Slow on Owens and small fish on Gull

[billy b]

Hit the Lower Owens Friday on the way down to the USC game. Water was low and slow ... and fishing was for me also. Caught 3 bass and 3 blue gill which was new for me. NC's was all that worked. Admittedly, I still need to get good at using crickets.

Gull was pretty ... but very windy yesterday. And the fish were SMALL ... SMALL ... did I say SMALL ? Definitely need to have a 4-5 foot leader.

Anybody else seeing small fish coming out of the "Home for Monster Trout?" New ownership?

[shinbob]

Yeah, this year at the June Lake loop we caught the fewest, smallest fish ever, in over 12 years of going up there. I've read that the DFW reduced by 50% the amount/poundage of trout this year (1.6M lbs vs. 3M in previous years). Also I've heard that the sterilized trout mandated to protect native species will grow slower. And the loss of the Alpers facility certainly doesn't help.

Not really a whole lot of fun for my family/kids to catch just a few 1/2-pound trout (although I'm just ecstatic to catch a 8-inch wild golden on a dry, but that's a different kind of fishing). May have to look elsewhere for a different adventure next year.

[retired96]

I believe the fish stocking reduction was 750,000 pounds versus previous of 1.5 million pounds...DFW claim the sterile fish actually grow bigger faster..Seems to me that stocking sterile fish will eventually lead to no new fish in the waters. I fished the Lower Owens on Friday and Sat...I did manage a 4 pound pink meated fish on Friday morning north of line street and after that I got 1 fish and no bites in about 6 hours of fishing. The Upper Owens was horrible, river filled with weeds and low water...Spent 3 days at the river, about 6 hours time and one lousy 6 inch fish and never had one bite after that. I have fished the Upper Owens for over 50 years and the past few years has been the worst fishing for the Upper Owens.

[DarkShadow]

DFW claim the sterile fish actually grow bigger faster...

Kinda hard to grow bigger and faster when they are taken immediately after stocking.

But I'm sure the DFG worked that factor into their analysis about stocked sterile fish growing faster....

[shinbob]

DFW claim the sterile fish actually grow bigger faster..

I believe it's both. They can (or not) grow slower before sexual maturity, but faster afterwards. As I understand it, it's because they put the energy usually applied to reproduction into growth instead.

Some quick google searches turn up:

"Most studies of triploid fish have shown thatthey have normal or only slightly diminished survival and growth as compared to normal diploids.For some species, the growth rate of triploid fish was greater than for diploids, after the fish reached sexual maturity."

"Meiotic triploids experienced a retardation in growth during the first 60 days after ponding relative to their diploid controls. In the period of 60-120 days, the growth rate of specific meiotic triploid crosses improved considerably such that they were indistinguishable from diploids. "

[retired96]

I think its BS that sterile fish are planted, DFW caves in again to the wacko don't harm anything in the world type people and groups.

[sotachii]

Maybe it's a slow fall bite? The fish are definitely smaller out of Gull this year, but I caught a few fish topping 3 plus pounds. When it's windy I like to extend to a 6 to 8 ft leader, tends to work better. Anyways, I limited for 3 days straight, with standard 3/4 to 1 pound planters and a few of those larger ones, but this was back in August. Mammoth had a good summer too.

[Slims]

Its odd to hear you all say that gull has been slow this year. I had the best fishing trip this year on gull than I have ever had, and Ive fished gull every summer since 1987. My brother and I caught 10 fish over 3lbs, my brother slammed one that had the markings of what looks like a cutbow, and I nabbed the fish of the month for May at 5 lbs 8 oz. The trout bite was insane, and pretty much all big with a few rats mixed in. The only bite that was slow was the perch bite, but we went up a month earlier than normal so I will write it off to that.

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[seal]

Because somebody got there following a Utah plant does not mean that the fishing was good all season long. There are obviously going to be spikes in fish caught based on the trophy stocking program that is in place. The discussion seems to be re: the DFW's poor stocking of all waters this season. I was there for a week last week and saw the lack of fish, stopped at Bishop creek for the fall colors on the way home and saw maybe 2 rainbows in all the spots I checked areas I know very well from years of visitation. On Thursday took a drive up to North before coming home, no fish other than the small brownies in the bridge hole, when I came back down I saw about 5 fish in the pool, small bows, obviously they planted, 5 trout in that hole that normally gets a couple net full. Now I know it's the fall and they cut back but to see the area (and that's not the only areas I observed without fish) completely devoid of fish was sad to say the least. Luckily I had made up my mind to do a more casual fishing trip and focus more on a "normal" type of vacation, hell even visited the insanity of Yosemite. By the way they are really doing a number on that place with construction and changes, it's been a while but with traffic and road work it sucked way more than I ever remember.

