# fishing quality of buck creek



## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

here are two pictures i ran across today which are from 05 during the whitebass run at c.j. brown reservoir, we gave my neighbors two 5 gallon buckets full, my uncle 2 coolers full, another neighbor a trashcan full, and still ended up with 439 fish... all caught in a matter of 3 or so hours










this is a 20' stringer with about 3' of it left unfilled so we could carry/drag it out


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## Master Angler (May 26, 2004)

Why on Earth would anyone keep this many fish. I am all for keeping and eating a few but these pictures are disgusting.


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## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

I wouldn't want to think about filleting that many fish. To each his own...

As to the title of the post, yeah that's some quality fishing. I hope to get into some of that in the next couple of weeks myself.

How's the fishing been there the last couple of years?

CW


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> Why on Earth would anyone keep this many fish


if i'm not mistaken,there was a tourney of sorts at cj that was intended as catch&keep only.the dnr wanted the white bass thinned out because they were overpopulating the lake.not sure how many years they did it,but they felt it was a way to help control the numbers.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Hmmmm,, while thats a lot of fish, I cant help but think of a few thoughts...
Selective Harvest
Keeping only what you need
How many that you had to give away really ever got cleaned
How many you cleaned actually got eaten
and why on earth would anyone ever want to keep those numbers of fish
Keeping 30-40 maybe for a full coolers worth of fish is one thing, but Id have to agree, that picture disgusts me. 
I hope the whites at CJ are able to come back after that haul.

Salmonid


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2007)

Its my guess that you wont be catching near that many anytime in the future. If you wasnt gonna fillet them all yourself that night then you should have thrown the rest back. This is the perfect example of a greedy meathunter, who has no regards to the future. Its an unfortunate truth, but I see more and more of this every year. People keep ridiculous amounts of fish just to show them off. Hell you could live off all those fish for the rest of the year with out needing to keep another fish. You rarley see the truely skilled anglers brag about their catches, which would put both yours and mine to shame. Theres something to think about.

Thanks for starting my morning on a sour note.


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## Red The Fisherman (Oct 1, 2006)

These pictures and this posting are shameful. Why? Why? Why?


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

That's more fish than most people on here keep in a lifetime, disgusting.


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## Lunkers (Mar 8, 2007)

sobering,really something to be proud of? Good catch rate is something to be proud of. Mollestation of a resource is not.


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## DAVELEE (Apr 19, 2004)

the white bass fishery at buck creek was never intended to be there at all.
the fish where illegally stocked there and just took off as an invasive species.
i have been told on several occasions by the park rangers to keep every white bass you catch. i personally dont like to eat white bass but have given
away many to the local retirement centers in springfield. i have fished the white bass run at buck creek for 8 years and have seen literally hundreds of thousands of whites caught and the run last year was as strong as it every has been despite the officially sanctioned overfishing. if these were walleyes or crappie or bass in a delicate fishery i agree catch limits wether imposed by the dnr or not should be observed, but the white bass in buck creek actually hurt the fishery as it was intended to be- walleye, crappie, and bass. so before you start judging these guys on wether or not they should have kept that many fish find out the facts about the situation or your just as bad as the people your criticizing


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

the white bass run is still massive in the lake but taking a haul of fish like that wow......... I think thats easily more fish then i have kept in my whole life.


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## skipjack11 (Apr 12, 2004)

I fished a white bass tournament two or three years ago at C.J. where all the fish were donated to the Glen Helen Raptor Center to feed their birds. As I remember,they had one or two of their birds on display at the weigh in.


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## bumblebee (Mar 14, 2007)

Can anyone tell me when the White bass run/spawn begins? I caught hundreds of them crappie fishing last year but I've never fished the spawn. I spoke with a park ranger at CJ and he said that the white bass were way over populated. This may be the reason I can only catch small crappie there? I personally don't keep very many of them because they don't taste as good as crappie/catfish.


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## bumblebee (Mar 14, 2007)

Can anyone tell me when the White bass run/spawn begins? I caught hundreds of them crappie fishing last year but I've never fished the spawn. I spoke with a park ranger at CJ and he said that the white bass were way over populated. This may be the reason I can only catch small crappie there? I personally don't keep very many of them because they don't taste as good as crappie/catfish.


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## BlueBoat98 (Nov 5, 2004)

That is always the question. In general they run anywhere from the last week of April to a couple of weeks into May. It depends on water temp, flow and clarity. But, sometimes they will be thick one day, absent the next and then back the following day. I'm usually there on the absent days although I have hit them on occasion.

