F
Fishidiot
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 9,960
Here's the latest PFBC population estimate for smallmouth bass in the North Branch, Susquehanna River:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/images/reports/2010bio/4x06_03nb.htm
The results were excellent (as anecdotal reports from fishermen suggest). In particular, bass in the range of 10" and 13" were particularly numerous, reflecting the excellent year classes produced in 2005 and 2007. A similar effect can be seen in the upper Potomac River which also had very good spawns those years. Five or so years ago I was deeply concerned that the bass crash that occured on the lower Susky around Harrisburg would creep upriver into the North and West Branches but, at least so far, this fortunately doesn't appear to be happening. Of interesting note: If one looks at the numbers, their conclusions boiled down to an estimate of about 950 bass per mile in that section of river. Of that population, it was estimated that there were only 61 SMBs over 15." This works out to be roughly about 6% of the bass population. The graph didn't even have a column for fish >18." This serves as a reminder, in my humble opinion, of the fragility/rarity of the population of large bass. An 18" SMB is a very old fish and the current regulations allowing for the harvest of these very old fish in rivers managed under Big Bass rules is flawed in my opinion. Whatever the case, the SMBs in this stretch of river are thriving.
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/images/reports/2010bio/4x06_03nb.htm
The results were excellent (as anecdotal reports from fishermen suggest). In particular, bass in the range of 10" and 13" were particularly numerous, reflecting the excellent year classes produced in 2005 and 2007. A similar effect can be seen in the upper Potomac River which also had very good spawns those years. Five or so years ago I was deeply concerned that the bass crash that occured on the lower Susky around Harrisburg would creep upriver into the North and West Branches but, at least so far, this fortunately doesn't appear to be happening. Of interesting note: If one looks at the numbers, their conclusions boiled down to an estimate of about 950 bass per mile in that section of river. Of that population, it was estimated that there were only 61 SMBs over 15." This works out to be roughly about 6% of the bass population. The graph didn't even have a column for fish >18." This serves as a reminder, in my humble opinion, of the fragility/rarity of the population of large bass. An 18" SMB is a very old fish and the current regulations allowing for the harvest of these very old fish in rivers managed under Big Bass rules is flawed in my opinion. Whatever the case, the SMBs in this stretch of river are thriving.
