Fredrick
Well-known member
Heres a good read. All about the SM population in the Susky
« on: August 06, 2008, 03:45:54 PM »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What’s going on with smallmouth bass fishing in the Susquehanna River? I’m not catching as many fish as I did a few years ago.
A: The Susquehanna River system is the largest in Pennsylvania. It includes the Susquehanna River North Branch, the West Branch Susquehanna River, the Juniata River and the main stem Susquehanna River. The river drainage includes some 27,500 square miles, covering nearly half of the land area of Pennsylvania. In a system this large, any number of factors can influence fish populations in different ways at various locations. As a general observation, however, Fish and Boat Commission monitoring has shown that since 2000, production of young smallmouth bass (Young of the Year or YOY) has been near or below the long term average within the drainage. Not all rivers within the drainage have exhibited the same trends but the mainstem, extending from Sunbury to the Maryland state line, has exhibited densities which have been below average. This section of the river has been a recent focus of Fish and Boat Commission attention as a result.
Q: What do YOY numbers mean in terms of adult fish?
A: As you might expect, there is a relationship between the number of young smallmouth bass entering the overall population and the total number of adult smallmouth bass available to anglers down the road. It’s not a perfect correlation, however, as numerous other factors such as habitat, water quality, predation and disease influence survival of young until they reach legal size . But its fair to say that in general a weak year class usually means fewer adult fish 3 to 5 years later. String together a series of weak year classes and anglers begin to notice their catch going down.
Q: My fishing isn’t completely horrible though. Although my overall numbers are definitely lower, the fish I am catching are very nice. In fact, most of the smallies I’m catching are large fish.
A: That’s not surprising. In 1999, there was a terrific year class throughout the Susquehanna. The fish from that year class are still part of the overall smallmouth population and, although lower in density, fish from other year classes are present as well. A typical Susquehanna smallmouth bass is 15 inches at age six. So those big fish you’re landing are indeed older fish.
In order for a fishery to remain attractive over time, a mix of large older fish and small, younger fish are typically present. The agency has focused attention on monitoring both the abundance of young smallmouth bass and abundance of all size classes of smallmouth bass. We are working on identifying those elements that limit production of young smallmouth bass.
Q: So the fishing I’m experiencing now is related to things that happened in the river several years ago?
A: Very much so. Typically there are fluctuations between weak and strong year classes that average each other out. Successive strong year classes can produce periods where lots of adult bass are available to anglers. The opposite is true when you have an extended period with relatively weak year classes. This downturn in lower Susquehanna bass abundance was predicted by PFBC biologists based upon the results of their annual year class monitoring results.
As mentioned before, there are other factors involved as well - fish health, predation and angler harvest are others. Because a large section of the Susquehanna River already has very conservative “Big Bass” regulations in place, angling is not believed to be a significant influence. No harvest is allowed for a two-month period that covers the bulk of the spawn and only two fish that are 18 inches or larger are allowed to be creeled for the majority of the year. Up to four fish of 15 inches or greater may be taken three months of the year at a time when other waters allow up to six bass of 12 inches or larger to be harvested. Young of the year recruitment is a much more important part of the equation than harvest of adult bass in establishment of the total population size in the river because of these conservative regulations and the trend towards catch and release angling in recent years.
Q: Well, what factors determine how many YOY there are?
A: Many things influence production and density of young smallmouth bass in a population. In Pennsylvania and elsewhere, research indicates that flow is a particularly important factor in determining year class strength in rivers and streams. Spawning male bass need to choose good nesting habitat. Ideal smallmouth bass nest habitat includes shallows, backwaters and warm sloughs. The substrate should include clean stone, rock or gravel (about the size of marbles or golf balls— but no larger). There should be adequate cover (depth of water or vegetation) and refuge from the current. Ideal nest locations are those with the right combinations of bottom type, cover and current.
High river flow and turbid conditions limit ideal habitat or make some habitat unsuitable because of faster currents. These difficult conditions force the bass to select poor or less-than ideal habitat for nest construction. Less-than-ideal nesting habitat can reduce the number of eggs or fry that survive.
Additionally, young smallmouth bass typically occupy near-shore shallow waters. These areas may face extremes in temperature and suffer from low dissolved oxygen during summer, when flows are reduced to near drought conditions.
Q: Has the Commission found weak year classes everywhere in the Susquehanna basin?
