Super User A-Jay Posted June 10, 2015 Super User Posted June 10, 2015 Seeing something like that in a trash can is upsetting. And this is my final post on the matter but I just went to the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition's facebook page. It has 58 likes - my wife's dog page has 475 - it's all about perspective. A-Jay 5
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted June 10, 2015 Global Moderator Posted June 10, 2015 Seeing something like that in a trash can is upsetting. And this is my final post on the matter but I just went to the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition's facebook page. It has 58 likes - my wife's dog page has 475 - it's all about perspective. A-Jay Yeah, I don't see many people showing up for an event like that anyways. The Facebook page thing seriously cracked me up. 2
Super User Jigfishn10 Posted June 10, 2015 Super User Posted June 10, 2015 http://www.state.me.us/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/piscataquis/moosehead_lake.pdf Yellow perch were introduced to Moosehead Lake in the mid- 1950s, smallmouth bass in the mid-1970s, and white perch in 1984. The establishment of these three species severely compromises the lake's potential to sustain a high quality wild brook trout fishery. That's straight from the lake survey report that I spent 2 minutes searching for. Not saying I agree or disagree with it, but I can understand why they would at the very least want to keep the population down to try to preserve a unique fishery. Ironic in that same survey they mention how Togue compromises the growth rates of Salmon. The last stocking was in the 70's. They have derby's to thin out them - Togue - as well. Sounds to me like they're trying to manage the fishery more than anything. I'm not reading in to this anymore, sounds like a controlled harvest at best.
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted June 10, 2015 Super User Posted June 10, 2015 They can do as they please, however the economic impact of the bass fishing in that area is unreal. So unreal it was ranked in the top 100 in the country, but they want to hold a kill derby to kill off the exact reason why Maine is starting to become a popular bass fishing destination. Major League Fishing brought $300,000 dollars to the local economy in just 2 weeks of being in Maine. People make a living guiding on Moosehead for trout and smallmouth. People vacation from far away to fish for trout and smallmouth. Why try and make it better for one group or another? The eco system is what it is now, this derby wont change it. If it continues to be a common practice the state of Maine will lose countless amounts of money from people who won't even want to come to Maine anymore because they are trying to do away with bass and bass fishing as clearly evident by the states attempt to ban rubber lures a few years ago. The attempt to ban softbaits was not aimed at eradicating bass fishing, as plenty of trout anglers use them as well. It simply opened u[ a discussion on discarding softbaits. Don't throw them in the lake!
Super User J Francho Posted June 10, 2015 Super User Posted June 10, 2015 They need to put some snakeheads in there to eat the bass! 4
einscodek Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 I'd rather catch a smallmouth anyday over a trout.. those guys r cookoo
Mainebass1984 Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 This is a bass forum. I realize almost everyone here could care less about trout and salmon. I fish for bass almost exclusively. As I said before Moosehead Lake is the largest lake in the country with a native brook trout population. It also offers the best big brook trout fishing in the country. To compromise this unique resource for the sake of another bass fishery seems ridiculous. There already are many, many amazing places to bass fish in the state of Maine as Major League Fishing has shown. The amount of native brook trout waters in the country is very low in the state of Maine. I do not understand why individuals and anglers can not respect this notion that Moosehead is a one of a kind fishery that should be protected. The amount of hate that there is between anglers whether you are a trout fisherman or a bass fisherman is out of control. I wonder how many people on here would feel differently if there was an invasive species introduced that was harming/degrading/devastating the bass population in your local lake... In all reality it doesn't mater what anyone on here says or thinks. The State of Maine knows exactly how special Moosehead Lake is. It offers some of best native brook trout fishing in the country and they are going to manage it so.
Mainebass1984 Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Seeing something like that in a trash can is upsetting. And this is my final post on the matter but I just went to the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition's facebook page. It has 58 likes - my wife's dog page has 475 - it's all about perspective. A-Jay How would you feel if a fish was illegally introduced that threatened the existence of that fishery ? What would you want done about it ?
