To Keep, Or Not To Keep

[DoveTail]

I always wait for the fish to pull out of my grasp when I hold its tail.

I guess when MDC puts the trout in, it's not a crime to take em. Even in the 'trophy area'.

On the fish that went belly up on me, it pulled away then rolled over, so I was able to get it back (not that your comment was directed towards my post). I just learned that some reflexes in the fish may seem like it is okay, but they need some running water through their gills and need to make sure it is ready to go. I don't have anything again keeping fish unless the entire water system is catch and release only.

Keep in mind, there is a lot of bait fishing just a couple of miles down, how many of those are never allowed to reach potential. I'm sure it's a balance between tourist demand and the economy. There are some great fish in Taneycomo, but if the entire lake had slot size limits that may increase the productivity? Another subject of debate. I have seen some decent trout in Taneycomo but have caught bigger fish in other places. There are a LOT of 15" to 16" fish there, once they get to the 20" range there are not as many.

[Fly_Guy]

I hear you about lower taneycomo - there's got to be some monsters in there, but you're right - people keep enough 16"ers (heck - i would, if i were hungry) that only a lucky few reach 'monsterhood'. Nothing wrong with that i suppose, but Taney could easily grow a world record, and a lake wide slot limit probably would probably help. If I were forced to bet $10, I would say there is a world record in Taneycomo, if not several. Off topic, but if I could have one wish granted, it would be to take a boat and jigging spoon right up next to Table Rock dam.

Oh - and my post wasn't directed at you at all - it seems that users of this forum tend to care a lot about their fish - and that's awesome.

To dissuade slingshot guy at RR, we could rope off that section with construction or crime scene tape

[brownieman]

Our freedoms and choices are a luxury we enjoy that many places in the world do not.

Far as the choice to keep or not is an individual choice...I have no problem with anyone keeping anything long as it is legal. I'm just like everyone, I don't like seeing certain species on a stringer but it is sure not my place to judge or say a darn thing...as many do I have a soft spot for smallies.

If I say or condem anyone for choices on the water long as they are legal I am the one with the problem. Fishing to me just is not worth having bad words about on any level...suppose to be something we enjoy and I'll be darn if I'm going to sweat someone keeping a fish. If someone wishes to express their dislike that's fine...sure is not worth seriously getting upset about.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I was down over the weekend and I couldn't catch a trout under 12 inches. I wanted fry some up and I just couldn't catch one small enough. I fly fished from the cable to the Big Hole. I wouldn't keep one over twenty so that didn't matter. Went to Red Lobster instead.

SIO3

[patfish]

I was down over the weekend.....SIO3

Down over the weekend?!?!?!

That's weird, my phone didn't ring.

[Gavin]

Went to Red Lobster instead, LOL...Taney can stand a lot of harvest pressure and still produce some records...I have no issue with folks keeping fish down there..I'd wack a brace of sub 12" fish w/o a care, and I'd probably wack a 20ish rainbow if I had plans for a trout for dinner and a shortage of dinks. Cheers.

[fly2fish]

I was down over the weekend and I couldn't catch a trout under 12 inches. I wanted fry some up and I just couldn't catch one small enough. I fly fished from the cable to the Big Hole. I wouldn't keep one over twenty so that didn't matter. Went to Red Lobster instead.

SIO3

I was there all last week and my mom and dad was with us the first half of the week and wanted a few to take home so I took them down to Lilly's dock to fish one afternoon, nothing. Next morning down to the point where Roark enters nothing, so I said I would keep 3 or 4 while I was night fishing, out of the first 5 fish 2 were under 12". I didn't keep them because I was going to be fishing another 3 hours or so and thought I would keep them during the last hour, wouldn't you know it everything the last hour were in the 13-18 inch range. Did manage 2 on another night though. I dropped a couple under 12 measuring them.

F2F

[snagged in outlet 3]

Family dealio Pat, Sorry .

Red Lobster was good!!! Those biscuits rock!!!!

SIO3