PDA

View Full Version : Davis Lake Pike,..... ARRrrrrggh!!!!!



Darian
01-29-2005, 12:24 AM
Noticed the post about Davis Lake Bass and decided to stir the pot a little. :twisted: :twisted: Has anyone taken a Pike from Davis :?: What type of gear/fly was it caught on :?: :?: What's the feeling about the way DFG has handled the situation (keep it clean please....) :?: :?: Since it's my understanding that Pike are delicious eating, here's a chance to catch/cook/eat without pangs of conscience. :roll: Anyone have a solution in mind :idea: :?: All comments welcome. 8) 8)

Hairstacker
01-29-2005, 10:54 AM
Hi Darian! I'm curious about this too, although from a slightly different slant. When I was a gear guy living in North Dakota (yes, it's true! -- reminds of that Gierach quote you're probably famiiar with, "In every fly fishers past is a big black cast iron frying pan.") I used to catch northern pike in the Turtle River and trout in various lakes, although I don't recall fishing in a water with both species (maybe it did, and I just didn't know it). But, given how common pike are in North Dakota, Minnesota, etc., I wonder if they worry as much about the effect of pike on trout as we Californians do. Trout seem to be able to coexist with voracious predators like black bass, big brown trout, etc. -- maybe it's the same way with pike? Anyone have thoughts on this as well?

Darian
01-29-2005, 03:41 PM
Hi Mike,...... I too wonder why it's a crisis here when Pike/Trout/Chars have co-existed in lakes/rivers in the northern climes for thousands of years :?: :?: I've posed the question to DFG and received the standard non-native, intrusive speech :roll: (in an e-mail note). But no real answer. I'm sure that there's some element of predation among fish co-existing in the same body of water.

DFG used to subscribe to the theory that large Brown Trout were undesireable due to their predatory habits. There is a photo of several Brown Trout (over 10lbs each) on the bank after being removed from Convict Lake in one of their publications. :shock: So, I guess whether something is designated as undesireable is determined by the latest need of the public as perceived by DFG..... :? :?

David Lee
01-29-2005, 08:28 PM
I doubt Pike will impact the Trout/Salmon/Steelhead fishery in the central valley very much , if at all . Stripers will hunt pelagic (open , deep water) , Pike are well known ambush feeders . Our population of Stripes take way more smolts than Pike ever could .
Look at the Great Lakes - Pike are native there and Salmon/Trout are not . Are the pike there destroying them ?? D.J.L.

Darian
01-30-2005, 01:08 PM
Good point David,.... I forgot about the great lakes. Lotsa non-native Pacific Salmon and Steelhead stocked there. New fisheries abound even tho Pike/pikerel co-exist with 'em. Considering the part of lakes each inhabit, there's probably more predation of sun fishes than chars/trout by pike/pickerel.....

The best part is that Pike look like freshwater Barracuda and fight great. Also, from what I've been told, they're great eating. 8) Gotta love 'em. :D :D

SullyTM
02-01-2005, 04:38 PM
Having grown up in Mighigan I used to fish during the summer in Escanba at the marina. Pike were abundant in the waters, evening entering a river or two. The bass, perch and walleye populations never seemed to suffer. Could be another State of California knee jerk reaction. Hopefully, poisoning an entire body of water again isn't being considered.

Jgoding
02-01-2005, 05:24 PM
I think the plans are already in the works to poison Davis Lake again....maybe they changed their minds but they were thinking of dropping the lake levels way way way down this time and then hammering it.....

I don't know, but I want to get up this year and see if I can catch one.....and yes, the regs say they have to be killed..... but oops, it slipped out of my hands before I could hatchet the head off...... clumsy me.....

Jeff

SullyTM
02-01-2005, 07:10 PM
Pike are a very good fighting fish. Bring your heavy gear because they can grow to 3 feet! Watch out for the teeth!
Leave it to the State to poison our waters...

Darian
02-02-2005, 10:59 AM
I'm curious about how DFG controls the outflow of poisoned water from Lake Davis after they've drawn down the lake level and dumped in ton's of rotenone :?: :?: Seems to me that there has to be some amount of poison flowing from the dam into the stream below the dam. How far downriver does the poison impact the stream :?: :?:

Also, if the poison affects the entire bio-mass of the lake, how do they restore it to its pre-poisoned state (insects, etc.) :?: :?: In addition to trout, is there any attempt to re-establish Bass, crawdads, insect, minnow, grass, moss, etc., (....you get the point) :?: :?:

SullyTM
02-02-2005, 11:32 AM
The State did such a good job the last time in poisoning Davis Lake that the Pike are still there. Personally, leave the Pike alone. Mother Nature has a way of evening things out. I doubt that the Pike will ravage the lake's current fish population. Who is pushing this eradication effort? Davis Lake locals? Or someone in Sacramento with to much time on his/her hands? You will never stop folks from introducing species into California waters. Hopefully, the damage done to native habitates when this happens isn't a generations long process.

