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Proposed 2013 - 2014 Fishing Regulation Proposes Change affecting Bass

The state has a proposed regulation change for 2013 and 2014 that will remove limits on bass ( only 3 over 15 inches) on the Snake River and the Columbia  between the McNary Dam and the Chief Joseph Dam.  Not only will this allow these areas to be fished out but the next step will be the entire Columbia and then finally inland lakes.  The entire text of this proposal and the opportunity to voice your comments can be found at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/rule_proposals/comments/prop...

I urge everyone that bass fishes in the state to visit the site and tell the state what you think of their proposed regulation

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Comment by Joe Keith on January 31, 2013 at 3:27pm

Has there been any follow up to this . is the WDFW going to input this ?

If there is any info that I'm missing please post.

thanks.

Comment by Mark Byrne on October 13, 2012 at 1:04pm

An ODFW biologist in Central Oregon did conducted a stomach sample study of SMB in the John Day River in 1976-1977 and published the results and reported them in a 5 state workshop in 1998.   "Management Implications of Co-occuring Native and Introduced Species"   Bruce Shupp gave a presentation at the same workshop.   The study sampled 500 SMB over several time periods and locations on the John Day.   He reported out the stomach contents, which contained NO salmonids, but many non-game fish and a few unidentified fish.    His conclusion was that:  "The introduction of smallmouth bass into the John Day River does not appear to have a significant (if any) impact on native salmonids, based on the analysis of over 500 smallmouth bass stomach contents and an analysis of salmon and steelhead spawning data.  Chinook salmon spawning surveys show an increase in spawning densities over the last 20 years and summer steelhead spawning surveys follow trends similar to adjacent basins that have either no smallmouth bass or very few smallmouth bass.   Anecdotal observations of long-term river users indicate that the number of northern pike minnows has declined since the introduction of smallmouth bass into the John Day River."

ODFW did a similar yet smaller study in Salem on the Willamette River in 1999 and found one salmonid type in 160 stomachs.   Reducing the Smallmouth Bass will increase the pike minnows which make salmonids 75-80 percent of the diet.    You just need to do the math to improve or trash our salmon fisheries.

WDFW Manager Steve Jackson did a study of Bass diet on Lake Washington and salmonids did not even make the top ten on the list of prey species items accounted for in Smallmouth or Largemouth Bass stomach contents for this body of water.

 

Mark Byrne

Conservation Director

BASS WA

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