West Boggs Drawdown

[bassmanic1]

Mike ,
I would like to thank you for posting info for West Boggs on the board so that anyone who fishes there will be up to date on whats going on . I wish more managers and IDNR officals would use this forum to relay information to the public . I havent been to Boggs in a while but it was a well-kept and managed lake when I was there . I only wish that some of the mis-guided people who keep re-stocking shad would get it through thier thick heads that its not going help grow big bass but only cause alot of problems and hurt the fishery . If the state would empose jail time and a $10,000 fine maybe they would think twice . If the people doing the stocking are also fishing tournaments at Boggs whats to keep them from cheating ? If they will break the law by stocking shad why wouldnt they cheat in a tourny ?

[HOGMONSTER]

Bassmanic1 wrote:
"I only wish that some of the mis-guided people who keep re-stocking shad would get it through thier thick heads that its not going help grow big bass but only cause alot of problems and hurt the fishery"
_____

I will agree that there are some misguided people that will transport shad and other species to other lakes with "good intentions" that are not so good, but there are other factors that come to play besides just people placing shad into a lake.

Anytime you have people bringing minnows that they purchased or trapped themselves to use for bait, you run the risk of contaminating a fishery with unwelcome visitors. Just a handfull of shad "minnows" that are unknowingly released from a minnow bucket can turn into millions of shad in just a few years.

You also have to look at upstream sources for a renovated lake. If ponds or creeks upstream, even if they are very small have shad in them, then shad will certainly repopulate the lake.

Carp are very predominate in west boggs lake now and I really find it hard to believe that anyone would ententionally transport carp to the lake. Well then, how did they get back in??? perhaps minnow buckets, upstream ponds or creeks, or maybe they stayed in small puddles in the lake when it was drained, but still had enough water to keep some fish in it.

I have also heard that waterbirds can transport fish eggs between different waters by walking in shallow water and getting eggs and mud on there feet and then flying to another body of water. I don't know how true this is, but it does seem possible even if it is very unlikly.

I posted this as a reminder that the shad problem at west boggs or monroe or patoka or any other lake is not just as simple as one "mis-guided" person being the root of the shad problem, although I do certainly acknowledge that "mis-guided" does happen.

[skeeter sf150sx]

Mike,
Can't wait to come up and look at all the structure and take pictures once the lake is at winter pool. By the way - what is the law or rule on setting fishing structue like stake beds and brush piles? Does Boggs lake have different rules / law than the lakes run by the State or DNR?