PHOTO BY MIERCAT PHOTOGRAPHY / ADOBE STOCK
PHOTO BY JACOB FINE look half a mile up the bank and see rock piles you used to fish when there was water in the lake .”
WATER LEVELS CHANGING BASS
POPULATIONS
Debora Herndon , Lake Mead
Fisheries Biologist at the Nevada Department of Wildlife , says the
West Coast natives like John Murray hope for a rebound on Lake Mead . quickly dropping water will change where the fish live and where anglers must look when fishing to find them .
“ With the lake going down , most of the popular areas on the lake will be too shallow or on dry land now ,” she says . “ This could decrease the largemouth population , as much deeper , rocky areas may replace the shallow waters they prefer in coves .
The smallmouth bass population will likely not be affected as much because of their preferred habitat . Smallmouth bass numbers tend to go up and down in our angler studies , but last year we saw a slight decrease in largemouth with a slight increase in the smallmouth bass population , which may continue as the water levels fall .”
One reason largemouth may suffer is the that decreasing water levels will negatively affect shallow grass first .
“ The lack of vegetation in the backs of coves will likely affect the largemouth population ,” Herndon confirms . “ It ’ s so important for the young bass to survive .”
Mead ’ s receding water has forced the closures of several marinas on the lake . Marina stores , motels , gas stations , campgrounds and large parking lots now look out of place in the Nevada desert , far away from the lake ’ s shoreline . Callville Bay , the largest marina on the lake and host of all major bass tournaments , is down to just one boat launch lane , while several other marinas are entirely unusable .
As boat ramp availability dwindles , fewer anglers will be fishing , which could affect the bass population , according to Herndon .
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2022 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 51