09-25-2010, 12:32 PM
"Glad to see yall thinnin out the whities too. Do you think we'll see any 14+ inch whities this year Pat?"
[cool][#0000ff]There are always some larger white bass in the lake...some up to about 16" this year. But they are the remnants of a year class that did not have great "recruitment" from their spawn, were heavily harvested over the past couple of years or have been decimated by natural predation and other factors. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The current dominant year class seems to be running about 10" to 12". There is hope that with good food and water conditions they might reach the 14" mark by next year. But by then there will be much fewer of them than the upcoming smaller year classes.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]It has been my experience that white bass in Utah Lake are much like other species in other lakes. The smaller fish tend to stay in larger schools...for protection...but the bigger fish are more likely to forage individually or in smaller groups. Catching one larger fish is no guarantee there will be more.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am no snob. I enjoy catching the heck out of them no matter what size. But I fondly remember the "olden days" when BIG whities (up to 18") were common and the average was well over 12 inches. Utah Lake is subject to a whole lot of ecological changes in any given year. Between water level fluctuations, good or bad spawn conditions, good or bad food resources, etc. we never know what to expect from any of the fish species. We just have to enjoy the good times and cry a lot when times are tough.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]By the way, a 28" kitty will weigh between 8.5 to 10 pounds if a healthy female. A male the same size will usually be about 7-8 pounds.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Pa might be a day or two before he chimes in. He had some "help" from a daughter who crashed his computer and he is getting it fixed. I am sure he will appreciate some on-the-water guidance in fishing the inside of the harbor. He has already admitted to liking the outside area and the bubbleup. [/#0000ff]
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]There are always some larger white bass in the lake...some up to about 16" this year. But they are the remnants of a year class that did not have great "recruitment" from their spawn, were heavily harvested over the past couple of years or have been decimated by natural predation and other factors. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The current dominant year class seems to be running about 10" to 12". There is hope that with good food and water conditions they might reach the 14" mark by next year. But by then there will be much fewer of them than the upcoming smaller year classes.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]It has been my experience that white bass in Utah Lake are much like other species in other lakes. The smaller fish tend to stay in larger schools...for protection...but the bigger fish are more likely to forage individually or in smaller groups. Catching one larger fish is no guarantee there will be more.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am no snob. I enjoy catching the heck out of them no matter what size. But I fondly remember the "olden days" when BIG whities (up to 18") were common and the average was well over 12 inches. Utah Lake is subject to a whole lot of ecological changes in any given year. Between water level fluctuations, good or bad spawn conditions, good or bad food resources, etc. we never know what to expect from any of the fish species. We just have to enjoy the good times and cry a lot when times are tough.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]By the way, a 28" kitty will weigh between 8.5 to 10 pounds if a healthy female. A male the same size will usually be about 7-8 pounds.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Pa might be a day or two before he chimes in. He had some "help" from a daughter who crashed his computer and he is getting it fixed. I am sure he will appreciate some on-the-water guidance in fishing the inside of the harbor. He has already admitted to liking the outside area and the bubbleup. [/#0000ff]
[signature]