improving fish populations?

[Upriver88]

I went out on a small river near my house yesterday, first time i've been out in close to six months. It seemed that the smallmouth have greatly improved in health some even seem fat and they have a much darker coloration. Was wondering if anybody else has noticed an improvment in their fish or if i've just gone crazy from being off the water for so long.

[simplejoe]

Here in Pittsburgh our river system is improving as each year goes by thanks to effort of all of the fishing clubs and fish and game commission cracking down on the  steel mills and sewage treatment plants that have been dumping into the rivers for years. Our fish population is getting better, their healthy and their color is beautiful.

                                               joe

[NewAngler]

Here in Pittsburgh our river system is improving as each year goes by thanks to effort of all of the fishing clubs and fish and game commission cracking down on the steel mills and sewage treatment plants that have been dumping into the rivers for years. Our fish population is getting better, their healthy and their color is beautiful.

                                               joe

gotta love Pittsburgh!

[GRiver]

I live on a small river in NC, near TN line. The small mouth have made a big jump in numbers, their color and heath looks good too. The other fish have dropped. Fish and Game came and did a survey, for a few mile stretch of the river. The end results haven't came out yet, but was told the small mouth population was the largest in many years. But the pan fish numbers have dropped to a scary level. Only two muskies and not one cat fish which they said was strange. He said this river used to have them.

[BassShephard]

The river I fish in has a very small Pop of smallies around 45 per mile, they say there was a drop but in recent years there haven't been any drops but no increase either, big smallmouths are very rare I managed to catch a 3 pound in 07 which my dad and uncle said they never caught or knew any one any who caught smallies close to that (although there have been reports of 5lb smallmouth in the river). I think its kind of sad cause there really fun to catch.

[GRiver]

Hey BassShepard... or anyone ....if 45 per mile is a small population....what is rated as very good?   I simply have no idea what numbers would be good.

Thanks

G

[BassShephard]

Hey BassShepard... or anyone ....if 45 per mile is a small population....what is rated as very good? I simply have no idea what numbers would be good.

Thanks

G

I was actually wrong there is 52 not 45, here is a quote from VDGIF.

Data collected during the study show smallmouth numbers are low when compared to other rivers and streams across the Commonwealth.  Biologists estimate that there are approximately 52 smallmouth per river mile; 35 of those are adult fish. This might not be the highest concentration of smallmouth in the state, but for a piedmont-coastal plain river, these numbers are respectable.

Pretty much its a small pop of SM but its a small River and has a bunch of apex predators like Gar, Pike and Bowfin. I think colder/cleaner waters hold more like rivers nearer Mountains and up north it varies from river to river. IMO the best place to find them in rivers is look for currents with rocks they like to sit in the currents waiting for food to come down.

The thing about Smallies is their not able to tolerate pollution compared to other fish and it takes years for them to reach a decent size, which is why even 4-5 pound SM are prized, well that and their really fun to catch .

[GRiver]

Thanks for the info BassShephard....can't wait for thr results from the river here.....The survey was taken about a month or so ago, the game warden said it would take a while for it to be made public knowledge....The river I live on is small too, very cool and clear moving water.

[Fishing Rhino]

Here in Pittsburgh our river system is improving as each year goes by thanks to effort of all of the fishing clubs and fish and game commission cracking down on the steel mills and sewage treatment plants that have been dumping into the rivers for years. Our fish population is getting better, their healthy and their color is beautiful.

                                               joe

Are there still steel mills in Pittsburgh?

I thought we imported just about all the steel we use for manufacturing.

[Smallmouth Bass49]

Over here in lake st.clair we had a sudden die off in the spring time.  I never got out in the boat but it seemed like it was slow.

Over in Kent Lake the smallmouth population had a big decrease in population.  It used to be 70/30 smallmouth, but it seems like largemouth took over the lake.