05/25 Strawberry Renegade

[wiperhunter2]

A lot of it has to do with the food chain.  Lots of "bitty bites"...for both kokes and 'bows.  When koke numbers are down there is even more invertebrate soup for the 'bows.  Lots of other aquatic life like crawdads and minnows too.  But the rainbows don't target the minnows as much as the cutts do, so they really don't compete with each other that much.  That's why DWR bumped up the cutt program in the first place...to munch the chubs if not to provide a good fishery.  Most of us who have caught both prefer bows to cutts...both for battle and table qualities.  

I suspect that an increase in bow plantings is at least partially to offset the lower numbers of kokes the past couple of years.  I know more than a few 'Berry fans who would rather catch a couple of hefty bows than a boatload of cutts.  And if the kokes are not numerous enough to kick out limits for everybody it's great to be able to do some hand to fin combat with a big bow or two.

I sure agree with your statements.