04-08-2019, 08:10 PM
"Another wierd thing is we haven't caught a mudder yet. Not complaining, just surprised."
[#0000FF]The black bullhead population is cyclical in Utah Lake. While they are prolific and reproduce well, they are at both the top and bottom of the food chain. In years with a good white bass and carp spawn the predators feed heavily on the young of those species. If the carp and white bass do not fill the food chain then small bullheads make up the difference. See the attached pic of a walleye with a bullhead in its innards.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The white bass population is coming back after a few down years...of poor spawning and one year of winter kill in some shallow areas. During the lean times for whities, bullheads filled the gap and they may not show heavily again for a while.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]All species raid the balls of little black baby bullheads after the eggs hatch...including their own parents. It's a wonder any survive. And walleyes especially love the tasty and oil-rich bullies until they get more than about 6-8 inches.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF][/#0000FF]
[signature]
[#0000FF]The black bullhead population is cyclical in Utah Lake. While they are prolific and reproduce well, they are at both the top and bottom of the food chain. In years with a good white bass and carp spawn the predators feed heavily on the young of those species. If the carp and white bass do not fill the food chain then small bullheads make up the difference. See the attached pic of a walleye with a bullhead in its innards.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The white bass population is coming back after a few down years...of poor spawning and one year of winter kill in some shallow areas. During the lean times for whities, bullheads filled the gap and they may not show heavily again for a while.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]All species raid the balls of little black baby bullheads after the eggs hatch...including their own parents. It's a wonder any survive. And walleyes especially love the tasty and oil-rich bullies until they get more than about 6-8 inches.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF][/#0000FF]
[signature]