As far as the White Bass population, I'm on C.J. more than most of the guys on the site and I think they were down considerably last year for whatever reason. There have been times in the past when Walleye fishing that you couldn't get a jig to the bottom without a WB picking it it up. That was not true last year. 

I never understood the part about the "illegal" stocking of White Bass in CJ and the Rangers being so worked up about it. White Bass are native to Lake Erie and the Ohio River. I believe there are few lakes in this state without them. It would more surprising to me if they were not in C.J. I tend to believe that nature balances these things out as long as we don't screw things up too much.

See you out there.

MC


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

i respect everyones thoughts about my post, but come on guys there is no need to dog the **** out of me about it... as DAVELEE put it the rangers and byron rice himself has told many fisherman on many occasions that if you catch them and dont want them throw them on the bank or in the trash. the whitebass population in c.j brown and buck creek is outrageous and out of control and infact is harmful to the native and stocked species in the lake... and to be completely honest about it the dnr is currently netting them out of the lake and has been since 04, so if u want to breath some fire on someone let it be the dnr and the rangers for telling the anglers to rid the lake and creek of them, i didnt expect to get hounded by posting pictures of such a quality catch.


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## Red The Fisherman (Oct 1, 2006)

As if fish or anyhing else in nature is there for us to do as we please. Just because the rangers say it's okay, does not make it okay. Just because they are overpopulated, does not make it okay. I am all for keeping and eating some fish, although I don't. I fish for sport, for fun, and for a damn good excuse to be out in nature. It's all about balance, this tips the scales. Listen, I don't mean to dog ya, all I ask is that people have respect for the fish, for the land/water, for the sport, and for the privilage you have to enjoy nature. This goes for all the folks out there who leave behind garbage as well.
Respect, is that too much to ask?


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

salmonoid, 
to answer your questions both critically and hypercritically, if for one second i thought the fish that i gave away werent going to be taken care of they would have never left my possession... one neighbor that received fish donated his share to help out a community fish fry hosted by a church that he attends and coordinates events for... and my family surely isnt about to waste such a precious resource as the whitebass fishery-we had a hell of a fish fry...and to all those who oppose my behavoirs or think that my actions were utterly disgusting i ask only for you to fully understand the situation before critisizing a fellow fisherman for trying to do his part in keeping fish populations in check and respecting the efforts of the dnr to make c.j. brown a quality walleye fishery.


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## Red The Fisherman (Oct 1, 2006)

p.s. I think I'm goin' to Buck Creek to fish for white bass this year!!!!


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

Red The Fisherman said:


> As if fish or anyhing else in nature is there for us to do as we please. Just because the rangers say it's okay, does not make it okay. Just because they are overpopulated, does not make it okay. I am all for keeping and eating some fish, although I don't. I fish for sport, for fun, and for a damn good excuse to be out in nature. It's all about balance, this tips the scales.


Red,
In all do respect i fully understand where you are coming from... but when the dnr reaches out to anglers in hopes of helping a quality fish such as the walleye in c.j. brown... i cant help but do my best in the effort to fullfill my part as a resident fisherman. And if you would only talk to fishery biologists about the whitebass population and how it affects other species in the reservoir you may be able to understand where i stand on the matter, and as for the numbers of whitebass... what i took from the population that year has had no effect on overall numbers... think about it, if i, an avid fisherman of buckcreek takes close to 1500 every year, plus the other fisherman take in the neighborhood of...per say 100,000 fish and the population doesnt seem to be affected i asure you what i contributed to the pot didnt do any harm


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

im mixed on this, im HUGE on catch and release but cj does have a problem with white bass. now dont get me wrong i love white bass more than most by a lot but the population probably wont be hurt until the there are more fish kept. there are a ton of fish kept but its no 100,000 a year. the game wardens must be fools however because there is no proven correlation i know of (please correct me if im wrong) between white bass numbers and well, any other sportfish.

heres what i dont understand, we are getting all up in arms about white bass being kept but we have no problem with the 27,000+ walleye that will be kept out of the maumee in the next 2 months, atleast that was last years numbers......
if one in 5 is a female thats what 5-6,000 gone 250,000 eggs a piece

dont worry about the white bass on cj yet. worry about them in 15 years when the only sportfish we have left that aren't stocked are carp, WB, and sheaphead

the point is we as a whole need to be more selective about our harvest, because almost everyone on this site has kept fish they know they shouldn't have.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

all i gotta say is....DUDE WE NEED TO HOOK UP THIS SPRING!


