if people catch and keep the spawning bass or simply put the bass under repetitious physiological shock from multiple harassment or hook sets.
But under the ideal situation where only a small percentage of bedding bass are distributed, there isn't in Mr. Inman's opinion a negative impact on a fishery.
To fish or not to fish for bedding bass has been debated for many years
I was particularly interested in what effect the reduced pressure during the spawn might have on the population of offspring in a given area. This could be something as simple as blocking off a cove from fishing. Interestingly Charlie felt that under generally normal conditions such measures wouldn't make an impact. The reasoning behind this is that a two-pound spawning bass may produce 20,000 eggs of which as few as five percent may survive to the adult stage. The loss of the majority of the small fish occurs from natural events. In this scheme there shouldn't be a problem of numbers of potential fry available given a reasonable population of successfully spawning bass.
An inherent protection for bedding fish also occurs in lakes where there is turbid or off-colored water. If you don't see the bass on the nest, then the chances are good that your random cast will miss the nest or you will work the artificial bait out of the nest without ever causing a pickup. It is rare that even those specializing in sight fishing don't have to make numerous presentations to hook a bedding fish. The fish that you normally catch around the nest are males, which are acting both as sentinels as well as at certain times willing to eat an easy meal.
I respect Mr. Inman's opinion that fishing for bedding fish in a healthy lake should not effect the standing population of bass.
In general Charlie felt that fishing for bedding fish would not negatively impact a lake. There are several reasons for this assumption. For starters even in a clear-water lake there are, in theory, a large number of bass that should spawn and never be subject to fishing pressure by being found by the fisherman. The exception here is if the lake is very small or there is extensive repetitious pressure in a small area. Those conditions can put real stress on the spawning population by having them either selectively removed if people catch and keep the spawning bass or simply put the bass under repetitious physiological shock from multiple harassment or hook sets.
But under the ideal situation where only a small percentage of bedding bass are distributed, there isn't in Mr. Inman's opinion a negative impact on a fishery.
To fish or not to fish for bedding bass has been debated for many years
I was particularly interested in what effect the reduced pressure during the spawn might have on the population of offspring in a given area. This could be something as simple as blocking off a cove from fishing. Interestingly Charlie felt that under generally normal conditions such measures wouldn't make an impact. The reasoning behind this is that a two-pound spawning bass may produce 20,000 eggs of which as few as five percent may survive to the adult stage. The loss of the majority of the small fish occurs from natural events. In this scheme there shouldn't be a problem of numbers of potential fry available given a reasonable population of successfully spawning bass.
An inherent protection for bedding fish also occurs in lakes where there is turbid or off-colored water. If you don't see the bass on the nest, then the chances are good that your random cast will miss the nest or you will work the artificial bait out of the nest without ever causing a pickup. It is rare that even those specializing in sight fishing don't have to make numerous presentations to hook a bedding fish. The fish that you normally catch around the nest are males, which are acting both as sentinels as well as at certain times willing to eat an easy meal.
I respect Mr. Inman's opinion that fishing for bedding fish in a healthy lake should not effect the standing population of bass.
Where did that come from and what does it have to do with the discussion?