01-16-2014, 05:45 PM
[quote pezvela]
From my experiences on Yuba the fish are healthy and the numbers have not outgrown the carp forage base. The fish are not stunting as a result of over-populations ...[/quote]
[quote Mooncricket]With all this info what do you guys think is the biggest reason for the high limit on thepike? Is it because they have eevidence of so many of the smaller 20 to 25 inch pike in the lake...[/quote]
The proof is in the pudding.
I commented about his on another thread: Why are people catching pike at Yuba right now?
1. because there are a lot of pike
2. because they are hungry.
Go look back at the graph posted by Ryan.
Now, looking at that graph, read pezvela's quoted comment above: the fish are healthy and are not stunting.
Now, consider that just maybe we are in year 4 or 5 on Ryans graph. Pike have been in that zone of maximum growth -- fast growth rates. But, guess what? we're peaking. We're hitting the summit. Anglers are seeing more, and more pike. They are getting more "catchable". Why? high numbers of hungry fish.
Also, people need to remember that fish are not like mammals. They are not like a mature bull elk that scores over 400 inches, vs.a mature bull elk that scores 250. Fish are very plastic. They grow to their environment. So worrying about the genetics of those "big" fish is silly, because even those smaller stunted fish have the "big fish" genes in them. Protecting the big fish isn't a biological necessity to maintain trophy fish. It is a feel-good thing that anglers request because they don't understand fish biology.
Keep the limit on pike high. Whether the person eats them or not, it still benefits the fishery!!
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From my experiences on Yuba the fish are healthy and the numbers have not outgrown the carp forage base. The fish are not stunting as a result of over-populations ...[/quote]
[quote Mooncricket]With all this info what do you guys think is the biggest reason for the high limit on thepike? Is it because they have eevidence of so many of the smaller 20 to 25 inch pike in the lake...[/quote]
The proof is in the pudding.
I commented about his on another thread: Why are people catching pike at Yuba right now?
1. because there are a lot of pike
2. because they are hungry.
Go look back at the graph posted by Ryan.
Now, looking at that graph, read pezvela's quoted comment above: the fish are healthy and are not stunting.
Now, consider that just maybe we are in year 4 or 5 on Ryans graph. Pike have been in that zone of maximum growth -- fast growth rates. But, guess what? we're peaking. We're hitting the summit. Anglers are seeing more, and more pike. They are getting more "catchable". Why? high numbers of hungry fish.
Also, people need to remember that fish are not like mammals. They are not like a mature bull elk that scores over 400 inches, vs.a mature bull elk that scores 250. Fish are very plastic. They grow to their environment. So worrying about the genetics of those "big" fish is silly, because even those smaller stunted fish have the "big fish" genes in them. Protecting the big fish isn't a biological necessity to maintain trophy fish. It is a feel-good thing that anglers request because they don't understand fish biology.
Keep the limit on pike high. Whether the person eats them or not, it still benefits the fishery!!
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