I call B.S. Although I'm very appreciative of their efforts and sharing data, you can't tell me it's better than ever. It's in a huge decline. Don't let a few boats in each tournament persuade you otherwise. For the general population, catch rates and size are down across the board. Fishing is tougher than I've seen it down there year around. Sure you can still have some great days but they are few and far in between.Originally Posted by Basswhippa
Phoenix 721 - Yamaha SHO 250 - 8' Blades
no way the fishing is better than it was in the early 90's before they killed all the grass on the northern half of the lake. zero chance.
Ranger Forever
I'm not saying you guys are right or wrong, but they sure have a lot of data backing their claim up.
I still think the fish are there but not where you'd expect them to be, you just have to step out of your comfort zone and trying some different things. It took me a while finally grasp that notion.
OK.. this makes it official! I suck. Last year was probably the worst year I've ever had on KY lake. According to this apparently I am the problem. Anyone want to buy some stuff?
Anyone see a reduction in bait fish. In my opinion I do. Not to say I'm not finding any bait fish, just no where near what I used to see.
'06 Procraft 205 Pro Mercury 225 Optimax
Yeah it’s tough for some people to accept statistics when their own small sample size of experiences tell them the exact opposite. In my opinion, numbers don’t lie. The fish are still there and people are still catching them.I'm not saying you guys are right or wrong, but they sure have a lot of data backing their claim up.
I still think the fish are there but not where you'd expect them to be, you just have to step out of your comfort zone and trying some different things. It took me a while finally grasp that notion.
This goes along with what ART said above.... fish and baitfish are doing things different. I spent a lot time down there Oct-Nov and didn't see the shad pushed back in the creeks like normal. I think we are starting to see the lake evolve to the introduction of the Asian Carp. They seem to take up the "traditional" schooling shallows (backs of bays) in the fall.
Again, for me the numbers are down. Maybe I need to break even further out of the comfort zone because I for one am not finding schools of fish like I used to.
Phoenix 721 - Yamaha SHO 250 - 8' Blades
Nah, I think they've got your baits and techniques memorized and want nothing to do with it!Anyone want to buy some stuff?
Now if you've got an old tacklebox from your Granddad, we might could work something out.
Definitely hard to argue with the statistics. Our fisheries biologist are scientists and they make their best recommendations based on the numbers that they collect. I will miss talking to Paul Rister. He has said for years that our fish are still here just not where we are use to them being. A lot of factors come into play. Namely cover or the lack of cover and water clarity to name two have made our fish stay out deeper than most want to think. I’m not a biologist but I agree you just cannot fish like you use to and consistently catch fish. Not on either lake
The Biologists are also gov employees who wouldn't dare deface there money maker.
If your fishing for Asian Carp the fishing is better that's about it.
With that said, is the consensus that the fish are just staying generally deeper year around now? Pressure pushing them off the obvious ledges back to points? What's everyone's thoughts?
I think we are starting to see more pelagic bass due to being pushed off traditional spots by the carp.
Phoenix 721 - Yamaha SHO 250 - 8' Blades
That’s the big key, been fishing these lakes for 50 years and there is no way the amount of bait fish that we use to have. I can go right now or in the summer and not see any bait fish all day long. It’s also been a very long time in catching 50 to 70 bass a day on either lakes, 11 to 15 inch fish
Quite possible,along with the fact that bass will suspend more in clear water.Ive seen this happen on a much smaller scale.A new lake opens,it's catch and release only.I have 40-50 fish days opening year,four years later lucky to catch a dozen.The fish are still there as you can see them chasing bait and suspending in 80 fow.
If they are suspended they should stand out big time on these electronics, just not seeing it myself.
Nobody's going to convince me that tournaments aren't having almost as detrimental effect on our bass fishing as the carp are! When those guys drag up bass from deep water, have no idea how to care for them (how to fizz), run them from New Johnsonville to Kentucky Dam Village, or worse Katawa, and then drop them back in the water thinking they're "just fine" there's going to be a bunch of dead ones! This was apparent when the 2015 Triton Owners Tournament out of Paris killed literally thousands ... to the point they lowered the limit to 3 fish the following year. Asian Carp are having an effect NO DOUBT, and they aren't going anywhere! So maybe we need to take better care of the bass population we have. Am I suggesting we do away with tournaments? ..... I wouldn't mind.
...I would post this in the lounge
And probably some truth in it too. Pressure and lack of grass is making it tough
"If People Concentrated on the Really Important Things in Life, There'd be a Shortage of Fishing Poles." - Doug Larson
"Peace is not the absence of turmoil but the presence of God" Jo-Ann Thomack
i used to catch a ton of really nice smallmouth and tournaments had lots of big smallies in their bags. the big smallmouth are few and far between now and even the pros are not catching like they used to so something is up.
Ranger Forever
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