What good does it do to bitch about it? It isn't going anywhere.

Fact is, not many people in this thread are ever going to have to worry if they should donate or not.

I wonder what the average number of bass per acre is today on Fork, compared to what it was in 1985, 1995, 2005, etc.?

Same question for baitfish and non bass gamefish.

Another (not surprising) survey, is that bass are targeted between 73% and 81% of angler efforts, as compared to crappie (11%-18%) and catfish (4%-5%). I won't even bring up sand bass because they seem to be considered the equivelant of saltwaters hardhead catfish :)- Eating machines

With the small effort to harvest non bass species over the years, I wonder what the potential impact may be on the forage fish over time. We don't harvest forage fish so reasonable deduction would lean to a fairly consistent volume of forage fish but more and more game fish. Yes, game fish die of natural causes and predation but so do forage fish.

The debates on retaining bass under the slot has been beaten to death but most seem reluctant to do so.

If populations have grown over the years to sizes that I would think they would (as a product of all the aforementioned), AND the lake hasn't gotten any bigger, the common man (me) would think at some point the lake "peaks".

Just one guys thoughts.

A great beer and popcorn thread nonetheless.

Hey!! I'm trying! I'm trying!!

No. My simple question has not been answered. Look at the top 50 list of lmb caught in Texas. The largest fish are not Sal offspring. So,the program,in 25 years,has produced not 1 fish larger than Natural reproduction has produced.

When you say that the largest fish are not SAL offspring, I don't believe that to be correct. The truth is we do not know for sure. However, since 2005 we are now able to test, through advancements in DNA, genetic markers. It typically takes 8 to 9 years in an established lake to grow a fish to 13 lbs. So, in another couple of years, we will be able to test for this, to prove if some of this are from the SAL program. I for one, am confident that some of the fish will be SAL offspring.

Texas is attempting to do things not done before on such a large scale. Anytime you pioneer things you are an easy target. I think Allen and his team are on the cutting edge and I love that there is someone pushing the issue!

Fish populations are WAY higher than they use to be. Too many fisherman crying about not getting enough bites. There isn't a public lake in Texas managed for big fish.

Japan is probably where the biggest fish will come from for a while since they are a trash fish there and have very low populations.

According to the TPWD website, SAL stockings did not start until 2005 so all of the big fish caught before then were Florida Strain or a mix of Florida and Native TX fish.

I'm with you Ken.

Good info Ken!

I like the overall program, it has done wonders for our fisheries throughout the state.

Like anything else in life some say tomato and some say tomatoe!

Yes, your question has been answered several times. Where are the big fish? was your question. If you can read and decipher all the bs in the explanations, particularly mine, your answer is there. If you can't, let us know and we'll try and do better.

I still find it hard to believe there are people against the SAL program. I think the fishing in TX has some of you spoiled.

If you really want to look at it from a fish management standpoint it actually benefits the rest of the giant fish to lose a few 13 lbers every year. They all compete for the same size food.

Why is it so hard to believe? My guess is you may be confusing the stocking programs for Florida Strain with SAL. They are two very different programs.

Stocking the Florida strain has been a huge success and the records are in the book to verify this success. Success of the SAL program is very inconclusive after 25 years.

The SAL program puts FL strain fish in the lakes that have a possible genetic advantage to turn into trophies. Skinny parents don't often produce overweight kids. What percentage genetics plays in it is a mute point to me, they have an advantage no matter how big it is. Also the SAL program draws out of staters like me in.