River And Stream Bass Anglers: Do You Catch And Release

[Fishhand]

Hey Chief, I'd definitely be interested in going on a float specifically targeting spotted bass. Judging by what I've seen this year on the James, there were alot of smallies harvested. And, judging by the numbers of spots we caught, I'd say any competition for food that's legally taken out of the system would eventually benefit the smallmouth population. I'm all for catch and release, but, when a system is managed to be blue ribbon smallmouth water and the predominant number of fish you catch are spots, I think some type of balance has been upset. I'd be open to floating anywhere though...I'll even bring along some already cleaned and frozen white bass or crappie just in case we don't get into the spots...Jim

[KCRIVERRAT]

Hey Al... very informative reading. I've read some of your stuff in Missouri Game & Fish haven't I? I had read some stuff, maybe in the Conservationist, about spots overtaking smallies. A few years back the MDC rated the Big River your best chance to catch a 4# plus smallie.

Well, I've been blessed to catch a couple (or three) 4 pounders. Not on the Big though.

The two rivers I caught them on don't contain any spots as far as I know. Don't think the habitat would suit the Jacks Fork or North Fork (both flowing south of the plateau).

I like Chief's idea to get together and catch some bass. Maybe one of us knows of a family or families that could use the spot fillets we could possibly provide...

Good time for a good cause... we'll never catch the deer hunters, but we'd have fun doing it!

[Flysmallie]

For those of you that would be interested in Chief's idea of legally reducing the number of spots in a river, which one would you choose? I think we should put something together for this spring and see what happens.

[Guest]

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[Gavin]

You cant believe everything your read in MO Game and Fish. Its more infotainment than information....Not much real content there, and they tend to fill their pages by Hot Spotting every river/hunting local in the state on rotating basis.

I also wouldnt rely on spotts alone if you want fresh fish for dinner. Most of the spots I catch are dinks in the 8-10" range, so it usually takes a bunch for a fish fry. Might want to keep some goggleeye, bluegill, and maybe some largemouth too. FWIW, I wouldnt eat the longears out of Big River...A MDC biologist told me that the the spotts in Big River were OK to eat, but the longear sunfish had a ton of lead in them. Cheers.

[BadKarma]

I mainly fish Swan and Beaver creeks here in Taney county, floating and wading. I might keep a few goggleye and a few bigger 'gills, but I release all the other bass. There's few enough of them the way it is and I don't want to mess with MDC's size limits.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You cant believe everything your read in MO Game and Fish. Its more infotainment than information....Not much real content there, and they tend to fill their pages by Hot Spotting every river/hunting local in the state on rotating basis.

I strongly disagree with that statement. Keith Sutton, Spencer Turner and Billie Cooper are very informitive authors. Sure there are things that they write about that I may already know but, that does not make it "more infotainment than information" for someone new to the sport or looking for that "local" information.

[msamatt]

Gents:

The Missouri Smallmouth Alliance hosts a Spotted Bass Roundup at least once a year and usually on the Bourbeuse. Having read your posts it sounds like many of you are really interested in doing something to help improve smallouuth fishing in the Missouri Ozarks. While we are a statewide organization we don't have a Springfield chapter but that's something I'm very interested in changing. You can find out more about the organization by checking out www.missourismallmouthalliance.org or by contacting me directly. I'd be glad to have the opportunity to join the organization and I really do want to start that SW MO chapter in Springfield. Heck, I'd be thrilled if all of the anglers who responded to this poll joined forces with us (especially they guys who are keeping smallies because I would like the opportunity to change their minds).

Matt

BTW: Memorial day weeken usually marks the beginning of the time when its legal to keep black bass in our streams and rivers. You have to check the Fishing regs for the specific day.

[Brian Jones]

Ladies and Gents: If you fish for black bass (largemouth, kentucky (spotted), and smallmouth) bass in our Missouri Ozark streams and rivers please take a minute and take my poll. As president of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance, which is dedicated to improving the quality of river and stream smallmouth bass fishing in Missouri, I'm really interested in just how many of my fellow anglers practice catch and release when fishing for black bass in our streams and rivers. Thanks in advance for your time.

Respectfully,

Matt Wier

I voted yes, no, no, no but I tournament fish quite often on the Gasconade and some on the Meramec and the Osage and a lot of the C&R guys don't consider that as catch and release.

[msamatt]

I voted yes, no, no, no but I tournament fish quite often on the Gasconade and some on the Meramec and the Osage and a lot of the C&R guys don't consider that as catch and release.

Brian:

For the purposes of this survey I'm counting anyone who releases a fish as practicing catch and release. If you knock it over head and add it to your stringer, then you're keeping it. When I fish for bass I'm a C&R guy, except when I'm fishing for spots in certain rivers. I'm sure that keeping a fish in a livewell for hours may somewhat diminish its ability to survive compared to releasing it right back in the water right after you catch it. That said, I don't know if that potential negative impact is any worse for a fish than being caught and released over an over again over the course of a day or several days.