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I'm part of a committee planning for the future of Lake Powell fishing -- post mussel infestation.
As a representative of sportsman, I'd like to hear what you who fish Lake Powell like now and would like in the future from Lake Powell fishing.
I'd appreciate comments from casual users and Lake Powell regulars.
TIA!
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I'd love to see some really healthy populations of panfish.
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I like the fishing for Lg and Small mouth Bass, and pan fish, especially Crappie.
I personally don't target the Stripers, and would like to see their numbers kept to a minimum if there is any feasible way of doing that.
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I have been fishing there at least 3 times a year for the last 15 years. I think it's one of, if not the best fishery in Utah. I don't know what type of info you are looking for, but other than the boom and bust cycle of the shad, I think it's managed well now. The shad determine the condition of the fish in the whole lake. My understanding on the shad spawn has to do with the changing water levels, and the cover for young which is pretty much out of any ones hands.
I am not sure what impact the mussels will have on the fishing, I hope not much. The great lakes have survived the mussels, I sure hope Powell does as well.
While it has nothing to do with fish management a real concern to me is the possibility of spreading them to other Utah lakes. With all the boaters that use Powell and then other waters we will be lucky to not get the whole state infested in a short time. On Waynes Words today he stated that they are from Waheep to
Dangling Rope and beyond. Not good.
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I for one would love to see the panfish and walleye thrive! Seems like a lot of lake for the division to have any control of however. Any info if they intend to plant red ears in it to control the mussels?
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As part of the same group, a bit more information may be useful. According to Wayne Gustaveson, the Lake Powell Project manager, the impact from infestation of Zebra/Quagga mussels will most likely be felt within 5 years. The purpose of this group is to come up with a management plan that will try and anticipate the impact of the mussels and maintain the fishery.
There are lots of stakeholders involved, lots of interests that have to be dealt with. All of these will have to be taken into consideration and their interests protected.
By far the most interesting thing that came out of this first meeting is the impact that fish migrating upstream from Powell are having as far upstream as Grand Junction. Pretty much every game fish found in Powell is found in the Colorado, Green, and San Juan, in numbers sufficient to impact the recovery process.
So, let us know, let DWR know, what you would like to see happen !!!
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The truly unique fishing aspect of Lake Powell are the stripers. Every other fish can be found in other waters in Utah. Stripers cannot.
unfortunately, threadfin shad are going to be the fish that suffer the most from mussels. Threadfin are doomed. With this loss of threadfin, stripers will be the next species to suffer. I hate to see that. I don't know how you fix it.
The good news is that panfish may actually benefit and you may end up with a world class bluegill fishery.
I just hate to see that unique striper fishery go away.
I think red-ear's should be introduced. The Park Service will fight that, but they really don't have much ground to stand on. I think we'll eventually see red-ear's.
I'm sure more will come from the group. Keep it up.
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[quote PBH]
I think red-ear's should be introduced. The Park Service will fight that, but they really don't have much ground to stand on. I think we'll eventually see red-ear's.
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+1 on this. While it is true they won't eliminate them from the lake, they are demonstrated to reduce the damage the mussels cause once they are established. They are another nice sport fish in their own right as well.
I follow you on why you think the threadfins will suffer, (mussels will filter feed the zooplankton the threadfins depend on) but do you know if this dire of a prediction has been borne out in what has happened in infested lower basin lakes like Lake Mead?
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Does anybody know what impact will the mussels have on the gizzard shad?
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Live to hunt----- Hunt to live.
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Redear's certainly are in the discussion mix. And yes, there will be those who resist but that resistance may not be the final say. In the meantime, it is critical they NOT be introduced illegally or the DNR has to treat them as such instead of as beneficial part of a new reality.
The Striper fishing is a huge questionmark going forward but I can guarantee Striper fishermen they have a STRONG advocate in the discussion group (namely, me!). One clear consensus is to maintain the current fishing experience as long as possible. And it will probably be possible for at least the next 5-7 years.
The effect on Gizzard shad from mussels is less certain. They are expected to fare better than the Threadfin.
