Texas Fishing Forum

Dead Bass on Fork

Posted By: SheCrappieKilla

Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:02 PM



What is the over and under of dead bass that will not be filleted for consumption, including delayed mortality that will be tossed back into the lake at the BIG BASS SPLASH this weekend?


Pry they stay safe out there.
Posted By: RedRanger

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:04 PM

You can't save them all
Posted By: RayBob

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:07 PM

tree fiddy
Posted By: Bass_Bustin_Texan

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:08 PM

Captain Save-a-Bass to the Rescue! loco_2
Posted By: Hookem

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:10 PM

0.0768% of all fish caught.
Posted By: 04champ

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:24 PM

its going to be cooler than normal temps, I give them a pretty good shot at survival

most guys will only have one or two fish in the box at a time, and probably not for more than a few hours
Posted By: Ranger1

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 03:27 PM

Less then 1%
Posted By: Davedave

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 04:09 PM

I say at least 45,000 dead bass. Big ones.
Posted By: SheCrappieKilla

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 04:29 PM

They can kill them all if they wish, I just hate see floating dead bass that should have been eatin.

I say over 30% will die.
Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 04:48 PM

Two sides to this...

1. Keep having tournaments with long weigh in strategies and fish are lost. Most are unders.
Unders can't and won't all grow to fun Slot fish or even overs. But make great turtle and bird food.

2. By removing large amounts of what most consider Rats will help provide the surving bass fish more food to grow larger.


It's a give and take type of a deal. I bet even in Fork only less than 10% of bass ever eat a lure. Therefore hundreds of thousands of bass never get caught or taken to the scales.


Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.
Posted By: fouzman

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 04:58 PM

Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.


8 sharelunkers from Fork in 2006-2007. -0- in 2015-2016. I'll bet many of the locals and guides would disagree on the health of the fishery today versus 10 years ago, as it relates to Big Bass.
Posted By: hopalong

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:06 PM

the mad dog was the prime example of how not to do a weigh in, they had a record number of entries (194) and were not ready for it.

not sure how many died in line due to poor planning but I bet it won't happen again, lots of people commenting on it at the weigh in too.

you can't keep pressuring a lake like they do fork and expect the results to keep improving, there is way too much pressure on it now and it will only get worse as the tournaments grow.
I would like to see the slot reversed for a yr or two, 16-24 would be keepers and toss the rest back, I think this could help the big fish out and keep the new fry out of live wells till they can get some size. too many little fish being killed is not a good thing when you want big fish. imo
Posted By: soggybottom

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:18 PM

I think you should just open the dam and start over.
Posted By: Scagnetti

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:22 PM

I don't care how many die as long as it doesn't affect me having a good time
Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:28 PM

Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.


8 sharelunkers from Fork in 2006-2007. -0- in 2015-2016. I'll bet many of the locals and guides would disagree on the health of the fishery today versus 10 years ago, as it relates to Big Bass.


Big bass "Share a lunker" in general yes. But I target Slot fish and those slightly over 24"

They still stack up and are there. Hell we caught 6 or 7 overs in 2012. 4 in one day. And 2 the next.

They are very plentiful.

Factor in weather and water conditions sure maybe 10 years is going back a little to far but my opinion is just that. Plus I know more now than I did then. You were in your prime then more than likely I would assume and I really was just a young punk kid fishing then. So things seem different to me than you see them. Reality for me getting a SAL is slim to none but a true over is not that hard at Fork if you spend some time.



grin
Posted By: fouzman

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:31 PM

Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14
You were in your prime then grin
cry roflmao Hell, I was past my prime then, too!
Posted By: redmojo

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:48 PM

Some of you saying you don't care about how many fish die are part of the problem with all fisheries, some may say you are idiots, but what do I know. Selfishness in its greatest form.
Posted By: jbcarroll3000

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 05:51 PM

Bow fishing's legal for this tournament too, right?
Posted By: 04champ

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 07:26 PM

nobody keeps unders like they're supposed to so you might as well kill them in tournaments
Posted By: 206champion

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 07:44 PM

Tpwd will restock it
Posted By: Big Red 12

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 08:29 PM

There will be a lot less killed there than there was at the Mad Dog Moore Tournament.
Posted By: buda13

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 08:39 PM

Originally Posted By: SheCrappieKilla


What is the over and under of dead bass that will not be filleted for consumption, including delayed mortality that will be tossed back into the lake at the BIG BASS SPLASH this weekend?


Pry they stay safe out there.


Alot less than would die if everyone in the tournament kept a limit of unders like the slot limit tells us we should do.
Posted By: B-rader

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 09:06 PM

They stock that lake more than any other lake , it's the pet of Texas . It will be alright .
Posted By: Battson34

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 09:16 PM

Maybe less sharelunkers are being turned in because such a high percentage die, read a lot about them dining after they were turned in. Not sure if I would turn one in, can't wait until I'm forced into that decision. Lol
Posted By: Devil Horse

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 09:42 PM

Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.


