Harvesting SMB

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RandyAustinFishing said:
I don't have any science or graphs, but I do know it takes quite a few years for smallies to get to trophy size. 5lbs plus. I would like us to harvest smallies less than 14 inches and release all over 14". I struggle convincing my brothers who like to harvest fish for the freezer with this every year. Smallies are so much fun to catch and when you lock on to a 5lb plus smallie, whoa nellie! Would love to see the Lake Powell smallies grow to the size of lower Colorado River fisheries.
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That is our rule of thumb. 14" and under in the boat Over 14" over the boat. We prefer smallmouth (well crappie but you dont catch too many) out of Powell to eat and usually only keep enough for dinner each night. But will probably keep a few more and freeze some this year. I Hope to finally make it down before the end of the year after a 3 year absence.
 
People get caught up in the dogma surrounding catch and release or slot limits as magical one size fits all management tools. If you look at the size and condition factor of the bass in Lake Powell, over-harvest is not going to be the most significant factor. Available forage is. The numbers of quality fish in the lake now reflect the super abundant forage available last year. In one year. If that continues, there will be even more large fish in the population next year. If not, those bigger bass that are released will not be much if any bigger next year. People want to make it simple: "if we throw back the big ones and harvest the little ones we will have more big fish to catch next year." And it makes us feel good. But it isn't that straightforward. LP is a different beast than most any other lake in that it is so large that angling mortality does not have the impact on the population that it does in most other waters. Eat all the smallmouth you can, regardless of size and don't feel bad about it!!!
 
Please release smallies over 14" and please feel really bad if you don't!! Forage is certainly a factor in condition but smallies grow much slower than largemouth are not dependent on brush and can withstand the fluctuating water levels we have on Powell. Smallies need time and forage to get to trophy size. Powell habitat is perfect and in years of low shad they eat crayfish, small fish from various species. If we never let em grow over 14" we will never see the true potential of what could be a
coachk said:
That is our rule of thumb. 14" and under in the boat Over 14" over the boat. We prefer smallmouth (well crappie but you dont catch too many) out of Powell to eat and usually only keep enough for dinner each night. But will probably keep a few more and freeze some this year. I Hope to finally make it down before the end of the year after a 3 year absence.
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(y)(y)
world class smallmouth fishery.
 
RandyAustinFishing said:
If we never let em grow over 14" we will never see the true potential of what could be a world class smallmouth fishery.
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When bag/possession limits are appropriate, there is no need for size and slot limits. Best to remove fish from all size classes to prevent creating a forage bottleneck for any one group. Too many large fish competing for the same size food resources stunts their growth. I would rather catch a 14 inch smallmouth that's 3 years old, than one that took 6 years to get that big and cant get bigger.
 
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Fursniper said:
When bag/possession limits are appropriate, there is no need for size and slot limits. Best to remove fish from all size classes to prevent creating a forage bottleneck for any one group. Too many large fish competing for the same size food resources stunts their growth. I would rather catch a 14 inch smallmouth that's 3 years old, than one that's 6 years old and can't get bigger.
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We are a long way from having too many large smallies in Powell. We have way too many below 14". Problem most people are fishing for the frying pan as opposed to just fishing for fun. If you are fishing for the frying pan the small ones are better eating anyway. Oh I was kidding in my earlier post I don't want anyone to feel bad while fishing.;) I would rather catch 5 5lbers than 50 12 inchers.
 
PBH said:
followed by this:




Things that make you go hmmmmm......:unsure:

Harvest -- any harvest -- helps. Mortality in general is a good thing when you have too many small fish.
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I know your opinion PBH I just don't agree. I read your article but don't think it totally applies, my opinion. Unless the regs change I will follow the guidance of the Lake Powell fisheries biologist.
Direct quote:
SMALLMOUTH BASS LIMIT IS 20:
Please keep 20 bass of the most common size (9-12 inch). Release larger bass that are large enough to eat smaller bass and will help restore the proper size balance within the smallmouth population.

hmmmmmm
 
Right now smallmouth have a larger average size than when the limit was changed from 6 to 20. They are not all large fish because smallmouth reproduce and survive very well. They like Lake Powell rocks!!

Great headway was made shortly after the limit was increased. I would like to take credit for that but we also had a very productive shad spawn right after the limit increased so we harvested more fish and the surviving smallmouth had more to eat.
I made that proposal to increase the limit after fishing hard near Rincon and then in Navajo Canyon. I caught lots of smallmouth on both of those sampling trips but none were over 12 inches.

The fish we are catching now include many 14-inch and bigger bass. The general SMB population is doing much better than it was. My plans worked out perfectly.