A: No. There is a great deal of variability in year classes from one river to another within the basin. At the same time that we’ve documented poor year classes in some rivers, we’ve recorded strong year classes in others. This is true at different locations within the same waterway as well. For example: survey work in 2007 indicates strong year classes in the West and North Branches of the Susquehanna. However, on the “main stem” (the section of the river from Sunbury downstream to the Maryland line) our biologists are seeing a relatively weak year class . The Juniata River is exhibiting a year class of about average density.
Unfortunately, the main stem Susquehanna River has exhibited YOY densities lower than the long-term average in the majority of the years since 2000. This is a concern to the Fish and Boat Commission and anglers because the affected area has historically been one of the most popular and highly-regarded smallmouth destinations in the nation.
Q: What’s unique about the main stem Susquehanna that is responsible for this period of poor reproduction? Haven’t there been reports of diseased fish in this river as well?
A: There is no simple answer. Spring and early summer flow patterns have definitely been a factor for the reasons previously explained. But that explanation alone doesn’t cover it. For instance, in 2005 a relatively dry spring resulted in an above-average year class, but Commission biologists and anglers noticed unusual disease and mortality affecting young bass at various locations throughout the Susquehanna and its largest tributary, the Juniata River, during the summer. Sick and dying young bass were observed to have unsightly skin lesions.
Examinations of afflicted fish revealed that an infectious bacterium was responsible for the skin condition and for the mortalities. The bacterium, Flavobacterium columnare (columnaris), is a common soil and water bacterium. While harmless to humans, columnaris can infect all species of freshwater fish. Columnaris disease is a secondary infection brought on by environmental or nutritional factors that stress fish. Reports of diseased fish largely disappeared the next year, but in 2007 biologists and anglers once again noticed outbreaks. Add to these the presence of what appear to be increasing predator populations of flathead catfish and cormorants, identifying a cause for declines in smallmouth bass abundance becomes much more complex.
Q: If this bacterium is common, why aren’t there outbreaks all the time?
A: Fish health can be impacted by a combination of environmental and other factors that do not individually cause significant problems, but collectively are sufficiently stressful to cause disease. Columnaris disease is a secondary infection brought on by environmental or nutritional factors that stress fish. Unusually high temperatures coupled with low dissolved oxygen levels in the water are believed to have played a major role in the outbreaks. River conditions (low flow, warm temperatures) in 2005 and 2007 show similarities. Other water quality issues and other fish diseases may have stressed fish as well, weakening their ability to fight off columnaris disease.
Q: Does all this mean the Susquehanna is no longer the world-class smallmouth bass fishery it once was?
A: To write off Susquehanna smallmouth as a quality fishing experience is an over-reaction. But certainly most anglers agree that it’s been better in the recent past. Unfortunately, most indicators suggest that the next few years will continue to see anglers catching fewer fish than they would prefer and have become accustomed to. Just as it took several years of poor year classes to show up in decreasing catches, it will take a period of above-average reproductive success to swing the pendulum the other way.
Q: The Commission is supposed to be managing the fishery. Why hasn’t it done anything to prevent this down turn?
A: Actually the Commission has devoted a great deal of attention to this issue. Extensive data was gathered by several agencies, including the PFBC, in 2005 on a variety of factorsl smallmouth bass density, disease incidence, water quality, water quantity),. These factors are all suspected of playing a role in influencing the abundance of young smallmouth bass. In January of 2006, the Commission hosted a special public Susquehanna Smallmouth Bass Symposium. At this day-long event, reports from Commission staff and partner agencies like the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the United State Geologic Survey provided information on the “state of the river” with the public.
We plan to continue to work with those partners and others to explore the relationships between things like river flowand the consumptive use of water in the basin by industry. Correlations between these and additional potential influences are being evaluated. The Commission intends to offer another Susquehanna Symposium in 2008 to share what is learned and what is still unknown.
At the 2006 symposium, the Commission pledged to devote additional resources to better our understanding of the recreational fishery use of the mainstem Susquehanna River and the Juniata River. A large-scale study costing more than $300,000 began in the spring of 2007. This study is looking at fishing pressure, catch, harvest and the economic value of the fishery. On-the-water interviews, aerial angler counts and tagged fish studies are all part of this study.
Q: I understand the need for more studies but can’t something be done right now?