8 sharelunkers from Fork in 2006-2007. -0- in 2015-2016. I'll bet many of the locals and guides would disagree on the health of the fishery today versus 10 years ago, as it relates to Big Bass.

go back even farther and look at the amount of entries in the early and mid 90s compared to now, its amazing.
Posted By: Mike_Soriano™

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 09:49 PM

Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.


8 sharelunkers from Fork in 2006-2007. -0- in 2015-2016. I'll bet many of the locals and guides would disagree on the health of the fishery today versus 10 years ago, as it relates to Big Bass.


I've been fishing fork for 9 years and I can say the fishing has diminished noticeably
Posted By: bbexotics

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/15/16 09:58 PM

I have been fishing Fork for 21 years,sorry to say it is not the same lake since the fish kill of 2001. Average size fish was easily in the 6-8 lbs,now,2-4 lbs
Posted By: M. Massoletti

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 12:12 AM

Most Share a lunkers don't die. If you look they started in 2010 recording if the fish died, or was released back to the lake. With the exception of the 14 15 season the vast majority of the fish submitted where spawned and returned to the lake.
Posted By: Chuck A

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 02:38 AM

Originally Posted By: Scagnetti
I don't care how many die as long as it doesn't affect me having a good time


This is the problem with the world we live in today. The me attitude. Smdh
Posted By: Curtbass

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 03:00 AM

IF Hydrilla returned in about a 35-40% coverage,I'm pretty sure SAL's would start popping up again on a regular basis within 3 yrs. yes there are SALS's still there but I truly believe there would be a LOT more. Just my opinion. Talked to a buddy this evening on Toledo Bend & the little bit of grass they had found was sprayed 2 weeks ago & is completely gone now. Ruined 2 good spots he had found.
Posted By: lipjerk

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 03:06 AM

Originally Posted By: redmojo
Some of you saying you don't care about how many fish die are part of the problem with all fisheries, some may say you are idiots, but what do I know. Selfishness in its greatest form.


Take it with a grain of salt, it's not meant to be serious.
Posted By: Rog

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 05:13 AM

Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14
Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.


8 sharelunkers from Fork in 2006-2007. -0- in 2015-2016. I'll bet many of the locals and guides would disagree on the health of the fishery today versus 10 years ago, as it relates to Big Bass.


Big bass "Share a lunker" in general yes. But I target Slot fish and those slightly over 24"

They still stack up and are there. Hell we caught 6 or 7 overs in 2012. 4 in one day. And 2 the next.

They are very plentiful.

Factor in weather and water conditions sure maybe 10 years is going back a little to far but my opinion is just that. Plus I know more now than I did then. You were in your prime then more than likely I would assume and I really was just a young punk kid fishing then. So things seem different to me than you see them. Reality for me getting a SAL is slim to none but a true over is not that hard at Fork if you spend some time.



grin


The lake has never returned to what it was before the kill. The kill year was the year the hydrilla started disappearing and eventually disappeared. Before then it was not uncommon to catch numbers of 6 - 7 lb fish in the 21" slot and it took a double digit to win almost every T. The summer and fall bite used to be phenomenal with big schools stacked on ridges/humps and roaming the creeks feeding up. The whites are not native to the part of the watershed and were introduced a few years back. The last several years those same place have been covered in whites with a few bass mixed. The drought, low water and lack of cover coupled with giant schools of whites everywhere really hurt the lake and the young population of bass. Until last year it had been years since I had really seen large schools of surface schooling bass. But this year with all the new cover the past two years I am seeing huge schools of schooling bass in the 6-12 inch range and some large schools of big unders. I have not seen that "like it used to be" in the past ten years. I predict we will see a couple SAL coming this fall, winter and or spring. And better sizes the next couple of years. The whites did not help. There were plenty of bar fish for them before the knuckle head introduced the whites. Hope to see your name on the leader board pulling those easy to get overs this weekend. Good luck to you.
Posted By: Douglas J

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 05:25 AM

Originally Posted By: Rog
Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14
Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: ToadSnatcher14

Kinda like the sand bass deal has hurt the bass in Lake Fork. If truth was told the bass are in better shape now because of the Sand Bass than just 10 years ago. Those Big Bass now have something easier to eat and get full off of. Folks just need to figure out how to catch them.

That's my Forkin opinion.


8 sharelunkers from Fork in 2006-2007. -0- in 2015-2016. I'll bet many of the locals and guides would disagree on the health of the fishery today versus 10 years ago, as it relates to Big Bass.


Big bass "Share a lunker" in general yes. But I target Slot fish and those slightly over 24"

They still stack up and are there. Hell we caught 6 or 7 overs in 2012. 4 in one day. And 2 the next.

