Gigging Is Stupid

[Smalliebigs]

"That said, the only way to truely protect the bass is to join up with these folks and all fish will be safe:

http://www.peta.org/...se-fishing.aspx

"

Griz......I thought I said stuff on here that was stupid but, that my friend takes the cake, congrats!!!! Some of you guys are mind bogling. For someone to say that because I want illegal gigging stoped I should join up with P.E.T.A?????? Holy crapd dude you are ate up......this forum has some real winners.

[vonreed]

People with attitudes like the one who started this topic make me want to puke, it's seriously gut wrenching to read these posts. It's all about what "I" care about and if you don't agree, you're a barbarian who's poor and should not have a right to be fishing or hunting or whatever it is you like to do. Instead of eating the fish, "which is food" , you're supposed to worship it like it's your child. This makes me want to keep every bass I catch now, even though I'd rather eat walleye or crappie. Ignorance like this is what makes a black eye on fishing, not gigging. And I have never gigged 1 fish.

[Dan Kreher]

I guess about as well as those that have huge, nasty hook wounds and sometimes broken jaws from C&R fishermen.

You guy's know I just had to release the elephant in the room.

If folks are serious about practicing catch and release, they should be using barbless hooks to reduce stress on the fish and to make their release much quicker. From wounds I've seen on some fish, I wonder what sort of grappling hook guys are using out there. Yeah, I'm glad they released that bass so I could catch it again. But, my God, can you use a pair of needle nosed pliers next time?

I've fished barbless for the past 10 years at least both here in MO as well as in upper Midwest and Canada. Do you occassionally lose a fish or two if you don't play them right, sure. But the ease with which a fish can be relatively harmlessly released on a barbless hooked artificial - even one with trebbles -- is remarkable.

Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario -- one of the best, yet easily accessible, wilderness fishing destinations in North America, went barbless about 4 years ago. Same as Sylvania Wilderness in the Upper Peninsula -- as well as total C&R there. Barbless hooks have been shown to be much more conducive to higher release survival.

Yes, there are places where consumption of sportfish should be relatively liberal if folks' desire is a large number of relatively small fish. Personally, I believe prolific and generally fast growing and short lived panfish are more suitable for a fish fry. For predator sportfish at the height of the foodchain -- stream SMB, carnivorous brown trout, muskies, flathead catfish, etc. I firmly believe there should be many more places where one has a legitimate shot at catching great average size and lunker fish which are being specifically managed for just such an opportunity. Frankly, I'd like to see more of our home waters managed in this latter fashion through area special regs (and enforced) with other areas being managed under comparatively liberal regulations. It sure seems that many on this board would be in favor of some greater quality angling opportunities.

To get back to the original point, fish barbless if you're truly into C&R.

[laker67]

I guess about as well as those that have huge, nasty hook wounds and sometimes broken jaws from C&R fishermen.

You guy's know I just had to release the elephant in the room.

My thoughts exactly

[grizwilson]

"That said, the only way to truely protect the bass is to join up with these folks and all fish will be safe:

http://www.peta.org/...se-fishing.aspx

"

Griz......I thought I said stuff on here that was stupid but, that my friend takes the cake, congrats!!!! Some of you guys are mind bogling. For someone to say that because I want illegal gigging stoped I should join up with P.E.T.A?????? Holy crapd dude you are ate up......this forum has some real winners.

Well appears I got my point across, please read your start of this thread, the term "illegal" is not part of it. I am ate up?

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

So, if they are releasing, why are they gigging so many? I believe someone earlier in the thread mentioned the tags being paid for. How about making a requirement for the tagged ones, the bass must be photographed, with the tag attached, in order to be paid. I am sure there are ways around this, but the people looking for a quick buck would be dettered. I believe we must come up with solutions, not just complain to the MDC, in order to be heard.

Just thinking outloud.

[Justin Spencer]

When you gig quite a few fish flip off the gig before you get them in the boat, and that is probably the case with many of these smallmouth, most of the ones you get in the boat are mortally wounded. Some of the gigged smallmouth may be ones that were gigged by accident and thrown back to avoid penalty, new giggers can be a little quick on the draw especially kids, and wives.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

When you gig quite a few fish flip off the gig before you get them in the boat, and that is probably the case with many of these smallmouth, most of the ones you get in the boat are mortally wounded. Some of the gigged smallmouth may be ones that were gigged by accident and thrown back to avoid penalty, new giggers can be a little quick on the draw especially kids, and wives.

I see, shows that I have not done it before.....

[Feathers and Fins]

Points violations are really outdated. I would like to see them dealt away with. We know there is the honest mistake and the intentional violation. Honest mistakes could be simply leaving a license at home or gigging a fish by mistake even having 1 lead shot in your waterfowl bag and 100 steel etc or even unknown mistakes like riding through a stream i know guys who didnt know its was illegal.

Those types of mistakes should just be chaulked up to legitimate mistakes. But a habitual offender AKA same offense more than once should have their license yanked and yanked for first repeat offense 5 years second life AKA 3 strikes.. Strike one would be a possible honest mistake.. after that or multiple offense we know your a habitual violater. Also on the 3rd offense mandatory 5 years in jail as a felony conviction. Make the punishment fit the crime.

There just is no excuse for habitual offenders to be allowed to keep doing it and the current penalties wont keep them from it but tougher penalties might.

[ozark trout fisher]

Also on the 3rd offense mandatory 5 years in jail as a felony conviction. Make the punishment fit the crime.

Five years in jail? I'm all for strong enforcement of game laws, but five years and a felony for someone fishing without a license or keeping undersize fish, or breaking some other minor game law three times? No, that's way too much. It would have to be something very, very serious like poaching game for commercial reasons for that to seem right in my mind. An arbitrary three strikes and you're out system doesn't leave any room for common sense either, which is something that we need more of in these things.

I do agree that the punishments need to be stiffer, but there has to be something in between what we have now and that.