Hey Techo

[arsenal1477]

Agreed +1

And Arsenal, what a sport you are.

Gone Fishing- Much appreciated. Its good to believe in things and debate about them, but there is a point to where too

much is too much. Example: Terrorists LOL

[techo]

I had hoped this thread died. I guess I am not helping kill it by replying. When Donna, Champ and my wife and I met for a sandwich under someone's slip during a tornado one fine Saturday....we had a pretty good discussion about catching and keeping versus sport fishing. We shared a story about some drunk folks who had way more than their share of fish and were butchering them as they cleaned them. Some of the fish even flopped off the cleaning bench into the water.

It is kind of funny that people always think everything is about them. Champ is one of the nicest guys on the board. I don't think I have ever seen him without a smile. Of course if I caught all of the fish he does.....I would be grinning all of the time.

Don't care much about catching and eating. That is up to you and you certainly have your legal rights. Some studies show a reasonable harvest even helps the fishery. Still...we don't keep bass and are particulary fond of smallmouth. If you are going to catch and clean.....would be nice if you didn't leave your trash at Aunt's Creek ramp and then did a fairly good job of cleaning.

I am fairly sensitive to being respectful to people and nature. I think my past posts would hold up to that fact. If I offended anyone by anything I said.....I apologize. I know I offended E.P. one time and he still can give me a free punch in the stomach anytime he wants (wasn't a punch in the groin offense).

The whole catching and cleaning the over the limit remark had a whole lot more to do with teasing me (about Aunt's Creek), Babler (prior post about guys cleaning fish poorly with an electric knife so he cleaned them), E.P. (he and House were given a pretty hard time last fall), House and some of the others that bump into each other on occasion and generally pick on each other to no end. Gosh! Never thought I would be mentiuoned with such a fine group of fishermen.....but I did it nyself.

Regardles.....we have the same discussions every year about catch/keep, line, lures. reels. rods. and so on. I hate those forums where people post to do a search and you will know. I like lively debate. I like seeing different perspectives and the reasons for them. I like America.

The point of all of that was.......it started as a post for Gary to pick on me about Aunt's Creek which happens to be closed the rest of the year and he knows it! He was just joshing with me as the coffee shop closed and we don't get to visit much anymore. It turned into good natured joshing for some others....but I know without a doubt that no offense was intended for Arsenal1477. We can start a whole new thread for that if needed! Just kidding.

[arsenal1477]

Techno- Its all in good natured fun, no worries my man.

[3inonegod]

Wow, I can not believe that I just read this...

'Fishing isn't really good for fish in general and tournament fishing is particulary bad for them.'

This was written by a well respected guide on another post in this forum.

Why don't you all just admit the money is why you don't care if a bass dies in a tournament. It happens every day. I will be honest, I don't care either. I figure God gave us the earth to use (in a responsible manner).

Eating the bass seems more responsible to me than fishing for money. If you all cared about the life of the bass you would use better processes to insure the survival of the Bass.

Just calling it like it is.....

[Champ188]

Hey Techo, those are very kind words and are much appreciated. My comment above was intended as humor and not an after-the-fact punch at Arsenal. Yes, the catch-and-keep vs. catch-and-release thread had more than run its course and for revisiting it, I apologize.

While I'm at it, I will extend an apology to Arsenal for getting a little personal and ugly in the aforementioned thread. I do not apologize for my views on keeping trophy fish. Those who want to keep their legal limit of fish to eat are certainly entitled to do so. Obviously, many of us here on OAF hope they won't choose to do so, but they shouldn't have to apologize for or defend their views.

Again, apologies to Arsenal. The "long knife" is sheathed.

[techo]

Techno- Its all in good natured fun, no worries my man.

Whew!

[Gary Lange]

I was gonna put in at the State Park and fish the dam area but not I am gonna sneak into Aunts Creek and work it hard. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: