Seminar on invasive species on KY and Barkley

[jlperkins]

Western Kentucky Fisheries is at HITECOutdoors.







21 hrs · Benton ·







>>>How EXACTLY are ASIAN CARP affecting our SPORTFISH?
>>Come visit us at hitec outdoors THIS SATURDAY at 10 AM to learn more about exactly how Asian carp are affecting our lakes and we will also tell you exactly what the plan is for Asian carp in Kentucky and Barkley! If there is anything specific you’d like us to talk about let us know!
They also have a full slate of other informative speakers lined up that you won’t want to miss 🎣 Come and listen to the experts!

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[jlperkins]

If anyone goes youild like to hear a report Thanks

[Axkiker]

A shame they didn't live stream it.

[csurp]

There was too much to summarize here and I did not take notes. Millions of pounds of carp have already been harvested. The commercial harvest program is having a positive effect, to the point that large carp are being fished down with the 3.5-inch mesh gill nets being used. In response, KY will be permitting 3.0-inch mesh nets in the fishery. Alternative harvest methods are being developed, marketing programs and financial incentives are in place and the Biosonics barrier will be deployed this spring.

Mark and Recapture studies have shown individual fish to be extremely wide ranging traveling up to 60 miles in a few days and moving back and forth between the lakes via the canal.

Asian carp recruitment to the lakes is highly variable with only one strong year class present. Mortality is high through the first five years. Combine this with the response being seen to the control programs suggest room for optimism.

Creel census interviews designed to determine the level of satisfaction experienced by crappie and bass anglers show most are still satisfied with their fishing experience on the lakes.

Lets hope the work of all the partners in this fight keeps it this way.

Zebra mussels mussel densities spiked to very high levels but have died off to 1/1000 of former levels. Recruitment is subject to variation in levels of calcium present in lake waters.

Almost forgot. After several years of low recruitment, there is a large bass year class which should soon be recruiting to keeper size.

[bigb01]

Thanks for the info, is the biosonic barrier not being put at ky dam because of the construction or money or something else. If they are traveling through the canal that much, only half may be stopped and ky probably has more barge traffic.

[csurp]

Thanks for the info, is the biosonic barrier not being put at ky dam because of the construction or money or something else. If they are traveling through the canal that much, only half may be stopped and ky probably has more barge traffic.

Adam did not mention why Barkley was chosen . I am only guessing that it is because of all the construction at and below the lock chamber. I'm not sure about the funding at all

[Dave Stewart]

"Creel census interviews designed to determine the level of satisfaction experienced by crappie and bass anglers show most are still satisfied with their fishing experience on the lakes."

I just really have a hard time believing this. I have been overwhelmed with emails and phone calls this year from folks asking for advice as they are struggling to catch any numbers of bass. Also so many days this year when launching out of The Moor's, Kentucky Dam Marina and Ken Lake that I was the only boat there in the mornings. Also having some panfish guides telling me they were giving it up because they were not getting enough business (these guides have been working here for years).

I will also say that the older fellow (can't remember his name right now) that used to do the fish surveys would survey my boat at least once a week and more often than not, 2-3 times a week. Since he retired some years back, I have had only once been surveyed and it is not like I am not out there.

When I read that a statement like this is being made, it makes any other statement from these folks suspect.

[mysuzytoo]

Good info, THANKS! Results of the "satisfaction survey" are interesting. Would be interesting to know how the "question" was worded. This could be like one of those political polls where you only ask the people who you know will give you the answer you want. I just can't imagine very many people being "satisfied" ... I'm sure not! I agree with Dave: "it makes any other statement from these folks suspect." Pardon my pessimism.

[barkleyhawggitter]

people being satisfied with the bass fishing is bullcrap. bad info.

[JR19]

PR damage control...I will bet a dollar to a donut hole that when the fishing forecast for KY/Barkley comes out in 2019 they have the lakes listed as good opportunity to catch keeper size bass. Most people think of KDFW as an agency with the primary intent to govern and protect fish and game. That is a big part of what they do but I ask you to also look at them with a different point of view. They are also a business that needs to generate $ to sustain. There is huge $ in elk, deer, turkey and fish. As a business would you advertise the opportunity is not good. They want guides to be booked, motel's full of out of state people buying license and equipment. Why tell the public the sky is falling. Just tell them it's a little cloudy (acknowledge there is a carp problem) but there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (anglers are satisfied with their catch rate). You can call me a conspiracist or say I am wearing a tin foil hat because I am okay with that...I think of myself as a realist

[jlperkins]

Thanks for the Info

[Jigman78]

Satisfied??? Look at all the tournaments results there is the true answer.