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## Hotntot (Jul 28, 2004)

Man, if you guys are getting upset about this you ought to go to the Maumee after the Walleye leave & the whitebass start running you'll see people with 55 gallon trash can's full of WB.
I've also been told by the dnr to keep the WB I catch & they didn't stock em but they are there now & most likely would be impossible to eliminate from the lake. Basically all that can be done is try to reduce the numbers. Wb are a very prolific fish if they wasn't the DNR would take steps to protect them by setting some type of limit. This is not the case at CJ , Flathead had every right to keep as many as he wanted just as YOU have the right to keep or release as many as YOU want. To each their own as long as they're within the law.
I know from talking to the DNR while they were pulling the nets for the Walleye a couple years ago they was concerned about the WB feeding on the Walleye they stock into the lake & was considering stocking a little later than usual when there was more & other forage available so they might limit the # of Walleye the WB would eat. I'm not sure if they did that or anything at all . WB are very aggressive feeders so to me if they feed on walleye fry wouldn't be highly likely they'd feed on other fry (Bass Crappie) too? I'm sure there are many other factors to but managing fisheries is not as cut & dry as many of us think. The Ohio Dnr does a great job IMHO as evidenced by the great fishing we have here in Ohio


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

My point of view has been changed a bit, thanks for all the input fellas...good reading. It is still hard to look at the pictures, but I do understand the reasoning alot more. Makes alot of sense, I just dont like the taste of WB so my feelings are skewed. Now I DEFINATELY want to hit the WB run at CJ...lol I just probably still wont be able to throw them on the bank or keep them. Maybe some of you will be there and I can give them to you!


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## fshman_165 (May 26, 2004)

They were stocked illegally, and I do my part. None that I catch go back in.
There are simply too many of them, and anyone who has fished the lake for years can second that. As to keeping too many, thin em out and please come up to Buck Creek for the whitebass run!!!!!!!!  you will see alot of whites carried out


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## C J Hughes (Jan 24, 2006)

In the past the local walleye club WOWC would hold White bass tourneys at CJ to try and help rid the lake of them . The first year they cleaned the fish and I think they gave the fish to a food bank for the homeless . 
The first year my oldest son and I won 1st place with 368 pounds of fish . I don't know how many times we filled up a good size cooler but it was enough to make them have second thoughts on cleaning the next tourneys catch (Raptor Center ) got the fish from the next tourney as stated in another post .
John Clark and Marc Caldwell the two guys who started the walleye club witness the state stocking the lake with walleye and the white bass devouring the walleye fry ,so they wanted to help out the walleye stockings . I think they still run the club and are good guys who might have more white bass tourneys if the interest is there from enough guys.
I did place 1st on the second tourney also but I can't remeber how many pounds we had .


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## eyeguy (Jun 13, 2005)

fshman_165 said:


> They were stocked illegally, and I do my part. None that I catch go back in.
> There are simply too many of them, and anyone who has fished the lake for years can second that. As to keeping too many, thin em out and please come up to Buck Creek for the whitebass run!!!!!!!!  you will see alot of whites carried out


I'm with ya Pete!!! I never return a ****** to the lake unharmed!! Ive got a small rapela knife in the boat I bought specificly for that purpose! The ones that end up on the end of my pole are only caught once-------Bout that time guys!!!!


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

before anyone thinks the Wb will hurt they eye populations. studies on the subject have shown that only largemouth bass, only. have a negative effect on walleye populations. also most bass fry, is eaten not by WB, gar, muskie, catfish, hybrids. no. most is eaten again by largemouth bass, and the numers are somthing like 81% or LB fry are eaten by largemouth. WB key heavily on shiners, shad, and in some instances larval insects. they are also native so i dont know how they can be illegally introdced, but i guess it could happen. but as hotntot said, keep what you want within the law or release what you want


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## skipjack11 (Apr 12, 2004)

I just got off the phone with a fishries biologist from the ODNR. He doesn't see the white bass in C.J. as a big problem although the walleye fishing would probably be better if they weren't in there. He doesn't advocate keeping hundreds of white bass or throwing them out either. Whites are not protected by a creel limit or size limit because there hasn't been a need for it,not because ODNR is actively trying to reduce their numbers. There you have it.


