The condition of the fish stocks is a different matter that needs to be assessed independently of angler satisfaction.
Fish change patterns and get harder to catch in response to different factors which might not negatively impact stock condition. Vain anglers have a hard time internalizing the idea that it may be their skills, location, or presentation that is leaving so much space in the ice chests.
We've got four years of data now that begin to shed light on how fish species compete with each other for available forage and the relative importance of various factors. Here is a preliminary rank ordering based on currently available information:
1. Oyster reefs
2. Water temperature (cool spring is better)
3. Salinity (specks like saltier springs)
4. Marsh-lake exchange (days weirs open)
Additional data and more careful analysis will clarify the issues a bit better, and the rank ordering for each species and length class will not be the same. Black drum prefer lower salinity, and redfish don't seem to care. Black drum also depend more on marsh-lake exchange.
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