It's just nature. Some years good; some years not so good. Big state.

Thats TPWD nice way of sayin YALL SUCK!

the pure florida population isn't just down, it is non existent. At least according to their data they pulled in 07.

From a post a while back:


At this point, I just want some smallies. LMB fishing here will never be what it once was and with the ever fluctuating water levels smallmouth will be more predictable,(maybe not?) than the largemouth and possibly give us some good cold water fishing. Hysmith won't even entertain the idea of smallmouth in RR.

You can always make a trip to their office on Lake Texoma and talk to them in person, and have the data set out in front of you. I have been there many times and they are always very helpful. Get there at lunch time and they`ll even share their road kill with you.
If I remember right they do a survey every three years. So, if that`s true then they should be conducting one in the near future.

Cannot tell you the last time I caught a fish that wasnt as skinny as me. GO to fork. Every fish there has some meat on his bones.

Surely nobody would question someone who says we need to increase the Florida strain in a lake that is already probably the toughest winter lake in the state... lol. A few smallies might make things interesting in the winter instead of having to head north/south (and spend our money elsewhere) to get some action.

I've been plagued with skinny fish all year at both lakes.

Nobody has mentioned the white bass out there though. Isn't a fingerling bass about the same size of a shad? What's going to keep the fingerlings from being victim or a white bass feeding frenzy?

Just curious, not complaining. I love TP&W too. Best in the country, and truly care about what they do.

I too wish they would stock some smallies in the lake. It was clear at the meeting Hysmith wasn't having it. Almost rude about it.

On a good note, we must have had a hell of a spawn this year because there are 4 - 6 inch fish all over the place. The last week they seem to be everywhere we are fishing. Last time I saw them like this was in 07 after the flood. Hope they make it.

SandBass is one of the main reason Roberts never made it as a powerhouse bass lake.

I don't think it is sandbass. I think that because grass is non- existent. The fish are still there.

+1 on sandbass
Simple biology; carrying capacity
The more sandbass you have competing for food, the harder it is for the LM
Having more grass would increase the lakes carrying capacity,
that would mean more fish, whether it's sandies or LM.
We had Bruce come speak to our club a few years back - an expert & great guy!

Seems like I remember a report from some fella not long ago that talked about a good smallie being caught, seems like maybe they (TPWD) have started stock-em. Thats GOOD one less THING.
I know alot of U guys think this lake isnt what it use to be and probably have a valid point, cause for me it fishes alot different then it used to. Used to you could go find some good areas in the hydrilla and just wack-em, even in the summer mouths. I have struggled on that lake when the water gets warm ever since that grass has left.
With that lakes lack of Florida strain in it has made it alot better winter lake then what I here on the internet. I know there is nobody fishing it cause I'm up there 2-3 times a week all winter and never see another boat except for Tim Weeks all winter. That is why Texoma is such a good winter lake cause it doesn't have the Florida's in it.
I said this when they lifted the slot that there would be alot of people struggle on that lake because there is alot of areas that look good but only a few areas that fish good,and that scatters fish pretty thin. But that lake has more 5 lb.+ fish in it then any other lake up here in north Tx., Texoma is gettin better all the time as well.
So to all that hate her go somewhere else an leave-em for me to catch. DONE

While I gotta agree that TP&WD is the best, they are not perfect and much of the time politics takes huge precedence over biology. Over the years I've been at odds with them, usually politics vs. biology. I am a biologist, not a politician.

While to some it seems "a good idea", stocking pure florida strain bass into such a northern water body is pretty much folly. The data presented above clearly shows what we call "genetic drift". The situation where the strain that is most adapted to the habitat outlasts the one that is not. The pure floridas froze out. They will do so again and again until global warming changes things (if you are a practicioner of that religion).

Come down where I work and you will find mostly pure strain floridas if floridas or thier crossbreeds were stocked into a lake many years in the past. Genetic drift favors floridas over natives here along the coast.

And, it is a misconception that weeds grow bass. In fact the opposite is true. Less weeds, more productivity. Aquatic weeds do make good habitats, but do not make food for predators. They make good places to fish, but do not make a lake hold more fish. The lake with a green plankton bloom will hold more fish (biomass), but they are harder to catch, than in a weedy lake.

The exception is if a lake is very turbid, then if it clears do to weed growth, at least for bass, it becomes a better habitat.