A: Doing “something” and doing the “right thing” aren’t always one and the same. For instance: if your car won’t start, changing the oil isn’t likely to help. Until you determine the underlying problem – dead battery, faulty starter, no gas, clogged fuel injector, worn electrical harnesses, etc – taking hasty actions may do more harm than good. Often, there is more than one factor at work. If your car battery is dead, that may be because your alternator isn’t charging it. Replacing the battery will help – but only for a few trips.
In order to make meaningful improvements to a fishery, the scientific process of exploration and evaluation must be followed. If management and regulatory changes are to be made, those changes should be based on the best information possible.
Q: Oh C’mon – that sounds like a bureaucratic answer if ever there was one. The Fish and Boat Commission is supposed to be about “Resource First.” DO SOMETHING!!!
A: Technically, that’s more a statement than a question – but it’s one that we’ve heard from time to time and deserves a response. First we understand the frustration anglers may have on this subject. As fisheries managers, we would love to identify a simple solution. Many of us on the Commission staff consider the Susquehanna our “home river” so our interest in sustaining a top-notch smallmouth bass fishery is motivated by both professional and personal desires. We also know that the current fisheries issues are part of a much larger set of challenges that face the river in general. It’s probably going to take a lot of effort (and money) – to address them. We also need to be mindful that some elements – spring rainfall, for example – are beyond anybody’s direct control. The fact that this fishery is so important to so many people – as evidenced by anglers’ demand to “do something” - is a good foundation for continuing to move this issue forward.
Q: OK. I can accept that. But wouldn’t restricting harvest of bass help things?
A: Remember: the section of the river that seems to be the area of greatest concern (Sunbury downstream to Maryland) is already managed under very conservative “Big Bass” regulations and angling is not believed to be a significant influence. No harvest is allowed for a two-month period that covers the bulk of the spawn and only two fish that are 18 inches or larger are allowed to be creeled for the majority of the year. Up to four fish of 15 inches or greater may be taken three and a half months of the year at a time when other waters allow up to six bass 12 inches or greater to be harvested.
The angler use study being conducted throughout 2007 on the lower Susquehanna and the Juniata River will give us much better data on the overall angler use and harvest, but preliminary returns don’t come close to suggesting angler harvest as being problematic. So to further regulations may only serve to unnecessarily restrict fishing while producing no meaningful improvements to the fishery itself.
Q: Wouldn’t limiting angler harvest altogether protect more of the big fish, leaving them in there to spawn and in doing so, improve spawn numbers?
A: It would seem like a logical approach – but unfortunately lots of research has indicated the abundance of spawning fish has no real bearing on individual year class strength. You can have lots of adult spawners, but if the conditions for egg and YOY survival are poor, year classes will be weak. Conversely, fisheries biologists have often seen fantastic year classes spawned by relatively few adults. While there is a relatively good correlation between year class strength and future adult fish, the reverse correlation simply doesn’t exist.
Q: So what’s next?
A: The Commission and its partners will continue to aggressively study river conditions and the fishery, exploring new data that may give us greater insight into this complex river situation. It’s unlikely that one single thing is the major culprit, but rather a culmination and/or interaction of multiple factors. River flow and consumption use of river water are obvious areas for additional exploration.
The presence of largemouth bass virus in the Susquehanna River is another area that merits additional exploration. While this disease does not cause mortality in any species other than largemouth bass, smallmouth have been identified as carriers. Could this disease be stressing young fish, thereby weakening them to other infections such as columnaris disease? This is another area of interest.
Others have pointed to an increase in fish-eating birds along the river – herons, cormorants, as well as an increasing density of large predatory fish such as walleye and flathead catfish. By themselves, these birds and fish may have a relatively minor impact, but taken in combination with many other factors may help us explain some of our observations.
The bottom line is that the Commission has every desire to manage the Susquehanna fishery so it meets its full potential and will continue to follow a well-reasoned, science based approach for resource protection and fisheries management. Most importantly we must all understand that some conditions may not be immediately controllable. We can not in a wholesale fashion change the environment (drought or extended warm weather periods) nor can we remove disease organisms. We also can’t remove suspected predators who may simply recolonize from other areas. With our partner agencies we plan to evaluate water quality or quantity issues that may influence levels of stress experienced by young smallmouth bass which may in turn influence the onset of disease and mortality in young bass.
