West Cove Dredging

[Capt.B]

Anyone heard the rumor they're not gonna allow oyster dredges in west cove next year???? I hear it's back to tonging!!!! If that's the case I'm frickn stoked!!!

[meaux fishing]

man I hope you right

[mstulb]

That would be great news.

["W"]

That would be awesome because west Cove reefs are smooth like a parking lot

["W"]

I think they should allow dredging once every 8 years to clean up reefs but that's it

[Finfeatherfur]

You guys do understand that oyster harvesting "INCREASES" the size of the reef and is healthy for it - right? (When done properly)!

[Lake Chuck Duck]

Its probably because they had to recall all those west cove oysters and people got sick.

[Clampy]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

You guys do understand that oyster harvesting "INCREASES" the size of the reef and is healthy for it - right? (When done properly)!

I don't think people are arguing against the Harvest of the oysters. It's the dredging we don't care for.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

You guys do understand that oyster harvesting "INCREASES" the size of the reef and is healthy for it - right? (When done properly)!

Yes, if there aren't 179 boats harvesting double quotas everyday of the season.

["W"]

It's not done properly!!!!

Go to Sabine and feel there Oyster beds and come to Big Lake

We have been raped to bare floor on reefs

[Capt.B]

When I started fishing Big Lake there were reefs that you couldn't throw lead on cause it was so thick you'd stay hung up....That's just unheard of today....And there is no incentive to reseed the reef areas...they are completely moved. When oysters were tonged...reefs were thick...and fish were plentiful....One huge question I have....Is why is Sabine holding #'s of solid fish and on Big Lake it's a struggle to be consistent....Oyster Reef maybe???

[mstulb]

Yea I have waded West Cove since the mid 90's and fished reefs that had "bolder" sized oyster mounds. It has always been my experience that when you find these particular flats they will hold the real big sows. One month after they started dredging we started to notice these bolders and mounds of oyster beds were gone leaving a hard flat surface, immediately the big girls starting showing up less and less. Until now, on several flats that would consistently hold big fish, are gone. Like night and day-

Areas that have not been dredged ARE STILL HOLDING BIG FISH- so I know this to be a determining factor on the flats the Sows prefer.

Bottom line is there just is no need for the dredging on the lake, with farm raised pasteurized oysters flooding the market that pose NO HEALTH CONCERNS.

Calcasieu is finacially backed by recreational fisherman. Thousands of inshore fishing licenses both in-state and out of state issued every year in comparison to the couple hundred oyster permits issued-NOT EVEN CLOSE

[Capt.B]

I hear Capt Sammy Faulk (prior commercial fisherman) is the brain child of the dredging of oysters in Big Lake...he swears to be God there is no personal monetary gain involved in his endeavours....I call bull**** cause Calcasieu Estuary has been His money cow for decades!!!!

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Capt.B

Anyone heard the rumor they're not gonna allow oyster dredges in west cove next year???? I hear it's back to tonging!!!! If that's the case I'm frickn stoked!!!

If anyone would have info on that it would be me and I haven't heard the rumor. La dept of wl&f is on our side so I would call it a rumor only now.