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The definition of controversies is "an earnest debate,"
and there has certainly
been earnest debate over the stocking of striped bass in Arkansas. Its a controversy
that has been going on since Striped Bass were first stocked in Arkansas in 1956.
So why all the controversy?
Striped Bass in Arkansas grow to 40 pounds and larger.
Anglers who preferred to fish for other species started assuming
stripers were eating all
the game fish like bass and crappie.
Some of the statements about Striped Bass heard through the years include:
- "Striped
Bass are eating all the young bass and crappie."
False:
Stripers prefer soft fined fish like the shad and will rarely eat gamefish.
Stripers are the least of worries for young bass and crappie. The other species of sunfish
are the primary consumers of these young fish.
In fact, adult bass and crappie are probably the largest consumers of young bass and
crappie along with Gar.
- "A striped bass can eat its weight in fish each day."
False:
Have you ever tried to eat your weight in food in a day?
Striped Bass are like any other fish, that is they have feeding periods.
- "Striped bass are spawning in Arkansas Lakes."
False:
Stripers require many miles of river current to reproduce successfully.
Stripers do make
spawning runs up Lake river tributaries, but striper eggs
must float free in a rivers current for two to three days to hatch.
- "Stripers and black bass are not compatible."
False
The only body of water in Arkansas where stripers reproduce is the Arkansas River.
Yet, the Arkansas River consistently has some of the best bass fishing in the United
States.
-
- Striped bass eat all the bait fish in reservoirs.
Studies indicate little or no competition in lakes with
large numbers of shad. Studies show there is some competition with the shad
forage. The level of competition, however, is low, particularly with bass, crappie,
bluegill
and other sunfish species. The conclusion of this study estimated that if striped bass
were removed, the total remaining fish population could increase by a maximum of 5
to 10 percent. That may sound like a substantial increase, but keep in mind that is an
increase for the combined total of other fish.
For example, Arkansas Lakes have about 11 other fish species that feed on shad, so each
species could gain only one-half percent to 1 percent, not a very significant increase.
The only fish in Arkansas that stripers significantly compete with are white bass.
In fact, the white bass population, by far, consumes more shad each year than stripers
do. During the years when white bass numbers are up, the threadfin shad population usually
drops considerably.
And I'll leave you to decide this one.
Striped Bass are not good to eat.
Well some folks don't eat fish, and some don't eat meat.
All I can say is: " Take a
look at these Striper Recipes."
Also their is a thriving market for
Farm raised Striped Bass / hybrid.
We hope this information helps to dispel some rumors about striped bass.
But there will
probably always be a controversy about stocking them and everyone is certainly entitled to
his own opinions.
Controversy can be a good thing as long as people get the facts because it brings an issue out into the open and
requires us to seek the truth. We Also realize some folks won't let facts
get in their way.
Only Five lakes in Arkansas have become acclaimed Striped
bass lakes.
Lakes Ouachita, Norfork, Greeson, Hamilton and Beaver are
well known for their striper fishing and the population of Striped Bass
in these lakes are maintained by yearly stockings.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Fisheries Biologist conducted numerous
Studies on the
feeding habits and preferences of striped bass in fresh water reservoirs.
As the
Biologists' knew, study after study after study done by a variety of State Fish and Game
agencies and universities indicated striped bass greatly preferred the forage species such
as shad or alewife and rarely ate other fish.
Results indicated stripers preferred to eat fish that had no spines, Not the sharp
spine species like on the backs of Bass and crappie. Armed with information from these
studies, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission felt confident that, as long as there were
good numbers of shad in the Arkansas Lakes where Stripers are stocked, it was safe to
continue stocking Striped bass.
So what does all this mean? It means that rumors about striped bass have little
to no truth to them.
"There are many things in life that will catch your eye,
but
only a few will catch your heart.....pursue those."

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