Oaf Angler Is, Eeeek, A Baitfisher Of Smallies..

[kkirchmer]

My link

LOL, did you just tell someone to use live bait for smallmouths after making this post??????? LOL

jdmidwest

Live shiners seined from the stream or fresh Crayfish.

Proud American clinging to my guns, religion, values, and flyrods!!

Avid outdoorsman for over 40+ years.

Don't blame me...I voted for the other guy!!

[jdmidwest]

Quick question though, how do you keep from catching smallmouth if you baitfish for other species. Smallies do not inhabit the lakes and ponds that I baitfish for gills and crappies.

And what if you catch a non-legal fish that swallows the hook while baitfishing for other species? Toss him back, turtles have to eat too....

[jdmidwest]

LOL, this wasn't about Catch and Release but I guess you can make that arguement. I haven't bait fished since I was a kid and I guess I should have been more clear but to be honest I wasn't thinking about that. If you notice I was talking about my fishing trips as a child and we did bait fish more back then.

I still don't have a problem with people who choose to fish with bait, it's not illegal and I think for little kids it is more fun since they have a chance to catch crawdads and make minnow traps.

For me it's more fun to throw on my back pack and grab my gear and wade fish, it's a heck of a lot easier to grab a tube out of my pack than catching crawdads and then dragging a minnow bucket. That's just my opinion.

Then why did it show a pic of a middle age balding man holding a smallie with a caption of "Kurt Kirchmer with a Castor River smallmouth caught on a live crawfish." if you have not baitfished since you were a kid. I would look into the article a little deeper, it may be a misprint.

[jdmidwest]

Oh you forgot to mention this part too "Everyone has a right to their opinion and I’m glad we have one of the best Conservation Departments in the country that actually listen to the residents when considering regulations. And I have faith they will ultimately make the right decision and do what is best for the wildlife and not what is best for us. Without the wildlife we will have nothing to hunt or fish and nothing for future generations to enjoy because you will always have people who abuse every system and ruin it for everyone else. Regulations aren’t a bad thing in my opinion."

I guess I should have been more clear on the two sentences that were mixed together to turn me into the bait fishing, smallmouth killing, child eating, bunny crushing, he man woman hater that some would like me to be. LOL

Sorry I'm just a guy who likes to fish and enjoy the best of what god gave us. I have plenty of pictures posted so you can give me horns and a tail if you like, I don't mind.

Honestly, it was all in fun, as you could tell by the jokes at the start. I just brought attention to an article about a fellow OAF angler.

[kkirchmer]

Then why did it show a pic of a middle age balding man holding a smallie with a caption of "Kurt Kirchmer with a Castor River smallmouth caught on a live crawfish." if you have not baitfished since you were a kid. I would look into the article a little deeper, it may be a misprint.

LOL, wow middle aged balding man. I just pulled up the picture and you are correct that is what it said, it was caught on a crawbug though but either way is fine for me it was a good fish and it swam happily back into the same hole where it has been caught multiple times since then. It's kind of crazy too because it is in the middle of a swimming hole just down from the DD Bridge where people are constantly stirring up the bottom. We have caught it the last three years. It is the biggest fish in that stretch that I have ever caught and it is really pretty up close, I was using a crappy disposable camera when I got the pic.

Hey I am definately not against baitfishing, again if it was illegal then I would say follow the regulations but it isn't so if people want to take the time to catch bait and lug around a minnow trap then more power to them.

I prefer a back pack and a fishing rod so I can walk as far as I want, plus on the way back this middle aged bald man usually gets in ankle deep water and doesn't want to drag anything more than what I need because I'm hot and tired.

I don't have any hard feelings towards anyone for having an opinion bud, that's all the article was and I was just trying to answer a few questions.

[Chief Grey Bear]

"Oaf Angler Is, Eeeek, A Baitfisher Of Smallies.. And a Meat Fisher Too." LOL, this is funny, great spin by the way.

Where did I specifically say I target smallmouth with live bait?

Another fine story butchered by our local holier than thou residents. Sorry you were the brunt of it this go around.

BTW on my trip to the JF with KC, I personally caught 4 brownies and Dylan caught one or two that had been gut hooked by some anglers that did not keep a check on the last foot or so of their line. These were not big fish by any stretch of the imagination. But they did have hooks, complete with rotten soft plastic bait, firmly imbedded in their throat. So I wouldn't always point my finger at the bait fishermen.

If you boy's truely want to stop harming the smallmouhth, then stop fishing for them. We have all caught one that may not make it. Whether you are tossing a crankbait, soft plastic, or live bait. You will kill a smallmouth. If you say you haven't, you are lying.

[kkirchmer]

Another fine story butchered by our local holier than thou residents. Sorry you were the brunt of it this go around.

BTW on my trip to the JF with KC, I personally caught 4 brownies and Dylan caught one or two that had been gut hooked by some anglers that did not keep a check on the last foot or so of their line. These were not big fish by any stretch of the imagination. But they did have hooks, complete with rotten soft plastic bait, firmly imbedded in their throat. So I wouldn't always point my finger at the bait fishermen.

If you boy's truely want to stop harming the smallmouhth, then stop fishing for them. We have all caught one that may not make it. Whether you are tossing a crankbait, soft plastic, or live bait. You will kill a smallmouth. If you say you haven't, you are lying.

Thanks Chief, I just love to fish and I'm trying to keep the tradition alive in my family. I've said it before we all have different opinions about management areas, bait, lures, and watercraft but we all love to fish. I have a pretty thick skin so I'll survive (unless smalliebigs shoots me) but I understand where he is coming from too. My thought is live and let live unless you are breaking the law and then you have to deal with the MDC and I don't want any part of that.

I'll always have an opinion about what I like, and I love to hear the opinion of others because I have learned a lot on these forums that have changed my outlook on a few things.

Happy Fishing,

[Chief Grey Bear]

I don't have a problem with differing opinions either. But berating and belittling someone is not offering a differing opinion.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I've never had a problem with gut hooking with Senko's, but tubes are notorious for it. I've just about quit using them.

As far as a hook and/or bait disintegrating, its going to depend a lot on brand of hook and the alloy and the plastic in the bait.

[eric1978]

My link

LOL, did you just tell someone to use live bait for smallmouths after making this post??????? LOL

jdmidwest

Live shiners seined from the stream or fresh Crayfish.

Gotta say, he got you there JD. Nice detective work kirchmer.

Hey I am definately not against baitfishing, again if it was illegal then I would say follow the regulations but it isn't so if people want to take the time to catch bait and lug around a minnow trap then more power to them.

There's a lot of gray area between what is legal and what is ethically correct or best for the fishery. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. You can legally keep six smallmouth over 12 inches per day on most any creek in the state. One guy, over one summer, could bankrupt a creek of mature smallmouth...and do it legally. Does that make it okay?

The thorn that really pokes at me is that MDC is willing to stick their neck out to establish Blue Ribbon sections for trout streams...for non-native fish...that are stocked...and restocked. Yet they seem nothing short of ambivalent about protecting smallmouth, the most cherished native species of sportfish in the Ozarks. Don't get me wrong, I fully support Blue Ribbon sections...I wish there were more of them. But it drives me nuts to see MDC's priorities so far out of whack.

Chief's right that the only way to completely eliminate fish mortality is to stop fishing. But we know from other realms of society that preaching abstinence doesn't work...teenagers will continue to fornicate, and fishermen will continue to fish. So how about some protection? er, for the fish that is.