If they really are not stocking trout In Some Cali lakes anymore

[fourbizz]

WRB, I just wanted to clarify that I DO think they can attain record size without trout, i know they can. It is just my opinion that certain lakes are completely dependant on them, due to the very high concentrations of large bass and low availability of other food.

Dont Otay and Hodges have lots of large shiners? I have never seen a shiner in the lakes I fish normally. But I have in a few ponds, and the Delta.

As far as Native trout, dont forget the Lahontan Cutthroat, which is not hard to find, and the sea run cutts and stealhead.  The Redband trout and the Paiute Cutthroat are markedly more difficult to catch.

Steve, you know how worthless those 4lb mud slugs are right

[Mattlures]

Otay and hodges have no shinners. Hodges has threadfin shad. I am not sure if Otay does but it probably does. The main forage of those lakes would be other small fish. Buluegill, Redear, green sunfish, crappie baby carp baby bass etc. Along with crawdads. Bizz I dont think any lakes would have dieoffs because of no trout but some might have a lower top end weight. Or at least fewer monsters

[Micro]

Some students at stanford, backed by various wacko organizations, filed a suit against DFG demanding an EIR to determine the impacts of stocked trout on native amphibians like the yellow legged mountain frog.

Yep.  I've heard about them frog-eating trout.  Whenever I go out for brookies, I always take along my 7' MH/XF rod and a Spro Bronzeye.  Nothing like a Bronzeye to bring in those 8 oz brookies.  

Seriously, if the there were no trout, perhaps frogs would be on the bass' menu.

This is what happens you you manage wildlife with the heart instead of the head.  

[KevO]

That really sucks they are not stocking the trout anymore.   However, I am looking at it from a different perspective.  Since Cali is not stocking the trout anymore, you should have a better chance of catching those 18+ fish that are used to eating the trout.   With less trout to feed off of your trout swimbaits should be more enticing to those big girls.

[bladeslinger]

Otay and hodges have no shinners. Hodges has threadfin shad. I am not sure if Otay does but it probably does. The main forage of those lakes would be other small fish. Buluegill, Redear, green sunfish, crappie baby carp baby bass etc. Along with crawdads. Bizz I dont think any lakes would have dieoffs because of no trout but some might have a lower top end weight. Or at least fewer monsters

Yes, main forage at Otay appears to be threadfin shad, and as suggested I have seen them spit up bluegill and crappies. I have even seen them pop ducklings and snakes there.

[Branuss04]

That really sucks they are not stocking the trout anymore. However, I am looking at it from a different perspective. Since Cali is not stocking the trout anymore, you should have a better chance of catching those 18+ fish that are used to eating the trout. With less trout to feed off of your trout swimbaits should be more enticing to those big girls.

They didn't STOP planting trout in cali.

[UrbanRedneck]

[quote author=63474D5C415E5A4B5C5B5D2E0 link=1228084344/20#27 date=1228181826

Seriously, if the there were no trout, perhaps frogs would be on the bass' menu

[WRB]

Fourbizz; don't know what happened to the other pages on this thread?

You asked about Lower Otay and Hodges having large baitfsih like shiners and the answer is they don't. Both lakes had bluegill, crappie, green sunfish, channel catfish and threadfin shad, for baitfish forage.

The reason FLMB were transplanted into San Diego city lakes was to improve the average size of the bass and the number per angler hour. The 1950's were a drought period for San Diego and the fishing had dropped off significantly. Threadfin shad were introduced in 1953 to help improve growth rates, then (1959) the FLMB were introduced to improve the average size from 1 1/2lbs to 2 1/2 lbs, the FLMB grew faster than NLMB. Trophy bass was fishing not planned. In fact the FLMB program was considered a failure in regards to better overall bass fishing. The FLMB proved to be harder for the average angler to catch and rates per hour dropped. The giant bass that started to be caught in the early 70's, changed California bass fishing.

Both Lower Otay and Hodges are old and small; 1897 Otay; 1,100 surface acres, 1917 Hodges; 1,234 surface acres. During the early 60's all the local lakes were down 50% and raised due to rain fall to full pool by 1968. The new flooded lake basins help the growth of the first generation FLMB. Lake Hodges was closed to public fishing during the 60's and opened in the early 70's. Lower Otay was open Wednesdays, Saturday and Sunday, closed the other days and closed to fishing in Sept, opened in March, each year. Ideal conditions for the FLMB to grow to giant size. Today, both lakes have good overall bass fishing, giants are rare.

WRB

* giant bass in CA is 15+ lbs.

[WRB]

That really sucks they are not stocking the trout anymore. However, I am looking at it from a different perspective. Since Cali is not stocking the trout anymore, you should have a better chance of catching those 18+ fish that are used to eating the trout. With less trout to feed off of your trout swimbaits should be more enticing to those big girls.

They didn't STOP planting trout in cali.

The DFG did stop planting some lakes for about a month, most lakes are now recieving their DFG trout stocking, depending on location. The CalTrout people watchdog the DFG stocking program closely to insure locations with "native trout" do not get planted trout stocks and this has been ongoing for decades. The current issue was a law suit by college students and that is still being processed.

WRB

[Branuss04]

That really sucks they are not stocking the trout anymore. However, I am looking at it from a different perspective. Since Cali is not stocking the trout anymore, you should have a better chance of catching those 18+ fish that are used to eating the trout. With less trout to feed off of your trout swimbaits should be more enticing to those big girls.

They didn't STOP planting trout in cali.

The DFG did stop planting some lakes for about a month, most lakes are now recieving their DFG trout stocking, depending on location. The CalTrout people watchdog the DFG stocking program closely to insure locations with "native trout" do not get planted trout stocks and this has been ongoing for decades. The current issue was a law suit by college students and that is still being processed.

WRB

I was being a smart@$$ ....  He made it sound like they totally quit.... i'm aware of the situation ;D