01-07-2008, 08:29 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Don't know how long you have been hanging around this board, but we have had some dandy discussions of the "Walleye feeding program" (June sucker plantings). [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You have the gist of our rantings pretty well pegged. As long as there are carp, walleye, white bass, catfish and other predators and environment defilers in Utah Lake, the June sucker will NEVER make a serious comeback. But, the feds and DWR have a simple solution...kill off all the other species. Yeah right. Simple. Snap your fingers, click your waders together, close your eyes and chant "There's no fish like June suckers".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The accepted definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and to expect different results. HELLO feds...putting small suckers back into a hostile environment is only contributing to the food chain...not building the sucker population. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]According to studies of the conditions of old, under which June suckers thrived and prospered, they had only a few cutthroat trout to dodge and plenty of clean water and aquatic vegetation for the young to hide in until they got big enough to survive. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now the carp destroy the vegetation and stir up choking silt. The predators easily find and consume the sucker fry long before they can reach spawning sizes. From the studies I have reviewed, sample nettings from around the lake have not produced evidence of any survival of the artificially propagated fry released each year. But, anglers find lots of them in the guts of walleyes and catfish about the time they are being planted.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Kinda reminds me of the story about the two old boys that went into the watermelon business. They would buy watermelons directly out of the field for $1 each, drive their truck into town and sell them for 50 cents each. When they realized they were losing money, the only solution they could come up with was "We need a bigger truck".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I don't think any of us truly wants to see the complete demise of the June sucker...or any other species. But, dagnabbit, sometimes you gotta face reality. No matter how much money you throw into studies, artificial spawning and replantings, June suckers are no longer viable in Utah Lake. There are probably lots of other waters where they would survive a whole lot better. Just in case nobody noticed...Utah Lake is different now.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You have the gist of our rantings pretty well pegged. As long as there are carp, walleye, white bass, catfish and other predators and environment defilers in Utah Lake, the June sucker will NEVER make a serious comeback. But, the feds and DWR have a simple solution...kill off all the other species. Yeah right. Simple. Snap your fingers, click your waders together, close your eyes and chant "There's no fish like June suckers".[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The accepted definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and to expect different results. HELLO feds...putting small suckers back into a hostile environment is only contributing to the food chain...not building the sucker population. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]According to studies of the conditions of old, under which June suckers thrived and prospered, they had only a few cutthroat trout to dodge and plenty of clean water and aquatic vegetation for the young to hide in until they got big enough to survive. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Now the carp destroy the vegetation and stir up choking silt. The predators easily find and consume the sucker fry long before they can reach spawning sizes. From the studies I have reviewed, sample nettings from around the lake have not produced evidence of any survival of the artificially propagated fry released each year. But, anglers find lots of them in the guts of walleyes and catfish about the time they are being planted.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kinda reminds me of the story about the two old boys that went into the watermelon business. They would buy watermelons directly out of the field for $1 each, drive their truck into town and sell them for 50 cents each. When they realized they were losing money, the only solution they could come up with was "We need a bigger truck".[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I don't think any of us truly wants to see the complete demise of the June sucker...or any other species. But, dagnabbit, sometimes you gotta face reality. No matter how much money you throw into studies, artificial spawning and replantings, June suckers are no longer viable in Utah Lake. There are probably lots of other waters where they would survive a whole lot better. Just in case nobody noticed...Utah Lake is different now.[/#0000ff]
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