01-01-2015, 05:54 PM
Mt homer, I replied to you because I didn't want anyone thinking I was attacking them. I'm not attacking anyone. Hopefully I can just add some facts to everyone's understanding about Henry's Lake.
Sometimes things happen all at once, but a small piece innocent piece may be blamed for something that is the result of some other event.
Chubbs grew in numbers,
Scudds were significantly reduced in numbers,
The biologist was changed,
Ice fishing was extended
And the tributaries were opened to fish spawning.
The main event that significantly changed Henry's was the reconnecting and repair of the spawning tributaries. The cutts now are naturally spawning in unprecedented numbers. So there were several year classes that were way too big. Those fish will never have the growth that less numerous year classes had.
This shows in the numbers, growth rate, and sizes in the gill netting surveys.
The biologists have reduced the stocking numbers, but have to go with a conservative reduction number. Each year they have reduced it again, and the studies are showing a corresponding growth rate increase. They can’t just do what they want immediately; it has to go by the management plan and approval from further up the ladder too. Studies have to be done and all factors reviewed before they can change the management plan.
The increase in chubbs and fewer scuds are also factors in the reduced growth rate of the fish…. Again too many mouths to feed. These two issues might be the result also of the proliferation of the smaller fish year classes. Fewer big fish to eat the chubbs. Interesting circle.
Even though the fish you catch are fat now, it is that early growth rate that really sets the bar for the trophy size. The quicker a fish grows on insects etc, then the sooner it switches over to being a meat eater or in the case of Henrys… there used to be enough bugs that they didn’t have to be meat eaters. Studies are showing that the larger fish are eating more fish now than ever before. Is there an underlying bug issue too?
I don’t think the brief change in biologists was the issue. Henrys showed its reduced growth rate that first year.. before the new biologist had time to do anything, besides most actions are set by the plan.
I don’t think extending the ice season did any harm. It was probably good. The fish NEED harvest.
A catch and release plan would also be counter to that. Harvest your limit!
Just be patient everyone and give it time to get balanced out a little. There isn’t a quick fix, but the biologists want the big fish back even more than we do. They are not managing it for a family put and take fishery. They never have. Some events they just have to roll with.
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Sometimes things happen all at once, but a small piece innocent piece may be blamed for something that is the result of some other event.
Chubbs grew in numbers,
Scudds were significantly reduced in numbers,
The biologist was changed,
Ice fishing was extended
And the tributaries were opened to fish spawning.
The main event that significantly changed Henry's was the reconnecting and repair of the spawning tributaries. The cutts now are naturally spawning in unprecedented numbers. So there were several year classes that were way too big. Those fish will never have the growth that less numerous year classes had.
This shows in the numbers, growth rate, and sizes in the gill netting surveys.
The biologists have reduced the stocking numbers, but have to go with a conservative reduction number. Each year they have reduced it again, and the studies are showing a corresponding growth rate increase. They can’t just do what they want immediately; it has to go by the management plan and approval from further up the ladder too. Studies have to be done and all factors reviewed before they can change the management plan.
The increase in chubbs and fewer scuds are also factors in the reduced growth rate of the fish…. Again too many mouths to feed. These two issues might be the result also of the proliferation of the smaller fish year classes. Fewer big fish to eat the chubbs. Interesting circle.
Even though the fish you catch are fat now, it is that early growth rate that really sets the bar for the trophy size. The quicker a fish grows on insects etc, then the sooner it switches over to being a meat eater or in the case of Henrys… there used to be enough bugs that they didn’t have to be meat eaters. Studies are showing that the larger fish are eating more fish now than ever before. Is there an underlying bug issue too?
I don’t think the brief change in biologists was the issue. Henrys showed its reduced growth rate that first year.. before the new biologist had time to do anything, besides most actions are set by the plan.
I don’t think extending the ice season did any harm. It was probably good. The fish NEED harvest.
A catch and release plan would also be counter to that. Harvest your limit!
Just be patient everyone and give it time to get balanced out a little. There isn’t a quick fix, but the biologists want the big fish back even more than we do. They are not managing it for a family put and take fishery. They never have. Some events they just have to roll with.
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