I went to the DWR openhouse last night and apparently the graduations and all kept the rest of you away so I got full attention of the four DWR reps that came to listen to us. I want to express my appreciation to these gentlemen and their families for letting them come out into the field and find out our dreams and opinions for our fisheries. I know it is a sacrifice for them and I was happy to visit with them.
So what was my idea? How about white bass in Cutler? I think I got a 3/4 support rate with the suggestion but I'm afraid the boss wasn't very supportive of the idea because of the prolific nature of the WB they are concerned with them over populating and spreading but it sounds like they will study into this idea a bit. So what is your thoughts on white bass in Cutler let's hear your opinion. Thanks again guys. Later J
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You guys would love em for sure! However they can get out of control pretty quickly.....but they fight good, taste great, make excellent kitty bait and beat catching mudders all day. Although the Crappie, Bluegill and Bass might end up taking a dive. Even through the ice they can be pretty fun.
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I've thought about this myself. I definitely share some of the same concerns about their reproductive abilities, but they are a lot of fun to catch and are dang tasty. Cutler can be so fickle, it would be nice to have them for some more consistent action, though hopefully they wouldn't affect the largemouth, smallmouth and walleye in there. I guess I'm on the fence on this one.
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Hey ETDT I sure think they sound like a great fit for Cutler but they are pretty similar to the crappie and I'm sure they will compete with them but the crappie have not taken hold like they should to the point where you have a big population. It would be nice to get a fish that could fill the open spots in the reservoir. There is lots of seaweed and bugs all over and not that many fish to eat'em all so it would be great to get some open lake cruisers plus the fathead minnows seem to be pretty prolific and I'm sure they will help support the population plus the cats and walleye's should help keep the WB population in check. Sounds good on paper to me. I hope it can work out. Thanks for your comments. J
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The thing with the large and small mouth bass out there is they are so spotty and in such small numbers that it just isn't a good L&S mouth bass fisherie. You get some great fish at times but I've never seen it good or consistent fishing for them and I think it would be worth a little competition for them since they seem to be so structure limited on Cutler I believe they will hold their own and who knows maybe the white bass minnows will help the larger bass do better. I know change is always a concern but I really believe Cutler can be a much better fisherie than it has been in the past and with the fluctuating water levels and shallowness I think looking at new varieties that could do well there might be well worth it. Just my dream for my hometown water. I may be way off on this since I've never seen anything in Cutler get to an over population even the carp seem to stay fat and happy. Thanks for your comments they are very valid concerns and trade offs will likely need to happen if this did progress past a dream stage. Maybe you guys that are good bass fishermen will have a different thought of Cutlers bass situation but for me bass are occasional fish on Cutler not a main stay. Catch ya later J
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And then they end up in Willard Bay Reservoir and that ends the Wiper fishery.
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I haven't fished it enough to say for sure. I lack a boat or canoe so it's hard to find good access there. I do know there are some really nice, quality bass in there, it's just a matter of finding them. I have some ideas on where and how to catch them, I just haven't had the chance to try them out. Then again, there are so many good bass waters in Idaho that I fish, it might be fun to have something a little different nearby. Too bad they can't send some wipers our way. Since they're sterile there wouldn't be the worry about overpopulation.
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[quote gstott]Too bad they can't send some wipers our way. Since they're sterile there wouldn't be the worry about overpopulation.[/quote]
I guess it depends on how proficient they get at producing Wipers.
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Yeah, I hope they get consistent with it so they can spread them around a little more. Willard isn't too far of a drive for me, but I don't like dealing with the power squad and crowds. Cutler is about five minutes down the road, so that would be awesome if they were planted there.
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It would require a bucket or bird transfer (which could happen as easily right now), I dont think the Bear flows into Willard does it? It could result in them moving downstream to the bird refuge. But I think the Bear goes into the Salt Lake from there. If the waters do mix that could be a stopper for the idea. I'm hoping they don't mix. Thanks J
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I asked the same question about wiper for Cutler and they told me Cutler is too shallow for them. They did say that Cutler is on the list for tiger muskies after they get PV and Newton to their desired levels. But I like that idea if it were feasible. Later J
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Sounds like they are still working on a good process to get wipers and not having the success they would like to yet. I wish them tons of luck I'd love to see more around. Later J
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WB and Wipers coexist throughout the Southwest. All waters in Oklahoma and Texas that have Wipers will have WB ( sand bass) and a lot of the time there will be Stripers also. The limiting factor is forage, as always for most warm water game fish. Without a forage base, they will not do well. Willard has Gizzard Shad, so there is a base for the rest of the game fish. Cutler does not have a prolific forage fish, an overabundance of small crappie that are utilized by the channel cats, but would not be a good forage for WB or Wipers. Hence the plan to put Tiger Muskie in. TM's love small crappie and would crop off the small stunted ones, benefiting everyone. WB are a bad idea !!!
Curious. Too shallow for Wipers, but not for White Bass? I would think that if depth were a limiting factor for Wipers that it would limit Whities too.
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I don't know enough to say but they didn't mention that as a concern. Later J
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[quote Fishrmn]Curious. Too shallow for Wipers, but not for White Bass? I would think that if depth were a limiting factor for Wipers that it would limit Whities too.[/quote]
It may have to do with winter kill. If there is a bad winter that killed most of them the white bass could build their numbers on their own to where wipers would just be money lost. Another thought is that wipers are only half white bass and the striper half wouldn't thrive in that kind of enviroment.
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Quote:. Without a forage base, they will not do well.
I don't know how fatheads stack up to shad but there are tons of them in Cutler whereas I sure don't see an overabundance of crappie minnows. Maybe carp minnows and mudcat minnows and a fair amount of sunfish minnows but I've never seen more than a few crappie minnows at a time. I wish there was a chance of overpopulation then I wouldn't be looking for another mid range fish. So does Utah lake have Shad? What is it's base fish that the WB live on? I think except for June suckers cutler is very similar to Utah lake and from what I'm hearing Utah lake is a great fisherie and I believe Cutler would be the same. I don't see the logic of wanting more elusive predators that can hide miles away from where anyone will be able to find them. When tigers are put in they will be for carp control they won't be a common fish to catch because you won't be able to find them unless you luck onto one by chance.They will probably be monsters when you do find one. Anyway if you knew Cutler reservoir at all I think you would have a different opinion on the WB. But then again if I knew WB better maybe I wouldn't want them. So I guess I shouldn't campaign so hard. Thanks for your thoughts. J
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How would having tiger muskies benefit the crappies there? Hardly catch them as it is... I think this idea is bad! Newton was a good reservoir for panfish till they introduced tiger muskies, now you hardly catch anything and if you do catch something its either got a chunk missing out of it or the tiger muskies come eat your catch.
Cutler is it's own sustaining place, its just harder to fish. They should leave it alone before they mess it up!
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White bass in there would be good but bad idea. Think of how many rivers and streams join into it. Once white bass get a hold and are prolific as they are in utah lake, I think they'll start swimming into the rivers and streams getting into places such as the bear river, the narrows up north, etc.
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Have the WB got into the Provo river and caused bad problems with that river? I think we have some very similar situations and I don't know these answers but I believe our managers have seen these situations before and can do a cost verses benefit analaysis and decide. I know there are some costs but I believe the overall benefit is greater than the costs. But I also realize a benefit to one may be a cost to another and that's why it's not fair for either the trout guy or the bass guy to make that decision it needs to be someone that sees both sides. I really hope it will work out but I know not everyone will. Later J
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