Report 5-08 At Marvals

[lostinthecity]

Fished the striper hole above Marval's Saturday morning and Saturday evening. The Bobwhite turned out to really produce. Got 20 or more stockers in the morning--missed as many--almost a strike every cast. Tried some spin fishing Sat evening in same spot hoping to get a few sandies, stripers and black bass in the mix. Caught 6 more stockers and 2 hog rainbows that were over over 6 lbs each. There's some huge fish in that hole. I kept one of the big ones for eating. It had eggs.

While standing in thigh deep water watched tons of fish swim by and just about everything you could think of trout, buffaloes, channel cats, LMB, SMB, whites--the amount of fish in that river is amazing and the diversity is just so cool.

On the far bank, I watched a mink catch a small fish--it just doesn't get any better.

[BFTMASTER]

Try to keep the decent stockers for the table please, there won't be any good ones in there someday if we all decide to eat the big ones. These last two years have been good there on the Lower, better fishing then most all other destinations in a 200 mile circle. If we practice Catch and Release, we could end up having a World Class River right here in green country. Those bigger fish are much more valuable than dinner, when you think 10 more people could have the joy of catching that same fish. I know that it is hard, but with a healthy supply of 1 1/2 to 2 pounders, why would you keep a 6 lb. rainbow? With all respect, please consider your actions, and be a steward of this beautiful river, even though you have a legal right to keep what you want.

[lostinthecity]

You are right. But I only keep 2 or 3 fish a year, small or large. And even then only if they aren't going to recover or are hooked in gills.

[Zach Bearden]

The river is a put & take fishery. The only way this will end up a "World Class River" is if the regulations were changed completely to C&R or limited it to a very few amount of fish per day. In a fishery where it is catch and keep by many, even with different regulations we would need a good amount of game wardens here to check on people and everything they're doing.

It is up to an individual in a fishery such as ours as to whether or not they want to keep the fish. Regardless of size.

Best Regards, Zach Bearden.

[BFTMASTER]

I understand, and I myself keep some fish from there sometimes. I was only trying to encourage others to do as I do, and release the well above average sized fish. Where else can you go right now and catch the quality of fish we enjoy there on the the Lower? 1.5 lb. regularly to I guess the ever rare 6lb. Best intentions were meant in my intial post, and to be truthful, I have to talk friends and relatives out of keeping the nicer fish nearly every time we go. Also, I know from experience,Big trout don't really taste that good either.