Fwc Electrofishing In South. Fl Canals Report

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Current Forecast:

Between October and November 2011, fish in 12 southeast Florida canals were stunned with electricity, netted, weighed, measured, and released unharmed back into the waterway from which they were collected. The overall electrofishing catch rate of largemouth bass was 40 fish over ten-inches-long every hour, higher than the 1997-2010 average of 37 fish/hour. A total of 706 largemouth bass >10 inches were counted from 12 canals.

The populations of butterfly peacock in several well-known Miami-Dade canals are doing extremely well despite cold water temperatures in January 2010 and a great deal of fishing pressure, a testament to the good conservation ethic of catch and release practiced by many urban canal anglers for butterfly peacock and largemouth bass. This year the electrofishing catch rate of butterfly peacock larger than ten-inches-long in nine Miami-Dade and Broward counties averaged 25 fish every hour. This is 25% higher than the 1997-2010 average of 20 fish/hour. A total of 336 butterfly peacock >10 inches were counted and released from these canals. The electrofishing catch rate of bream (bluegill, redear sunfish, Mayan cichlid, and jaguar guapote) was 42 fish over six-inches-long every hour which is also higher than the 1997-2010 average of 37 fish/hr.

These results are from an annual electrofishing survey designed to monitor sportfish populations in urban canals in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Each canal is sampled for approximately eight hours and based on these findings, fisheries biologists at the Non-Native Fish Laboratory in Boca Raton predict that anglers will enjoy excellent catches of largemouth bass, butterfly peacock, and bream this quarter.

The recent survey produced some interesting facts:

--Some of the best canals for largemouth bass were the Aerojet (C-111) and Snapper Creek (C-2) canals in Miami-Dade County, Hillsboro (G-08) and Cypress Creek (C-14) canals in Broward County, and West Palm Beach (C-51), and Boynton (C-16) canals in Palm Beach County.

--Southeast Florida urban canals produce good numbers of quality largemouth bass but have few "lunkers" over 6 pounds.

--One canal yielded largemouth bass over seven pounds, seven canals yielded largemouth bass over five pounds, and seven canals yielded bass over four pounds. The largest largemouth bass collected this year weighed 7.6 pounds and measured 23.0 inches.

--Some of the best canals for butterfly peacock were the Tamiami (C-4), Cutler Drain (C-100), Black Creek (C-1), and Parkline (L-31W) canals.

--Five canals yielded butterfly peacock over four pounds, two canals yielded five pound butterfly peacock, and one canal yielded a butterfly peacock over six pounds. The largest butterfly peacock collected this year weighed 8.7 pounds and measured 23.2 inches.

--The best canals for largemouth bass and butterfly peacock combined were Snake Creek (C-9), and Parkline (L-31W) in Miami-Dade County. Low catches of butterfly peacock in north Broward and Palm Beach counties were likely the result of low water temperature related kills experienced early in January 2009. These periodic kills were predicted and expected when butterfly peacock were originally stocked and a few consecutive mild winters will likely enable them to bounce back to historic levels.

--The highest number of largemouth bass were shocked in the Boynton (C-51) Canal, and the Tamiami (C-4) Canal had the most butterfly peacock.

--Some of the best bream canals were Aerojet (C-111) and Tamiami (C-4) canals in Miami-Dade County, Cypress Creek (C-14) and Hillsboro (G-08) in Broward Canal, and West Palm Beach (C-51) and Boynton (C-16) canals in Palm Beach County.

--Snook and Tarpon are found in many southeast Florida canals and the highest numbers of these sportfish were observed in the Tamiami (C-4), Snake Creek (C-9), and Biscayne (C-8) canals.

January and February are the peak spawning months for largemouth bass in south Florida, and now is the best opportunity for anglers to catch big bass. Butterfly peacock fishing continues to be excellent in Miami-Dade County canals except for temporary slowdowns associated with cold fronts. We strongly encourage anglers to practice catch and release of sportfish at all times but especially for largemouth bass during this season.

Note: As a result of cold winter weather in 2009 and to a lesser extent last December, the non-native fish population is severely reduced. Most exotic fishes were killed by exposure to low water temperatures. This includes butterfly peacock bass, Mayan cichlid, and oscars. Although not totally eradicated, the populations of these popular fish will take some time to recover.

[rad07h]

Very interesting thanks for sharing this I'll be down there in 2 weeks fishing some of those canals.

[Bassn Blvd]

Very interesting and thank you for taking the time to post the article. Funny thing is, I just got in from fishing the C-51 canal. I caught 3 bass for 10 pounds, biggest weighing 4.51 pounds.

[Roach87]

I've driven near Boynton canal more than a few times. Does anyone know a good place to drop a small trolling motor rigged jon in?

[piscicidal]

There was a FWC officer at the snakehead roundup on Saturday (C-14 and Rock Island road), and apparently they shocked up a snakehead at Lox. A discouraging sign for those of us who believe that the snakeheads are detrimental to the bass population.

To my knowledge there's no way for snakeheads to get in there....someone is bringing them in.