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## eyeguy (Jun 13, 2005)

How many of us that have been in contact W/ODNR have got different answers on such issues....I bet if someone else would make a call ----it would be a different story again!!! All I know is, I am local to CJ and the white bass situation is out of control and has been for years..


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2007)

> I just got off the phone with a fishries biologist from the ODNR. He doesn't see the white bass in C.J. as a big problem although the walleye fishing would probably be better if they weren't in there. He doesn't advocate keeping hundreds of white bass or throwing them out either. Whites are not protected by a creel limit or size limit because there hasn't been a need for it,not because ODNR is actively trying to reduce their numbers. There you have it.


This seems well put and logical. The ones keeping all the fish now will be the ones whining when those same fish are gone. I would be willing to bet that the LM bass do far more damage to the walleye population then the whitebass will ever do.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> How many of us that have been in contact W/ODNR have got different answers on such issues....I bet if someone else would make a call ----it would be a different story again!!!


happens all the time.
i've found that when i want the "real story",the best route is to go to the "top".sometimes the people in the field or at a desk don't always know the answer,or may have a different interpretation.


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## Red The Fisherman (Oct 1, 2006)

I never fish at Cj, but I think I will. Let me make sure I understand what some of you are saying. It's Okay to slaughter one species, just because you prefer a different one. That makes no sense to me, unless you are God this is not your choice to make. Let nature take its toll, everything will work out fine. I'm not trying to piss anybody off, just stating my opinion. At the end of the day I will sleep just fine. As long as I can go fishing tomorrow!


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## Lunkers (Mar 8, 2007)

Seems everyone is thinking the EYE population is the most important. I dont fish CJ. Hey you guys that use the lake have more intimant knowledge about what the folks up there want from their lake. I think there is enough water and forage for all surviving species. If they feel they dont want an incredible WB run anymore, so be it. Hammer'em Guys.I think everyone should catch and keep all the pleasure boaters in Caeser Creek. That would make that lake a better bass fishery. After all isn't that what we all want.I still have never seen a stringer full of city folks. I will keep an eye open for them pictures.I apologize for the mollestation comment, if thats the norm, who am I to judge yall. posting those pics here was similar to dragging a dead chicken through a PETA rally.


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## spidey (Mar 19, 2007)

riverKing said:


> im mixed on this, im HUGE on catch and release but cj does have a problem with white bass. now dont get me wrong i love white bass more than most by a lot but the population probably wont be hurt until the there are more fish kept. there are a ton of fish kept but its no 100,000 a year. the game wardens must be fools however because there is no proven correlation i know of (please correct me if im wrong) between white bass numbers and well, any other sportfish.


I'm on your side(s) of the fence, riverKing...in the middle. I catch and release more than I keep. True, there are plenty of white bass in CJ, probably too many. But seeing hundreds of fish taken at once just seems downright excessive no matter what the intent. The dodo was considered inexhaustible as was the passenger pigeon as were the buffalo etc, etc. 

That being said, I can't imagine anyone involved with wildlife management advocating a policy of seek and destroy. Makes absolutely no sense to me. Especially since white bass are native to Ohio. This country in particular has a storied history in destroying what it deems a nuisance or unworthy as a cash crop/species. And then everyone sits around and talks about what things used to be like before we knew better when that "nuisance" is pushed to complete or near extinction or a rarity. At what point do we take responsibility, as individuals, for our own actions and not have to hide behind the words of undocumented others? And I have never seen a report of any kind linking white bass with the detriment of other fish species.

As far as legality goes, it's legal to fry chicken in a skillet butt naked too. Any takers? 

PS: The ODNR does a heck of a job managing our wildlife. Every year I am pleased and impressed with the variety of wildlife that thrives in our wonderful state. If a true problem developed, I would hope that the ODNR would give specific, printed instructions as to the course of action it would like the public to take to help maintain the natural balance of our wildlife resources.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Come on fellas..... if you've followed Flathead Kings posts, you'll know this guy actually tries to protect and help promote long and healthy lives for fish (read some of his posts in the Catfish section). Personally, if I am keeping a fish, it's because it's catfish bait, I can't stand cleaning fish, but nothing illegal was done here. We all may not agree with others, but Flathead King is getting some pretty hard core remarks here. I've learned over the years that it's easy to be over critical, so let's give the kid a break! Now granted if they were Flatheads, then I'd say it's worth getting mad over!  

