Thread: short fish

Originally Posted by canebreaker

They don't need current, they were introduced into catfish ponds. They took the place of German grass carp that didn't do good in the hot south. Their movement went east, west and north from SE MS. Catfish ponds in IA, KS, OK, IL, TX, IN, MN, MO, KY, TN, AR, LA along with MS had them when the great 75 year flood happened that flooded most every catfish pond that drains into the MS river system.

Biologist say the eggs have to have current to survive,if not they sink to the bottom.Believe it was something like 15-20 miles they needed to float,or something like that.They say thats why they cant have a sucessful spawn with out current.

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Originally Posted by tcounty

That’s what all of y’all better be worried about. I can tell you without a doubt they have ruined fishing in West Tn. Anything that the Mississippi River gets fed by or floods into has them.

They are all the way up the Tallahatchie to the lower lake. I’ve been told they are in the lower lake but I don’t know that for sure. All it will take is a fish crane to drop some or someone catching the little ones for bait and using them in the big lake and IT’S OVER! Kentucky lake is already ruined, they’re just now getting to Pickwick. It’ll be in bad shape in five more years. They’re in Reelfoot now and I’m sure it’ll start declining before long too.

They eat what shad eat. Imagine one carp will probably eat what 500 shad will eat. The fish at KY are poor as they can be.

When it happens (and I do mean when not if) you’ll be lucky to catch 10” fish.

I really don’t care either way about the length. I see positive and negative on both sides.

You better start pushing the biologist that everyone praises on what their plan is.



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Dont think fishing in west tn is ruined yet,but the carp are sure makeing it tough.I agree weights are down this year,but that could be from lack of shad from the brutal winter we had.Most creeks were froze all the way to there mouths last winter.Everyone i talk to had real good sucess in 2016-2017,2018 seems like everyones struggling.Now in 4-5 more yrs i believe it will be a different story,gonna enjoy it while i can.

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I've heard the trolling season thing mentioned for the last 5 or 6 years from several others. I think the lakes are pretty healthy, but at the same time there is a lot of double dipping going on and overall abuse of the system. You have some guides that will book morning and afternoon trips and bring in boat limits each outing and do this consecutively for weeks if not months on end. During the spawn, especially at Enid a game warden told me the locals will know where to catch them wading and keep as many fish as they can catch in a day even if they have to have someone come pick them up or carry them home and come back and will do this for the duration of the spawn. Then you have the guys that just need to brag, they like to take the pictures with the fish caught and show them off to folks even though they don't need the fish. I like to set my own quota to what I actually need or what I'm willing to clean. Here the last month or so I throwback more keepers than I take home. Wish we could have more enforcement out on the lakes and at the ramps this would help out matters tremendously, a whole bunch of greed out there, whether if it's for money, filling everyone you knows freezer or just a photo and a pat on the back. Conservation is up to each individual in my opinion, can't always be a lawman there making sure we walk the line.

Iam in favor of trolling season it should be at summer pool level and that's it. Also guides should be required to register with the Corp and report with them and keep logs of trips and catches and payments. They should pay a fee for guide services and report all income to the IRS. Also they only boat the anglers catch. Example if you have a guide and 2 clients you only boat 30 fish not 40. Guide and 3 clients boat 40. Guide should not be able to count his 10. Summer pool trolling only would make a huge impact on keepers getting yanked out in spring and fall lake levels. Also lower the fish limit to 10 per day. 10 fish over 12" is more than enough. Just my 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by hotrod1

Iam in favor of trolling season it should be at summer pool level and that's it. Also guides should be required to register with the Corp and report with them and keep logs of trips and catches and payments. They should pay a fee for guide services and report all income to the IRS. Also they only boat the anglers catch. Example if you have a guide and 2 clients you only boat 30 fish not 40. Guide and 3 clients boat 40. Guide should not be able to count his 10. Summer pool trolling only would make a huge impact on keepers getting yanked out in spring and fall lake levels. Also lower the fish limit to 10 per day. 10 fish over 12" is more than enough. Just my 2 cents.

They could close them to trolling during summer pool also. That
would save even more fish for people that fish other methods to catch.

I am fixing to get into trouble- But here is my thoughts- there is a least 10 guides working Enid alone, that I know of. Add that up every week and you will figure out why there is not many keepers left. We are talking thousands of keeper fish a week. I know they have to make a living but!!!!!!!!! My 2cts, Lay it on me, I know it is coming!

Never caught a limit fishing by myself. But you just wait, I am planning on purchasing a MEGA.lol
Caught five today.