THE ANGLERS

floodwaters pour over a dam

Floods can disrupt fishing for days or weeks. Eventually, high water levels subside enough for anglers to fish again. During these periods, anglers often gain valuable knowledge about lake structure and fish behavior.

In creeks and streams, anglers can look for areas where logs, rocks, and other debris are piled up by floodwaters. These structures can create large eddies where fish are likely to congregate.

In man-made lakes and reservoirs that are fed by streams or creeks, floodwaters can cause major structural changes. After major floods, anglers may find logs, brush, or other debris along the shoreline, partially submerged or sunken on the bottom. Where creeks enter these bodies of water, deltas are often formed by gravel, sand, mud, or other materials.

Immediately after flooding, fishing may be impossible, but as each day passes, fishing opportunities tend to improve. Forage is often abundant, especially along shorelines. During floods, insects, minnows, and other small prey take refuge in shoreline vegetation.

As floodwaters recede, forage species are forced back into the lake where hungry fish are waiting. Some lakes experience insect hatches following high water levels, which also helps trigger fish to feed heavily.

Scouting a lake for the signs of fish is usually a good first step following periods of high water. Territory to be investigated include areas near dam spillways (if regulations allow), shoreline vegetation, protruding stumps, mats of floating debris, and other obstructions. Lure designs are critical when snags are abundant.

When scouting deeper parts of lakes, fishfinders may help locate logs, debris, or other structure that was deposited during a flood. Fishfinders are also useful for detecting suspended fish that may be taking refuge in clearer portions of the lake.

Depending on local variations, fishing after a flood may improve or be unproductive for days or weeks afterward. In either case, a trip following a flood can provide important information for future fishing.

Kokanee salmon are a land-locked relative of Pacific sockeye salmon. Rather than migrating upstream from the ocean, though, Kokanee salmon grow to maturity in freshwater lakes. Eventually, they migrate into coldwater streams to spawn.

The following list of tips from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission should help reduce mortality when releasing largemouth bass back into the wild.

To minimize stress on the fish, a catch-and-release angler should land the fish quickly and handle it as little as possible, including removing the hook from the fish’s mouth while it is still in the water, if practical.  Limited handling helps reduce the loss of slime coat, the fish’s main defense against infection and disease.

Anglers should always wet their hands before touching fish and return the fish quickly to the water or immediately place it in the livewell. When using a landing net, a knotless nylon or rubber coated net is preferred over a knotted nylon net.

Anglers participating in fishing tournaments can minimize fish mortality by maintaining healthy oxygen and water quality in their livewells.

A few ways to do this are:

Knowing the capacity of the livewell and not exceeding a ratio of more than 1 pound of bass per gallon of water;

Running a recirculating pump continuously if more than 5 pounds of bass are in the livewell;

Using aerators or oxygen-injection systems to keep the water’s oxygen level above 5 ppm; and

Keeping livewell water about 5 degrees below the reservoir temperature by adding block ice.

N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recommends that tournament participants fill their weigh-in bags with livewell water, not reservoir or river water, before putting in their catch. They should put only five fish in a bag, fewer if the fish exceed 4 pounds each, and finally they should limit the amount of time that fish are held in bags.

"Keeping largemouth bass in weigh-in bags for longer than 2 minutes will significantly increase post-release mortality," Brian McRae, the Piedmont Region fisheries supervisor for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Fishing tournament organizers can do their part to help keep fish alive by providing holding tanks during the weigh-in with water 5 degrees below the reservoir or river temperature and with oxygen levels above 5 ppm.

"Fishing tournament organizers and participants should adopt best handling practices at all events," McRae said. "Using staggered times to weigh-in, release boats, and recovery stations with oxygen and recirculating water are all important considerations when planning a tournament."

Other options for tournament directors who enjoy summer fishing tournaments yet want to minimize mortality associated with higher water temperatures are reducing the number of competitive fishing hours or holding "paper tournaments" without weigh-ins.

More information on keeping bass alive, including the B.A.S.S.-produced publication, “Keeping Bass Alive: A Guidebook for Tournament Bass Anglers and Organizers,” is available on the Commission’s website, www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.

source: N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

When monster blue cats are landed, there is no mistaking which species they are but when smaller individuals are caught, identification is not as obvious.

Blue catfish are similar in appearance to channel catfish, however young blue catfish do not exhibit the “freckled” coloration that is characteristic of young channel catfish.

Another identifying feature is the anal fin. The edge of the anal fin of the blue catfish forms a straight line and is longer than that of channel catfish, which is curved.

Both species are caught in rivers and lakes throughout much of North America.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has certified Dan Germain as the new holder of the state record for brook trout.

The record setting brook trout measured 22 inches and weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces, surpassing the previous state record set in 2009 by 3.5 ounces.

Mr. Germain submitted details of his winning fish as part of DEC's Angler Achievement Awards Program. Information about the Program, including past winners and a downloadable application form, can be found on DEC's website.

source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

According to a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Fisheries Biologist, a local angler may have caught and released the oldest largemouth bass in Montana. The bass might also be one of the oldest surviving largemouth bass in North America.

10-year old Garrett Frost of Kalispell caught and released a tagged largemouth bass in Rose Creek Slough on July 16, 2011. The fish was estimated to be 20-22 inches in length and weigh approximately 3.5 lbs.

Prior to releasing the fish, the angler spotted a tag on the fish and recovered it. Fishery Worker Jon Cavigli checked the database and found that the bass had carried this floy tag for 14 years.

According to Garret’s father, Tyler, the bass appeared to be in good condition, and weighed 3-1/2 pounds on his scale.

According to the tag information, the bass was caught and tagged by Phil Rivard in Fennon Slough on October 3, 1997. At that time the fish was 14.2” long and weighed 1.5 lbs.

Based on the size of the largemouth bass in 1997 and the age-growth database, Deleray estimates that the fish was probably 5 years old when tagged. Adding that age with how long the tag was in the fish places its age at 19 years old. This may be the oldest confirmed largemouth bass reported in Montana.

Most sources place the maximum age at 15 or 16 for largemouth bass in the northern United States. Deleray is contacting other fisheries biologists, and, so far, has not found any records of largemouth bass as old as the Rose Creek Slough bass.

Largemouth bass in Montana are at the northern edge of their range. Fish tend to grow slower and live longer in the cold waters found in Montana and other northern states.

source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Fisheries

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) is a disease that affects fish such as common carp, goldfish and koi. The impact of KHV on native minnow species of North America is not fully known.

KHV disease is found worldwide and likely was introduced in North America from the release or escape of infected ornamental fish.

KHV is suspected to be the cause of a June 2011 fish kill which involved an estimated 300 to 500 common carp in Michigan.

"This virus is capable of large-scale common carp die-offs as seen in Ontario in 2007 and 2008," said Gary Whelan, DNR Fish Production Manager. "The virus is an internationally reportable disease, and it is being officially reported at this time."

source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources