Gigging vs Smallmouth conflict

[Forsythian]

And "Divide and conquer"?? I am sorry, but if you hate to see the "tradition" of gigging like it has existed in the past - get attacked like - "Bear baiting" - and "Fox hunting"???? I mean you are now putting gigging in with those two? Wow - I sure admire your honesty- - - Just to clarify you really were lamenting the way people have stood up against the archaic redneck practice of "baiting" a bear in close enough to kill it right? Geeesh - Well if that is the position of the "gigging community of sportsmen" - Then move over PETA and give me some blanket cause I'm coming in.

JS

I can't speak for other blood-thirsty giggers, just as I'm sure not all flyfishermen suffer your anthropomorphism, but yes I see a correlation here. I understand and respect that areas have unique tradition and relationship with their natural world. What did you think when you heard that Great Britain outlawed the centuries-old tradition of fox hunts? I have nothing but pity and disdain for those people who "stood up" as you say against hunting rights.

In Wisconsin, I have family who hunt bear with bait. There is no other effective way to hunt bear in that type of country. You see, we kill animals to eat them, and use their fur, and hang trophies, and we do not apologize for it for even a second. We are able to watch Grizzly Adams reruns and the Brother Bear cartoon and still keep things in perspective.

[gonefishin]

I am sorry, I just don't buy the arguments being made against gigging. First if it is so damaging why does the fishing here in Missouri just keep getting better? Second I notice that the people arguing against gigging have to resort to derogatory sterotyping people Ya kno about us hillbilly (aka rednecks) marrying our cousins ect. People who have to resort to that type of arguing don't really have anything to say they are only taking cheap pot shots because they dont have anything interesting much less important to say.

The simple fact is there are a few people out there who dont like to share the water with people who gig because they dont like it and they are willing to do anything in their power to get the giggers off "their water".

Tell you what though, I will support your dislike of gigging if you will support a couple of my pet peeves. First I don't like canoers. I think float trips should be banned because the float trippers pollute the fishing waters with trash and human excretement as well as disturb the bottom when wading (like shufflers). They make no end of noise, get intoxicated, throw their cigarette butts and beer cans in the water and in short make a general nusiance of their selves and worse yet they get in the way of my fishing and outdoor pleasure, I like peace and quiet when I am fishing. Second I dont like boats that use fossil fuels to power them. They are noisy, pollute the waters and I have seen fish that have been crippled and/or killed when the prop hit them. I have not noticed any smart boat props out there that avoid hitting record size Small Mouths. The wakes caused by power boats also cause erosion of the banks on our streams and lakes. This certainly is not any good for our lakes, streams and fish populations. Who all is willing to sign the petition to have these pursits which are damaging to our streams, lakes and fish populations stopped?

[MoCarp]

Guys, there is no need for for miffyness, Kickin--I have gigged/grabbed suckers--and plan on doing it some this spring--infact don't we have a limit on hogmollys now???

most of us hunt-fish--eggad even trap--yet IF you are on the rivers--you know that the problem is real, Yes fishin INHO is getting better on the rivers, mainly due to 2 things--better water quality--and a lot more catch and release

one thing HAS changed--a lot more folks use the rivers

I too wish there where controlls on just how many canoes can be on the river--we may see that one day

I usally do not fish elk river till its low enough to limit canoes

do they litter--sure but I know some non fishing canoers that pick up a lot of trash

the issue is are people who want to see limits placed on gigging to protect trophy smallies in bed with PETA..I think most on this board says no!

Its just a disagreement between user groups--once one gets big enough over the other--then regs get changed

But then if tradition is your thing--then gig by coleman lantern and scull a wooden jon boat--the suckers will taste the same

Mo

[Simsmarine]

I am sorry, I just don't buy the arguments being made against gigging. First if it is so damaging why does the fishing here in Missouri just keep getting better? Second I notice that the people arguing against gigging have to resort to derogatory sterotyping people Ya kno about us hillbilly (aka rednecks) marrying our cousins ect. People who have to resort to that type of arguing don't really have anything to say they are only taking cheap pot shots because they dont have anything interesting much less important to say.

Gonefishin', I wasn't taking a "potshot", I was just trying to inject a little humor into the topic before it gets "heated". Hell, if you think I'd kick a sexy cousin outa bed, you're crazy

...same goes for sexy Giggers

BTW, how many more posts do I have to make to escape this "chestnut Lamprey" status ?

[Forsythian]

Yes, a disagreement between 2 user groups, except 1 group is advocating the wholesale abolishment of the other.

Here's what I hope is my last take on this thing... I might be willing to break with some on my side and support an experimental ban (with a sunset clause) on some particular stretch of specially-managed water. Keep it quantitative and transparent. Run a couple of other stretches as "controls" with 18" length limits or some such management tool for comparison.

BUT- to ban my sport on a stretch of river that allows the "harvest" of 5 SMB over 12" is ludicrous, and I'll fight it tooth and nail.

[Simsmarine]

Here's what I hope is my last take on this thing... I might be willing to break with some on my side and support an experimental ban (with a sunset clause) on some particular stretch of specially-managed water. Keep it quantitative and transparent. Run a couple of other stretches as "controls" with 18" length limits or some such management tool for comparison.

OR, here's an idea... giggers could just stop punching holes in gamefish, all would be forgotten, and we could all live happily ever after. Let's try that as an experiment instead.

[Forsythian]

OR, here's an idea... giggers could just stop punching holes in gamefish, all would be forgotten, and we could all live happily ever after. Let's try that as an experiment instead.

Glen Sims, are you accusing me of poaching?

[Simsmarine]

Quote the line that made you wonder.

[jscheetz]

hhhuuuuuummmmmmm..... Well - apparently I need to clarify a bit. It was no I who started the name calling - my "hillbillies" response was to lumping anyone who raised so much as an eyebrow towards gigging to be in bed with Peta. I think you guys have some serious guilt issues hangning over your heads. I can't see why, I mean calling a bear up with a leg of chicken and then blasting it in the head seems sporting enough to me.

Marrying your cousin is a genuine ozark tradition too, but they quit that crap a long time ago once they learned of the damage it caused.

What?? They QUIT that too???? Dangit!

JS

PS - Kicknbass - To use the quote feature, when you are making your post, go to the other post you want to quote from and highlight the words to be quoted - right click and copy - then paste it in your post and highlight it and then select the quote tool and voila! -

Your pal the maul swinger

Sims - congrats on your "Duskystripe Shiner" status

JS

[Forsythian]

Quote the line that made you wonder.

I already did friend.

I guess it's what I get for trying to find some honest middle ground... some compromise where we might find the best management tool for growing big smallmouth. I don't believe resource management are your true motives. When good folk like Al extend a hand for compromise and for discovery, and I hear you over his shoulder spouting your nonsense, I'm suspicious of the whole lot of ya.

I mean calling a bear up with a leg of chicken and then blasting it in the head seems sporting enough to me.

JS

Yep, it's that easy. Since you are not shy about having opinions of subjects you obviously know nothing about, please share with us your enlightened thoughts on the fox hunting question... or hunting in general?