01-02-2008, 07:37 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I have seen the charts, graphs and diagrams DWR uses for their Strawberry success story presentation. Pretty impressive. Definitely supports the slot as a solution to the previous overpopulation of shiners and chubs. Also shows that the minnows have been just about decimated by the cutts and that the abundance of high protein cutt chow might be on the downslide.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Those big cutts...the ones over 23 inches...do not rely on the little chubs and shiners any more. They dine on BIG chubs...up to 10 or 11 inches. They also appreciate the small kokes and bows served up by DWR. Lots of the little tykes do not live long after the hatchery truck leaves them to fend for themselves.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One statistic that will bear watching is the declining chub population. Redside shiners are almost extinct in Strawberry already. They no longer show up in the annual netting surveys. And, there are no longer any small chubs showing up. Only bigger ones. It almost looks like the same thing is happening in Strawberry...with the cutts...as happened in Starvation with the walleyes, smallies and perch. The larger chubs spawn each spring, but very few of the fry ever survive to become adult spawners themselves. The smaller cutts eat the smaller chubs. The upper slot cutts eat chubs up to 7 inches and the big cutts eat anything that won't eat them first. They have been caught with fairly large trout in their gullets.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The true story will emerge during the next twelve months or so. If the chubs and shiners are really in trouble, and the cutts will not adapt to an invertebrate (crawdad) diet, we might see a reversal of the fast growth cycle and large numbers of big fat cutts. We might be seeing more smaller and skinnier fish. Hope not. DWR will have to step up their cutt feeding program (kokes and bows).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Those big cutts...the ones over 23 inches...do not rely on the little chubs and shiners any more. They dine on BIG chubs...up to 10 or 11 inches. They also appreciate the small kokes and bows served up by DWR. Lots of the little tykes do not live long after the hatchery truck leaves them to fend for themselves.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One statistic that will bear watching is the declining chub population. Redside shiners are almost extinct in Strawberry already. They no longer show up in the annual netting surveys. And, there are no longer any small chubs showing up. Only bigger ones. It almost looks like the same thing is happening in Strawberry...with the cutts...as happened in Starvation with the walleyes, smallies and perch. The larger chubs spawn each spring, but very few of the fry ever survive to become adult spawners themselves. The smaller cutts eat the smaller chubs. The upper slot cutts eat chubs up to 7 inches and the big cutts eat anything that won't eat them first. They have been caught with fairly large trout in their gullets.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The true story will emerge during the next twelve months or so. If the chubs and shiners are really in trouble, and the cutts will not adapt to an invertebrate (crawdad) diet, we might see a reversal of the fast growth cycle and large numbers of big fat cutts. We might be seeing more smaller and skinnier fish. Hope not. DWR will have to step up their cutt feeding program (kokes and bows).[/#0000ff]
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