Flathead King, if you get a bunch more like that let me know, I'll help you make some Channel Cat Chum. Flatheads like live White Bass, so I bet the channels would enjoy the white bass scraps after the meat has been cut out. (maybe put them in some sort of grinder or something) The heads maybe a decent bait their selves.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Lunkers said:


> posting those pics here was similar to dragging a dead chicken through a PETA rally.



I gotta disagree w/ you on that. Take a look @ this site, it's a FISHING site, those pics belong here. in my eyes, there is no difference in those pics versus the pics in Port Clinton where you hang your days catch of 'eyes. As long as it's within the law, then there is nothing wrong with it.

As I've said, I am 100&#37; C-P-R (unless it's being kept for bait), but that's just me.


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

H2O Mellon said:


> Flathead King, if you get a bunch more like that let me know, I'll help you make some Channel Cat Chum. Flatheads like live White Bass, so I bet the channels would enjoy the white bass scraps after the meat has been cut out. (maybe put them in some sort of grinder or something) The heads maybe a decent bait their selves.


To be exact... when the initial "run" starts 3 or 4 waves of fingerlings run up the creek... which range in the 4-6 in range... i am well aware of how well they work for flatties... youll have to come and get some


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Flathead King 06 said:


> To be exact... when the initial "run" starts 3 or 4 waves of fingerlings run up the creek... which range in the 4-6 in range... i am well aware of how well they work for flatties... youll have to come and get some


Those would make it a while in my bait tank (the one I'm building)  Let me know, shoot I may bring my little boy there, (8 years old), he'd prob love it!


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2007)

You made the comment that if the fish were flatheads instead of whitebass, that it would indeed make you mad. This is because you have a love and desire for flathead fishing, which is very understandable.

But what about the people who may have that same desire for whitebass fishing?

Are you saying that other people dont have a right to get mad over someone keeping mass loads of fish, just because its a species of fish that you dont fish for. 

I know for a fact that you would be furius if all those were catfish. I bet you would think twice about it effecting the population if that was the case.

I think that this guy honestly believes that hes helping out the lake, and thats the sad part.


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## spidey (Mar 19, 2007)

H2O Mellon said:


> Come on fellas..... if you've followed Flathead Kings posts, you'll know this guy actually tries to protect and help promote long and healthy lives for fish (read some of his posts in the Catfish section). Personally, if I am keeping a fish, it's because it's catfish bait, I can't stand cleaning fish, but nothing illegal was done here. We all may not agree with others, but Flathead King is getting some pretty hard core remarks here. I've learned over the years that it's easy to be over critical, so let's give the kid a break! Now granted if they were Flatheads, then I'd say it's worth getting mad over!


I apologize if I appeared to be lambasting anyone on this board. I grew up in Springfield and was fishing that lake soon after it was filled with water. In the early years little bullheads were king. Catching a stringer of nice sized bluegills and channel or two was a good outing. Now, this lake boasts nice catches of LMB, crappie, channel cats, walleye and yes, white bass. The white bass runs are great. Fishermen and women love and look forward to the runs as much as the walleye fishermen love to search for lunker walleye. 

The ODNR has a list of nuisance species. The white bass is not on it yet. Probably because it's a native fish and native species have a tendency to move towards equilibrium if left to their own devices. If the best approach to dealing with the real or perceived problem of white bass in CJ is for any and all fishermen and women to kill whatever white bass they catch accidentally or on purpose, then the ODNR should issue a written directive to do such. 

Until then, I'll refer to the rule of thumb of keeping what I can use and admire the rest. No one species is any more or less worthy of protection than another if it is indigenous.

This is only my opinion, but I would hate to be that guy in the old fading picture, my back bowing under the weight of fish, that I can't possibly have any use for, that future generations can no longer catch in abundance. To each his/her own, but I do hope that moderation and consideration win out over preferential, beyond-usable harvesting.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

traphunter said:


> You made the comment that if the fish were flatheads instead of whitebass, that it would indeed make you mad. This is because you have a love and desire for flathead fishing, which is very understandable.
> 
> But what about the people who may have that same desire for whitebass fishing?
> 
> ...


I was just kidding about the Flathead thing, that while I made that smilie at the end of the sentence. 

