smallies top muskies?

[rookie44]

this might sound like a dumb question.

I was talking to someone last night that claims he has some biologist friend who says smallmouth bass tend to take over lakes and eventually take over muskies as the top predator.

anyone have any insight on this. i personally don't believe it.

[deerhuntr8]

I think that person is on dope. Smallies taking over

muskies?

[RK]

Hiya -

I have a hard time buying it too... In terms of competition, muskies and smallies really don't target the same forage except for when muskies are juveniles so neither is much competition for the other overall. (Same thing applies to muskies and walleyes by the way)

There are many, many lakes with good to fantastic fisheries for both species, such as Mille Lacs and Vermilion here in MN, and too many examples to list in Ontario.

Smallies and walleyes is perhaps another story on some lakes though. Smallies can just plain out-compete walleyes and push them off some spots. Walleyes are still around, just not where they used to be.

One species that can REALLY out-compete walleyes in some cases is crappies, believe it or not... They can be such efficient predators on small forage that the walleye fry and fingerlines can't keep up.

Wow did this post wander off topic...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[CommonSense Guy]

They take up a different niche.

[Corey Bechtold]

GO Crappies!!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Later,

Corey Bechtold

[The Grebe]

They haven't run the Muskies, Pike, Perch or the walleyes out of Mille Lacs yet? Nor Minnetonka, or any other lake that I know of? That biologist friend of yours....did he take that course that is offered on the back of the matchbook covers?

Just kidding.....But if he works for something like "Little Jimmies Used Tires and Eyebrow Wax Shop" instead of in the field of Biology, you might want to question his Validity!