Bull Shoals Lake Striped Bass Proposed Management Plan.

In order to explore angler interest in the establishment of a proposed limited striped bass fishery management plan in Bull Shoals Lake, The Missouri Department of Conservation held a total of four public meetings in Forsyth and Gainesville, MO and Bull Shoals and Diamond City, Arkansas.

At these meetings the proposed plan of action was made public for anglers and other stakeholders to consider. During and after the meetings, anglers were allowed to provide their comments regarding the proposal. The meetings served as a good way to inform anglers and stakeholders regarding Missouri Department of Conservation proposed Striped Bass Management Plan.

Comments collected at the meetings indicate the majority of anglers would support a limited population of striped bass in Bull Shoals. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation will continue providing information to the public and stakeholders and discussions with Arkansas.  It is the Missouri Department of Conservation intent to have a decision on “where we go from here” sometime early this year.

Below are the proposal’s key points and background information: Courtesy of Andrew Branson Missouri Department of Conservation.

• Stock 22,000 striped bass fingerlings every other year, potentially beginning in 2012.  This is equivalent to 0.5 fish per acre, compared to 7 fish per acre that are annually stocked into Norfork and Beaver, respectively.

• Establish a 20-inch minimum length and 3 fish per day limit for striped bass.
  The regulations would apply to Bull Shoals and be extended to the MO portion of Norfork to line up the regulations with the AR portion of Norfork.

• Monitor the growth rates of other game fish populations prior to and following the potential striped bass stocking.

• The walleye and other sport fisheries remain a top priority.  If evidence suggests the striped bass stockings are negatively impacting the aforementioned species, the striped bass stockings will be terminated.

The proposal to stock a limited number of striped bass into Bull Shoals is a cooperative effort between the Missouri Department of Conservation  and the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.  Following an Arkansas stocking in 1998, a number of anglers and businesses have expressed interest in developing a striped bass fishery.  Also, since 2008, three Missouri striped bass records and one world line class record have been established. 

Over the years Bull Shoals has periodically provided very good bass, walleye, and crappie fishing.  These “good” years typically follow high water years when bass and crappie have better than average survival of spawned fish.  However, the lake has also provided very “poor” bass and crappie fishing during and following years of below average spawn survival.  Most anglers remember the poor fishing experienced during the early 2000’s. These up’s and down’s will continue as the lake serves as a flood control and hydropower reservoir.

It should be noted the lake produced excellent bass fishing following the striped bass stockings which occurred in the 1970’s.

Even though fishing pressure for walleye has significantly increased since the 1980’s, the lake continues to provide good, consistent walleye fishing.  Both Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and Missouri Department of Conservation supplement the walleye population with annual stockings.This concerted effort began in the 1980’s and will continue to take place. 

Walleye fishing is popular with a number of anglers and is a priority for both agencies.  We do not see any negative impacts resulting from the proposed stocking.

Studies from numerous lakes show striped bass mainly eat shad (over 90% of the weight and number of prey they eat).
Will a striped bass eat a black bass, crappie, sunfish, etc.?
Yes, they will, but bass and crappie also eat their own.
All these fish are opportunistic predators and will eat prey that presents itself.

Other lakes, such as Lake of the Ozarks, are stocked with striped bass and continue to provide excellent bass and crappie fishing.
We believe our proposed limited stocking will take advantage of Bull Shoal’s inconsistent black bass and crappie fisheries.

The key to our cooperative proposal is to establish a limited striped bass fishery that can produce large fish.

If the striped bass stockings prove detrimental to other game fish populations, we are prepared to cease stocking striped bass.

 Andrew Branson
Fisheries Programs Specialist
Missouri Department of Conservation
2901 West Truman Blvd
P.O. Box 180
Jefferson City, MO  65102-0180
tel:  573-522-4115, ext. 3501
fax:  573-526-0990

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