Poll: Top Negative Impacts to Area Fishing

[DHaun]

This is not a poll to vote on. This is one where you voice an opinion. I have learned a lot reading conservational topics on CFF and hope others have been educated as well. Out of all the topics I have seen, I am curious as to how CFF members would rank them in order of importance. We can try to prevent them all, but I am sure some impacts are more important to be concerned with than others.

So, what issues do you think rank as the top negative impacts to area fishing and in which order? I really have little knowledge as to which have the largest impacts but understand that some can be interrelated. I also understand the importance of these issues may vary based on what species you target and whether quantity or quality is desired so please respond based on your generic perception of a basic good day of fishing. Anyway, here is my shot at it - ranking the largest potential negative impacts first.

I hope to learn something from other opinions on this. There may be one primary concern that evolves from this topic so please feel free to add any other issues I may have missed. Thanks!

1. Water Pollution
2. Poaching and over-harvesting
3. Environmental affects on temperature and oxygen due to man-made facilities
4. Water level fluctuations affecting spawn and recruitment
5. Grass Eradication
6. Fishing Pressure and Livewell mortality rates
7. Species inbalances causing competition for food & habitat

 

[DoubleB]

My wife....

Oh, you meant things that impact ALL fishermen....emoCool emoCool emoCool

I think Grass eradication had the biggest impact on our waters, now that seems to have been curbed. Now my concerns are more with # 7 and 2.

 

[TennesseeTalker]

Reminder that the River clean up weekend is coming up.  Chattanooga Times Free Press has an article about it today.  We should go if we aren't fishing or working!!!! 

Double .. are you still SF?

TT

 

[Dropshot]

I think fishing pressure is a huge issue and definitely a negative impact. Last fall, and up to six weeks ago, I would hardly see anyone fishing certain areas of the river, and quality fish were very plentiful (and rewarding at tournament time). I worked dilligently to find these areas with a top-notch sonar, a good map, some local expertise, and some time. Just in the past several weeks after several people posted the exact location of where they had "found" fish, you cannot fish this area without at least 2 or 3 boats on top of you. I know one of the people and the only reason they knew where the fish were was because they had seen me disecting this area for several hours both pre-fishing and during a club tournament. The fishing has definitely declined in this area. I hate to say it, but it makes me hope I do not hook a large fish while someone is flying by you or they will notice you are in a good spot. I always hear it said that no one person owns the river, but at times it discourages me from asking people to fish because I know how word spreads and a community fishing hole can be formed. Sometimes, depending on where it is, the area is not hurt. Other times it can really kill the fishing.

I am the first guy to say how much I love the fishing reports, but when you start disclosing explicit locations, especially when you got the location from an acquaintance, is not the proper way to post.

 

[DoubleB]

TennesseeTalker - 10/3/2007 3:02 PM

Reminder that the River clean up weekend is coming up. Chattanooga Times Free Press has an article about it today. We should go if we aren't fishing or working!!!!

Double .. are you still SF?

TT

SF?

 

[mossyjaw]

I believe grass eradication has had a profound negative effect on fishing on the Chick. I was fishing a lot when there was plenty of grass and it provided everything Bass needed ie shade, baitfish, cover and i would personally catch and release 40-50 bass during a good day. I became disillutioned and stopped fishing for a few years and now a good day is 6-8 bass and not as good quality as before the grass kill. I realize catching fish has a lot to do with the skill level of the fisherman and the frequency of the fishing trips but I see a big difference between then and now. I think the quality and size of the fish on Nick and Gun also prove this out.
Water level fluctuations also have a negative effect on fishing but that will always be with us and we can only "deal with it"

 

[Fishheadspin]

here is a thought to ponder. it goes right along with fishing pressure, but fisherman are better than they ever were and with more fishermen, the fishing is suffering. 5-7 years ago there were a handful of guys that hump fished regularly. Now, in harrison bay in june, you can walk across the lake and not get your feet wet, day or night. Fisherman are getting better and smarter.

But if i was a betting man, i would lay my money on the fish. they are still smarter than we are. we can go and figure out how to catch them pretty good maybe 1 day of week but the fish will figure out how not to get caught the other 6 days.

