Fishing News
Freshwater Diversion Projects Affect Bass In A Positive Way
By David A. Bourgeois
Freshwater diversions are widely viewed as one of the most important tools for restoration of Louisiana�s rapidly eroding marshes. The latest major diversion project is the Davis Pond project located in the upper Barataria Basin. One of the side benefits of these diversions is that they create excellent largemouth bass habitat.
In preparation for the opening of the Davis Pond diversion this year, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has been stocking Florida-strain bass in the area. In 1998, at the request of the Jefferson Parish Marine Fisheries Advisory Board, LDWF stocked 164,856 fingerlings in the area known as The Pen. In 1999, they followed with 185,000 fingerlings in the Davis Pond area. Another 102,624 were added in 2000.
In contrast to those years, the Florida-strain bass stocked in 2001 were fewer in number, but individually larger; 8,139 young bass between 4 and 13 inches long were stocked by LDWF in December. These larger fish are called "Phase 2" fish in hatchery terminology.
The number of these Phase 2 bass stocked in 2001 may seem small compared to the larger number of Phase 1 fish stocked earlier, but the larger fish have tremendously better survival according to the LDWF Program Manager Mark McElroy. "Fewer, larger fish are better for the Davis Pond area than lots of smaller fish." Small fingerlings get eaten quickly by the many freshwater and saltwater predators that already exist in an area like Davis Pond.
Florida largemouth bass appeal to anglers because they can grow larger than native largemouth bass. Standing weight records have increased dramatically for almost every body of water where LDWF has consistently stocked Florida bass fingerlings. Prior to the introduction of Florida largemouth bass into Louisiana waterways, a bass above 8 pounds was considered a trophy. That threshold now exceeds 12 pounds
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