[csurp]

I cannot speak for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife but I am more than a little familiar with creel census design and execution so it comes to no surprise to me that the results do not reflect the feelings of one interest group or another. In fact the randomization process used in time and space deliberately tries to avoid this bias. During an average work day a creel census clerk will attempt to count all of the fisherman in the assigned area at the assigned times. When finished he will attempt to interview as many fishermen as possible using a set of standardized questions. A good design collects information from a wide cross section of the fishing public, so it is not surprising that the results do not reflect only the views of some of the tournament fisherman here. The results did show some were dissatisfied with fishing quality, but most were OK with it.

Written on a cell phone so excuse typos.

[Ky 520c]

I talked with a carp guy one morning he said pretty much what was reported from that meeting and that was they have been putting a hurting on the carp and it was getting harder and harder to catch them, which didn’t make sense to me? So I asked him how that could be he made reference to the size they needed for the processor was about 20lbs, so anything less than 20lbs do they release them? Just curious on this maybe someone can shed some light for me....

[BULLYFISH]

The number one place to start to me is to stop them from coming through the locks unless they get this done it is never going to get any better at all. they have to stop it there before you can get there number down in the lakes

[pab1981]

20181029_200909.jpg
I have no doubt that the bass fishing has been off, no denying tourney results. I don't even bass fish at all but am on the lakes several days a week crappie fishing and have caught more bass by accident this fall than any other year crappie fishing. Most of the guys I see bass fishing aren't anywhere near the fish.

I also don't doubt the creel survey folks are Given bad info at times. Most people aren't real excited to admit they can't catch a cold. Nobody ever tells fish stories, Lol.

[Sokyangler]

"Creel census interviews designed to determine the level of satisfaction experienced by crappie and bass anglers show most are still satisfied with their fishing experience on the lakes."

I just really have a hard time believing this. I have been overwhelmed with emails and phone calls this year from folks asking for advice as they are struggling to catch any numbers of bass. Also so many days this year when launching out of The Moor's, Kentucky Dam Marina and Ken Lake that I was the only boat there in the mornings. Also having some panfish guides telling me they were giving it up because they were not getting enough business (these guides have been working here for years).

I will also say that the older fellow (can't remember his name right now) that used to do the fish surveys would survey my boat at least once a week and more often than not, 2-3 times a week. Since he retired some years back, I have had only once been surveyed and it is not like I am not out there.

When I read that a statement like this is being made, it makes any other statement from these folks suspect.

I'll trust Dave's feedback over about anyone.

[Sokyangler]

PR damage control...I will bet a dollar to a donut hole that when the fishing forecast for KY/Barkley comes out in 2019 they have the lakes listed as good opportunity to catch keeper size bass. Most people think of KDFW as an agency with the primary intent to govern and protect fish and game. That is a big part of what they do but I ask you to also look at them with a different point of view. They are also a business that needs to generate $ to sustain. There is huge $ in elk, deer, turkey and fish. As a business would you advertise the opportunity is not good. They want guides to be booked, motel's full of out of state people buying license and equipment. Why tell the public the sky is falling. Just tell them it's a little cloudy (acknowledge there is a carp problem) but there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (anglers are satisfied with their catch rate). You can call me a conspiracist or say I am wearing a tin foil hat because I am okay with that...I think of myself as a realist

The headline should read "Total Tournament Weights are 90% Below Previous Highs" to assess the real damage.

[ClarkAF]

There is a good informative video on Western Kentucky Fisheries Facebook page about reasons to be optimistic about the fight against Asian carp.

[ss]

I want to be optimistic, but its just not in my nature. The entire plan is just a guess at this point. Maybe an educated guess, but still a guess. What if the bubbler doesn't stop the carp from coming through the locks? What's stopping the carp that spawn in the current below Pickwick dam from swimming downstream into Ky lake? What if the government subsidies get cut off one day and the commercial fishermen decide there's no money in Asian carp anymore? I really hope it all works the way they have drawn it up, but I'm still hoping for a poison or genetic mutation that kills every last Asian carp forever.