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Posts: 4
| After posting my message on 8/22 reagrding the large population of trophy muskie in Curwensville Lake I received several replies stating that we need to start releasing these big muskie. Some replies were kind while others were a bit harsh. Be advised that we certainly appreciate the concern but the reason we harvest these muskie is because the lake is becoming over-populated. Our bass population is dwindling fast and our walleye are nearly depleted because of the muskie. Our organization "Curwensville Anglers Restocking Program" was recently established in order that we may re-supply the lake with forage such as perch and shad since that too has become non-existant. The Army Corp of Engineers and the PA Fish and Boat Commission has done little to correct this problem. We are working hard to get these muskie fed before we have no other species left alive. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Some of the folks who visit here are sometimes overly aggressive with CPR, and sometimes fail to allow for any mitigating circumstance of any kind. Some Kentucky waters have a similar problem, as the predator/prey relationship there is tenuous at best, and a major increase in the size limit could cause the top rung predator and the prey base to fall out of balance and crash the system, this straight from the fisheries management down there this Spring.
If any of our visitors sent you an untoward email, I apologize for them. What has the fisheries department told you about the drop in forage and other gamefish populations in that water? Do they agree with you that the muskies are at fault, or are other mitigating circumstances involved cooperatively with the muskie population in a 'crash' of the forage there? Are the muskies there stocked 100%, or is there natural reproduction?
Reaserch shows Muskies rarely negatively impact walleye populations, and even more rarely negatively effect bass populations under normal circumstance.
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Posts: 4
| Dear Steve:
Good point. Ordinarily, the muskie's appetite does have a negative effect on walleye and bass. But, until recently, we have not been able to collect any data from any federal or state resource concerning our problem. This lake has undergone some very strange transitions since it was built in 1952. First, the Corp of Engineers sold it to the YMCA in 1960. Two years later it was turned over to the Boy Scouts. Then, in 1971 it was sold to the Salvation Army for a religious retreat. During those years the lake was off limits to the public. Since there was no fishing pressure the muskie ran rampant and "pigged-out" on everything that swam. In 1982 the lake was taken over by the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority and was finally opened to public fishing. However, poor management caused the possible "mitigating" circumstances that you referred to. Many variables are to blame and I conclude that it is not the muskie fault, alone. But it sure is nice to be able to go out every day and catch a limit of big muskie!
Edited by UncleLunker 8/23/2005 10:44 PM
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Posts: 122
Location: Pittsburgh, PA | U.L.
I encourage you to post your message on the Three Rivers Muskie Inc site. We, along with the other PA chapters are in the process of working with the PFBC to help work out a better muskie management program for the state. Our vp, Adam Andresky, is the point man for our chapter on this.
http://threerivers.muskiesinc.org/
Rich D. |
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