Why no love for the Alabama bass ?

[TnRiver46]

29 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Kentucky Lake and Barkley might disagree that Asian carp aren’t a problem.  The vids I’ve seen of thousands jumping and the reports of decimated fishing are pretty fresh in my mind.  Didn’t they even put up an electric barrier to keep them out of Lake Michigan? 

Still plenty of nice bass caught on KY and Barkley lake . They could stop the carp immediately by closing the locks, but then their grant money to fight them dries up. Lots of good threads about it on here, they still have yet to find a single juvenile Asian carp in TN river so they are all swimming thru locks with zero reproduction. 

[VolFan]

I fish the lake between Norman and Lake Wylie near Charlotte - Mountain Island. It is more riverine than either with  a few coves and backwaters. It seems to have settled into a balance with more spots in the riverine/rocky sections and more largemouth in the backwaters. With fish currently schooling on shad in open water and on breaks, those fish have been a mix of spots and largemouths, with the mixes leaning toward whatever type of water you’re closest to. The spots are fun to catch, and we catch a ton. They also make great catfish bait and raptor food. We catch more largemouth in our largemouth spots, including a few bigger ones (5+) that my wife somehow always seems to get. The spots seem to school by size and when you find a school of the bigger ones it is an absolute hoot. Bigger in this sense is about 3 lbs. As any good biologist knows - it’s usually habitat that drives a species’ success. There’s plenty of habitat for both and plenty of food for both in those spaces. 

[TnRiver46]

Habitat is indeed the key. Hartwell is another good example. 
 

It’s never good to move invasive species to new waters but I’ve lost count of all the ones that were going to be the end of us all and they eventually settled into a niche or disappeared all together. We have several fish in East TN that are actually in peril, unlike LMB and SMB. Those fish are all minnows and their habitat has dwindled for years and years . Several are or have been on the threatened and endangered species list. The last flood might have wiped out the last chucky madtom on the planet, but hopefully not. They deserve way more funding than fighting the Pandora’s box of Alabama bass that has already been opened, but guess which one sells better to people with big money: The invasive species boogey man that will ruin it all (or may not)

[TnRiver46]

On 11/20/2024 at 4:10 PM, TOXIC said:

Kentucky Lake and Barkley might disagree that Asian carp aren’t a problem.  The vids I’ve seen of thousands jumping and the reports of decimated fishing are pretty fresh in my mind.

I wish we had decimated fishing this good where I live! We don’t have an Asian carp within 400 river miles (same river as KY lake) and 14 lbs is a big bag of smallies here 

[gim]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

We don’t have an Asian carp

 

I think there may be some confusion on the type of carp here.  Asian carp are not the jumping ones that get excited by sound.  Those are bighead carp.

 

We have asian carp here in MN.  They disturb the bottom and uproot native vegetation.  They are considered a nuisance, invasive species that are well-established.  Even though most lakes and rivers here have them, I've never actually caught one in about 25 years fishing here.

 

The bighead ones are the filter feeders and jumpers you see flying out of the water when a boat goes by.  They haven't gotten past a specific point down river here and the goal is to continue that.  They haven't made their way into the Great Lakes either as there is an underwater barrier near Chicago in the Illinois River that has prevented it, for now.

[TnRiver46]

Yes bighead and also silver carp are the newer invasives that cause problems , the artists formerly known formerly known as Asian carp 

 

we’ve had lots of common carp in the waters since…. I’m not sure. Maybe since European settlement ? 

[gim]

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

we’ve had lots of common carp in the waters since…. I’m not sure. Maybe since European settlement ? 

My source says initially introduced way back in 1831 and by 1900 were widely populated across many parts of North America.

[Alex from GA]

Someone a while back asked what is a big Alabama Bass and where I fish a 2.5 lb and up is a good fish.  I catch enough 3 and up to keep me happy.  My largest is a 4-12 on a topwater.

[TLHSS]

On 12/4/2024 at 6:58 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Yes bighead and also silver carp are the newer invasives that cause problems , the artists formerly known formerly known as Asian carp 

 

we’ve had lots of common carp in the waters since…. I’m not sure. Maybe since European settlement ? 

 After a two year study, our state changed the name to Copi, thinking the changed name would make people want to eat more of them. 

[Dan N]

No spots around here, but just curious why they are considered so good eating, yet many people would never eat a large mouth? 
Ive eaten some small largemouth, or a few that were hooked bad and never had an issue. 
Anyway around my parts , it’s all about walleye for eating, and many consider LMB trash fish and kill them .