They are very plentiful.

Factor in weather and water conditions sure maybe 10 years is going back a little to far but my opinion is just that. Plus I know more now than I did then. You were in your prime then more than likely I would assume and I really was just a young punk kid fishing then. So things seem different to me than you see them. Reality for me getting a SAL is slim to none but a true over is not that hard at Fork if you spend some time.



grin


The lake has never returned to what it was before the kill. The kill year was the year the hydrilla started disappearing and eventually disappeared. Before then it was not uncommon to catch numbers of 6 - 7 lb fish in the 21" slot and it took a double digit to win almost every T. The summer and fall bite used to be phenomenal with big schools stacked on ridges/humps and roaming the creeks feeding up. The whites are not native to the part of the watershed and were introduced a few years back. The last several years those same place have been covered in whites with a few bass mixed. The drought, low water and lack of cover coupled with giant schools of whites everywhere really hurt the lake and the young population of bass. Until last year it had been years since I had really seen large schools of surface schooling bass. But this year with all the new cover the past two years I am seeing huge schools of schooling bass in the 6-12 inch range and some large schools of big unders. I have not seen that "like it used to be" in the past ten years. I predict we will see a couple SAL coming this fall, winter and or spring. And better sizes the next couple of years. The whites did not help. There were plenty of bar fish for them before the knuckle head introduced the whites. Hope to see your name on the leader board pulling those easy to get overs this weekend. Good luck to you.




Who stocked the white bass in Fork?
Posted By: PowPowOl'Son

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 09:25 AM

Comparing the number of Sharelunkers isn't an accurate way to look at the number of trophy bass. There are plenty of Sharelunkers caught that are NOT turned into because of the negative publicity the program has received. Based on Sharelunker numbers, no fish over 13lbs was caught last year on Fork, and we all know that's not true.
Posted By: RedRanger

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 09:42 AM

Originally Posted By: Chuck A
Originally Posted By: Scagnetti
I don't care how many die as long as it doesn't affect me having a good time


This is the problem with the world we live in today. The me attitude. Smdh


This post started in the OT section, and was moved.
Posted By: SetNhooks

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 03:09 PM

Don't sweat the small chit
Posted By: Jeezy

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 03:13 PM

Originally Posted By: Chuck A
Originally Posted By: Scagnetti
I don't care how many die as long as it doesn't affect me having a good time


This is the problem with the world we live in today. The me attitude. Smdh


roflmao
Posted By: Rog

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 06:10 PM

Doug rumor has it they were brought in from TWok. Not sure but they were not in the lake until the 2000s
Posted By: fouzman

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 06:50 PM

I can name two Tawakoni striper/white bass guides who used to also guide bass trips on Fork who brought a bunch over. But I won't as one of them is still active, but not on Fork. Maybe there's a good enough white bass fishery for him to start guiding on Fork again. Bastage.
Posted By: reeltexan

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 06:51 PM


Josey said that buzzards gotta eat too, same as worms.

So do turtles and catfish.
Posted By: Douglas J

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 10:27 PM

Originally Posted By: fouzman
I can name two Tawakoni striper/white bass guides who used to also guide bass trips on Fork who brought a bunch over. But I won't as one of them is still active, but not on Fork. Maybe there's a good enough white bass fishery for him to start guiding on Fork again. Bastage.




Who is it?

Enquiring minds want to know...
Posted By: Bruce Allen

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 11:09 PM

not just guides but a guy from Dallas that liked to catch'em would stop at Tawakoni and catch a limit and bring them to his place at Fork and dump' em in. Every weekend for 10 years and now he doesn't even hardly show up.

Today on the live release boat we probably fizzed 50 bass, had 4 of the 7 overs needed a lot of help and took 7 nice bass that were kept on ice to the egg man for dinner.

Like was said previously most of the anglers in the Sealy tournament only have one fish in their livewell's. It was not windy or particularly choppy so the bass pretty much had an easy ride. Some were caught deep.
Posted By: Bruce Allen

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 11:11 PM

here is what TPWD says about the share a lunker program in the future.


up until now they only spawned the pure Floridas and sent the non pure fish back to the lake where they were caught.

in the future they are going to spawn every bass over 13 lb because they have the genes to make "big" fish. So there will be many more fry to spread around the state.
Posted By: David Burton

Re: Dead Bass on Fork - 09/16/16 11:49 PM

Originally Posted By: Bruce Allen
here is what TPWD says about the share a lunker program in the future.


up until now they only spawned the pure Floridas and sent the non pure fish back to the lake where they were caught.

in the future they are going to spawn every bass over 13 lb because they have the genes to make "big" fish. So there will be many more fry to spread around the state.


That's good, get some more native strain genes back in the water.
© 2024 Texas Fishing Forum