Susquehanna Smallmouth Bass Management -- Black Bass
« on: August 06, 2008, 03:45:54 PM »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What’s going on with smallmouth bass fishing in the Susquehanna River? I’m not catching as many fish as I did a few years ago.
A: The Susquehanna River system is the largest in Pennsylvania. It includes the Susquehanna River North Branch, the West Branch Susquehanna River, the Juniata River and the main stem Susquehanna River. The river drainage includes some 27,500 square miles, covering nearly half of the land area of Pennsylvania. In a system this large, any number of factors can influence fish populations in different ways at various locations. As a general observation, however, Fish and Boat Commission monitoring has shown that since 2000, production of young smallmouth bass (Young of the Year or YOY) has been near or below the long term average within the drainage. Not all rivers within the drainage have exhibited the same trends but the mainstem, extending from Sunbury to the Maryland state line, has exhibited densities which have been below average. This section of the river has been a recent focus of Fish and Boat Commission attention as a result.
Q: What do YOY numbers mean in terms of adult fish?
A: As you might expect, there is a relationship between the number of young smallmouth bass entering the overall population and the total number of adult smallmouth bass available to anglers down the road. It’s not a perfect correlation, however, as numerous other factors such as habitat, water quality, predation and disease influence survival of young until they reach legal size . But its fair to say that in general a weak year class usually means fewer adult fish 3 to 5 years later. String together a series of weak year classes and anglers begin to notice their catch going down.
Q: My fishing isn’t completely horrible though. Although my overall numbers are definitely lower, the fish I am catching are very nice. In fact, most of the smallies I’m catching are large fish.
A: That’s not surprising. In 1999, there was a terrific year class throughout the Susquehanna. The fish from that year class are still part of the overall smallmouth population and, although lower in density, fish from other year classes are present as well. A typical Susquehanna smallmouth bass is 15 inches at age six. So those big fish you’re landing are indeed older fish.
In order for a fishery to remain attractive over time, a mix of large older fish and small, younger fish are typically present. The agency has focused attention on monitoring both the abundance of young smallmouth bass and abundance of all size classes of smallmouth bass. We are working on identifying those elements that limit production of young smallmouth bass.
Q: So the fishing I’m experiencing now is related to things that happened in the river several years ago?
A: Very much so. Typically there are fluctuations between weak and strong year classes that average each other out. Successive strong year classes can produce periods where lots of adult bass are available to anglers. The opposite is true when you have an extended period with relatively weak year classes. This downturn in lower Susquehanna bass abundance was predicted by PFBC biologists based upon the results of their annual year class monitoring results.
As mentioned before, there are other factors involved as well - fish health, predation and angler harvest are others. Because a large section of the Susquehanna River already has very conservative “Big Bass” regulations in place, angling is not believed to be a significant influence. No harvest is allowed for a two-month period that covers the bulk of the spawn and only two fish that are 18 inches or larger are allowed to be creeled for the majority of the year. Up to four fish of 15 inches or greater may be taken three months of the year at a time when other waters allow up to six bass of 12 inches or larger to be harvested. Young of the year recruitment is a much more important part of the equation than harvest of adult bass in establishment of the total population size in the river because of these conservative regulations and the trend towards catch and release angling in recent years.
Q: Well, what factors determine how many YOY there are?
A: Many things influence production and density of young smallmouth bass in a population. In Pennsylvania and elsewhere, research indicates that flow is a particularly important factor in determining year class strength in rivers and streams. Spawning male bass need to choose good nesting habitat. Ideal smallmouth bass nest habitat includes shallows, backwaters and warm sloughs. The substrate should include clean stone, rock or gravel (about the size of marbles or golf balls— but no larger). There should be adequate cover (depth of water or vegetation) and refuge from the current. Ideal nest locations are those with the right combinations of bottom type, cover and current.
High river flow and turbid conditions limit ideal habitat or make some habitat unsuitable because of faster currents. These difficult conditions force the bass to select poor or less-than ideal habitat for nest construction. Less-than-ideal nesting habitat can reduce the number of eggs or fry that survive.
Additionally, young smallmouth bass typically occupy near-shore shallow waters. These areas may face extremes in temperature and suffer from low dissolved oxygen during summer, when flows are reduced to near drought conditions.
Q: Has the Commission found weak year classes everywhere in the Susquehanna basin?
