Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Update on Smalle action ??, need some insight

Grant · 06-05-2004, 08:05 AM

With the number and frequency of big tournaments on the Lake, there HAS to be some serious impact on the smallmouth population. These guys catch, and then bring them in for weighing. They aren't released where they were caught. THAT impacts the population.

As for fishing the beds -- the only reason they bite while on the beds is to dissuade potential intruders from snatching the eggs or newly-hatched bass. Remove the guardian from the nest, and it's open for predation. The more & closer the potential predators, the less time it takes to wipe the nest clean. Wiped-out nest might not result in a visible impact on the population for a few years...but if there are enough people removing fish from the beds for a long enough time, the population will certainly decline. Granted, I ain't with Fish & Game, but I've been fishing & diving my entire life and honestly believe these things to be true. And, yes, I have fished the beds in the spring -- but not in the last 20 years.

06-05-2004, 08:05 AM	#5
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,499 Thanks: 374 Thanked 229 Times in 123 Posts	Fishing the beds With the number and frequency of big tournaments on the Lake, there HAS to be some serious impact on the smallmouth population. These guys catch, and then bring them in for weighing. They aren't released where they were caught. THAT impacts the population. As for fishing the beds -- the only reason they bite while on the beds is to dissuade potential intruders from snatching the eggs or newly-hatched bass. Remove the guardian from the nest, and it's open for predation. The more & closer the potential predators, the less time it takes to wipe the nest clean. Wiped-out nest might not result in a visible impact on the population for a few years...but if there are enough people removing fish from the beds for a long enough time, the population will certainly decline. Granted, I ain't with Fish & Game, but I've been fishing & diving my entire life and honestly believe these things to be true. And, yes, I have fished the beds in the spring -- but not in the last 20 years.