 

[flip1up]

I think that fishing pressure has the biggest impact.

 

[SpurHunter]

I am going to say, Livewell mortality rates as the biggest concern for bass.</p>

Just today I was tlking to a guy that camps alot at Harrison Bay during the summer months, and he said you can count on scooping up 3-6 good bass the morning after a TX weigh-in over there. Says you just walk around the banks, and you will see them swimming in circles.

 I guess the catfish and turtles eat good?? </p>

As far as catfish, I would say commercial harvest, although I understand lots of species are negativly affected by the nets.

</p>

 

[DHaun]

Dropshot - 10/3/2007 3:07 PM

I think fishing pressure is a huge issue and definitely a negative impact. Last fall, and up to six weeks ago, I would hardly see anyone fishing certain areas of the river, and quality fish were very plentiful (and rewarding at tournament time). I worked dilligently to find these areas with a top-notch sonar, a good map, some local expertise, and some time. Just in the past several weeks after several people posted the exact location of where they had "found" fish, you cannot fish this area without at least 2 or 3 boats on top of you. I know one of the people and the only reason they knew where the fish were was because they had seen me disecting this area for several hours both pre-fishing and during a club tournament. The fishing has definitely declined in this area. I hate to say it, but it makes me hope I do not hook a large fish while someone is flying by you or they will notice you are in a good spot. I always hear it said that no one person owns the river, but at times it discourages me from asking people to fish because I know how word spreads and a community fishing hole can be formed. Sometimes, depending on where it is, the area is not hurt. Other times it can really kill the fishing.

I am the first guy to say how much I love the fishing reports, but when you start disclosing explicit locations, especially when you got the location from an acquaintance, is not the proper way to post.

You make a good point Dropshot. Fsihing pressure has been a concern of mine too, but I'm not sure if fishing has declined for everyone or that average tournament weights have been affected. I am curious as to whether average Tx weights have increased or decreased over the last 5 years.

I have had a very good season of Bass fishing myself, better than when I bass fished the same spots years ago, but I have also been affected by exact locations posted online. One angler's perceived "community" hole might be someone else's secret depending on where the fish are moving and its always dissapointing to drive 20 miles to find 3 boats already on your favorite spot.

In my opinion, reports should only contain generic patterns, lures, temps, depths, with cropped pics and only general locations. I have never had any complaints, but I will gladly edit any report posted where an angler believes a fishing hole has been compromised. I have always hoped that the conservational messages and other positive affects of CFF would outweigh any potential negative impacts.

The day I am convinced CFF is having a negative impact to area fishing I will either make reports private to certain report contributors or just close the site. However, I believe there are no secrets on the water. Several times I have been seen catching fish and had other boats move in casting at my boat and then sitting there the next day. That relates back to fishing pressure but that only affected me and where I wanted to fish one day rather than the health of the overall fishery over an extended period.

 

[Guest]

No 4 (water level) is the biggest limiter of fish
No 1 (and somewhat No 3 as they are sort of related) have an affect, but much smaller than No 4.
Everything is incrementally smaller affect than what I listed above.

 

[drumking]

Water fluctations during spring when fish are spawning have the greatest impact, I believe. Sometimes, crappie recruitment is ruined because TVA begins to raise the water after crappie have spawned and before the eggs hatch or we get a monsoon rain that fills the lake and then TVA quickly lowers it. Not all crappie spawn at the same time, so even though one area might be affected, other parts of the lake might not be affected as much.

The best thing that could happen for all our fishing is for TVA to raise the lake to summer level beginning in March and have it full by the 15th.

Fishing pressure comes and goes. Fish neither move constantly or consistently. You may be tearing them up this week, and not able to get a bite using the same technique next week. Especially bass. Not that many people keep bass anyway, so unless mortality is a greater factor than we believe, then I can't see us hurting the bass any. TWRA would lower the limits if that were the case. There really aren't any "secret" holes out there. Fish move. Deal with it.