Vacation dollars are going to go even more outside this state if the powers that be don't pull their heads out of their back sides soon!

[seal]

Maybe it's a slow fall bite? The fish are definitely smaller out of Gull this year, but I caught a few fish topping 3 plus pounds. When it's windy I like to extend to a 6 to 8 ft leader, tends to work better. Anyways, I limited for 3 days straight, with standard 3/4 to 1 pound planters and a few of those larger ones, but this was back in August. Mammoth had a good summer too.

From what I understand speaking with multiple individuals up there they were very concentrated with when they would put a "normal" amount of fish in. This is what leads to spikes with some that visited during the spike periods reporting good success. The sad part is there will be very little holdover fish and poor fishing early and late in the year (the opening day stocking obviously will cause a good first couple weeks or so also). Cumulative reports and word of mouth from locals is where you get the true picture with those that have been visiting for years that go up multiple times a year providing the best gauge of overall stocking conditions.

[hookdfisherman]

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Maybe the drought has affected the hatcheries/fish farms?

Maybe the drought [of money, overall] was effected by a state run by moronic officials?


Better get out and vote!



Btw, who'd be the best to vote for if I just want to be able to fish for the rest if my life?



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[hookdfisherman]

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Just read, all the stickers are from UT?


Oops.


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[shinbob]

Because somebody got there following a Utah plant does not mean that the fishing was good all season long. There are obviously going to be spikes in fish caught based on the trophy stocking program that is in place.

Gull is particularly "spiky" since it's so tiny. I see the same pattern every year. All the freshly stocked trout hang out mostly in only 3 places in the entire lake, and they get caught out pretty quickly by those that know what they're doing. Slims had a great trip, congrats to him and his family, but he alone probably accounted for 10% or more of that particular trophy fish drop. (nothing wrong with that, though. The marina probably doesn't mind either, as they like to see pictures out there of huge catches that get people excited)

[Slims]

Because somebody got there following a Utah plant does not mean that the fishing was good all season long. There are obviously going to be spikes in fish caught based on the trophy stocking program that is in place. The discussion seems to be re: the DFW's poor stocking of all waters this season. I was there for a week last week and saw the lack of fish, stopped at Bishop creek for the fall colors on the way home and saw maybe 2 rainbows in all the spots I checked areas I know very well from years of visitation. On Thursday took a drive up to North before coming home, no fish other than the small brownies in the bridge hole, when I came back down I saw about 5 fish in the pool, small bows, obviously they planted, 5 trout in that hole that normally gets a couple net full. Now I know it's the fall and they cut back but to see the area (and that's not the only areas I observed without fish) completely devoid of fish was sad to say the least. Luckily I had made up my mind to do a more casual fishing trip and focus more on a "normal" type of vacation, hell even visited the insanity of Yosemite. By the way they are really doing a number on that place with construction and changes, it's been a while but with traffic and road work it sucked way more than I ever remember.

Vacation dollars are going to go even more outside this state if the powers that be don't pull their heads out of their back sides soon!

Yeah, thats actually not what happened. The week I was there was a week and a half after last DFW plant, and a month after last trophy stocking. All fish were caught in the back end of the lake, no where near the marina where the fish are dumped. Maybe after 30 years I just have that lake dialed in.

[seal]

Maybe but you are not the only one that has fished for that long up there. The only place I will fish Gull is in the back so yea I know the deal but my point is an anecdotal good trip in the month that the fish are being stocked regularly is not an indicator or the health of the stocking program, remember I wrote early and late season are when plants are being affected most. Gull as indicated is a small lake with a decent stocking program. Other lakes are going to fish well also where the DFW decides to be more generous. It's the overall health of the areas trout population that I am referring to so congratulations on your trip and I'm sure others had decent trips also but if you think that the amount of fish being stocked is satisfactory then I think you are wrong.

Besides after all those fish you caught in the pictures were likely not DFW fish unless they dumped a crapload of breaders in there.