Came across this video on YouTube yesterday and found it very interesting. Without spoiling it too much I’ll say the results of this study go against pretty much everything we’re taught or hear about fishing bass.
I have a waterfront home on Toledo Bend, too. I guess that qualifies me to dispute your opinion.Partial BS or just ignorance. First off, I have a waterfront home on Toledo and have fished there since the 80s The Idea that "High Water" killed the aquatic vegetation is ludicrous. The salvinia was taking over the lake and " Biologists" poisoned it which, in turn, killed the grass. Now, the "Biologists" claim that they DID NOT poison the hydrilla and or salvinia but, ANYONE that has had any experience with this invasive crap will tell you that it is INCREDIBLY resilient to just about anything you put it through. It can be put on land and dry up practically to dust and once it is introduced back into the water it grows again. Well, miraculously, just about ALL of the salvinia disappeared ...along with the good grass. High water killed a bit of grass that was growing along the bank when the water previously dropped, which happens VERY cyclical. The idea that water actually killed aquatic vegetation is sort of an oxymoron. The lack of Hydrilla is what caused the catch count to go down as the habits of fish, as well as fishermen, changed. Secondly, these "Scientists" are messing with a Florida Strain Hybrid Bass, not REAL Black Bass. Floridas grow much faster as well as age quicker and are not NEARLY as hardy as Black Bass. This is why a lot of the Bass they handled died. As far as the catch and travel patterns, this also is due to the lack of Hydrilla which caused the fish to hold on to whatever structure that they could find and feed off of. The BAIT is what steers and keeps fish, plankton is what steers and keeps the bait, wind and surface structure and hydrilla are what determine plankton location. There is just SOOOO much wrong with this video and study. It was done at the wrong time for Toledo to show it's true colors. The hydrilla is back in the lake this year and we are fishing a LOT of hydrilla from 20+ to 4 feet and catching bass up to 6+ pounds, many of which are females FULL of eggs. One thing that I will agree with them on is the use of electronics and their sonar transmissions. A LOT of people are using LiveScope and such to find fish. We started using it about 4 years ago and are finding that the fish are keying in to the association with the sonar and their friends disappearing...lol We will find fish on Mega SI and as soon as we turn the LS on the fish will move. We move with them and the exact same thing happens. We are noticing this more frequently this year more than last, which was showing up more than the previous.
Interesting. So the liquid I see them spray on giant salvania doesn’t hurt hydrilla?I have a waterfront home on Toledo Bend, too. I guess that qualifies me to dispute your opinion.
I also worked for nearly 30 years for Wildlife and Fisheries as a fisheries biologist. That probably qualifies me more to dispute your opinion.
Part of my responsibility for most of those years was supervising the control of invasive aquatic plants in the Atchafalaya Basin, Lake Verret, Grassy Lake and Lake Palourde. Hydrilla was a big problem in those areas as it choked off bayous, canals and lakes to the point that it impeded or even prevented boat traffic. There was only one chemical available to control hydrilla in all of those years.
This chemical could not be delivered in a spray on the surface of the water. It was a slow release pellet that required 24 hours of contact time to be effective. In other words, if there was any current present it could not do it's job. One million dollars of this chemical was applied in Henderson Lake in an attempt to control hydrilla. Since there is a current in Henderson, this attempt failed. Another million dollars worth of this chemical was applied a second time in Henderson Lake and it failed again due to there being a current.
There is no chemical manufactured that can be sprayed on the surface of the water and kill hydrilla.
Not enough to kill a stand of hydrilla much less all the hydrilla in a 187,000 acre reservoir. It might burn the top at the surface but it will not kill down to the turions in the soil.Interesting. So the liquid I see them spray on giant salvania doesn’t hurt hydrilla?
Would you happen to know why there is no hydrilla in False river? I’ve assumed it’s the big wakes from the wake boats but I don’t know what I’m talking about.Not enough to kill a stand of hydrilla much less all the hydrilla in a 187,000 acre reservoir. It might burn the top at the surface but it will not kill down to the turions in the soil.
False River Aquatic Vegetation Control PlanWould you happen to know why there is no hydrilla in False river? I’ve assumed it’s the big wakes from the wake boats but I don’t know what I’m talking about.
False river got them grass carp…or so I’ve heard. Sanctioned or not.False River Aquatic Vegetation Control Plan
I am not personally familiar with False River but the management plan may explain some of the contributing factors. Sediment may be the main factor.
Grass carp in an enclosed system will definitely reduce hydrilla but, they will also reduce good native vegetation, also. They will not eat water hyacinth or salvinia.False river got them grass carp…
I sure thought we WERE talking about Hydrilla…Grass carp in an enclosed system will definitely reduce hydrilla but, they will also reduce good native vegetation, also. They will not eat water hyacinth or salvinia.
No?False River Aquatic Vegetation Control Plan
I am not personally familiar with False River but the management plan may explain some of the contributing factors. Sediment may be the main factor.
I guess I must not either…Would you happen to know why there is no hydrilla in False river? I’ve assumed it’s the big wakes from the wake boats but I don’t know what I’m talking about.
I can see that your mind is made up and there is no amount of discussion that is going to change it. So be it. I'm not wasting any more of my time.Let's see...Toledo was being taken over by salvinia, I have seen it from the air and it was BAD. There were a few attempts to control it, to no avail. All of a sudden the salvinia is gone and so is ALL of the hydrilla in the lake...We are from the Gov't. We are here to help you... The EXACT SAME CROOKS that cut timber on the lake so that a wealthy political donor could land his sea plane...Give me a BREAK!