Truth is the ODNR have experts on staff. These folks go to school for years to obtain a degree in fish/wildlife management, I may not agree w/ what those experts say or do, but I am sure they know more than me/any of the rest of us. If me/the rest of us knew more than the folks w/ the ODNR, we would not have the jobs that we have, we would be working for the ODNR or another divison of the like. There are reasons there are no limits on certain fish, therefore, even if I would not like the idea if all those were flatheads, I would have no gripe about it, becasue again there are no limits on flatheads just like there are no limits on white bass in CJ.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

H2O Mellon said:


> Come on fellas..... if you've followed Flathead Kings posts, you'll know this guy actually tries to protect and help promote long and healthy lives for fish (read some of his posts in the Catfish section). Personally, if I am keeping a fish, it's because it's catfish bait, I can't stand cleaning fish, but nothing illegal was done here. We all may not agree with others, but Flathead King is getting some pretty hard core remarks here. I've learned over the years that it's easy to be over critical, so let's give the kid a break! Now granted if they were Flatheads, then I'd say it's worth getting mad over!
> 
> Flathead King, if you get a bunch more like that let me know, I'll help you make some Channel Cat Chum. Flatheads like live White Bass, so I bet the channels would enjoy the white bass scraps after the meat has been cut out. (maybe put them in some sort of grinder or something) The heads maybe a decent bait their selves.


for those who have never tried them for flathead bait, you dont know what you are missing, i think they are even better than shad! whenever i can get one on the lower GMR it goes on the hook no matter what size, whole, head, chunk, filet or whatever. i didnt do worth a darn last year at CJ the 2 times i went but when i do go this year i am keeping every head that is left from cleaning and freeze them. Flatheadking, hit me up when they start running!


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## Hotntot (Jul 28, 2004)

skipjack11 said:


> I just got off the phone with a fishries biologist from the ODNR. He doesn't see the white bass in C.J. as a big problem although the walleye fishing would probably be better if they weren't in there. He doesn't advocate keeping hundreds of white bass or throwing them out either. Whites are not protected by a creel limit or size limit because there hasn't been a need for it,not because ODNR is actively trying to reduce their numbers. There you have it.


Exactly the DNR has no limits on WB because they are prolific spawners meaning they have a very good survival rate & multiply or replenish quickly so Flatheads catch & many others are not going to eliminate the WB. That's the point I was trying to make if they was so concerned about WB being over harvested they'd have some type of regulation. Judging from last year, I might agree they wasn't a big problem but maybe that could be a result of people keeping them who knows but it is much more complex than some are making it out to be. 
Maybe reduce was the wrong word how bout controlling their numbers through harvest & keeping a balance in the lake.
I don't know if I'd say Walleye's are the more important than any other fish in CJ however the DNR has put considerable time & money into stocking the lake, for the last umpteen years, use the eggs from the females to make Saugeyes that Ohio has became known for.
While Shad & shiners are definitely the preferred forage what happens when that forage is not abundant they will seek other prey ie. Bass,Walleye Crappie fry what ever. WB are eating machines that's why you can go out & catch literally a hundred of them.
The lake can't hold an infinite amount of fish & by harvesting some fish your helping or doing more good to ensure a quality fishery.


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## bumblebee (Mar 14, 2007)

WOW good discussions on white bass. I have limited experience with white bass runs, but I do know it is a great opportunity to take the kids out and enjoy the action.


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

Flathead King - Now that's what i am talkin' about ! Nice catch. The only weay I see that as disgusting is the fact that I wasn't there to join in. Now that's disgusting ! Glad to see there is someone else on this board catching fish beside me.  
I hope you can repeat this year. And I definitely want to see the picture. Don't sweat the PETA guys, the rest of us like the pictures of great catches.


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2007)

> Don't sweat the PETA guys, the rest of us like the pictures of great catches.


Who exactly is the PETA guys? I think what you mean to say is not to worry about the people who actualy care about the future of fishing, and to listen to the people who have no regards for anyone but themselves.


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## Lunkers (Mar 8, 2007)

Hey, dont confuse me with a PETA member. Not that I dont love vegetarians, I eat alot of them. Just trying to inject a little humor into a extremely sensitive issue. I dont see how any one could say that taking out better than 2-3 HUNDRED of any kind of fish, by one angling team, is not excessive. It is. If the fish got used, great. I think most people just feel there is no way to "Use" that many at once. If they were donated to a good cause, that is awesome.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Is the ODNRs policy on white bass good science? Let us assume that the ODNR does have the scientific resources and knowledge to know what is best for any particular body of water. They are using OUR recourses to repeatedly stock one species in an attempt to maintain a population that is obviously not self-sustaining. They are encouraging the removal of one species that is obviously thriving. Why? Would it not be a better management strategy to allow the white bass population to thrive and abandon the walleye stocking?

