New size limits

[roadrunner]

Jim:

I believe Lake Fork is a cooling lake for a generation plant. I live about twenty miles from Merom power plant cooling lake. This lake was the best bass I have ever fished. I have had numerous days of 100+ bass. They put a two bass 18 inch limit on this lake for several years. We had lots of three to six pound fish. Next the limit changed to one twenty one inch fish. I don't think anyone kept any fish. This lake was also full of huge Crappie the crappie fishermen harvested the fish (25 fish limit). After about 15-20 years the massive weed beds died off today you are lucky to catch a fish there. This same cycle happened at another power plant lake I fished at Newton Illinois. This lake was never the great lake Merom was however it had some Big bass good crappie. First the crappie disappeared then the weeds were gone. Now after about ten years the bass and shore line weeds are coming back at Newton. I believe there is a problem sustaining power plant lakes. Do you know if Lake Fork is losing its weeds and crappie?

[JimDicken]

Not that I know of. Lake Fork is still kicking out lots of big fish, but the number of top 50 fish has dropped significantly.. That is why some speculate that there are just too many BIG fish and not enough small ones. Eventually a closed system has to reach a population limit. Then the fish stop growing. There is only enough food to support so many pounds of fish.
Lets say a pond can hold 100 pounds of bass biomass. IF you take only the fish that are over 5 pounds eventually you end up with a pond with 20 / 5 pound fish. OR 30 2 pounders and 8 / 5 pounders.. Lake fork has so many fish over 8 pounds that there is no room for many fish OVER 8 pounds to 10 pounds.
Crappie do not have that problem because they are not catch and release.
Jim