04-15-2011, 03:01 PM
[quote wiperhunter2]... I think the reason for traping perch would be to move them from lakes that have too many perch, like Mill
meadow to Yuba, [/quote]
We've already discussed this. There are a number of flaws with this line of thinking:
1. Disease certification. The DWR cannot just go collect a bunch of fish and transplant them. Disease certification takes about 3 years to complete. So, moving perch from a place like Mill Meadow is out of the question.
2. Even if you could move fish, would it work? We've already talked about stocking forage -- it doesn't work. All you do is raise the predator population level, which forces you to stock even more prey, then the predator level raises again, and you stock yet more prey -- it's an endless cycle that results in disaster. Stocking more perch is NOT a solution.
[quote walleyebob]...Folks just aren't going to drive down there for the not too good fishing. And the folks that are good enough to catch big Pike don't want them killed. [/quote]
Exactly the problem. People are unwilling to make the effort to catch these fish (walleye, pike), and when they do they are unwilling to harvest them.
We saw a very similar issue with the Middle Provo River. When biologists wanted to change the regulations to allow for higher mortality rates, anglers cried "foul". They couldn't believe, or understand, that the solution to the fish problem was to harvest, or kill, MORE fish. Yes, even the big ones. However, fast forward to today, and many anglers that were upset with the proposed changes have changed their attitude and can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Yuba will always be a marginal fishery. It will have a few years of very good fishing, and numerous years of crappy fishing. You can blame this in part on water. You can also blame this on uncontrollable fish species (walleye, pike, perch).
The solution to making Yuba a good, consistent fishery is NOT in the prey (perch). The answer is in the walleye/pike. Anglers MUST be willing to harvest these fish. Can anglers do it?? Maybe not. Maybe there just isn't enough interest in walleye and pike to make a difference. If not, then who really cares what happens?
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meadow to Yuba, [/quote]
We've already discussed this. There are a number of flaws with this line of thinking:
1. Disease certification. The DWR cannot just go collect a bunch of fish and transplant them. Disease certification takes about 3 years to complete. So, moving perch from a place like Mill Meadow is out of the question.
2. Even if you could move fish, would it work? We've already talked about stocking forage -- it doesn't work. All you do is raise the predator population level, which forces you to stock even more prey, then the predator level raises again, and you stock yet more prey -- it's an endless cycle that results in disaster. Stocking more perch is NOT a solution.
[quote walleyebob]...Folks just aren't going to drive down there for the not too good fishing. And the folks that are good enough to catch big Pike don't want them killed. [/quote]
Exactly the problem. People are unwilling to make the effort to catch these fish (walleye, pike), and when they do they are unwilling to harvest them.
We saw a very similar issue with the Middle Provo River. When biologists wanted to change the regulations to allow for higher mortality rates, anglers cried "foul". They couldn't believe, or understand, that the solution to the fish problem was to harvest, or kill, MORE fish. Yes, even the big ones. However, fast forward to today, and many anglers that were upset with the proposed changes have changed their attitude and can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Yuba will always be a marginal fishery. It will have a few years of very good fishing, and numerous years of crappy fishing. You can blame this in part on water. You can also blame this on uncontrollable fish species (walleye, pike, perch).
The solution to making Yuba a good, consistent fishery is NOT in the prey (perch). The answer is in the walleye/pike. Anglers MUST be willing to harvest these fish. Can anglers do it?? Maybe not. Maybe there just isn't enough interest in walleye and pike to make a difference. If not, then who really cares what happens?
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