tripletdad
Well-known member
TWRA stocking lakes with Florida bass
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 12:00am
Hopefully, some 875,000 Florida bass will be stocked into Chickamauga Lake to enhance the bass fishery, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
If I recall correctly, TWRA stocked Florida bass in Kentucky Lake a few years ago, however, nothing has been reported on the success of the stocking as yet.
The one thing biologists stress is the importance of limited aquatic vegetation in the success of the stocking program.
In other words such growth as milfoil, hydrilla, and weeds most anglers refer to as "snake weed".
TWRA last year initiated the five-year evaluation of stocking Florida bass in Chickamauga Reservoir and stocked 191,000 yearlings, one-to-three inches. This year's stocking has been completed and an additional 157,516 fingerlings were introduced to the reservoir.
TWRA furnished 117,516 fingerlings in 2001 and 40,000 more fish were purchased through a partnership with bass fishing clubs in the Chattanooga area.
Mike Jolley, TWRA Region lll Fisheries Biologist commented, "We will be monitoring survival and overall contribution of stocked fish over the five year study period."
Prior to the original stocking of the Florida largemouth bass in the spring of 2000, a small sample largemouth bass from Chickamauga was collected. Genetic studies were performed on this fish sample to determine the current genetic characteristics of the existing largemouth population in Chickamauga.
"With this information in hand, when the Florida largemouth start reproducing with the pre-stocking population, we will be able to tell the amount of integration that has taken place between the two populations," Jolley explained. The genetic testing will be performed on an annual basis on Chickamauga.
"The role aquatic vegetation plays in this mixture is most important," according to TWRA Chief of Fisheries, Bill Reeves. The largemouth bass population on Chickamauga Lake, as well as many other surrounding reservoirs, has seen a reduction in numbers compared to the years when milfoil was abundant in the various reservoirs. Milfoil disappeared from Chickamauga, as it did in Kentucky Lake. Chickamauga lost its milfoil in the late 1980's.
"Many years have gone by with no or minimal amounts of aquatic vegetation in Chickamauga. However, at present, several species of aquatic vegetation are making a fair comeback. This will be very beneficial to black bass populations and many other types of fish that inhabit Chickamauga. Hopefully, aquatic vegetation in Chickamauga will maintain a healthy level which provides a much-needed habitat for many fish," Jolley said.
With the same luck, Kentucky Lake will benefit from the stocking of Florida bass and the returning growth of milfoil and other aquatic vegetation.
TWRA biologists have been recently working with Chickamauga Lake stakeholders including bass fishermen, private dock owners, and marinas. "We are discussing alternative methods available for aquatic vegetation management on Chickamauga," according to TWRA Fisheries Habitat biologist, Kirk Miles.
One of the primary complaints from stakeholders involves the aquatic vegetation that tends to grow in shallow water and navigation access. Many homeowners with docks and commercial marinas are experiencing problems when traveling to and from their docks. The aquatic plants can become entangled in boat propellers and limit swimming in some areas.
"On the plus side, the aquatic vegetation provides oxygen and can filter the water by trapping sediment while providing cover, protection, and a source of food from insects and small fish that gather around aquatic vegetation. Stakeholders have three options presently. They can kill the plants using an herbicide, cut and remove the plants using a mechanical harvester, or cut the plants with a mechanical cutter, " Miles said.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and hopefully, these Florida-strain bass will grow into trophy largemouth that'll stretch a lot of angler
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 12:00am
Hopefully, some 875,000 Florida bass will be stocked into Chickamauga Lake to enhance the bass fishery, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
If I recall correctly, TWRA stocked Florida bass in Kentucky Lake a few years ago, however, nothing has been reported on the success of the stocking as yet.
The one thing biologists stress is the importance of limited aquatic vegetation in the success of the stocking program.
In other words such growth as milfoil, hydrilla, and weeds most anglers refer to as "snake weed".
TWRA last year initiated the five-year evaluation of stocking Florida bass in Chickamauga Reservoir and stocked 191,000 yearlings, one-to-three inches. This year's stocking has been completed and an additional 157,516 fingerlings were introduced to the reservoir.
TWRA furnished 117,516 fingerlings in 2001 and 40,000 more fish were purchased through a partnership with bass fishing clubs in the Chattanooga area.
Mike Jolley, TWRA Region lll Fisheries Biologist commented, "We will be monitoring survival and overall contribution of stocked fish over the five year study period."
Prior to the original stocking of the Florida largemouth bass in the spring of 2000, a small sample largemouth bass from Chickamauga was collected. Genetic studies were performed on this fish sample to determine the current genetic characteristics of the existing largemouth population in Chickamauga.
"With this information in hand, when the Florida largemouth start reproducing with the pre-stocking population, we will be able to tell the amount of integration that has taken place between the two populations," Jolley explained. The genetic testing will be performed on an annual basis on Chickamauga.
"The role aquatic vegetation plays in this mixture is most important," according to TWRA Chief of Fisheries, Bill Reeves. The largemouth bass population on Chickamauga Lake, as well as many other surrounding reservoirs, has seen a reduction in numbers compared to the years when milfoil was abundant in the various reservoirs. Milfoil disappeared from Chickamauga, as it did in Kentucky Lake. Chickamauga lost its milfoil in the late 1980's.
"Many years have gone by with no or minimal amounts of aquatic vegetation in Chickamauga. However, at present, several species of aquatic vegetation are making a fair comeback. This will be very beneficial to black bass populations and many other types of fish that inhabit Chickamauga. Hopefully, aquatic vegetation in Chickamauga will maintain a healthy level which provides a much-needed habitat for many fish," Jolley said.
With the same luck, Kentucky Lake will benefit from the stocking of Florida bass and the returning growth of milfoil and other aquatic vegetation.
TWRA biologists have been recently working with Chickamauga Lake stakeholders including bass fishermen, private dock owners, and marinas. "We are discussing alternative methods available for aquatic vegetation management on Chickamauga," according to TWRA Fisheries Habitat biologist, Kirk Miles.
One of the primary complaints from stakeholders involves the aquatic vegetation that tends to grow in shallow water and navigation access. Many homeowners with docks and commercial marinas are experiencing problems when traveling to and from their docks. The aquatic plants can become entangled in boat propellers and limit swimming in some areas.
"On the plus side, the aquatic vegetation provides oxygen and can filter the water by trapping sediment while providing cover, protection, and a source of food from insects and small fish that gather around aquatic vegetation. Stakeholders have three options presently. They can kill the plants using an herbicide, cut and remove the plants using a mechanical harvester, or cut the plants with a mechanical cutter, " Miles said.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and hopefully, these Florida-strain bass will grow into trophy largemouth that'll stretch a lot of angler
