In 2004, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) determined that stockings of hybrid bass in reservoirs on river systems like the Oconee River that feed into the Altamaha River were impacting native populations of striped bass in that river.

A five-year study was begun in 2005 on several reservoirs including Lakes Sinclair and Oconee that eventually feed into the Altamaha River. The study included a plan to eliminate stockings of hybrid bass in those reservoirs to see if the numbers of hybrid bass could be reduced in the Altamaha River.

The study period began with the 2005 stockings and ended with the 2009 stockings in both Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair. One difference between Lake Sinclair and Oconee is that a decision was made to stock only striped bass in Sinclair and a mix of hybrid bass and striped bass in Oconee. Fish escaping from Oconee would escape into Sinclair and not directly into the Oconee River. Fish escaping from Sinclair would escape directly into the Oconee River, which feeds into the Altamaha River.

The WRD was not only concerned about hybrids escaping into tributaries of the Altamaha but were also concerned about how well the striped bass would do over time in Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair. Previous stockings of striped bass in Lake Sinclair have not faired well since the construction and operation of the Wallace Dam began.

Striped bass in Lake Oconee have faired somewhat better in Lake Oconee but neither lake is considered ideal lakes for striped bass. Since the study began in 2005, the WRD has attempted to stock equal numbers of hybrids and striped bass in Lake Oconee. The plan called for 190,000 striped bass and 190,000 hybrid bass to be stocked in Lake Oconee from 2005 through 2010.

A decision was made to eliminate the stocking of hybrid bass beginning in 2005 in Lake Sinclair and stock only striped bass.

The stockings in Lake Sinclair since 2005 include the stocking of 291,755 striped and white bass in 2005; 177,897 striped bass and white bass in 2006; 236,369 striped bass in 2007; 149,000 striped bass in 2008 and 59,670 striped bass in 2009.

Surveys were conducted in the fall of 2009 and those surveys along with surveys from the period 2005-2008 will be combined to determine the success of the five-year study. The WRD reports that prior to the five-year study there were a ratio of 80 percent hybrids and 20 percent striped bass in the downstream river systems of Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair and they have already seen a complete reversal of those numbers.

Preliminary study data indicates there are now 90 percent striped bass and 10 percent hybrid bass in the downstream river systems. It appears that when the total data from 2005-2010 is evaluated, the program will be successful in terms of restoring striped bass to the Altamaha and its tributaries. However, another aspect of the study will determine how well the stocking of striped bass are fairing in Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair.

Hybrid bass have just about vanished from angler’s creels in Lake Sinclair and the verdict is still out on how well the striped bass will fair long-term. Anglers are reporting good catches of striped bass that are exceeding 10 pounds.

However, even though the WRD expects the striped bass to approach a weight of 15 pounds that might be the greatest weight that the striped bass reach.

“I still expect those fish approaching the 15 pound range to experience a crunch at some point because of the lack of cool water refuges that those bigger fish require to survive during the summer months,” said Steve Schleiger, WRD Fisheries Biologist. “We will have to see as to the extent the major tributaries in Lake Sinclair such as Little River, Murder Creek, etc. can fill that void for cooler water.

So all in all, everything appears to be going fairly well,” said Schleiger.

One item that would be of great help to WRD Fisheries Biologist on both Lakes Oconee and Sinclair would be feedback from anglers who catch striped bass. WRD would like to have photos and weights of striped bass. This would help the WRD greatly in determining the success of the striped bass stockings.

The only other tool available to the WRD are fall surveys that attempt to catch striped bass in gill nets and that is not always successful.

Anglers catching Lake Oconee striped bass can send their photos and other information directly to WRD via e-mail by sending it to Chris Nelson at chris.nelson@dnr.state.ga.us.

Anglers catching Lake Sinclair striped bass can send photos and other information directly to WRD via e-mail by sending it to Steve Schleiger at steve.schleiger@dnr.state.ga.us. Good fishing and see you next week.