Wiper Boils?

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]In the wiper heydays...up until about 4 or 5 years ago, there were a half million wipers planted annually and the shad maintained a good population too. Wipers were plentiful and healthy. A six fish limit was working...still plenty of fish and larger numbers leaving the lake with those who keep them.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]But when DWR took a shot at producing their own wipers...with white bass from Utah Lake and stripers from Lake Powell...it was found that there were a lot of variables that could result in weaker fry and a poorer survival rate. Plantings of the same number of fry...a higher percentage which did not survive...resulted in lower wiper numbers. And they are still trying to work out the right balance of sac fry and fingerling plants to achieve the numbers of survivors they want.
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[#0000FF]Two years ago shad numbers were low...due to spawning problems in lower water. And the still abundant wipers and walleyes pretty much cleaned up the majority of the shad by fall. A lean winter and a long hungry spring resulted in some skinny predators. Then last year the shad exploded and the lower numbers of predators had all the food they needed and fishing was poorer. Ditto for this year.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Dropping the daily limit of wipers by one fish is not likely to produce any noticeable effect. We just need more surviving planted wipers to catch up to the shad population.
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