KMixson said:How do you know for sure you didn't hook a smallie and this fish ate your smallie?
New River Rat said:KMixson said:How do you know for sure you didn't hook a smallie and this fish ate your smallie?
According to my friend that is the muskie biologist at the V.D.G.I.F. for our region, that doesn't happen....yeah, piss on my leg and tell me it's raining, Joe Williams. Samples have been collected with their stomachs pumped, and according to his P.R. spiel, only something like 3 smallies in 200 muskies were found. B.S.!!!!!
The V.D.G.I.F. introduced these slime rockets around '70 or '72, and below Claytor Lake, they are naturalized. Supposedly, the stocking program there hasn't been used in 6 or 7 years. Yeah, now we are over loaded with stunted muskies and trophy (20"+) smallmouth are rather scarce.
handyandy said:I'd be fishing for muskie if they were so prolific you can't catch a smallie over them. I love some smallies, but also really love some pike/muskie. If you hate them then keep your limit of them to eat, they're decent table fair.
ppine said:In the US we have moved species around for at least 150 years. It is hard to tell what species are actually native unless you look it up.
In the West, German browns, kokanee, and lake trout are often introduced. So are bass and pike.
The native species are mostly rainbows, cutthroats, salmon and steelhead. There are many local endemic species with relatively small ranges.
It is only recently that Fish and Game Depts have started to pay attention to the original ranges of native fish species.
ppine said:Rainbows are native to a lot of the West.
It is aggravating at times, but having boat inspections for invasive species like clams, mussels and millefoil are a good idea.
Game departments have done a much better job of managing native species than Fish Departments.
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