chessflyfisher2 Loc: NJ

I believe that I saw the optimistic view about New Jersey freshwater fishing in publicity printed by the Fish and Wildlife agency. I don't think that they would tell people that the fishing is not as good as it was years ago. I agree that overfishing by people is a huge problem.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

No you said need our ass kick and I don't think you are qualified to say Cormorants are not a problem and should not be thin out.

JDFishes Loc: Atlantic County

Anyone can go back to my post and look at it. I was referring to the gentleman from California that says he shoots him with his Remington and I said if you are harassing or killing cormorants in my area you would get your ass kicked. and rightfully so and I think just about anywhere in the country most sane people would feel the same way. I didn’t say anyone who thinks they should be killed should get their ass kicked. Very simple my friend go back and look at my post and you can see you were wrong. if I’m not free to put my opinion like everyone else on here without my words being twisted and harassed I really don’t need it.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Will if you think you have the right to take the law into your own hands and kick people's asses, you are more of a problem than the gentleman from California who wants to dust a few. Adios

runandgun Loc: East Texas

JD
This is a copy of the post.

I can tell you for sure if you were seen harassing or injured any birds illegally around here you would likely get your ass kicked because all the fishermen.

Seems pretty plain to me Ranger had a point. Yes, you are entitled to you opinion, but you were out of line characterized us as "uneducated, selfish etc" in my opinion.

I have a number of 2-5 acre ponds on my property near Lake Fork here in east Texas. I have witnessed flocks of cormorants feeding on the fish in my ponds that I paid for and fed for kids to come from church to fish. In a short time, they cleaned out the pond the farthest from my house.

I did not have the problem 20 years ago. In my opinion here is east Texas the cormorant population is excessive and needs to be reduced

The issue is that the cormorants are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. So legally, I can't do anything but scare them away.

On Lake Tawakoni, I have seen the flocks of C. block the sun out near sundown as they migrate to their overnight rooting area. That's too many.

Anyway, my nickels worth.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Very well said, more is not always better even the cute little bunnie rabbit can become a problem if you get too many of them.

Bob Browning Loc: Cascade, Wisconsin

I have to admit the fish locators and the electronics on a boat make the fish locating easier. That being said I have lived and fished in Wisconsin my whole life. Cormorants and Pelicans were not around anywhere I fished until the last 15 to 20 years. Their populations have increased tremendously since then. There may be more fisherman but the cormorants and Pelicans have out paced the fisherman. The added strain on the fish population is noticed. I'm not sure what the solution is. Our DNR allowed a group to shoot and study them. They found a cormorant with a 4lb walleye in its stomach. That's alot more than I ever expected they were capable of. Just my 2 cents.

chessflyfisher2 Loc: NJ

I have seen cormorants taking down trout that were at least 9" long in Verona Park Lake in NJ. They seem to have very voracious appetites. I think that, for the most part, the largemouth bass and carp grow too big upon reaching maturity to be hunted by these birds yet hearing about the 4 pound walleye was disturbing. Anyway, it seems that after the larger fish that can be caught are eaten, these birds move on to the smaller of any speices.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Same thing where I am at, when I was a kid only time we seen Cormorants was at the ocean, now they are all over the place. What I see and read about the new electronics I can see them really putting a dent in the fishing populace.

chessflyfisher2 Loc: NJ

I often wonder why significant animal migrations even happen. Seeking a food source is obviously a prime motivator but what happened to "get the ball rolling"? Is it just climate change? Is it for the lack of predators (like the overpopulation of deer)?

runandgun Loc: East Texas

Ranger,

My wife and I were fishing with a guide on Lake fork about 10 years ago. We saw a big bass and I mean a big one floating. We moseyed over to it and it had a big wound on the side of it. He said it was due to a cormorant ambushing it under water. He said they are strong swimmers and caused the injury. Normally, if we were not there, a group of cormorants would be tearing the bass apart and feeding on it.

Since they are protected, their populations have exploded. Fish and Game experts in various states need to listen to us and design a plan to reduce and hold their populations in check.

And yes, the new electronics are fabulous. To illustrate, a guide showed us crappie on his graph, and told us to wait, that crappie is not big enough to set the hook, really, are you kidding me? And all the tournaments I think lead to fish getting "smart" after seeing baits over and over. That's why the pros and Berkley and the likes are always selling something new. We get caught hook line and sinker.

Have a good day, and maybe together we can make a dent in "management" practices on this "devil" looking bird.

kscatfisherman Loc: Northeast Kansas

Just a few quick notes to think about from Wikipedia. A cormorant can eat up to 2 lbs. of fish per day.
Take a reservoir with 5000 cormorants just eating 1 lb. would equal 5000 lbs. per day, time 7 =35000 lbs., time 30=150,000 lbs., time 3 months, (that's usually the length of time they will be here in the winter) 450,000 lbs. of fish eaten. Do you think that would have any effect on our fish population?

Bob Browning Loc: Cascade, Wisconsin

Sure, there you go using logic and math. Something that gets overlooked or emotions get in the way.

runandgun Loc: East Texas

Really interesting info. Thanks. I will use it!!!!!

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

We are having the same problem here with Mountain Lions and Bear. Can't hunt Lions for years and a few years ago outlaw hunting bear with dogs and now they are a big problem. They will figure it out after it is too late. Between electronics and the flying rats the fish don't have a chance