Friday, June 27, 2003 | 9:52 a.m.
NEVADA DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
A key indicator to the striper fishing is the spawn of threadfin shad that occurs from spring through mid-summer. These small fish are the primary food source for stripers. NDOW biologist Jim Heinrich said that 2001 and 2002 resulted in good hatches of shad, hence good fishing for stripers. If history is a good indicator, then 2003 may not be the best of years for the shad spawn. There have rarely been three good years in a row.
Two years of low water at Lake Mead resulted in some major difficulties for largemouth bass, bluegill and green sunfish.
The annual spawn of largemouth bass was virtually nonexistent in 2001 and 2002 because the water level dropped during their spawn, which exposed or nearly exposed their nests. This resulted in virtually no reproduction for the past two years. Ideal spawning conditions occur when the water remains stable or even rises during the spring months when the fish spawn.
Bluegill and green sunfish have also suffered from declining water levels.
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