Darian
02-02-2005, 04:39 PM
Hi Sully,.... The major impetus behind this comes from a legitimate need to protect endangered species (Salmonids in particular) who reside downstream from the dam(s). The stream below the dam feeds into the feather River, eventually. Of course, that need might be misplaced in this case.

The population in the surrounding towns weren't overly supportive of the last attempt to poison the lake.... ( :x to say the least). A lot of business in that area is dependent on fishing/golf/tourism/water 8) . All related to a healthy Lake Davis. I have no real proof of it, but, I suspect that several businesses closed as a direct result of the last poisoning..... The state paid out a large amount of settlement money to locals for damages from the last action.

In view of the fact that Pike have been illegally introduced/stocked into California lakes twice in my lifetime, why hasn't DFG just picked a lake that won't drain into any sensitive watershed and stock them for that group of people who want to fish for 'em :?: :?: I'm sure there is a lake or reservoir somewhere that would serve that purpose.... 8) 8) I'd sure like to fish for 'em. 8) 8)

Jgoding
02-02-2005, 05:36 PM
Hi guys,

I know a few years back some guy caught one out of Oroville as well. Of course they're not so worried over there for some reason.... big lake, more rocky unlike Davis lake..... How the pike survived the first poisoning..... who knows, but I doubt someone would restock the lake... but then again, you never know....as with any kind of "pest" control it's never 100%....there have to be some tributaries or small pockets or water out of the main lake in the area that are holding fish....

Jeff

SullyTM
02-02-2005, 07:31 PM
Good points Darian. A land-locked lake with no drainage would be ideal for pike. They are a very good game fish to hook in to. I can see your point(s) about protecting native species, but at what cost? Doesn't poisoning affect the entire food chain? The best solution is probably to drain the lake, try and save the "good" species and use the pike for compost. Here in the East Bay San Pablo resevior is being drained for earthquake work and I'm concerned about all of the fish and other aquatic life and whether or not the damage to the ecological chain will be damaged for years. The problem rests with the, may I call them idiots who plant non-native species for the fun of it, not realizing what the trickle-down effect will be. Thanks for the discourse.

Darian
02-03-2005, 12:56 AM
Hi Sully,..... I think, with the exception of a few that come to mind, almost any reservoir that drains the east side of the Sierras into Nevada would serve the purpose of supporting a Pike fishery..... 8) 8) I've been told that Pike already exist in Nevada. So there shouldn't be as many pressures involved. :D

As for draining a lake or reservoir as opposed to Poisoning, it seems to me there's little difference in terms of impact on the body of water and its flora/fauna..... Both are bad. :cry: (Maybe draining isn't quite as bad as each reservoir has a minimum pool behind its dam. So, they are difficult to completely drain.) :wink: :wink:

I wanna fish for pike :!: :!: 8)

SullyTM
02-03-2005, 07:58 AM
Darian...There seems to be no real solution. Look at the New Zealand Mud Snail infestation. It's beginning to appear in more and more bodies of water. Pike have no real predator to fear except for eagles, osprey and the 2-legged humanoid so they usually rule the water. From an angling standpoint if you haven't fished for one give it a try if the opportunity presents itself. They are a mean looking fish and if you hook a big one...hang on! There kissin' cousin, the Musky is even bigger and badder!

Darian
02-14-2005, 12:22 AM
Well, from the responses so far, I guess none of us has caught a Pike at Lake Davis. After reading the DFG requirements after catching a Pike, I can see why they're not targeted.....

If I understand the regs correctly, a Pike caught anywhere in California must be immediately killed (no catch/release), the head must be immediately severed from the body and both preserved (frozen) until a DFG staff member picks it up. :? :?

To me, that seems a little "over the top" in terms of reactions. :evil: :evil: If DFG plans to carry out anything to eliminate the "Pike problem", I'm wondering when it's going to occur :?: :?:

Hairstacker
02-14-2005, 09:09 AM
Yeah, does seem kind of extreme to have to climb a tree and drop a big rock on it. (Recalling your catfish story... "decapitated it, perfectly." :lol:)

David Lee
02-14-2005, 11:35 AM
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: .... Catfish Murderer !! D.J.L.

Darian
02-14-2005, 02:42 PM
Is there no limit to the depths that I'll go to catch fish :?: :?: .... 8) 8)