Not possible at this time. Maybe shut down the nuke plant for a few years. Haha. But, that ain�t happening either.


How do the Tilapia get there in the first place?

Really?.....have you not ever seen those flying fish? Talapia, dude...�.

How did Tilapia get in Squaw? Haven�t you heard the �fish eggs stuck to the birds legs� theory of pond stockings? Or the �eggs getting picked up through evaporation and dropped into the lake as rain� theorys? Someone hauled them there illegally in their live wells is my vote as I have not heard of the state stocking them in Squaw as they did elsewhere. Or maybe they just don�t admit it kinda like they would like to pretend they didn�t stock the �sterile� grass carp in other lakes! https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/stock_bywater.php?WB_code=0690 On the topic of dead/dying bass floating everywhere after tournaments: why are some of y�all so defensive of the tournaments? I get y�all like to fish them and want them to continue but why act like someone just bashed your kid or smacked your wife just because they point to the tournaments as a possible cause? Was the dying fish thing possibly embellished somewhat? Possibly. When aren�t topics embellished on this forum? When discussing the bass problems on Squaw these constant winter tournaments are certainly suspect. The topic was: �Squaws Struggles� which clearly there are many as far as fishing QUALITY is concerned. Any single reason? Probably not. Hauling around larger fish in a livewell so you can hold them up in front of your buddies much later? Maybe. Not harvesting enough(hardly any) of the smaller bass? Probably. Regardless, the topic was Squaw struggles on a FISHING FORUM and everyone is jumping on an opinion as to the problem as if they owned the tournaments and they are above being suspect as a possibility as one of the roots of the problem. Don�t worry, they aren�t going away! The tournaments or the Tilapia! Give your opinion, relax and fish on!

There's a possible solution. Someone needs to put together a Tilapia Tournament. Similar to the Sandbass tournament at Lake Fork. Unlimited fish can be weighed. Donate the fish to a shelter or sell them to a store. Maybe someone in the biz can organize it and get sponsors to help make this a success.

mainly because every time something happens to a lake everyone likes to blame it on tournament fishing

I would say it the pressure is probably similar based on the number of boats allowed, but I was also in my teens and didn't go as often. Like mentioned, the number of boats allowed was greater then 120 or 150 whatever it is now. It was 200 - 300 on Saturdays and Sundays. We also didn't have the electronics like now that help us target specific structure in 20-30 fow, which could also be a reason the bigger fish have been more elusive.

Dang didn't realize cabin fever was this bad yet..... Its not even that cold to be bickering like this lol

It�s not cold....it�s the Tilapia.

I went there today, the weather was very nice. Water was a lot colder than when I was there five or so weeks ago. I went to get out of the house and to just get on the water. I struggled today with the water temps being so low. Either way it beat staying inside one more day.

As stated, regardless the tourneys wont change..... until the fish are gone;....hence..the weekend events have decreased dramatically. I have been an advocate as well to DECREASE (Not stop) of all the tourney that were taking place over the last few years. I fish tourneys myself, but there was no way the lake could sustain the fish quality at the amount of tourneys executed on such a small body of water. I don't know what exactly happens, but something happens. My question is do you guys think if the multiple tourney weekends had not taken place starting 3+ years ago, do you think the bass quality would still be healthy with 20+# sacks routinely?

Fishing tournaments doesn�t necessarily ruin a lake. Fishing tournaments does however directly effect the quality of fish a lake can produce. Based on size of the lake, and number of tournaments on said lake is also a large factor with regards to placing a timeline on the degradation of quality bass that will be produced. When we fish tournaments what do we fish for? The bigs ones right? It is the larger fish in the overall population that is subject to the most abuse when a lake is heavily pressured by tournament anglers, these large bass ride in the live wells for hours only to be taken too weigh in in a mere 6 inches of water (if that) in a plastic bag.

Once released those that survive will begin to alter their habitat and intellectual instincts to prolong their survival, most bass do this by doing what you may ask? By going DEEP. Once this population resides in its new normalized habitat and get caught again (typically the weekend warrior is not out there fishing ledges in 40 FOW) they not only ride in the live well but are subjected to tenfold the amount of stresses scientifically proven to damage fish. Improper or neglected fizzing (neutralizing of the swim bladder[controversial practice in itself]) lack of fin clipping, sever temperature shock from the water they were living in to the water in live well. These types of stresses don�t take effect right away, some take days to fully impact a specific fish. Combine this with the aforementioned 6� of water situation at weigh in, when it has been predicted a bass will suffer up to 15% brain damage every minute it is starved of oxygen you begin to get a pattern, dead fish, not just any fish, the fish with the most successful and strongest biological DNA (big bass) this then results in the decline of �quality� bass in any given fishery.

Don�t get me wrong, I love bass fishing just as much as the next guy, and I�m even the guy that gets to the Pre tournament meeting before 90% of the field because I�m so excited. However, fish care needs to be stressed. I�m surprised at the boats that don�t even use a livewell formula to replenish electrolytes and other necessary chemicals in our fish to keep them healthy hours even days AFTER release. I highly recommend G juice because I not only like the Gman himself but it doesn�t make the livewell smell nor break the bank. But what do I know, I�m just a pilot who loves bass fishing and fishing tournaments with a masters in Conservation Biology.

What y�all need to do is have a lot of hydrilla stuck to your trailers and boats when you come!

Most definitely. Forage has not changed. Nothing has changed except the bigger fish being hauled around all day and eventually dumped back into the lake after weigh-in. I know the fish that we've carried around were not in the best shape when dumped, and just seemed to be roughed up. That's just too much stress on the fish, IMO. I've witnessed many big floaters over the years. Not a whole cove full, but more than you want to see. I can remember when the lake opened up, the average size fish was right at 4lbs. Those are even non-existent now. The ones that were too small to weigh in the last 4 years are just now getting some size, but it'll be hard pressed to weigh 20lb sacks again due to the tournament pressure continuing. Close the lake again for a couple of years and it'll return to the same ole' Squaw it was back in 2013-2014.

Tilapia population is way down.

Just my 2c ,, so everyone says tournaments are the down fall of squaw creek....
Not even close,,, so think about this... tournament 1 day,, say 40 boats,, 200 fish brought to scales,, so now say another 80 boats catching 50 fish per boat 4 days a week, with zero knowledge of fish care,, ..
Fish at squaw grow so fast their life span is short,, with all the 2lb fish this year, next year will be 3plus pounds or better...
So what if everyone kept there allowed limits of 2lb fish,, everyday,, now the food supply is greater,,
Not to mention all the throw netted fish kept...