Disturbing Facebook Picture

[denjac]

I am not a big fan of keeping bass, but it is legal to do so. And Denjac be careful when jumping to conclusions about a picture posted on the internet, social website or not. Why don’t you call the person up and ask him about the picture before posting it on here and bad mouthing him. You may regret something that you said. When I look at the picture I don’t see any that clearly look shorter than 12”. And if you check out the Arkansas fish and game website it states that there is no state wide length limit on largemouth or spotted bass, and the daily limit is 10.

Dont think I bad mouthed him? Just said I didnt like it legal or not. Just an unreal number of fish to catch to eat in one day. Just a very upsetting picture for me. I will concede that if there were 4 or 5 of them fishing, that yeh there were legal. What if those were 42 deer layed out there? Same thing in my book.

[Sam]

The last week of April I spent three days on Lake Greeson in SW Arkansas, crappie fishing. On my very first cast with a crappie jig I caught a 13" bass and released it. No big deal I thought, but kind of a good omen for the first cast. It turned out that was the only bass I caught on that whole trip, and it was kind of skinny.

We got to know the people who ran the motel and the cafe in that little town. I mentioned catching a bass on my first cast to them, and their reaction was "Man, that was a good one. Why'd you throw it back?". Then the next day another customer came up to our table at the cafe and told me "I heard you caught a good bass and threw it back!". Wow - I got famous for a 13" bass!

That's the mentality - if something's big enough to clean down there, they keep it. They've got that lake pretty well fished out, with a lot of little fish left. When it came to crappie, my partner and I wouldn't keep any under 9" (which seem like dinks to me), but the locals do. So, if multiple fishermen contributed to that bass picture and stayed within their limits, I guess that's considered normal.

We had fun anyway, but that trip sure made me appreciate our lakes and fishing here. I won't be going back there.

[MstStudent10]

That picture is nothing compared to one I saw down at one of the Lake Fork Marina's while I was there earlier this Spring. Although the picture that I saw was a Black & White... An old time fellow with a giant stringer strung over his shoulder which trailed the ground behind him. On it were probably 30-40 largemouth bass which all looked to be in the 3-8 lb range!!! It was amazing!!! I wan't upset or anything considering this was a black and white picture obviously taken LONG ago, back in the real "good ol days" in some of these lakes... What I would give to go back in time for a while and experience some fishing like that before bass fishing was a huge deal, and many bass hadn't even seen these lures, and all reached enormous size. As I said though this was taken long ago, while also at Lake Fork...I wish I could get a copy of that picture to share, because it really was amazing. I've heard stories, and I'm sure many of you have also, of ol fellers talking about how they used to get em back in the day, and you pretty much assume that their fish tale has grown over the years and is nonsense, but seeing that picture and some similar ones like it, just goes to show you...WOW. Anyway, just reflecting and figured I'd share that piece of info.

[97procraft]

What if those were 42 deer layed out there? Same thing in my book.

I believe I saw some pictures of that before. In Michigan I think. Someone told the game wardens and they did a raid on the island were the deer were killed. It turned out that every deer was tagged and legal.

By the way, why does it make it better if the picture is in black and white?

[Champ188]

Sam, there was a Trader Bill's Team Tournament derby held just two weeks ago on Lake Greeson and the winning string was a five-bass limit totaling 15.74 pounds. Big bass of the derby was over 6 pounds. Of the 76 teams participating, only three failed to weigh in a keeper fish. That's some pretty darn good fishing for a "fished out" clear-water lake in the middle of June.

Greeson also is full of stripers, which in the opinion of many don't do anything productive for the largemouth bass population of any fishery.

Obviously, whoever told you that catching a single 13-inch bass over multiple days of fishing was some kind of feat didn't know what the heck they were talking about.

[eric1978]

By the way, why does it make it better if the picture is in black and white?

The point was that the photo was taken long ago, before people were more conservation minded and C&R was not popular or hardly ever even considered.

[Paul Nienhaus]

that's a nice bunch of fish!

[mclothier1]

Not gonna name names, but I have seen recent photos from a Striper guide that shows that days clients and their catch, and earlier this spring they must have been catching some Largemouth mixed in with the stripers.

I have hired striper guides before and if I did happen to catch a Largemouth or other bass I would toss it back, so not sure if its was the client's decision to keep em or not? just dont seem right. Im sure its legal though.

[ness]

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about that picture, especially without knowing the circumstances.

I really don't worry about size and limits, since I always put them back. A couple people have mentioned private ponds -- still subject to limits or not? Also, could be a group of fishermen, not just one.

Don't assume I like seeing it, I really don't.

[getfished]

I know it's true! I saw it on the Internet! You all would be good

o jurors. LOL ! have to agree Denny, it sort of disturbed me too. Can't unsee it though !

GETFISHED. !!!