Hot Springs Black Bass Club Still Battling Striper Stocking in Lake Ouachita.

A Local Hot Springs, Arkansas Black Bass Club is still battling the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission's stocking of Striped Bass in Lake Ouachita.*

The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Considers "The big problem with the Hot Springs Black Bass Club is that they want the AGFC to manage Ouachita the way they want for their specific needs and concerns.

The AGFC is managing Ouachita for what they believe "Proven by scientific studies and research" is the best recreational use of the lake for all fishermen in the United States, after all Ouachita is a federally controlled lake managed by the corps of engineers in the best interest for everyone not only local bass anglers.

The Arkansas Game and fish commission believes the stocking of striped bass has no impact on the largemouth bass, crappie or other fish species populations in Ouachita or in other state reservoirs. Ouachita is recognized as a world-class striper lake, and it brings in a lot of tourism from all over the country to the Hot Springs, Arkansas area.

AGFC Striped bass studies and other States Fisheries Departments and State Universities have exhaustively researched the striped bass vs black bass controversy. Despite the facts and proof of scientific evidence it's hard to convince the local Hot Springs bass club. They simply won't let Scientific Studies or facts get in their way of their personal agenda.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed that the commission has stocked more than 1 million striped bass in Ouachita over the years. But they believe the adult striper population is probably smaller than that amount. The AGFC stated "Some of those fish came out of our nursery pond and were typically 1 1/2-inch stripers. There is pretty heavy predation on them when they hit the water."

The AGFC has cut back their striper stocking the last few years giving in to the constant badgering of the bass club that has received political local support putting pressure on the AGFC despite the overwhelming scientific facts.

The Hot Springs Black Bass Club has members on the federally created Lake Ouachita Citizens Focus Committee that appoints their members for an indefinite term, ( see members list ) believes that Lake Ouachita, has been overstocked with striped bass. They believe the stripers have resulted in a decline in native gamefish species like bass, crappie, walleye and catfish despite the facts and despite what the AGFC and other studies from state fisheries departments and state Universities have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

See the meetings of the Lake Ouachita Citizens Focus Committee - March 2010 under the heading "Fisheries".

Research articles on feeding habits of striped bass.

From the research of the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. see- Striped Bass Predation on Game Fishes
"The only game fishes consumed by striped bass were lepomids, ranging in total length from 53 to 203 mm. Overall, consumption of lepomids was relatively low, accounting for 4% (34.334 kg) of the 899,274 kg consumed, and 6% of the total biomass of lepomids in the reservoir. Although lepomids were eaten by stripped bass and several other predators, black basses were eaten only by other black basses.
By weight, black basses represented 9% of the diet of largemouth bass, 3% for smallmouth bass, and 14% for spotted bass."

Hot Springs Black Bass Club Still Battling Striper Stocking in Lake Ouachita.

A Local Hot Springs, Arkansas Black Bass Club is still battling the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission's stocking of Striped Bass in Lake Ouachita.*

Research articles on feeding habits of striped bass.

More Links to studies, reports and articles on striped bass predation on game fish.