Better electronics, better mapping, better studying make better fishermen. But I will leave you with some food for thought. This is a principle that works in every aspect of life. Try to keep something, (being selfish) and you will lose it. Lose it (by sharing with others) and you will find more than you can ever hope for. emoGeezer

 

[Dropshot]

David,

Do not get me wrong. I do not think the forum has a negative impact. If I thought that I would not visit and utilize it. It is the best thing to happen to the fishing community in my thirty some-odd years.

 

[Fishin Fool]

Going back 30 years I would say the number one issue was #5, the killing of all the weeds and grass in the lake. I fished it a lot back then and I know what it was like. We all are in shock when someone reports a 100 bass day but back then they were common. My arm would be aching many a night from catching fish after fish. I never realized that it could change so quickly but it did. In two summers it went from weeds and grass with tons of fish, to a desert. I know some many disagree and say the grass and weeds simply attracted fish and made they easier to catch but if that is the case, with the weeds coming back where are the 100 fish days? Any time a chemical with long term effects and unpredictable effects is put into a lake/river system I think you are playing with fire and that particular one burned the Chick up.

Number 2 on my list would be reason #6, fishing pressure and mortality. I'll not go into all the reasons as I have laid them out numerous times on the forum, but it is getting crazy out there. I am like Dropshot in many ways. I fished areas here since I was 7 years old, and even into last year there were spots that I would go and rarely, if ever see, a boat. All that has changed now and I don't think it is just because people want to fish. I think it is something more, and the dollar and competition is driving it. Enough said. If you have read my posts in the past you know where I am going anyway.

Number 3 on my list would be reason #4, water levels. I agree with Drumking on this one. Way too much hanky panky going on with TVA and water levels to have a successful "above average" spawn. I've been to spots that one day would have spawners in it with 2 feet of water and come back in 3 days to find it bone dry, or in the other extreme, covered with a flood of water 5 or 6 feet deep. I'll bet 50% of our spawn is lost this way.

Finally, number 4 on my list would have to be #2, poaching and keeping over the creel limits. This year alone I witnessed guys filling 5 gallon cans with bass, bream, shellie and cats, any size and any weight. I informed TWRA about it and sent Matt Majors a PM here but honestly those guys are so overwhelmed I don't see how they can be effective. Many of the folks that are filling buckets and bags are not from this country (I don't want to get that debate started but it is true and has to be addressed) and have no idea of the laws. Even if they did I doubt they would obey them, because they see no reason for them. I dare say that half of the people you see fishing from the ramps and docks have any idea of creel limits or size limits. Add to that the commercial equation and you could have a real problem brewing. CFF members are some of the most educated conservation minded folks around, simply because we talk issues all the time and make everyone aware. Sadly it's just not that way for the majority of folks that are "meat" fishing.

 

[DHaun]

Dropshot - 10/3/2007 9:31 PM

David,

Do not get me wrong. I do not think the forum has a negative impact. If I thought that I would not visit and utilize it. It is the best thing to happen to the fishing community in my thirty some-odd years.

Understood Dropshot - Thanks for the encouraging words. I was just using my response to your post to make a point of my own and to address concerns that others may have. I was actually discussing this the past 2 nights fishing so its fresh on my mind. I know that CFF definitely adds to the education of anglers which can increase fishing pressure on certain areas of the river, but it also educates to conserve those resources. I have to be conscientious of that to ensure a proper direction of the site as its audience increases. The last thing I want is for a post on CFF to ever make anyone's fishing trip a bad experience and I am always willing to consider changes in the future to help prevent that from happening.

 

[SpurHunter]

David, thanks for the post, and your thoughtfull first response to Dropshot. It really makes me think. You are wise beyond your years, and your a true conservationist! Even if you do throw all those tasty spaaaats back!</p>

EAT MORE SPOTS</p>

 

[BigFishGuide]

Dhaun,

I've had the same thing happen to me with various fishermen reading reports and looking at photo's. I've almost quit posting for this very reason of being followed around and my fishing holes over pressured. Fishermen that you actually know come and fish around you and I've had to ask them to leave and they would actually get mad at me for asking them to leave. I would never come in on someone that was fishing or cut in on someone working a bank line. Most of my photos if I do report will have the bottom of the boat as the back drop from now on and everyone knows my lure of choice. Sorry for straying off the topic here's my picks.


