Fishery Management Presented by Connestee Falls Fishing Club - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fishery Management Presented by Connestee Falls Fishing Club Fishery Management Committee

Fishery Management Committee Marshall Evans - Cochair Rick Hybil – Cochair Larry Host Pete Pepinsky Jim Ungaro Supporting Club Members: Bob Chord – Consultant Bill Roehrich – Lunker Award Program Ray Tuers – Tagged Fish Award Program

Strategic Plan Monitor the lakes - the habitat for fish Sample water quality on a continuing schedule for the important parameters ● of dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, total dissolved solids, sediment, algae, and any obvious pollutants or visual problems (e.g., fish kills). Report issues of concern to the POA Assistant General Manager. ● Monitor fish populations and health Continue promoting the “lunker” program. ● Continue managing and promoting the trout “tagged fish” program . ● Encourage catch reports. ● Manage fish stocking Continue the schedule of cold water stocking of rainbow trout within the POA ● and CFFC budget allocations in all four lakes. Stock forage fish ( bluegill, trout fingerlings, and/or crawfish) by lake, on a ● priority basis, to improve the growth of largemouth bass, within the POA and CFFC budget allocations.

Promote species limited to rainbow trout, largemouth bass and brim in all four lakes ● Encourage harvesting other species (catfish, perch, crappie). Manage Lake Wanteska as a bass enhanced fishery through 2016 ● Continue to add structure ( Christmas trees, and artificial fish attractors/hides). ● Continue to add forage fish (crayfish and trout fingerlings). ● Encourage harvesting small (12” or less) overpopulated bass. ● Release unharmed all bass over 12”. ● Decrease trout stocking from 19% of total allocation to 10%, and limit the size to 14”. ● Evaluate results and consider expanding the actions to other lakes. CFFC Fishery Management Committee, November 2013

CFFC 2015 Trout Stocking Report Atagahi Ticoa Wanteska Tiaroga Total January 12, 2015: Lbs. 624 592 160 224 1,600 No. fish@1.5Lb. each 416 395 107 149 1,067 POA $’s@2.50/Lb. $4,000 No. 3” forage fish 1,300 1,300 POA $’s@$.31 each $400 March 24, 2015: Lbs. 624 592 160 224 1,600 No. fish@1.5Lb. each 416 395 107 149 1067 No. tagged fish 12 11 7 5 35 POA $’s@$2.50/Lb. $4,000 No. 3” forage fish 1,300 1,300 2,600 POA $’s@$.31 each $400 $400 $800

Atagahi Ticoa Wanteska Tiaroga Total December 3, 2015: Lbs. 702 666 180 252 1,800 No. fish@1.5Lb. ea 468 444 120 168 1200 CFFC $’s @$2.50/LB. $4,500 No. 3” forage fish 968 806 1,774 CFFC $’s@$.31 ea. $500 P OA $’s@$.31 ea. $50 Total year 2015: Lbs. 1,950 1,850 500 700 5,000 No.fish@1.5Lb.ea 1,300 1,234 334 466 3,333 No. 3”forage fish 3,568 2,106 5,674 POA $’s $9,250 CFFC $’s $5,000

CFFC 2016 Trout Stocking Report Atagahi Ticoa Wanteska Tiaroga Total January 7, 2016: Lbs. 702 666 180 252 1,800 No. fish@1.25 lb. each 562 533 144 202 1,441 POA $’s@2.50/Lb. $4,500 March 4, 2016: Lbs. 702 666 180 252 1,800 No. fish@1.5Lb. Each 468 444 120 168 1,200 No. tagged fish 12 11 7 5 35 POA $’s@$2.50/Lb. $4,500 YTD 2016: Lbs. 1,404 1,332 360 504 3,600 No.fish 1,030 977 264 370 2,641 POA $’s $9,000

