Carnegie Lake dam: 10/24

[Dave B.]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

The state has to do something. Thats an insane number of cormorants. Automatic 12 gauge and it'd look like there was an epic pillow fight!

I'm pretty sure we all agree they desperately need to have their numbers thinned. Unfortunately they are presently a federally protected species. Apparently many years ago their numbers were in great decline, to the point of becoming threatened. So the USF&WS declared them a 'Protected Species' thereby banning any and all manner of harming them. As was the case in protecting them when their numbers diminished they are now, in typical govt. fashion, incredibly slow to respond to their current over-population status.
The folks at NJ F&W are doing their best to get the feds to act but it's an uphill battle. They spend considerable effort trying to document the populations and the drastic impact they have on our sport and game fish populations. Given the level of concern in the USF&WS for 'Sportfish Restoration' and the time and dollars they commit to it that's about the only practical avenue our state folks have to try to persuade the feds to move on the matter.

[CMJeepster]

Originally Posted by bunker dunker

what peeps don't know don't hurt them.

First blast and the men in blue will be all over you!

[Esox Luciano]

Originally Posted by CMJeepster

First blast and the men in blue will be all over you!

"The men in blue", HAHA!! Those guys are a joke. Call them before you pop off to assure they won't come, lmao. You can't catch fish...or criminals from your couch! Much more respect for the game wardens.
That cormorant pic is definitely insane though! The worst I've personally seen was about 10-15 of em', and I thought that was bad! I've been on outings having no action at all while watching these guys pull a fish every 5minutes. I can imagine what a flock like that can do to a fishery. I hate these birds, lol!

[Heronimo42]

I fish Carnegie 1-2 x a week and the cormorants are doing a number on the gizzard shad and white perch population which is a substantial food source for the bass in that lake.

[bunker dunker]

if they can't hear ya they can't catch ya

[Heronimo42]

Originally Posted by bunker dunker

if they can't hear ya they can't catch ya

Isn't that a similar philosophy as the bucket brigade that some people hate on?

[CMJeepster]

Originally Posted by Heronimo42

I fish Carnegie 1-2 x a week and the cormorants are doing a number on the gizzard shad and white perch population which is a substantial food source for the bass in that lake.

There was a huge flock (not as many as in the pic) in the shallows off of one of the islands earlier this week. I was thinking that a nice HE grenade lobbed over there could have solved the problem...

[NJ219bands]

Every year that I fish the Aqueduct, the fish stop biting when the cormorants arrive in March. I saw cormorants practice catch and release there with fish too big to swallow. SC hunters killed > 11,000 cormorants 2 years ago, then the Audubon Society stopped the hunt this year. //www.thestate.com/news/local/article13846073.html