Walleyes are switching to a Gizzard shad diet. Studies from the Great Lakes show a potential for Walleye to flourish in the new environment.
Part of my personal fishing plan for Lake Powell is to become a better Walleye fisherman down there.
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I would like to see the redears. Especially if they can help control the mussels. I need to spend more time down there. It is a great fishery and I hope that the ideas will come forth to keep it that way.
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[quote a_bow_nut]Does anybody know what impact will the mussels have on the gizzard shad?[/quote]
Threadfin rely completely on zooplankton, which mussels will certainly outcompete the threadfin for.
Adult gizzard shad can utilize other food sources - they are omnivorous. This gives them an advantage over the threadfin. They'll still compete with mussels as juveniles, but have other options as they grow (if they can!). It won't be easy for them.
Lake Havasu recently produced a 40 pound striped bass. The difference down there is the forage base. Anybody know what that is?
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There are threadfin through out the whole chain. In additon to the Threadfin, Stripers also seem to use carp. Stocked trout are also a favorite.
The impact of the mussels will be directly at the base of the food web( it's web now instead of a food chain), impacting the phytoplankton that the zooplankton use. It was reported that a single mussel will filter 1 liter of water per day. Not that much you say, times say a billion individuals, so the impact is horrendous
Now you all can see why we need to minimize the spread of thse critters and work with the agencies to do so.
Do some research and come up with some ideas that we can take to the next mtg., don't be afraid that it sounds lame or weird, it just might be the solution !!
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I've read several posts where catfish also consumed the mussels... Is there any validity to this claim?
Personally, I see this as a biological threat and nuisance and as such will only be controlled with biological means. If the red ear is voracious mussel eater, then by all means get approval and plant the buggers. The question I have is in regards to their tolerance to cold temperature? What is the range that they can handle?
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Yes there is a potential that channel catfish will feast on the critters. Other catfish species do.
One note about the mussel-eating fish. None of them have the potential to eliminate or even drastically reduce the impact of mussels on the lake as a whole.
What they can do is provide an alternate thread in the food web for game fish.
We all need to be vigilant to prevent the spread -- particularly with Deer Creek on the naughty list (which means Utah Lake will also soon be on the naughty list).
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I guess my question is in regards to red ear's.
Havasu doesn't seem to have nearly the population of mussels as Mead does. The Red Ear is firmly established in Havasu, are they in Mead as well?
Or Is that because the water doesn't fluctuate as drastically in Havasu and most people can't observe the mussels? Or is it because of the Red Ears? I'd like to think it's because of the Red Ears but that might be wishful thinking.
Either way catching a 5lb "bluegill" would be an absolute hoot!
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Having lived in Kentucky for 10 years, Readears (or Shell-Crackers as they call them in the South) are a BLAST to catch! They are like bluegill on steroids! They can tolerate cold water stretches, like the ones seen in Kentucky during the winters. I'm sure they won't have a huge impact on these zebra muscles, but every little bit helps...especially if the threadfin population is going to be at risk. It will give those predatory fish something else to munch on! Unfortunately it sounds like the muscles are there to stay, no matter what we do...I say plant the shellcrackers and see how things go, but definitely keep the stripers in there...that's what LP is known for!
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We don't have red-ears in Mead. I would love it if they stocked Mead and Powell both with red-ear.
Unfortunately, as was stated, red-ears can't do much to diminish the mussel population, but they grow awfully fat eating the mussels, so you might as well make a fishery out of it. The food is there for them, and they would thrive in Lake Powell.
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Sounds like even if redears aren't going to fix the entire problem on their own, they would be an excellent addition for a number of reasons. I haven't seen any cons yet...
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[quote TheWhizzle]We don't have red-ears in Mead. I would love it if they stocked Mead and Powell both with red-ear.
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Mead has had mussels in it longer than Powell has, thus can possibly help us "see ahead" for what we can expect up in Powell.
What effect have you seen the mussels have on the threadfin shad population and the stripers? I also understand that gizzard shad have become established down there as well.
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