[1234567]

Thanks for the post information about FWC. My question is how much of these canals do they electroshock? I find it hard to believe that a 7 and a half pound fish is the largest in these canals?? Reading through it, it seems that small portions of these canals are shocked and then given the fish count for that specific portion. I'm sure alot of guys here have caught 8, 9, 10 pounders or bigger in these canals.

If not, I'm not all to sure I'd fish them as much knowing I'm only going to catch a 7 pounder.

[00 mod]

Wish we had reports for lake around here like that! Would make my fishing choices easier!

Jeff

[roadwarrior]

Wish we had reports for lake around here like that! Would make my fishing choices easier!

Jeff

C'mon...

Local tournaments on Pickwick have been producing 25-30 lb bags, with several double digits including

11 something, 13 something and 14.58, a new (unofficial) State Record. What more do you really need

to know? I'm kill'in 'em on the Keitech Swing Impact Fat, The Rig and Megabass Ito Mission 110.

[00 mod]

Yea but what about other places? What have they been producing around here....quit giving me a hard time RW! LOL

Jeff

[roadwarrior]

Okay...

Guntersville: Mix it up however you like, but it seems to be nothing but Red Eyed Shad and The Rig.

Table Rock: The Rig...More and bigger than have EVER been reported on this lake during the winter!

Kentucky Lake: Red Eyed Shad, Rage Tail Craw (weighted hook)

Grove Park & Colierville Civic Center: Keitech Swing Impact Fat

p.s. I'm fishing below Wilson Friday and Saturday: The Rig, Norman Fat Boy, Red Eyed Shad and Mission 110

[Roach87]

That Rage craw with a weighted hook was deadly for me about 2 weeks ago down here as well RW. That is quickly becoming a super confidence bait for me.

[SirSnookalot]

I've driven near Boynton canal more than a few times. Does anyone know a good place to drop a small trolling motor rigged jon in?

boat ramp off nw 13 ave, but you can only go as far as Lawrence rd due to the spillway, but can go east almost anywhere.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=26.47205,-80.169284&z=17&t=h&hl=en

[Roach87]

boat ramp off nw 13 ave, but you can only go as far as Lawrence rd due to the spillway, but can go east almost anywhere.

http://maps.google.c...&z=17&t=h&hl=en

Thanks my friend, appreciate the tip!

[bocabasser]

my parents bought their first house on c14 in 1966. even though it is dirty (shopping carts, cars, mattress' etc.) you can catch some big fish in there. my club fishes it once a year. the g8 is also good. if lox is slow, i go to the g8 and always catch good fish. both c14 and g8 also have HUGE snakeheads. i surprised they didn't shock any up.

[BassHunter954]

Im new to this shock thing you guys are talking about can any one explain to me?

[Bassn Blvd]

They may have only shocked up to a certain depth. There are plenty of 7 and 8 pounders in those canals, but I'm not telling what part of the canal, HAHAHA.

[South FLA]

Im new to this shock thing you guys are talking about can any one explain to me?

Shocking or "Electroshocking" is a method of catching fish that fish managers use to sample bodies of water to collect statistics that are then in turn used to measure fishery health. The fish are literally electrocuted with a current that stuns them enough that they can be caught with a net when they surface.

Here are some more reading material on shocking for you:

http://www.mesc.usgs.gov/products/publications/21226/21226.pdf

http://www.e-fish.co.uk/pages/support_intro.html

[BassHunter954]

Well thanks dude thats cool I need u as a bud lol

[Al Wolbach]

When they shock fish in the TVA chain of lakes 8' of water is max depth they can shock. Florida wildlife probably use the same equipment. I'm not sure of the range but 8' is max depth here. So if the fish can find water deeper than 8' or possibly under a dock, they may be safe from shocking. Could explain why bigger fish were not reported....................Al

[1234567]

When they shock fish in the TVA chain of lakes 8' of water is max depth they can shock. Florida wildlife probably use the same equipment. I'm not sure of the range but 8' is max depth here. So if the fish can find water deeper than 8' or possibly under a dock, they may be safe from shocking. Could explain why bigger fish were not reported....................Al

Hopefully that's the case down here, that leaves plenty of water below 8 foot depth that the big ones can hide under. That is weird, 8 foot depth when the canals here can reach 20 feet! Seems only the littler ones would be shocked up at that depth, most big bass that shallow are under heavy cover.

[Al Wolbach]

Hopefully that's the case down here, that leaves plenty of water below 8 foot depth that the big ones can hide under. That is weird, 8 foot depth when the canals here can reach 20 feet! Seems only the littler ones would be shocked up at that depth, most big bass that shallow are under heavy cover.

The lakes here are well over 100', but they only shock to 8'. They compare data from previous years so for that purpose 8' is ok. They usually shock in front of my house in June when it's hot. And they usually have to shutdown their generator because my weimaraners swim out to their boat to visit. Anytime a boat comes in this cove to fish my dogs think they have a visitor and swim out to greet them.....Al