A: No. There is a great deal of variability in year classes from one river to another within the basin. At the same time that we’ve documented poor year classes in some rivers, we’ve recorded strong year classes in others. This is true at different locations within the same waterway as well. For example: survey work in 2007 indicates strong year classes in the West and North Branches of the Susquehanna. However, on the “main stem” (the section of the river from Sunbury downstream to the Maryland line) our biologists are seeing a relatively weak year class . The Juniata River is exhibiting a year class of about average density.
Unfortunately, the main stem Susquehanna River has exhibited YOY densities lower than the long-term average in the majority of the years since 2000. This is a concern to the Fish and Boat Commission and anglers because the affected area has historically been one of the most popular and highly-regarded smallmouth destinations in the nation.
Q: What’s unique about the main stem Susquehanna that is responsible for this period of poor reproduction? Haven’t there been reports of diseased fish in this river as well?
A: There is no simple answer. Spring and early summer flow patterns have definitely been a factor for the reasons previously explained. But that explanation alone doesn’t cover it. For instance, in 2005 a relatively dry spring resulted in an above-average year class, but Commission biologists and anglers noticed unusual disease and mortality affecting young bass at various locations throughout the Susquehanna and its largest tributary, the Juniata River, during the summer. Sick and dying young bass were observed to have unsightly skin lesions.
Examinations of afflicted fish revealed that an infectious bacterium was responsible for the skin condition and for the mortalities. The bacterium, Flavobacterium columnare (columnaris), is a common soil and water bacterium. While harmless to humans, columnaris can infect all species of freshwater fish. Columnaris disease is a secondary infection brought on by environmental or nutritional factors that stress fish. Reports of diseased fish largely disappeared the next year, but in 2007 biologists and anglers once again noticed outbreaks. Add to these the presence of what appear to be increasing predator populations of flathead catfish and cormorants, identifying a cause for declines in smallmouth bass abundance becomes much more complex.
Q: If this bacterium is common, why aren’t there outbreaks all the time?
A: Fish health can be impacted by a combination of environmental and other factors that do not individually cause significant problems, but collectively are sufficiently stressful to cause disease. Columnaris disease is a secondary infection brought on by environmental or nutritional factors that stress fish. Unusually high temperatures coupled with low dissolved oxygen levels in the water are believed to have played a major role in the outbreaks. River conditions (low flow, warm temperatures) in 2005 and 2007 show similarities. Other water quality issues and other fish diseases may have stressed fish as well, weakening their ability to fight off columnaris disease.
Q: Does all this mean the Susquehanna is no longer the world-class smallmouth bass fishery it once was?
A: To write off Susquehanna smallmouth as a quality fishing experience is an over-reaction. But certainly most anglers agree that it’s been better in the recent past. Unfortunately, most indicators suggest that the next few years will continue to see anglers catching fewer fish than they would prefer and have become accustomed to. Just as it took several years of poor year classes to show up in decreasing catches, it will take a period of above-average reproductive success to swing the pendulum the other way.
Q: The Commission is supposed to be managing the fishery. Why hasn’t it done anything to prevent this down turn?
A: Actually the Commission has devoted a great deal of attention to this issue. Extensive data was gathered by several agencies, including the PFBC, in 2005 on a variety of factorsl smallmouth bass density, disease incidence, water quality, water quantity),. These factors are all suspected of playing a role in influencing the abundance of young smallmouth bass. In January of 2006, the Commission hosted a special public Susquehanna Smallmouth Bass Symposium. At this day-long event, reports from Commission staff and partner agencies like the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the United State Geologic Survey provided information on the “state of the river” with the public.
We plan to continue to work with those partners and others to explore the relationships between things like river flowand the consumptive use of water in the basin by industry. Correlations between these and additional potential influences are being evaluated. The Commission intends to offer another Susquehanna Symposium in 2008 to share what is learned and what is still unknown.
At the 2006 symposium, the Commission pledged to devote additional resources to better our understanding of the recreational fishery use of the mainstem Susquehanna River and the Juniata River. A large-scale study costing more than $300,000 began in the spring of 2007. This study is looking at fishing pressure, catch, harvest and the economic value of the fishery. On-the-water interviews, aerial angler counts and tagged fish studies are all part of this study.
Q: I understand the need for more studies but can’t something be done right now?