What do we do now? I think we need to keep harvesting smallmouth up to the limit of 20 per day. There have been many ideas presented and most of them have been good ideas and procedures. I think if you want to harvest big fish - do it. If you want to keep the small ones - that's great. I am happy with the SMB population and how it is performing right now. I will keep my eye on them and see if we need to make changes going forward. Thanks for all your help in catching and keeping smallmouth bass and making the population more robust!.
 
wayne gustaveson said:
Right now smallmouth have a larger average size than when the limit was changed from 6 to 20. They are not all large fish because smallmouth reproduce and survive very well. They like Lake Powell rocks!!

Great headway was made shortly after the limit was increased. I would like to take credit for that but we also had a very productive shad spawn right after the limit increased so we harvested more fish and the surviving smallmouth had more to eat.
I made that proposal to increase the limit after fishing hard near Rincon and then in Navajo Canyon. I caught lots of smallmouth on both of those sampling trips but none were over 12 inches.

The fish we are catching now include many 14-inch and bigger bass. The general SMB population is doing much better than it was. My plans worked out perfectly.

What do we do now? I think we need to keep harvesting smallmouth up to the limit of 20 per day. There have been many ideas presented and most of them have been good ideas and procedures. I think if you want to harvest big fish - do it. If you want to keep the small ones - that's great. I am happy with the SMB population and how it is performing right now. I will keep my eye on them and see if we need to make changes going forward. Thanks for all your help in catching and keeping smallmouth bass and making the population more robust!.
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Thanks for all you do Wayne and thanks for the input. We hope to pull out quite a few less than 14 inchers shortly. If I can get my brothers to comply all more than 14 will be left to grow up. Oh and you do deserve the credit.
 
wayne gustaveson said:
Right now smallmouth have a larger average size than when the limit was changed from 6 to 20. They are not all large fish because smallmouth reproduce and survive very well. They like Lake Powell rocks!!

Great headway was made shortly after the limit was increased. I would like to take credit for that but we also had a very productive shad spawn right after the limit increased so we harvested more fish and the surviving smallmouth had more to eat.
I made that proposal to increase the limit after fishing hard near Rincon and then in Navajo Canyon. I caught lots of smallmouth on both of those sampling trips but none were over 12 inches.

The fish we are catching now include many 14-inch and bigger bass. The general SMB population is doing much better than it was. My plans worked out perfectly.

What do we do now? I think we need to keep harvesting smallmouth up to the limit of 20 per day. There have been many ideas presented and most of them have been good ideas and procedures. I think if you want to harvest big fish - do it. If you want to keep the small ones - that's great. I am happy with the SMB population and how it is performing right now. I will keep my eye on them and see if we need to make changes going forward. Thanks for all your help in catching and keeping smallmouth bass and making the population more robust!.
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Thank you, Wayne. We appreciate you and your great work! -rc
 
wayne gustaveson said:
Right now smallmouth have a larger average size than when the limit was changed from 6 to 20. They are not all large fish because smallmouth reproduce and survive very well. They like Lake Powell rocks!!

Great headway was made shortly after the limit was increased. I would like to take credit for that but we also had a very productive shad spawn right after the limit increased so we harvested more fish and the surviving smallmouth had more to eat.
I made that proposal to increase the limit after fishing hard near Rincon and then in Navajo Canyon. I caught lots of smallmouth on both of those sampling trips but none were over 12 inches.

The fish we are catching now include many 14-inch and bigger bass. The general SMB population is doing much better than it was. My plans worked out perfectly.

What do we do now? I think we need to keep harvesting smallmouth up to the limit of 20 per day. There have been many ideas presented and most of them have been good ideas and procedures. I think if you want to harvest big fish - do it. If you want to keep the small ones - that's great. I am happy with the SMB population and how it is performing right now. I will keep my eye on them and see if we need to make changes going forward. Thanks for all your help in catching and keeping smallmouth bass and making the population more robust!.
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Right from the horse"s mouth! Thanks for the clarification. Your modesty is astounding. You absolutely have had a lot to do with the great smallmouth fishery at Lake Powell! In fact, I believe you are solely responsible for it! This has got to be one of the best stories in fisheries' management in the U.S. A lot of biologists could draw some lessons from what you've done at Powell! :)

Ed Gerdemann
 
We'll be there Friday morning also. So looking forward to it. We will also be targeting bass. We usually release the big smallies and largemouth bass and keep the medium size ones.
 
I’m hoping launch ramp is manageable and open at first light. We have a LONG voyage ahead of us to get to our area to camp
 
Edward Gerdemann said:
Right from the horse"s mouth!

Ed Gerdemann
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Exactly. Limits were increased (ie: more harvest / mortality) and average size fish increased. It's amazing when we actually do what our biologists recommend.

Wayne Gustaveson said:
What do we do now? I think we need to keep harvesting smallmouth up to the limit of 20 per day
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Keep smallmouth. Big / little - it doesn't matter. Every single one helps.
 
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