1. Water Pollution ( Moccassin Bend Sewage)
2. Poaching or Overharvesting (sauger slot limit ???)
3. Water Levels (bedding bass)
4. Fishing Pressure (livewell mort.)
5. Enviromental affects (warmer water )
6. Grass Eradication (Cover for bass, bait and filter for the water)
7. Species imbalance

 

[MrWiskers]

Stealing "secret spots" is a little funny to me. I have fished with 29 other CFF'ers and showed them my spots and they have shown me theirs. The spots I have been shown I do fish from time to time but not very much. Why? Because usually there is someone on them that is not the person who showed it to me. Most "secret spots" are not secret and the places I have shown people are still as productive as when I fished them alone. It is nearly impossible to contribute a "bad" fishing trip to someone sore mouthing all the fish in your "hole". Fish are very mobil and spots have fish coming and going on a regular basis. We fish behind boats all the time on the Riverpark and you cannot tell the banks have ever been fished. Try the golf course bank. That thing is a conveyer belt of boats in the fall. We still catch 10-15 fish per pass just about any time you want to fish it. I usually don't worry much about backgrounds unless I am fishing someone's elses spots as it is up to them to show the backgrounds.

Ask yourself how many of your "secret spots" were shown to you but someone else.

Sorry to go off topic.

I would put water levels on the lake, species imbalance on the river, and add a new one: Recreation traffic. I wonder what affect 3-4 foot waves off a cruiser has on bedding bass in shallow water. Anyone have any insight?

 

[beetlespin]

Whiskers,

I would be glad to show you all my spots since you only catch little fish. I don't want your spots since they only produce little fish. Competition drives the hole stealing debate. If I didn't fish tournaments I wouldn't hide anything!

Lance

 

[MrWiskers]

beetlespin - 10/4/2007 5:42 PM

Whiskers,

I would be glad to show you all my spots since you only catch little fish. I don't want your spots since they only produce little fish. Competition drives the hole stealing debate. If I didn't fish tournaments I wouldn't hide anything!

Lance

If you want me to get those little ones out of your way let me know. emoPoke

I tell everyone that fishes with me that I am after numbers. I go fishing to catch fish and have a good time. I would rather catch 50 spots than 5 keeper largemouth. If I wanted to work on the water trying to catch 5 keepers for 8 hours I would get a second job. At least that way I would get paid. The only tourny's I fish are the ones for fun like Bbass's. Last I checked everyone I know that fishes tournys around here still has a day job. Fishing was never meant to be as serious a thing as a lot of the tourny guys make it out to be.

Berry and Rsimms are the only people that may have a ligimate grip about hole stealing since fishing pays their bills but I bet someone showed them, told them, or they saw someone fishing the spots they fish, most of them anyway. We all have to have help getting started. Remeber the lakes have been around longer that most of us have been alive. Someone has fished your "secret hole" at one time or another. That being said there are some on this forum that want to go fishing with other members to learn new holes for the sole purpose of using that knowledge to fish tournys and make a buck. These are the people that I think abuse this website and its members. It would not hurt my feelings one bit if this site goes private, since I think the core group of active members would stay and new members would be more likely to join for the right reasons.

The comment about fishermen getting smarter is dead on. Many of the tourny guys put out artifical structure in places only they know. If I were so inclined I could take my Humminbird side image depth finder and spend a couple of weeks on Chick and find a lot of these. Pretty easy and I bet I would establish a milk run or two and really do some damage in the local tourny's. $1200 investment and some time could pay off pretty well for someone. This will probably happen more and more in the futrue as tools like this become less expensive, so hole stealing will only get worse, not better. I plan on spending my limited time on the water fishing and enjoying the outdoors, not search for a way to make a buck.

Bottom line, have fun fishing and be curtious of others, including those that have helped you find fish and spots. For example one evening Alvin and I were fishing one of Jmax's spots and he pulled up fishing a dogfight. I felt bad so I let him go in front of us and have first crack at the spot. Only fair since I would never have fished it in the first place. I also don't fish the catfish holes that Rsimms showed me at the Riverpark if I know he has a guide trip coming up down there. Again only fair since he showed them to me in the first place.

Bring on the little fish.emoEvil