The ODNR obviously sees walleye as the more desirable species. Is this somehow based on science? Or, is it yet another example of the ODNR catering to the fishermen that are looking for a good meal?

I understand that the ODNR needs to satisfy sportsmen with varied interests. I have no problem with the idea of stocking some tasty fish. I personally find walleye to be one of the best tasting freshwater fish. However, for pure sport, a white bass fights 10 times as hard as any walleye (pound for pound). I would like to see the ODNR take a more balanced approach when dictating policy. They seem to use all of OUR resources to create/maintain put and take fisheries. While dismissing sportsmen with other interests, or at least fail to create fisheries geared towards the trophy fisherman. Is the number of purely sport fishermen in the sate of Ohio so low as to not even be a consideration when creating policies or maintaining fisheries?


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## Lunkers (Mar 8, 2007)

Hopefully this post will end soon without any hard feelings toward other OGF members. We all care about our local fisheries or we would not be here. Great catch of WB. We used to catch'em similar to that in Caeser Creek tribs. Now, from my experience, them years are few and far between. I dont know why, my speculation is all them guys I seen with 5 gallon buckets and multiple stringers full. Crappie runs are still decent but WB, I cant get on them like I used to.Maybe someone could correct me or give more explanation.


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## eyeguy (Jun 13, 2005)

Very well put Rooster!!!! I added my 2 cents on this post and I,m done, i've never seen so many different views on saving white bass---personally I think the fish tastes like it smells!! (Very fishy) I cant imagine why anyone would want to protect such a fish that reproduces like guppies, and will feed on anything, other than wanting the fish just to catch.. 
One more point---5-7 yrs ago CJ used to be a decent crappie and gill lake....but the numbers seem to be on the decline for that species also!!!Could it be .......The white bass???
I really don't think anyone would do anything to harm the lake of its resources, but after you hear from ranger after ranger telling you to take all you can, or flat out kill them and leave them for the gulls, it dont sound like there on top of any ones priority list to protect for some reason


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## Hotntot (Jul 28, 2004)

Rooster said:


> Is the ODNRs policy on white bass good science? Let us assume that the ODNR does have the scientific resources and knowledge to know what is best for any particular body of water. They are using OUR recourses to repeatedly stock one species in an attempt to maintain a population that is obviously not self-sustaining. They are encouraging the removal of one species that is obviously thriving. Why? Would it not be a better management strategy to allow the white bass population to thrive and abandon the walleye stocking?
> 
> The ODNR obviously sees walleye as the more desirable species. Is this somehow based on science? Or, is it yet another example of the ODNR catering to the fishermen that are looking for a good meal?
> 
> I understand that the ODNR needs to satisfy sportsmen with varied interests. I have no problem with the idea of stocking some tasty fish. I personally find walleye to be one of the best tasting freshwater fish. However, for pure sport, a white bass fights 10 times as hard as any walleye (pound for pound). I would like to see the ODNR take a more balanced approach when dictating policy. They seem to use all of OUR resources to create/maintain put and take fisheries. While dismissing sportsmen with other interests, or at least fail to create fisheries geared towards the trophy fisherman. Is the number of purely sport fishermen in the sate of Ohio so low as to not even be a consideration when creating policies or maintaining fisheries?


I am sure the DNR has much more knowledge than you or I do, no offense intended. The Walleye have been stocked way before the WB was illegally stocked by someone who was ignorant of the effects it might have on the other fish in the lake. The Walleye from CJ are also used to produce the Saugeye the state uses to stock other lakes in ohio.
Look at it this way someone dumped a bucket full of WB they caught some where else & a few years later there is literally thousands of them! The only place that has a limit is the Ohio river & that is 30 fish that's way more than any other gamefish why is that? My guess would be that they are highly sucessful spawners & multiply so fast that the population can handle that high of # harvested. The population is still strong in CJ you ought to come up you'll have a blast!


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

traphunter said:


> Who exactly is the PETA guys? I think what you mean to say is not to worry about the people who actualy care about the future of fishing, and to listen to the people who have no regards for anyone but themselves.


