01-15-2021, 05:02 AM
I got a 19-3/8" in Washington State a few years ago, small perch were the main food source and it was a weedy lake. Populations were low. Water levels are stable during the summer and only dropped to reduce shore weeds during the winter.
Roosevelt in AZ kicked out some true 4# in the middle 80's after the dam was raised and new trees were covered, shad were the main food source but shiners were also in the lake. Populations were low. Water levels in those years were fairly stable.
In Pueblo reservoir in Colorado 12 to 15" were common in the 80's. This lake was new, filling, full of submerged trees and shad. As a new lake, populations were low. Water levels in those days were rising.
I really think that the key is a ready food source, plenty of cover, and limited populations. Pineview has no "minnow" species except small perch and small crappie. It has no, and I mean NO cover, except at high water. As for limited populations, well we know that is not true.
We do see some larger crappie show up in PV, and I saw some measured 15" last winter, but ....... I think they all went home with a fisherman.
Tough to manage fish when water is not stable, you have no cover, and food is in high demand. A few get big, most stay small. I think the Tiger Muskie are one link to reduce the extreme populations, but the perch are consuming more food than the crappie IMHO. Sterile Walleye would do a great service to PV IMHO. Wipers would help, but they would also consume Crappie while Perch are a Walleye's preferred food and on the bottom like Walleye like. I am shocked the SMB are not reducing the perch, but I think the falling spring water impacts the SMB spawning potential.
I think, I think, ...... but who knows for sure.
Roosevelt in AZ kicked out some true 4# in the middle 80's after the dam was raised and new trees were covered, shad were the main food source but shiners were also in the lake. Populations were low. Water levels in those years were fairly stable.
In Pueblo reservoir in Colorado 12 to 15" were common in the 80's. This lake was new, filling, full of submerged trees and shad. As a new lake, populations were low. Water levels in those days were rising.
I really think that the key is a ready food source, plenty of cover, and limited populations. Pineview has no "minnow" species except small perch and small crappie. It has no, and I mean NO cover, except at high water. As for limited populations, well we know that is not true.
We do see some larger crappie show up in PV, and I saw some measured 15" last winter, but ....... I think they all went home with a fisherman.
Tough to manage fish when water is not stable, you have no cover, and food is in high demand. A few get big, most stay small. I think the Tiger Muskie are one link to reduce the extreme populations, but the perch are consuming more food than the crappie IMHO. Sterile Walleye would do a great service to PV IMHO. Wipers would help, but they would also consume Crappie while Perch are a Walleye's preferred food and on the bottom like Walleye like. I am shocked the SMB are not reducing the perch, but I think the falling spring water impacts the SMB spawning potential.
I think, I think, ...... but who knows for sure.