Super User J Francho Posted June 10, 2015 Super User Posted June 10, 2015 You generally can't undo it what is already done. It's had bass in it for over 100 years. If they actually think that a derby will help, have at it, but the notion of killing in the name of conservation is not popular. You should see what we have gone through with our "pretty" mute swans. It should be open season year round on them, but they're pretty and people like them. Good luck with your crusade. It isn't going to go over well on a bass forum, right or wrong. 2
Super User A-Jay Posted June 10, 2015 Super User Posted June 10, 2015 How would you feel if a fish was illegally introduced that threatened the existence of that fishery ? What would you want done about it ? Clearly I wouldn't be happy about it. Re-read J Francho's post. That covers it for me as well. A-Jay
jbmaine Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 I may be naive to say this, but it seems a compromise might be to catch SM and relocate them to another body of water. You will never catch them all, but you wouldn't be killing them either. Jim
robdob Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Sorry guys but I completely disagree with most of the post here. There is much more to this story then some may believe. Moosehead lake is the largest lake in the entire US with a completely native Brook Trout population. Smallmouth bass are an illegally introduced species that directly competes with Brook Trout. I wonder how many people here commented here have actually ever been to Moosehead Lake ? My family has had a camp on Moosehead for the past 20 years. I also worked for Maine Fish and Wildlife as a Fish Biologist Assistant out of the Greenville office which is located on Moosehead Lake. This isn't a tournament aimed at killing bass for the sake of killing bass. This is an effort to preserve a very unique and famous native fish population. There aren't any big lakes in this country where an angler can catch large native brook trout. If there was an invasive species degrading the fishing in your local lake wouldn't you want something to be done about it. Lets say an invasive South American fish was devastating Lake Fork. Wouldn't you want something done about it ? I think it is pretty selfish of some individuals to not only stock bass in Moosehead but to then have such hatred towards other anglers because they don't like the fact that some bucket biologist decided to put bass in a prestine, remote, world famous native brook trout lake. Lets ignore the fact that this lake is the best native brook trout fishing in the entire country just so we can catch bass. Its pretty ridiculous guys. Smallmouth have been have been degrading the native Brook Trout population. This tourney wasn't just some trout anglers idea. As it stands right now the State of Maine allows for the harvesting of all bass caught by special regulation. Moosehead Lake isn't just some random lake in Maine. Do some research into the subject guys. No offense Sir but you really can't be that educated on the subject if you think this tournament is going to have any impact whatsoever on the smallmouth bass population. None. It will be so negligible it's useless and only accomplishes make Maine look like a bunch of killers. On top of that if the smallmouth have been living with brook trout for over 25 years I don't think they are going to suddenly eat all of the brook trout. Based on the size and amount of both brook trout and smallmouth in the lake right now I'd say there's plenty of forage to go around. There's no real science at all behind this tournament and I can't help but feel it's going to accomplish the exact opposite of what they are hoping. No one's mind will be changed and suddenly want rid of the bass because of this, but it very well may change someone's mind and make them hate all of the brook trout fisherman because of this mass killing.
robdob Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 How would you feel if a fish was illegally introduced that threatened the existence of that fishery ? What would you want done about it ? Well I personally love that round gobies were introduced to Erie and Cayuga. They've made the bass fishing exponentially better than it was prior to their introduction. So I feel good about it if you are asking.
robdob Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Seeing something like that in a trash can is upsetting. And this is my final post on the matter but I just went to the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition's facebook page. It has 58 likes - my wife's dog page has 475 - it's all about perspective. A-Jay Your wife's dog is probably more intelligent than those clowns are too. I tried to have a serious discussion with them about their intentions but they basically refused to even discuss it with me. All this tournament will accomplish is creating further divide between the trout and bass anglers because the bass fisherman are going to hate pure hatred of the trout fisherman after this "killing for fun" event. They could kill 10,000 lbs of bass in this thing and it wouldn't even put a dent in the bass population. They will be replaced in one spawn season. It's obvious there's plenty of forage there's great trout and bass fishing right now. The genie was let out of the bottle a long long time ago and there's no way to put it back in now so all this will do is make people hate the trout fishermen, period.
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted June 11, 2015 Global Moderator Posted June 11, 2015 So a post about an attempted/proposed mass slaughter of bass didn't go over well on a bass forum?! Can't say I saw it going any other way. LOCKDOWN!!
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