07-13-2004, 09:43 PM
I'll also wager heavily on the carp. With the numbers and size of the water, it would be impossible. But my main concern is the game fish. I don't think carp is an important forage since white bass is the main food there, but I'm worried that traps, gillnets, or other means of carp control might accidentally injure and kill numerous lmb, walleyes, cats, and white bass since they use the same areas and habitat as carp. In fact, I've often seen walleyes follow schools of carp around in the inlets. After a huge migration of giant carp upstream, a few days later the huge walleyes and bass follow and the both mill around for a bit before going back down to the lake. Thus, whatever mechanisms they utilize to trap the carp will also trap game fish.
Further, you have to keep in mind who is behind this. If these June sucker preservationists do succeed with carp removal, they may utilize extra funding for other radical ideas. For example, they may want to move on and eliminate largemouth, walleyes, and white bass so as to eliminate predation on the june suckers. I have mixed feelings about this. Although I don't particularly care for carp, I'm worried about the ramifications from this. Personally, I think they might as well leave things alone. Look at Kaysville pond for example. They wanted to make it better by dredging it deeper. Better for what, I ask. In my view, they drained the pond and killed all my 5-6lb lmb. Then they removed the rocks and reeds around the edge of the pond so as to prevent any future bedding areas for bass. Then they refilled the empty pond but the shoreline is now a steep clay bank. That pond is never going to recover. I wish they hadn't done anything to "improve" the place.
Besides, I personally don't buy into the idea that removing the carp will improve the fishery. The fishery is magnificent as is. Where else can you catch and release lmb that average 18 inches with some over 20"? And numbers too. You can land up to 30 bass a day at times. And tons of giant walleyes and catfish too. Not to mention white bass and crappies in the millions. I say why mess with a good thing. The ecosystem is fine as is. But I would advocate a restriction on the pumphouse. It drains the lake way too much in the summer for irrigation water that is often just wasted. There should be a strict cubic feet regulation on water removal for irrigation. This is my two cents.
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Further, you have to keep in mind who is behind this. If these June sucker preservationists do succeed with carp removal, they may utilize extra funding for other radical ideas. For example, they may want to move on and eliminate largemouth, walleyes, and white bass so as to eliminate predation on the june suckers. I have mixed feelings about this. Although I don't particularly care for carp, I'm worried about the ramifications from this. Personally, I think they might as well leave things alone. Look at Kaysville pond for example. They wanted to make it better by dredging it deeper. Better for what, I ask. In my view, they drained the pond and killed all my 5-6lb lmb. Then they removed the rocks and reeds around the edge of the pond so as to prevent any future bedding areas for bass. Then they refilled the empty pond but the shoreline is now a steep clay bank. That pond is never going to recover. I wish they hadn't done anything to "improve" the place.
Besides, I personally don't buy into the idea that removing the carp will improve the fishery. The fishery is magnificent as is. Where else can you catch and release lmb that average 18 inches with some over 20"? And numbers too. You can land up to 30 bass a day at times. And tons of giant walleyes and catfish too. Not to mention white bass and crappies in the millions. I say why mess with a good thing. The ecosystem is fine as is. But I would advocate a restriction on the pumphouse. It drains the lake way too much in the summer for irrigation water that is often just wasted. There should be a strict cubic feet regulation on water removal for irrigation. This is my two cents.
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