Smallmouth Issues/msa Meeting

[Guest]

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[Chief Grey Bear]

Well it sounds like the biologists don't really agree with that, but you're entitled to your opinion, right or wrong.

Show me one piece of scientific literature that supports your theory and I might agree with you. You won't be able to find one.

Then why do the majority of not all MDC lakes have a slot limit???

[FishinCricket]

Then why do the majority of not all MDC lakes have a slot limit???

To appease the meat eaters.

It certainly isn't because it's written in the bible or anything. (although I plan to present that very think at the next revision meeting )

Did it ever occur to anyone that "managing a fishery" doesn't simply mean doing whatever is necessary to beef up the numbers of monster fish... The overall quality of a fishery isn't measured using such a yardstick, regardless of what fishermen (release OR keep) want.

[drew03cmc]

If I am wrong, show me proof to the contrary. I want to improve the fishing, but honestly, catch and release isn't the way to do it, IMO. Also, there is no way to enforce catch and release fishing. I have never seen an MDC agent on a river in Missouri. If they had a presence and the ability to enforce these laws that keep getting enforced, more regulation might be a good thing. Maybe we can get the MDC to work on enforcing laws rather than enacting more laws that will not be enforced.

[Flysmallie]

Maybe we can get the MDC to work on enforcing laws rather than enacting more laws that will not be enforced.

It's been mentioned several times so I thought I would highlight it with drew's comment.

If they can't enforce the rules they have it won't do much good to change them. And what would be the benefit if they did enforce the rules we already have.

[Guest]

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[drew03cmc]

Not following the inclusion of the New River or the Tennessee River. Those are different habitat types, as well as different regions and as such, have minimal application to this discussion. Highly restrictive harvest regulations does not suggest no harvest.

[Chief Grey Bear]

And again, who was in charge of thinning the smallmouth populations a few thousand years ago? No one. The fish did fine, apparently. Maybe you feel like there's an overabundance of small fish compared to bigger fish because that's what you tend to catch due to overharvest. Just maybe.

I am going to try and explain the workings of a slot limit one more time. A slot limit has nothing to do with thinning out fish. It has to do with harvesting some of the smaller fish, those below the protected slot, that consume the most forage. By havesting some of the smaller fish, you are allowing for more forage to be consumed by those fish in the protected slot to increase their growth rates. And the slot also protect those fish that we enjoy catching the most, the 15 inch +. And that by almeans does not force anyone to keep fish everytime they fish. Even with the slot, I most likely wouldn't keep fish more than 3 or 4 times a year.

A slot is the most viable solution that I think we have to increase the numbers of the desirable fish we all crave so much. And still be fair to the other users of the resource.

[Gavin]

Slot limits on lakes? That's irrelevant..We dont need a slot limit on our rivers and MDC's biologists have flat out said so.

Food is abundant in our rivers, and our smallmouth arent stunted like a bunch of skinny green bass in someone's neglected pond. They dont need to be "Thinned Out". Most fish are small on 6>12" water because its not legal to eat them...Give them time to grow, and they will grow.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Show me one piece of scientific literature that supports your theory and I might agree with you. You won't be able to find one.

We aren't talking about lakes.

I didn't catch your set of limitations in the orginal request. Kinda sucks I found one.