October was my first trip took a couple guys who hardly fish and they had a good time had around 50 fish in half day. Went again November had a pretty fun time again caught allot with no quality again.... Last trip I made caught about 12 all small and I couldn't even believe how many boats there were.... Needless to say I have gotten my fix for that lake... Heck just the walk up that hill to the truck and dealing with so many people make me not want to fish it even if numbers are good.

To the deer lease

Prior to 9/11 Squaw got just as hammered if not more and the quality was there. I can remember many times waiting in line that was backed up nearly to the main road where the cottonwood trees are. I believe they use to allow 200 or 250 boats a day on the weekends only, but may be wrong. Also, no Tilapia. I wonder if this is an issue? There were numbers then also, but seemed the quality was better. Maybe Squaw cycles like many lake do?

The most that I have been a part of was a little over 300 boats in the 90s and like TX Fisherman03 stated the number was cut down to 200 or so, and there was quality fish with all of the boats, a couple summers ago there were some large floaters that was spotted around, that could have been what got some of the lager ones. But I'm sure they will back , fast growers for sure out here.

In my opinion, the stocking of Talapia has, and will continue to destroy this lake. They're from Africa, not scared, they will take over, if not already, as the dominant species. 8 lb'ers and 25 lb. sacks, were common, before 9/11 shutdown. They used to allow 300 boats a day, the problem is in the reproduction cycle, and the Talapia devouring all the fry while dominating the shallows, even the catfish and crappie sizes/ populations have suffered. The TPWD should shock them all out of the water they helped stock with game fish, all those early years. It's a damn shame. As for big bass, I believe they don't have to put up with the hassle of the Talapia, in less than 20' of water, and live deeper than we are used to, and with warm water, can spawn anywhere. So many reports lately of small school fish, it's out of necessity.

Have a friend who works there and he said unbelievable amount of dead floaters or fish dying after weekend tournaments. He said this is inside cove by ramps and weigh areas. Birds have buffet dinner feeding on dead or struggling fish. This is probably part of lakes demise

Was there as much tournament pressure pre 911 as there is today? I never had the opportunity to fish the lake back then. I get that the number of people fishing the lake was high, but to me tournament pressure is way different. The number of fish relocated out there every weekend is staggering. I have no doubt that the mortality rate is fairly high.

The talapia issue is puzzling to me. The talapia fry are great forage for bass. I would have thought they would be a net positive for the bass population. I know in my pond talapia are the primary food source and my bass get huge. I don't buy the argument that the talapia are eating bass fry in any significant number. The lake hasn't been stocked with bass in a long time and there is no shortage of numbers. Perhaps the talapia are affecting the food chain in other ways but I don't think its eating bass fry like suggested above.

The tilapia population seems way down, the bass were eating them and there just aren't as many now. There are plenty of bass, tons of rats so I dont think there is an issue with bass fry being eaten. There is a shortage of forage for the bigger fish with the tilapia population down. The little fish chase very small shad all over the place. That's not how fish get big chasing shad half the size of your pinky from one end of the lake to the other. Throw morality of money size fish during the weigh ins and a lack of fizzing knowledge you have a messed up deal.

How deep have you guys caught them out there?

I have heard 35 foot of water. I have caught some in 25 foot.. I hate to fish deep but that use to be where the big girls were..

Dirt to 40 if that helps

I dont Buy the �dead fish floating� at all. I fish many days back to back to back there and I have Never seen a fish floating. Do fish die after release, of course, and birds I�m sure eat a few but if it was mass exodus after a weigh in there would be more than a few around the next morning when guys were launching

Last year I was in Millionaire Cove, behind the rocks, and the whole cove, as far as I could see, was filled with Talapia. I was hitting them with the trolling motor, and couldn't keep them from eating any soft-plastic t-rig, in the water. All of the ones I was looking at, were to large to be normally eaten by average size bass, all over 1.5 lbs.+. Having to keep all you catch, the few kept were over 2.- 2.5 lbs., when weighed. There is no way that the increasing population, of this fish, is good for this particular reservoir. Granted, they are great forage, until they reach a size undesirable as a normal, everyday food source. The warm water allows them year round growth here, cold temps help regulate them, in regular lakes. I know they eat whatever they want to.

I had a friend there day of fun sun tournment he was at dock waiting for wife to back trailer in said he netted 4 bass in distress and took home and fiilletedand ate. ( he was not fishing tournament ). Maybe someday after weigh in go back and look and see if any floaters swimming around instead of loading boat and heading out. I�ve seen other people report on here they seen this at squaw to. Plus most of these tournaments are on Sunday so you�re not seeing these results on Monday because parks closed