HELP !! Where did all the Yellow Perch go to ?

[cyclops2]

I fish the Clayton , N Y area of the river. This year was the least & smallest perch in decades. What happened to them. Other good fishing people had a terrible year with other fish also.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I can tell you with certainty that there are snakeheads in the Delaware river and they might be eating the native fish. I did catch more smallmouth this year than last year, but we had high water most of last year and this year it was pretty low. I recently saw a picture of a 2 to 2-1/2' long snakehead caught near Lambertville, so they are definitely here. I saw another one caught c couple of years ago but not that big. Here's the one caught by the Titusville boat ramp back in 2018 I think.

 

[cyclops2]

It Looks like I better learn how to catch & eat giant Snake Heads ? I am 1/2 joking. Looks like ALL the fish & Game people can stop the wishful thinking that killing all snakeheads will slow or stop their take over.
The Asian Jumping Carp are in for a rude surprise.

Anyone know if the meat eating Snakes are good to eat ? Any odd food things about them to know? I live in Kingwood / Frenchtown, N J

 

[LDUBS]

2022 has been the worst year of fishing (catching) for me. I blame it on the drought. But who knows, maybe I need new gear.

BTW, if it is called a snakehead, I'm probably not going to eat it.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I think it's supposed to be good eating, that's why they were imported from Asia to sell in restaurants. I think the story around here was that a pond with the snakeheads being raised for restaurants, got flooded during a heavy rain and some got out and into the local streams, etc. and worked their way into the river. These fish can "walk" on land so they can find a water source to live in. But if you catch them, they should be good eating.

 

[cyclops2]

Thank you Jeff.

 

[Lost But Happy]

 

[poorthang]

I fish the Clayton , N Y area of the river. This year was the least & smallest perch in decades. What happened to them. Other good fishing people had a terrible year with other fish also.

victims of diversity!

 

[airshot]

2022 has been the worst year of fishing (catching) for me. I blame it on the drought. But who knows, maybe I need new gear.

BTW, if it is called a snakehead, I'm probably not going to eat it.

To **** ugly to eat !!

 

[Kismet]

are snakehead fishedible? - Google Search

Just from reading some of these links, seems like the flesh is excellent.

Best wishes.

 

[cyclops2]

Only the finest restaurants serve Snakeheads. I can adjust to almost anything. If it is good.

 

[CRS]

The snake head is an invasive species released by environmental terrorists. Any person not killing everyone they can by any means is only adding to the problem. Any person found transporting them should face federal prosecution and spend a minimum of 20 years behind bars and their entire worth confiscated and used to help eliminate this Chinese invader.

 

[cyclops2]

They are in most river systems by now. Same as the Asian Jumping Carp.
USA has never made any plant, insect or animal ILLEGAL before it is brought into the country. Anything for a dollar is O K.

 

[cyclops2]

O K

How are you ice fishing guys doing this winter ?

 

[MrGiggles]

I'm no biologist but most bodies of water are cyclic in terms of fish populations, due to factors such as disease, weather creating poor/exceptional spawns, lack of DO, predation, etc. From what I understand fishing pressure is pretty low on the list.

This fall was pretty crappy in terms of fishing, but has picked up quite a bit in the last couple months. We don't get fishable ice here in MO and the lakes seldom freeze for more than a week so I fish from the boat all year.

This was from a couple days ago. In 2019 and 2020 you had to sort through a dozen dinks to get one keeper crappie on that lake. This year and last, it's been the opposite, hardly any short fish. I think we had pretty lackluster spawns in 2017/2018, and 2019/2020 were excellent due to the high water events.

 

[cyclops2]

Last spring was a no perch spawning event in a decades solid area. There were few all summer of any types of fish.
2 years ago ALL sewage from river front houses were eliminated and replaced with CITY SEWAGE lines. All the weed beds quickly disappeared. Even the odd ball invasives.
There are not even invasive Zebras & other life.

Looks like I buy a Canadian non-resident license.