Fewer small fish in Lake

I’d like to comment on the title of the recent article, “Lake Monticello fish getting bigger.” I wish that was true but, we’re not there yet. Even though the statistics from the fishing tournaments indicate an increase in the average size of fish caught it’s not because the fish are growing bigger. According to the biologist, the change in average size is more likely due to the reduced number of smaller fish in the lake. Credit the successful culling program. When an angler fishes for three hours during a tournament they are less likely to hook small fish because there are fewer of them. The average weight per individual of the fish that are caught is therefore likely to be higher than if the catch included smaller fish. This is still very good news! It reflects the success of the culling program this year. This culling is a vital step in the overall fishery improvement program.
The biologists tell us it will take some time before the fish actually grow larger due to increased forage and cover in the lake.