Here'sthe current situation there. Note the thermocline and what walleyes are doing. Interesting.

http://www.bullshoals.com/fishingreport/

Stripers were stocked in Bull Shoals in the early 70s until 1975, so what stripers remain are potential record breakers. Those fish are getting old and hopefully will die out, releasing much needed forage for bass and other species. We have a similar stiper dilemma here, loss of a huge portion of available forage. State politics concerning expansion of fishing economics is to blame, waiving a law prohibiting introduction of exotic species. Find comfort that by September the stripers will be concentrated within 5 miles of the dam, so the rest of the lake gets a rest.

Meanwhile, here's what's being done about the lack of aquatic vegetation. I recommended you get personally involved. Scroll past the first article about Hamilton http://www.agfc.state.ar.us/education/agfc_ao_021104.html

As for sampling lakes that's nearly a full time job for several biologists and their assistants. Federal agencies do that too, and state & federal combine efforts. When we want to know about all species we shock, counting everything that swims. When wanting to target (or harvest for breeding) specific size limit fish we use a gill net. Taking enough samples around a lake in different habitats provides a very trustworthy count per acre with a very low statistical error. New samples are taken if creel surveys fail to get enough anglers involved. Each angler coming off a lake is asked a lot of questions, like when he started and stopped fishing, what he caught, what he kept, etc. From that we can find out very accurately what the catch per angler per hour is averaging. Tournament questionaires are very helpful, giving us a best case scenario, the best you can expect to do. Tournament saturation is compared to the larger numbers of week-end anglers to come up with a lake-wide average. Harvest rates from tournaments is zero because of tournament rules, while the second group, which includes a high percentage of the tournament angler group, account for harvest numbers.

All state regulated fisheries are sampled as needed. If there is no perceived change in populations they will skip a year. Heavily visited lakes would be sampled more than lake rarely visited. There are also private watch groups, such as university groups, that do their own sampling.

While on the night shift I was visiting with the AGFC crew gill netting for brood stripers around midnight on Lake Ouachita in late March. For the first time it was discovered there is a new parasite attacking stripers, one that grows in the mouth. It put me in mind of a miniature Paca Craw. Anyway, I just wanted to point out the biologists often work at night, so some of their activities are not witnessed. They are out there and working HARD to keep your lake as healthy as can be reasonably expected.

Jim

bass are good to eat and fed my familiy of four when i got disabelled and had no income . But i always followed regs and threw all legal fish over 2lbs back, i cant stand cutting up a big one either . When you are with him make the argument for the big fish but dont sweat the small ones there will always be plenty.

When the regulations that govern a specific fishery allow retention of a stated number of fish within a set size range, then to expect all anglers to practice C 'n R is unrealistic. Some fisheries would, in fact, be degraded in quality if all fish caught were released.

If one is trying to recruit new fishermen, especially if that recruit is a wife, prospective spouse, or child who needs an outlet other than X-Box and the mall, then a properly prepared meal featuring fish that he/she/it (applies to all-too-many kids ;D) caught might tip the scales. Well, ya' can't cook 'em if'n ya' don't catch 'em and clean 'em.

Usually, a patient and calm explanation of C 'n R is all it takes to achieve the desired result.  If the person balks, then you might consider that there is a genuine need to tote home some food. Might even be that his spouse or parent has agreed to his joining you with the understanding that tackle and travel costs be offset by having some good eats to show for it.

If you're determined to share a C 'n R day with someone, try this: Ring...Ring..."Hallew?"..."Hey Morty, this is Vern."..."Lo, Vern, 'sup?"

"Well, I thought I'd get out for some bassin' tomorrow, just for fun, and all Catch and Release. Just think! A day on the water and no fish-cleaning to spoil the day. Wanna go?"

Another: Ring....Ring..."Vern here."..."VernBoy! This is Clem. How ya'll?"..."Oh, fair to partly cloudy, Clem., yew?"..."OK, 'cept I haven't heard from ya' in a while and I was wonderin' when we might go fishin' again in that fancy 21 foot StripedApeSSXTGTO bote of your'n."..."Uhhhh, well, Clem, I'd love to spend some fishin' time witcha, but I'm pretty much catch-and-release nowadays and I figgered yew wouldn't be interested in that sorta thing." At this point, friend Clem can be expected to cave OR hang up .

Also, you might set some rules that allow your partner to retain some fish and soften the impact on YOUR psyche. Why not say "Clem, I gots me a good eyedear! Howzabout we keep only them basses what are between the legal minny-mum, 14 inches, and 16 inches, with mebbe one up to 18 inches for thrills? Yessir, that's it! Now we can go bassin' and my sigh-key is unruffled!"

You could even establish a rule that bass can be kept on every other trip, or every third trip...whatever applies salve to your personal ethic and "sigh-key".

Now, if it's Clem's boat, then toss your fish back and keep your trap shut unless he's violating a state or federal law...your laws don't apply.

F.Rod

Soothsayer-in-Residence

Lots of different opinions out there ain't it ......

I think it depends on the individual lake ......i keep small fish ,under 3 pounds when i want some to eat ,,

if it;s over that it goes back ,,,,,i have eaten 5# plus bass and they aren't very good for the table ..

Mississippi Game and Fish keeps pretty good track of what our lakes and rivers are doing ..Meaning i trust the regulations they impose on the fisheries here ....

I don't think very many big fish are being kept to eat , however there are a good number being mounted every year ...If we all follow the regulations everything should be fine for years to come ..

Yall have a nice day ..