04-02-2014, 06:44 PM
[quote wormandbobber]You are implying that carp are the limiting factor for perch….in truth, though, the limiting factor for perch is habitat. As the reservoir levels fluctuate and change, so does the habitat for perch and perch fry. IF that habitat is above the water and high-n-dry, you will not get good perch recruitment….that's the problem at Yuba.
Also, though perch eggs may be eaten by carp, perch fry probably are very rarely used as a food source for carp. Remember also, that those same carp could be mowing down the pike eggs and fry….but the pike seem to be doing just fine. So, what's the difference? It is lack of cover to escape predation by pike and walleye…
Also, pike will never control the carp population…carp are "ignored" because they are going to lay a gazillion eggs and avoid predation. Their numbers will explode with or without a high trophy pike population.[/quote]
[#0000FF]The carp in Yuba are definitely piscivorous...and they feed heavily on baby perch...from newly hatched to several inches. They are one of the key factors in the problems of perch making any kind of comeback. Due to lack of suitable spawning habitat and/or nursery structure for perch, the perch only get a decent spawn in years when water levels are high. But whenever there are large numbers of perch fry you can see groups of carp chasing them into the shallows and mopping them up. And any lure that remotely resembles a baby perch catches carp.
The above is taken from personal observation and input from other anglers...not from a nebulous report from another state.
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Also, though perch eggs may be eaten by carp, perch fry probably are very rarely used as a food source for carp. Remember also, that those same carp could be mowing down the pike eggs and fry….but the pike seem to be doing just fine. So, what's the difference? It is lack of cover to escape predation by pike and walleye…
Also, pike will never control the carp population…carp are "ignored" because they are going to lay a gazillion eggs and avoid predation. Their numbers will explode with or without a high trophy pike population.[/quote]
[#0000FF]The carp in Yuba are definitely piscivorous...and they feed heavily on baby perch...from newly hatched to several inches. They are one of the key factors in the problems of perch making any kind of comeback. Due to lack of suitable spawning habitat and/or nursery structure for perch, the perch only get a decent spawn in years when water levels are high. But whenever there are large numbers of perch fry you can see groups of carp chasing them into the shallows and mopping them up. And any lure that remotely resembles a baby perch catches carp.
The above is taken from personal observation and input from other anglers...not from a nebulous report from another state.
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