Know I said it was my last post on the matter but facts need to be known. Sick of people making baseless posts about fisheries with innuendos which are simply not true. Andy you sent me a pm saying the rate of decline in the small mouth population on the Susquehanna is dropping at an alarming rate and blaming it on flatheads. Read the following articles which took me 5 minutes to google and tell me where the decline in indigenous species is attributed to flatheads or for that matter where flatheads are even mentioned. Following article was just written.

https://www.sungazette.com/news/outd...uehanna-river/

Then read the following. Article was written June 2018.

https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylva...608-story.html

Then read the attached article regarding the impacts the Columnaris Virus had on small mouths in the Schuylkill and Delaware which absolutely devastated both fisheries.

https://www.nj.com/times-sports/2011...e_smallmo.html

Not one of these causes regarding declines in not only small mouths but other species have anything to do with Flatheads. They're all environmentally related with devastating results on the small mouth fishery and other species especially in the Delaware River system. The Sun Gazette article actually states:

Although a blast to catch, they are an invasive species from the Chesapeake Bay area. These catfish are primary predators to anything swimming in the warmer sections of the Susquehanna.

"Flatheads were found to hang around the river dams, feeding primarily on red breast sun fish. While smallmouth bass are not on the flathead catfish menu, the warmer spring weather may cause the catfish to invade more of the waterways, Smith said the catfish were not found in the West Branch and Lycoming Creek yet, they may be on the way."

I would bet Musky eat more small mouths and walleye in the Delaware River than Flatheads so based on the logic being tossed around here, I guess we should declare Muskies invasive and mandate killing them as well.

Point is stop posting information if it can't be backed up by facts. I'm actually glad NJ has considered the flathead invasive because it's no going to make a dent in a fishery I and many thoroughly enjoy and there's no proof whatsoever these fish are causing a toll on indigenous species F&G would want you to believe. One female flathead produces up to 100,000 eggs a year. Do you honestly think labeling them invasive is going to remove 100,000 fish from the population. I highly doubt 100,000 fish are caught a year much less killed. Even if you consider the impacts of natural mortality, it's a losing battle if the state wants to better control the population by turning a blind eye to the problem. Wouldn't it be more prudent to acknowledge what's happening, open the fishery to tournaments, promote harvest and maybe even run tournaments in May / June prior to the primary spawn before the big girls drop their eggs. The same time of year when fish are most highly concentrated and most vulnerable to hook and line fishing.

Or the state can continue clicking their heels three times and hoping the problem resolves itself which it won't. Absolutely guaranteed. Personally I don't believe flatheads pose a problem and get a bad rap but if the state thinks otherwise then manage the problem as opposed to what they're currently doing which is nothing.