Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

    Shrimp invasion?
    
    There's only one species of freshwater shrimp in North America, as far
    as I know, and Moosehead is certainly within its range. The perch would
    probably refer to Yellow Perch, which has a habit of overpowering some
    sensitive northern species. I'd be inclined to blame the smallmouth
    bass overpopulation before I blamed the yellow perch in a lake like
    moosehead (i.e., deep, oligotrophic, with an extremely short growing
    season).
    
    FWIW
    
    John H-C

    I'd bet they were talking about white perch.

	   Moosehead has Yellow Perch, like so many of the other lakes 
	in that area.  If anyone can tell me where I can find Smallmouth
	Bass in that lake, -please- do!!  

	   The folks I talked to up there said the solutions that they're
	talking about are stocking of Smelt to supplement those that are
	already there, and trying to figure out if anything can be done
	about the scarcity of various microorganizms that the Smelt feed
	on.  They're also trying to get the Fisheries Dept. to adopt a
	more aggressive stocking campaign.  

	   I have that paper at home too, just haven't pulled it out of
	the other Moosehead stuff to read it yet.  Isn't it about 3 pages
	and put out by the Moosehead Fisheries Coalition or something like
	that?  I'll see if I can find it....

						B.C.

    Moosehead is a mess!!! In fact, I was speaking with a realestate broker
    last week and it appears the Govenor sent a comission up to see what
    the complaints were about. There wasn't fisherman to be seen. The
    bottom has fallen out and they have lost a huge income base.
    
    It is Yellow Perch and Shrimp which is what they are trying to blame.
    The real problem is lack of baitfish. They still can't get it through
    their thickheads that you cannot sustain a fish population on Mosquitos
    alone. They have stocked thousands of fish (landlocked salmon) which
    will not grow and cannot grow because of lack of protein. They now have
    a problem with the Lakers in that they are requesting you keep them
    because their population has taken off while feeding on these shrimp.
    These shrimp do not contain the nutrients needed to grow large but do
    allow them to survive. Hence, an overpopulation of stunted lakers....
    
    Another problem is that people are trying to play Enviromentalists on
    their own by introducing Smallmouth Bass, White Perch, Rainbow Trout to
    make up for the lack of fish. All these fish are natural predators of
    the Brook trout and will eliminate any naturally reoccuring base of
    Brookies left. Their are some Brookies left that have not come out of
    a concrete pond and to lose those genes would be a great loss.......
    
    They could have a Junior Lake Ontario if they could get thier act to-
    gether but they just don't understand basic food chain's. Even
    overcrowed Lake Winnepesaukee finally caught on to the baitfish
    relation and are now producing 6 to 7 pound Landlock's. This was done
    through their Smelt Retoration program. Smelt, which in fact, came from
    Lake Ontario.......
    
    FWIW (some facts maybe mistated but the basics are there)
    Bob M�

    459.3:  Yes, a short note and a signup (and send $$) form to join
    	    the group...
    
    I had read a few years ago that some guys were caught pumping white
    perch into the lake and thought it might be white perch causing the
    problem.
    
    459.4:  I thought the Winni problem was too many salmon for the
            forage fish; the cure to cut back on the number of stocked
    	    fish.
    
    
    

    .5 It was a combination of both. Not enough baitfish and too many
    stocked fish. Their original approach was the restoration of the
    baitfish while maintaining the stocking program. They then realized
    that those babies (salmon) could eat and the current baitfish
    population could not maintain the sustained stocking program. So they
    met in the middle.
    
    I believe Lake Ontario is now faced with a similiar situation. Lee
    knows more about than I do. But it appears with the introduction of
    Zebra Mussels the baitfish have lost their forage base in the
    ecosystem. They are no longer growing to the sizes they once were or
    the numbers. Hence, something has to give and I believe that the King
    Salmon and certain other fish are now going to be reduced so as to not
    destroy the baitfish pop.
    
    Maybe they will have to start raising plankton and then work their way 
    up........
    
    Bob M�

	   I just thought that while we're all picking on the lake that
	it should also be mentioned that most of the criticizm is relating
	to the way the fishing used to be at Moosehead, not as compared to
	other lakes.  At least for me it is.  I was there from the 16th to
	the 22nd of July.  Not exactly prime Trout season up there.  Even
	with my limited knowledge/equipment for this type of fishing I was
	able to find and catch Lake Trout.  All I caught were small ones,
	16 in. or so, but I did have a couple quality fish on.  It's pretty
	easy to tell a larger fish when you're vertical jigging with a stiff
	rod and braided poly line!

	   And let's not forget that in the Northeast nothing can beat
	Moosehead as far as being a beautiful lake!  I'd still go there
	for a fishing vacation.
						B.C.	   

    ??bashing?? I thought the lake was stunning.  Maybe they will get
    it fixed right...whatever that is.