07-06-2011, 07:03 PM
bigy -- using predators like tiger trout and cutthroat only work when they have a head start. Panguitch Lake and Strawberry both were treated with rotenone to remove as many fish as possible. After that, the lakes were stocked heavily to give the trout a headstart before the chubs. This gives the trout a chance to establish prior to the chubs, and get the pisciverous trout a chance to get large enough to start utilizing chubs effectively. Trout won't start to specifically prey on other fish until they reach about 24". They might opportunistically take other fish prior to reaching that size, but they won't switch to a strictly pisciverous diet until then.
If chubs are already established and high in numbers, then adding tiger trout won't put a dent in the chub numbers. Sure, you may end up with some big tiger trout, but the overall biomass will continue to be chubs.
As for chubs or rainbows being lazy eaters -- I'm not sure I follow you. Chubs are very efficient eaters. So are rainbows. Keep the two species separate, and both thrive.
One popular myth is that trout need chubs in order to get big. This is false. If Strawberry Reservoir had 0 chubs, you'd probably see larger rainbow trout -- 10+lb rainbow trout. Rainbow trout do not need to be pisciverous to get big.
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If chubs are already established and high in numbers, then adding tiger trout won't put a dent in the chub numbers. Sure, you may end up with some big tiger trout, but the overall biomass will continue to be chubs.
As for chubs or rainbows being lazy eaters -- I'm not sure I follow you. Chubs are very efficient eaters. So are rainbows. Keep the two species separate, and both thrive.
One popular myth is that trout need chubs in order to get big. This is false. If Strawberry Reservoir had 0 chubs, you'd probably see larger rainbow trout -- 10+lb rainbow trout. Rainbow trout do not need to be pisciverous to get big.
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