Tiny bass locally spawned/

[FishermanTim]

Here's an interesting thought:

What if the reports of YOY are bein g skewed because the YOY are dispersed all along the east coast as fish are seeking new spawning grounds? That could account for lower numbers of young fish, since they are breeding farther north than the number-crunchers are traveling.

Just an observation, since as they say, "Nature will find a way!"

[tlapinski]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

Just an observation, since as they say, "Nature will find a way!"

It's funny you say that. While not so much in reference to the YOY #'s, I made the argument in the past when I was pushing people to believe SB were spawning in new places that there was a very good chance fish adapted to these alternate river systems. Scientists state that a SB needs a certain set of strict variables to come together like the perfect storm or the eggs will die. Sure, the eggs of fish that have been studied and documented might not survive, but haven't we already learned that SB are some of the more adaptive and resilient fish out there? If we can fill a train car with a few hundred bass, drive them across the continental United States, drop them in the Pacific Ocean and they thrive, why can't they adapt to new spawning grounds in the Atlantic Ocean? Evolution is at work all around us.