Trap,
The PETA guys are the only ones I can think of that have a reason to take a picture of wildlife harvest and make a personal attack based on the photo without understanding the background or history. I assume that conservationists and wildlife management advocates understand the factors well enough to avoid false accusations. The controversy as I see it is the tendency of some to jump to conclusions without having or understanding necessary information.


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## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

traphunter said:


> Who exactly is the PETA guys? I think what you mean to say is not to worry about the people who actualy care about the future of fishing, and to listen to the people who have no regards for anyone but themselves.


traphunter, I'm not sure if you meant this literally, but PETA = People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA

And one of the links from their site: http://www.fishinghurts.com/feat-dogfish.asp


CW


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## Treebass227 (Jul 31, 2006)

People for Eating Tasty Animals


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## BigLunkerSOB (Jan 10, 2006)

Good Catch Flathead King!!!! I didn't realize what an invasive species WB were at Buck Creek, it opened my eyes. Speaking of eyes, I need to get over there to catch me some eyes. Anybody doing any good?


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

Rooster said:


> Is the ODNRs policy on white bass good science? Let us assume that the ODNR does have the scientific resources and knowledge to know what is best for any particular body of water. They are using OUR recourses to repeatedly stock one species in an attempt to maintain a population that is obviously not self-sustaining. They are encouraging the removal of one species that is obviously thriving. Why? Would it not be a better management strategy to allow the white bass population to thrive and abandon the walleye stocking?
> 
> The ODNR obviously sees walleye as the more desirable species. Is this somehow based on science? Or, is it yet another example of the ODNR catering to the fishermen that are looking for a good meal?
> 
> I understand that the ODNR needs to satisfy sportsmen with varied interests. I have no problem with the idea of stocking some tasty fish. I personally find walleye to be one of the best tasting freshwater fish. However, for pure sport, a white bass fights 10 times as hard as any walleye (pound for pound). I would like to see the ODNR take a more balanced approach when dictating policy. They seem to use all of OUR resources to create/maintain put and take fisheries. While dismissing sportsmen with other interests, or at least fail to create fisheries geared towards the trophy fisherman. Is the number of purely sport fishermen in the sate of Ohio so low as to not even be a consideration when creating policies or maintaining fisheries?


you know...honestly....the white bass fishermen, even though they are only around for about 3 months, FAAAAAAAAARRRR out number what few folks Walleye fish there yearly! maybe they care so much about walleye because folks will spend countless dollars trying to catch a few fish a year where all you really need for whiteys is a bank spot, and a white grub or spinner?


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## C J Hughes (Jan 24, 2006)

In the past I would take thousands of white bass out of CJ every year . It was very easy to catch 200 to 300 everytime out all summer long .
I would give them away to the bank fisherman by the dam or on the bank at the ramp and I would keep the rest . I have several people who I give fish to who enjoy eating white bass and cleaning them is no problem to me .
I never would just throw them away never , I just don't do that .
I also have not fished CJ in the last two years . So my question is how has the walleye fishing been in the last two years ? Did the harvesting of thousands of white bass do any good ? If so maybe you eye guys could get together and pool your money and pay a bounty on the white bass say so much a pound .


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

thanks to those of you who support my behaviors... and to those who oppose, maybe you guys should come this spring/summer to c.j brown and buck creek to actually check out the whitebass run yourselves and then you may be able to understand where i am coming from... and it isnt the enitre fact that i just want walleye in the lake, it is the fact that i love the tatse of whitebass and the community in which i live basically revolves around the "run"


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## eyeguy (Jun 13, 2005)

CJ, The harvesting of thousands of white bass surely couldnt have hurt anything!!! Unfortunately there is probably thousands reproduced to replace those few that were taken!!!!


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## Guest (Mar 21, 2007)

For all who were confused, I know what PETA really stands for, I am completely against the organization. They are a bunch of simple minded liberals. 

I am just confused how a fellow fisherman could call other fishermen PETA members. 

MAybe they are the ones confused.


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## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

I guess I was confused  I missed that all together! I suppose it is kinda weird to call any fisherman a PETA member.

CW



traphunter said:


> For all who were confused, I know what PETA really stands for, I am completely against the organization. They are a bunch of simple minded liberals.
> 
> I am just confused how a fellow fisherman could call other fishermen PETA members.
> 
> MAybe they are the ones confused.


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2007)

> kinda weird to call any fisherman a PETA member


yes it is, and quite hipicritical


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