Rock Bass - WTH

[slayermcb]

I spent 6 hours on the water this past Sunday with my uncle who came up from CT to do some fishing with me. We were cruising Winni around Wolfeboro bay. We were busy the whole time, and not a single dead spot and the action was never slow. But it was all Rock Bass. Not a single other species. (maybe a jumping smallie that spit the hook... maybe)

Are they getting worse? I know they are considered invasive and I don't let them go back in the water alive but it felt more like pest control then fishing.

[Billyjp2]

Fished in Alton Bay Saturday morning with the same results. 6-8 rock bass, and one smallmouth that spit the hook as it's tail slapped the surface.

[8gv]

'Tis time to stop fighting and embrace the victors.

Get an ultra-ultralite rod and reel set up and some 2# test line.

A Mepps zero spinner or 1/8 oz Rooster Tail will keep you busy.

[BroadHopper]

Awfully lot of rock bass in the past few years. I use them in the compost pile. Makes great fertilizers!

[tis]

I am really worried. Between the rock bass and geese, we could lose the lake.

[Grant]

Originally Posted by tis

I am really worried. Between the rock bass and geese, we could lose the lake.

You speak the truth. Geese reproduce like mad, and they poop like it's their job. In fact, it is their job.

I spend most of the year down in Pennsylvania, and if Lake lovers could see what geese have done to our lakes down here, we'd be taking drastic measures to get rid of them NOW. As a diver, I've seen the insane growth of algae blooms and the loss of visibility--two "visible" indicators of their impact on water quality.

As for the rock bass...way back when, circa 2002-2004, I posted some photos of rock bass on the Lady of the Lake wreck in Gilford, and loads of folks jumped in, claiming there were no rock bass in the Lake. A state biologist later confirmed. Check out the video below -- it's from a barge wreck in Alton Bay, shot in Sept 2020. When I first dove it about ten years ago, there were mostly smallies on the wreck. Now the rock bass are as thick as black flies in May. (See if you can spot the smallies and the nice yellow perch.)


https://youtu.be/oebRdP07u-Y

[tis]

Originally Posted by Grant

You speak the truth. Geese reproduce like mad, and they poop like it's their job. In fact, it is their job.

I spend most of the year down in Pennsylvania, and if Lake lovers could see what geese have done to our lakes down here, we'd be taking drastic measures to get rid of them NOW. As a diver, I've seen the insane growth of algae blooms and the loss of visibility--two "visible" indicators of their impact on water quality.

As for the rock bass...way back when, circa 2002-2004, I posted some photos of rock bass on the Lady of the Lake wreck in Gilford, and loads of folks jumped in, claiming there were no rock bass in the Lake. A state biologist later confirmed. Check out the video below -- it's from a barge wreck in Alton Bay, shot in Sept 2020. When I first dove it about ten years ago, there were mostly smallies on the wreck. Now the rock bass are as thick as black flies in May. (See if you can spot the smallies and the nice yellow perch.)


https://youtu.be/oebRdP07u-Y

You know it's funny you mention PA. When I saw my first resident goose many years ago I thought how cute. My neighbor told me to get rid of them, that we absolutely did not want them around. She was from Pa. and told me they have literally destroyed lakes down there. Once I saw their poop I knew what she meant. As you said, that is their job for sure. I can't believe how much they manufacture!! It's bad on the land, but think what the lake must look like.

[John Mercier]

We would need to get rid of a massive amount of lawn near the water.
It just isn't something I see coming to pass anytime soon.

We would need a really deep long recession, that caused people to simplify and rethink their expenditures.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

We would need to get rid of a massive amount of lawn near the water.
It just isn't something I see coming to pass anytime soon.

We would need a really deep long recession, that caused people to simplify and rethink their expenditures.

1. Replace the lawn with blueberry sod. Green for a longer season, no mowing, and the pie is much better than grass flavored with fertilizer.
2. It isn't deep or long yet, but we're in recession now. You'll hear it from the pundits in about 12 months when they settle in after November mid terms and we start to see presidential candidates in NH.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Descant

2. It isn't deep or long yet, but we're in recession now. You'll hear it from the pundits in about 12 months when they settle in after November mid terms and we start to see presidential candidates in NH.

I can't imagine what is worst! Geese or political sh!t!

[Grant]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I can't imagine what is worst! Geese or political sh!t!

They're pretty much the same thing. But goose dooky will destroy the Lake.

[John Mercier]

Originally Posted by Descant

1. Replace the lawn with blueberry sod. Green for a longer season, no mowing, and the pie is much better than grass flavored with fertilizer.
2. It isn't deep or long yet, but we're in recession now. You'll hear it from the pundits in about 12 months when they settle in after November mid terms and we start to see presidential candidates in NH.

I think the second quarter will have a slightly positive GDP, but it could be negative giving us the two quarters in the definition.

It has to be long and deep to not only wash out capital excess and restore capital discipline... but must also be long enough to create a lasting imprint.

Once imprinted. People logically should seek to make the land more productive... hence items like the berry bushes.
It is just getting past the emotion into the reality that no politician is going to brave what must be done to get the results that they are demanding.

We thought $14 studs were going to cancel the demand for building... or at least building larger rather than better quality... it didn't even create a dent. Four times the pre-covid quantity are flying out of the yard.

So we are still in the quantity and not quality phase of the consumer cycle.