BassBlaster

MS’s Barnett Another Spraying Victim?

Spraying by airboat....

We all know that the non-native, invasive water veggies clog up waterways so folks feel like they need to get rid of ’em. We also all know that Water Veggies = Bass, and that No Water Veggies = No Bass (or a lot less, anyway).

Tripped over a short article about Mississippi’s Ross Barnett Reservoir recently, and sounds like the basses may be fewer and farther between there because of some veggie spraying. Excerpts:

“Worst year I ever had,” said Shannon Denson, usually one of the most dominant tournament bass fishermen on Barnett. “I can’t find the quantity of quality fish, or even the quantity of bass, period, that I usually can.

“I’m going to spots that have always held fish for me and not getting a bite. I’m going to places I’ve never caught fish and catching fish. But, it’s just a few fish and they are mostly small fish.”

Denson…thinks fish numbers are down. He is not happy that the regulations changed to allow the keeping of 12-inch bass and he’s not happy with the constant spraying of vegetation.

“Say what you want, but you can look at the numbers in tournaments this year and see the fishing is not where it used to be and is getting worse,” Denson said. “We’re not seeing the numbers of quality fish, 5 pounds and up, and everybody is in that boat.”

Apparently the crappie folks are feeling it too, the writer wasn’t sure if the two were related.

What say you Barnett fishermen? Is it really that bad and if so, do you think it’s the sprayin’?

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. AaronW

    June 29, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    That isn’t a spray boat in the pic… Just an airboat… All spraying isn’t bad. Sometimes it is needed. Especially when the plant is destroying the current habitat and preventing access….ever seen the effects of water hyacinths?

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