(Area) The Iowa DNR is netting catfish in order to collect data for fall stocking.
Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes says they use baited hoop nets to get their sample. “The reason we are doing this is we have fish coming out of Rathbun Hatchery in September and October to be stocked in our lakes around Southwest Iowa and so if I can get a look at fish populations ahead of those stockings I can make last minute adjustments to lakes that maybe need a few more catfish.”
Catfish are grown to eight inches before being stocked. “Catfish are real vulnerable to predation. If you try to stock a smaller fish you are probably just feeding the bass. You’re going to get very low survival. An eight inch catfish coming into Southwest Iowa lakes can provide a maintenance stocking for people that are looking for catfishing.”
Hayes points out that rivers provide natural reproduction, but lakes must be stocked to offer good catfishing opportunities.
