Fishing Forum

Was surfing at work tonight and came across this story with a photo of a smallmouth at Strawberry. I know this is old news but this the first photo I have seen and it is definitely at the Berry. The response from the dwr is also interesting.

John
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Strawberry Reservoir Smallmouth [/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]"My name is Matt. My friend Chris and I went to Strawberry with our float tubes this mourning (Aug 17, 2003). We got to the Soldier Creek side and were on the water at 6 am. As soon as Chris cleared the moss bed he started to cast a Jakes Spin-a-Lure. His 4th or 5th, cast fish on, but it wasn't the trout he thought it was. It was a 15 inch long 11 1/2 inch around smallmouth bass. After a day of catching a bunch of 21 1/2 inch cutts, a few small cuts and 1 big bow we went to show the DWR."[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]Here's a response from Roger Wilson, DWR's Strawberry project leader:[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]For your information, we attempted to locate smallmouth bass with electrofishing equipment last Thursday on Soldier Creek. We were unable to sample any bass, and it is evident that they are present in sufficiently low numbers to escape detection at this time. [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]This is the 4th reported catch of bass in the last 2 years, all on the Soldier Creek side. [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]We have been engaged in a smallmouth bass evaluation over the last several years. It is my opinion that smallmouth will not successfully reproduce in Strawberry because of the extensive starvation period (the cold water period during which bass will not feed <10*C), and the slow growth rate of young-of-the-year fish produced by natural reproduction. [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]The literature suggests that the young bass would have to reach a length of 8-9 cm to survive the first winter. Our growth predictions suggest that they would only reach about 4 cm, well below the necessary size. However, this evaluation is continuing, and we will make a more formal recommendation in the near future. The occurrence of smallmouth is not a great concern at this time. [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]My biggest concern is that anglers may illegally introduce a species that poses a serious threat to our sportfishery at Strawberry.[/size][/font]
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I had heard quite a few rumors about smallies being in there, this is the first "proof" I have seen. Maybe the DWR needs to emply Tomegun as their official small mouth locator![]
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I usually don't move over to Strawberry until the opening day of the elk hunt. We've fished as late as the saturday before Thanksgiving.
I would be in heaven when the smallmouth population starts to take off. My best guess would be 2006-2007 before we see any numbers.
I disagree with the biologists about survival. How do you explain the Canadian Shield Lakes and Minnesota/Great Lakes region.
Go bronzebacks go!
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I know we've had this conversation before, but....

Could smallies and the cutts co-exist since they are both aggresive predators?

Senkonate
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Isn't this old news? Didn't we see this exact picture last year?

Fishrmn

i have to say what frustrates me on this board lately is the pro bass fisherman supporting the illegally transported fish in our state.
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Enoch, thank goodness I'm an amatuer(in every sense).
I don't care much for the bucketheads either, but sometimes you just gotta make lemonade out of lemons.
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I disagree with the biologists about survival. How do you explain the Canadian Shield Lakes and Minnesota/Great Lakes region.
Go bronzebacks go! [/reply]
Boy you said a mouth full tGun! They also seem to forget that Smallies have done extremely well already in any of the cold water lakes in this and surround areas. Me thinks the experts need to update their reading material..
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The shield lakes and Minnesota aren't at 7,600 feet elevation. They aren't shaded by 9,000 foot peaks either.

I like lemonade as well as anyone, but since you almost can't get to Strawberry without driving by a fishin' hole with smallies in it, why can't the bucketheads leave Strawberry alone?


Fishrmn

I highly agree that the Berry would be best left alone but the fact remains that their there now and have been apparently for a few years...

However, I dont buy into, and I strongly doubt, whether elevation or shady peaks plays in as a factor whether smallies will survive in the Berry. Whats more, and as you stated, on the way to the Berry its general knowledge that one can drive past several lakes witch rest at altitude surrounded by mountain peaks that contain a well and thiving population of Smallies. Just one mans oppinion
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I didnt know we had pro bass fishermen on this board ? plus it seemed to me the posts made light of the situation and in no way supported the planting. Its one thing to support illegal stocking and its a different thing to make light of it after the fact. Ive seen this time and time again on this board people accusing people of supporting illegal activity when the post no way implied that. Its like you cant even joke around on this board or make a comment with out some one over zealous angler trying to be the hero. Lets not make accuasations unless we see some one doing something illegal or if they say they support something illegal, beyond that its just reading into there comments too much and you wanting to see something wrong with what they said. This is no way directed to one person either. I am completely against illegal planting, but its lame to see people on here act like there private investigators jumping on people and taking there posts out of context.
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Elevation, shady peaks, and cold water DO have influence on smallmouth in Strawberry. But, it's not the larger fish that have the trouble (obviously, look at the picture). It's the fry. Strawberry has a very short growing season for fry. The smallmouth fry will have a very, very, difficult time growing large enough to survive the winter (when the temp is too low for growth -- as mentioned by the DWR). Trout can handle it (sorry bass boys -- I guess trout are tougher!).

