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The zebras are at an unbelievable level in Bull went up from Tucker Hollow last week the bank is covered, been seeing them for a while now but not at this levelSo are there any brainiacs out there that can come come up with a market for them Might be a good time to buy a tackle shop lots of hardware gonna be left in the water from cut lines I also think this is why the bank fish are not there like they used to be the fish have to be affected from the abrasive conditions the shells and tend to pull out and suspend more the fishing has changed on Bull the last few years that is for sureAny other opinions?? may also post on BBC
The Great Lakes have had them for almost two decades now and they have spread across the USA from a freighter dumping another continents bilge wash into those Great Lakes. They have spread aggressively in Bull Shoals and even the docks have panels they are marking the growth of larvae on. The level of growth is surprising. Shell Crackers and Gobies are apparently their major predator though these species a void in Bull Shoals for the most part. AGFC did stock some sunfish seen as a predator, though a bandaid on a broken leg is a parallel. No one knows where they came from though with house boats and others moving around they did show up. They could have even come from Dardanelle or the Arkansas River, though not as likely. The AGFC net pens at Pot Shoals are now virtually landlocked as fish can no longer be transported between reservoirs. It has forced a major change in the net pen operation that employed several and was a benefit to the state stocking program.It might eventually be one of the best things Bull Shoals itself has seen for fishing, with yellow perch exploding at the same time. Again the population is short in comparison and the only folks who know where the yellow perch came from are the ones who transported and planted them. We must be very careful as anglers transporting water , equipment and boats from Bull Shoals to Table Rock, Norfork and other reservoirs. Eventually a lax use on a trailer, boat, engine or something will transport larvae to Norfork and we should work now to attack the larvae with predators before it explodes in that reservoir. The same goes for the south end of Table Rock where anglers encircling Harrison fish both reservoirs weekly. Using Tucker Hollow, Beaver Creek and Lead Hill then drive the next day to Cricket, Eagle Rock, Kimberling area or State Park. Under any case they will not stay only in Bull Shoals. Requiring a 21 day dry dock, or inspection of any pontoon or boats stored in the reservoir over 48 hours, would be seen as over regulatory and most likely become a more intrusive process under any agency and mired in bureaucracy. In other words, button up for the ride guys! We are going to have more spreading of zebra mussels. Its probably already too late and there is no way we can monitor all the poor practices from those who think no big deal or it wont really happen.
I think the Black Drum is a more aggressive eater of the zebra mussels, but in any case, no , they arent going anywhere until nature dictates. They should starve to death up there in that clear environment, but will change the fishing somewhat. No more ultralight line around them ! But as far as changing the fish habits ? Jeremy could better answer that, but I doubt it changes their locations or lifestyle.
Ill will add a response to this once I get off the water this afternoon. We have field a lot of questions about zebra mussels over the past couple of months.
Oh yes, it has changed fishing patterns in every reservoir at the outset.
The problem up there is the water temperature is more conducive for their survival, as high temperatures kill the mussels. The AR river is a prime example, as it went thru the cycle and one or two hot summers pretty much clears its problems. Bull, and other White River tributaries may be in this for the long haul, with their depths and cooler temperatures they may never go away…….
It would be interesting to expand on the comments that this may be good for the lake in the long runI could see the benifits to smallmouth what are some other positives We will need to learn to live with them I cant help but think Table Rock and Norfork allready have them research said Bull has had them since 2007 I have seen them since 2012 so there was a few years of a small population before the explosion we have now.It is mind bending to the amount we saw last week anyone with a boat in the water be warned.
Not so sure about that water temperature thing as the Quagga mussels are thick in Lake Havasu in Arizona and the Redear love them and are huge.
Theyre not going anywhere, once theyre in…theyre in. Theyve changed fishing on the Great Lakes and many lakes in Wisconsin, many say for the better for smallies, Sturgeon bay has been on fire the past few years. For other types of recreation though the mussels are a nightmare, kids cutting feet where they used to be able to swim barefoot, rafts and swim platforms/dock ladders covered on the bottom. Gobies will eat almost anything but not zebra mussels…hope no one gets a bright idea of introducing them illegally in the hopes that they will eat the zebra mussels. You can still use lighter line, just the right kind…flouro or pline CXX is a must in anything under 10lb and check for frays and nicks on every cast.
Seems like a good drawdown would go a long ways towards slowing their growth rate . — Cant do that in the Great Lakes , but they could here couldnt they ?? — Of course , this would require cooperation between a couple of government entities . — Never mind . — Hoss
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