Wanteska Enhanced Bass Lake Project – starting 2012 ● January 25, 2012: Stocked approximately 300 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds). ● February 8, 2012: Added structure (fish attractor/hides). Sank approximately 65 Christmas trees (see map for locations). ● March 19, 2012: Stocked approximately 150 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds) (six with green tags). ● March 28, 2012: CFPOA Board approved revised fishing regulations for largemouth bass in Wanteska only – “release, unharmed, all bass over 12 inches”. ● April 17, 2012: Added brood stock for genetic diversity – transferred six largemouth bass from golf course pond #5 to Wanteska: one 14”, three 17”, one 18”, one 19”. ● August 20, 2012: Added structure (8 fabricated fish attractor/hides) (see map). ● November 9, 2012: Stocked approximately 200 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds). ● January 22, 2013: Stocked approximately 200 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds).

● March 27, 2013: Added structure (fish attractor/hides). Sank approximately 60 Christmas trees (see map for locations). ● April 15, 2013: Stocked approximately 127 rainbow trout (average 2-1/2 pounds). ● June 28, 2013: Stocked 325 pounds of crawfish, scattered along the shoreline and in the sediment ponds. ● October 23, 2013: Stocked 4,500 trout fingerlings and approx. 136 rainbow trout (average 2 pounds). ● January 22, 2014: Stocked approximately 110 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds). ● March 25, 2014: Stocked approximately 112 rainbow trout ( average 1-1/2 pounds). ● March 25, 2014: Stocked approximately 3,300 trout fingerlings ( 3” – 4” ). ● March 2014: Added structure – sank approximately 60 Christmas trees in same location as 2013. ● May 14, 2014: Stocked 450 pounds of crawfish scattered around the lake perimeter.

● November 7, 2014: Stocked approximately 129 rainbow trout (average 1 pound ). ● November 7, 2014: Stocked approximately 900 trout fingerlings (3”). ● January 12, 2015: Stocked approximately 160 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds). ● January 12, 2015: Stocked 1,300 trout fingerlings (3”). ● March 24, 2015: Stocked 160 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds). ● March 24, 2015: Stocked 1,300 trout fingerlings (3”). ● December 3, 2015: Stocked 120 rainbow trout (average 1-1/2 pounds). ● December 3, 2015: Stocked 968 trout fingerlings (3”). ● January 7, 2016: Stocked 144 rainbow trout (average 1-1/4 pounds). ● March 4, 2016: Stocked 120 rainbow trout ( average 1-1/2 pounds).

Summary of Bass Enhancement Actions to date: ● Added structure (fish attractor/hides)……………….….185 Christmas trees plus 8 fabricated hides ● Stocked crawfish…………………………………………..775 pounds ● Stocked trout fingerlings (forage)…………………………approx. 11,000

Bass Enhancement - Lake Wanteska

Largest Bass of the Year Largest Bass of the Year 2014 2015

Lake Water Quality Monitoring Dissolved Oxygen Concentration Effect on fish Less than 2 mg/L………………………………………….Lethal if exposure lasts more than a few hours 2 – 5 mg/L………………………………………………….Growth will be slow if exposure is continuous 5 mg/L – saturation………………………………………..Best condition for good growth Water Temperature (degrees F) 70 - 80……………………………………………………...Too warm for trout. OK for Bass and Sunfish 60 - 70……………………………………………………...A little warm for trout. OK for bass and sunfish 50 – 60……………………………………………………..OK for trout. A little cool for bass and sunfish 40 – 50……………………………………………………..OK for trout. Too cold for bass and sunfish Fish desirable range of Ph............................................6.5 – 9 Total Dissolved Solids...................................................100 – 300 is ideal CFFC Fishery Management Committee March 2016

Connestee Fishing Survey 1. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the species you are most interested in, score your primary fishing interests among the species below? 5 (most interested) 4 3 2 1 (least interested) Trout O O O O O Bass O O O O O Sunfish O O O O O Catfish O O O O O

2. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the fishing in each of our lakes? very satisfied somewhat satisfied somewhat dissatisfied very dissatisfied N/A Lake Atagahi O O O O O Lake Ticoa O O O O O Lake Tiaroga O O O O O Lake Wanteska O O O O O Your comments and suggestions would be appreciated: Done