FLORIDA STRAIN BASS @ ROSEY

[JLW]

this is copied from the latest fishing report from azgfd.

will it help the gizzard problem or compound it?

I just wonder how it will affect the other fish species... smallies, crappie, bluegill... if at all.

I bet the monster flathead gorge on those gizzard shad.

 

James

 

 

 

This coming Thursday, March 27, is the next meeting of the Gila County Roundtable meeting with AZGFD. You may have heard that AZGFD will be stocking Roosevelt Lake with Florida strain bass within the next two months. They also are working with several government agencies and businesses to place artificial habitat in this lake. Both of these activities are aimed at minimizing the impact of the gizzard shad that have increased dramatically over the past few years and are having a major impact on other fish species in the lake. AZGFD has stated that these roundtable meetings are attended by the most people they have seen at meetings like these. We need to continue to attend in big numbers to keep the momentum to improve Roosevelt Lake fishing. Once again, the meeting is this Thursday, March 27 at 6 p.m. at the schoolhouse in Punkin Center. I hope to see many of our listeners there.

 

 

[Big Browns]

I've herd they put Florida strain bass in Roosevelt in the past, but they didn't do well. Hopefully they do well and get HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!

[CouesPursuit]

The idea is that the larger subspecies of Florida Strain LMB will decline the population of growing/juvenile gizzard shad in the lake by direct consumption. The mature gizzard shad are too large for even the Florida st. bass to consume, but if they can get a handle on maturing gizzard shad, the already mature gizzard shad will reach life expectancy and kill themselves off as many anglers have witnessed in the last couple years (floating fish).

 

It is hard to believe that the introduced Florida st. bass won't consume the bass crappie and bluegill as you described but getting a handle on the gizzard shad population first is key, followed by habitat enhancements that will get the other sport fish back into good numbers in time.

 

I would also agree that large flatheads enjoy their share of gizzard shad and mature size is not an issue, but the number of adult gizzard shad to large flatheads is not comparable.

[mr.smith]

Every Largemouth bass west of the Mississippi comes from originally planted Florida strain. They are just boosting the genetics.

[tjhunt2]

It definitely will be interesting for sure. Catching bigger bass will be awesome but I hope it doesn't have a negative on the over all population.

 

TJ

[johnnie blaze]

Bring it!

[wildwoody]

where did these shad come from?

[Coach]

Just curious - what damage are these shad doing? When I lived in Oklahoma, all the lakes were loaded with gizzard shad, and the bass (and everything else) got huge on them. That said, we had stripers and alligator gar to eat the really big ones.

[Antmo23]

Sounds good to me. The bass that are in there right now are preying on bluegill and crappie. The Floridas will be able to take advantage of the gizzard shad for a bigger portion of their life cycle. AND they get bigger.

[CouesPursuit]

Just curious - what damage are these shad doing? When I lived in Oklahoma, all the lakes were loaded with gizzard shad, and the bass (and everything else) got huge on them. That said, we had stripers and alligator gar to eat the really big ones.

 

Stripers and gar kept then from getting out of hand. They have no predator in Roosevelt once they mature.

 

They are an issue due to competition. They spawn at nearly the same time as bass crappie and bluegill and they consume the same food sources i.e. zooplankton. They are extremely prolific and not catchable or edible. Most importantly, they have a huge impact on threadfin shad populations which are the main prey for catchable size game fish. Also in general just a waste of resources in a lake that is over 100 years old and hasn't had a great nutrient intake in the last couple years (runoff).

[bowfishAZ]

Gizzard shad sure are fun to shoot!

[CouesPursuit]

Gizzard shad sure are fun to shoot!

 

Please shoot em up!

[Coach]

Thanks for the info, CouesPersuit.

 

I have been curious for some time why there weren't gizzard shad in more lakes here in AZ. I just did a quick search and saw that gizzard shad had been in Powell for some time now, and have spread to most of the lake - could really increase the size of stripers in the lake.

[azdesert rat]

I'm all for improving the lmb genetics but I wish they'd also start stocking flat head agin to build the population up. I think it will come down to beefing up the predatory fish population to take the gizzards out at every stage of development especially at mature spawning age, I don't think adding other predatory species to the lake is the best idea being that u never know exactly how it will affect the lake. We'll never rid the lake of em I just hope we can control the population. just my 2cents

[buffhunter]

I think there F S bass will have a very minor effect to the gizzard shad, although any little bit will help. But from talking to my friends from back east the only fish that puts a huge dent in them and keeps them at bay is the gar. And I doubt anybody but us bowfishermen wants them in rosie.......