A: Doing “something” and doing the “right thing” aren’t always one and the same. For instance: if your car won’t start, changing the oil isn’t likely to help. Until you determine the underlying problem – dead battery, faulty starter, no gas, clogged fuel injector, worn electrical harnesses, etc – taking hasty actions may do more harm than good. Often, there is more than one factor at work. If your car battery is dead, that may be because your alternator isn’t charging it. Replacing the battery will help – but only for a few trips.
In order to make meaningful improvements to a fishery, the scientific process of exploration and evaluation must be followed. If management and regulatory changes are to be made, those changes should be based on the best information possible.
Q: Oh C’mon – that sounds like a bureaucratic answer if ever there was one. The Fish and Boat Commission is supposed to be about “Resource First.” DO SOMETHING!!!
A: Technically, that’s more a statement than a question – but it’s one that we’ve heard from time to time and deserves a response. First we understand the frustration anglers may have on this subject. As fisheries managers, we would love to identify a simple solution. Many of us on the Commission staff consider the Susquehanna our “home river” so our interest in sustaining a top-notch smallmouth bass fishery is motivated by both professional and personal desires. We also know that the current fisheries issues are part of a much larger set of challenges that face the river in general. It’s probably going to take a lot of effort (and money) – to address them. We also need to be mindful that some elements – spring rainfall, for example – are beyond anybody’s direct control. The fact that this fishery is so important to so many people – as evidenced by anglers’ demand to “do something” - is a good foundation for continuing to move this issue forward.
Q: OK. I can accept that. But wouldn’t restricting harvest of bass help things?
A: Remember: the section of the river that seems to be the area of greatest concern (Sunbury downstream to Maryland) is already managed under very conservative “Big Bass” regulations and angling is not believed to be a significant influence. No harvest is allowed for a two-month period that covers the bulk of the spawn and only two fish that are 18 inches or larger are allowed to be creeled for the majority of the year. Up to four fish of 15 inches or greater may be taken three and a half months of the year at a time when other waters allow up to six bass 12 inches or greater to be harvested.
The angler use study being conducted throughout 2007 on the lower Susquehanna and the Juniata River will give us much better data on the overall angler use and harvest, but preliminary returns don’t come close to suggesting angler harvest as being problematic. So to further regulations may only serve to unnecessarily restrict fishing while producing no meaningful improvements to the fishery itself.
Q: Wouldn’t limiting angler harvest altogether protect more of the big fish, leaving them in there to spawn and in doing so, improve spawn numbers?
A: It would seem like a logical approach – but unfortunately lots of research has indicated the abundance of spawning fish has no real bearing on individual year class strength. You can have lots of adult spawners, but if the conditions for egg and YOY survival are poor, year classes will be weak. Conversely, fisheries biologists have often seen fantastic year classes spawned by relatively few adults. While there is a relatively good correlation between year class strength and future adult fish, the reverse correlation simply doesn’t exist.
Q: So what’s next?
A: The Commission and its partners will continue to aggressively study river conditions and the fishery, exploring new data that may give us greater insight into this complex river situation. It’s unlikely that one single thing is the major culprit, but rather a culmination and/or interaction of multiple factors. River flow and consumption use of river water are obvious areas for additional exploration.
The presence of largemouth bass virus in the Susquehanna River is another area that merits additional exploration. While this disease does not cause mortality in any species other than largemouth bass, smallmouth have been identified as carriers. Could this disease be stressing young fish, thereby weakening them to other infections such as columnaris disease? This is another area of interest.
Others have pointed to an increase in fish-eating birds along the river – herons, cormorants, as well as an increasing density of large predatory fish such as walleye and flathead catfish. By themselves, these birds and fish may have a relatively minor impact, but taken in combination with many other factors may help us explain some of our observations.
The bottom line is that the Commission has every desire to manage the Susquehanna fishery so it meets its full potential and will continue to follow a well-reasoned, science based approach for resource protection and fisheries management. Most importantly we must all understand that some conditions may not be immediately controllable. We can not in a wholesale fashion change the environment (drought or extended warm weather periods) nor can we remove disease organisms. We also can’t remove suspected predators who may simply recolonize from other areas. With our partner agencies we plan to evaluate water quality or quantity issues that may influence levels of stress experienced by young smallmouth bass which may in turn influence the onset of disease and mortality in young bass.
Susquehanna Smallmouth Bass Management -- Black Bass