There have been smallmouth in the berry for a number of years now. They still are not showing up in the sampling in any kind of significant numbers. There is no reason to jump for joy, or worry about the sky falling. I don't see smallmouth reproducing, and creating a self-sustaining population in Strawberry.

So, those of you against the smallmouth, don't worry about them. Those of you that enjoy illegal introductions of fish, your beating your heads against a brick wall trying to plant smallmouth in the Berry. Stop it.
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Elevation has a major influence on smallmouth. When comparing the smallmouth fisheries of the great lakes region specifically Minnesota, we are talking about lakes at an elevation around 1300 feet. In lakes at this low of an elevation, water temperatures warm quicker in the summer months allowing fry a longer growing season which is critical. Water temperatures are critical for smallmouth. Reservoirs at lower elevations in Utah have been good smallmouth fisheries because they allow for longer growing seasons. The key is water temperature. During the summer months, smallmouth in northern lakes (lakes in the Great Lakes region)are usually found at water temperatures from 67º to 71ºF and seldom at temperatures above 80º. But smallmouth in southern reservoirs are often found at temperatures of 78º to 84º. This difference can be explained by the fact that the deeper, cooler water in the reservoirs lacks sufficient oxygen in summer.

Laboratory tests have shown that smallmouth prefer a temperature of about 82ºF. But most of these tests were conducted using juvenile smallmouth, whose temperature preference is considerably higher than that of the adults.

During the cold months, smallmouth activity drops off. In laboratory studies, smallmouth fed very little at temperatures below 50ºF and lay motionless on the bottom at temperatures below 40º. In their natural surroundings, smallmouth respond to temperature in much the same way.

In other words, at Strawberry, where temperatures stay below 50 for much of the year, the bass will not grow.
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Sorry but I dont by into the statement the Berry has to short a growth period to support smallies. MN. and lands north that contain a healthy population of smallies have more cold weather/frozen water periods, and for a far longer extent of time, than any part of Utah yet their smallies do just dandy, fry included.

Btw, chubs fair fine in the Berry. Are they tougher than Smallies too?
Perhaps we have a lame strain of smallies in Utah. JUST KIDDING!
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I don't know about anyone else, but I get on an icefishing website all the time. They don't ice fish any earlier around the great lakes than I do. And their season actually ends before ours.

Fishrmn

Let me first say that I am TOTALLY against illegal stocking. As I recall, the planting of smallmouth was part of the original restocking plan for Strawberry, after the most recent poisoning. It would be interesting to know, assuming my memory is correct, why they weren't put in there (unless it was a last-minute decision that they would not do well and/or perhaps worrying that they might become the problem, rather than the solution -- of keeping chub populations down).
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Kent,
I don't remember that they ever seriously considered smallies at the "Berry". They might have thought about it, but never planned on planting them. I used to keep the brochure that the DWR put out about the project. It only mentioned kokanee, Bear Lake cutthroats, and sterile rainbows. I always read it to mean that the rainbows would only be planted until the cutts had been able to become established.

Fishrmn

Coldfooter -- No one is talking about Latitude and Longitude. We're talking ELEVATION! Just some quick facts:

1. Elevation of Strawberry Reservior, Ut -- 7,800 ft. above sea level

2. Highest point in Minnesota: Eagle Mountain, 2,301 ft. above sea level

3. The Mean Elevation of the state of Minnesota is 1,200 feet above sea level.

4. Historical Lake Ice-Out dates for Minnesota: [url "http://climate.umn.edu/doc/ice_out/ice_out_historical.htm"]http://climate.umn.edu/doc/ice_out/ice_out_historical.htm[/url]

Looks like lots, and lots of April's to me....What is a typical ice-out date for Strawberry? second week in May?

"...[size 1]have more cold weather/frozen water periods, and for a far longer extent of time, than any part of Utah..."[/size]
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Let's get your facts straight, before you start making claims.
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Well since the smallmouth cant survive in strawberry, I guess I will have to put another livewell or two in my boat and start a spotted bass stocking program up there.
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[reply]Well since the smallmouth cant survive in strawberry, I guess I will have to put another livewell or two in my boat and start a spotted bass stocking program up there.[/reply]

As long as you're going to be that way about it, why not stripers?

You could save yourself and the state alot of money by fishing for bass where there are already bass, and staying away from the waters that have trout in them.

Fishrmn