Perch are a prey species that have evolved to be at or near the bottom of the food chain.
That means they have a huge reproductive capacity. They lay loads and loads of eggs so that at least some will survive to breed.
Some years ago in Cow the numbers of perch hit the carrying capacity of the lake and the thousands and thousands of perch were eating anything that swam or wiggled in the lake.
F&W put pike in the lake to eat perch so there would be less perch in the lake and more pike meat. With reduced numbers the perch should grow bigger with more feed. Meanwhile the pike are successfully spawning and the pike are growing bigger.
In the summer time a lot of anglers are going to Cow to fish for big pike. In particular there seems to be a lot of people fly fishing pike there.
If you enjoyed going there and catching hundreds of little perch you may think things have changed for the worst.
If you have cast a big streamer there and stripped it in till an 8 or 10 lb. pike smashed it, you may like the management change.
__________________
Robin,
Archery Sept. 1 - Oct. 31 Muzzleloader and Crossbow Oct. 1 - Oct. 31 Rifle Nov. 25 - Nov. 30
...And HIS kingdom shall have no end...
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