Smallies Must Be Biting In Northern Ar

[jeb]

To get back to the subject, I was at the FLW weigh in from Beaver Lake yesterday and some of the pro's had some monster smallies. 4+ pounders. The smallies seem to be doing very well on Beaver right now!

[Mitch f]

That's good to hear Jeb, looks like Beaver will rival TR on the smallies.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Wow, I have to say some of the comments on here made about Crowbar are pretty harsh.

Its all good. I fish C&R but I also stand for ones right to keep too. I have had many a battle on this very forum over just that. I mean some real battles. Many, many members have dog piled me because of it too. Doesn't mean we are not friends though. Heck I still toss bones out there about eating smallmouth. Like a brownie omelette or a big ol' brownie sandwich. Just having a little fun with it.

I just cringe when I see a really nice fish headed for the Crisco. I don't mind so much the 12-14 inchers, but any bigger than that I feel I have the same right to condem as they do to keep. We all have both of those rights. And as much as these fellas here hate PETA, they all have a little PETA in them! It just depends on the cause.

[Feathers and Fins]

Littlered, you should not feel upset for people elitist-self-righteous attitudes. I myself seldom keep a bass in the Ozarks simply because I don’t prefer them. I have never met a striper, walleye or crappie I won’t invite to dinner. Ever since “tournaments” started putting the C&R mentality in people heads if you keep a bass you are the spawn of the devil.

Now if I was back in Cali I would be keeping bass all day long different flavor. I use to get a kick out of showing people pictures of 6 to 10lb LMB I kept and ate just to make them mad because “they” think they should be released. Guess what! No one is breaking any law keeping a legal fish and should be their choice to keep it not what pressure from others says!

I also find it hilarious the ones screaming loudest about C&R are the same ones who go out in a tournament and yank females off spawn beds and don’t think nothing about the 500 bluegill that fly in to eat the freebies now unprotected. Who causes more harm; the guy who keeps a few for dinner or the guy who just killed hundreds of thousands by pulling the protector off the nest? Who is the bigger hypocrite?

People need to not throw stones in a glass house!

[Mitch f]

Catch and release in reality has nothing to do with elitism or self righteousness. It's just we want the biggest fish to be there for everyone.

[Feathers and Fins]

FIFY

Catch and release in reality has nothing to do with elitism or self righteousness. I just we want the biggest fish to be there for ME

[Chief Grey Bear]

Littlered, you should not feel upset for people elitist-self-righteous attitudes.

So let me make sure I have this correctly. I am a elitist, self righteous fisherman because I released the resource back into it's home environment for others to attempt to catch again.

But if I keep the 10lb largmouth I am just a regular fella because I released it in a pan of crisco for myself because I think it is funny?

As far as "tournaments” I was practicing C&R before I even knew what one was. Not many tournaments on rivers around these parts so I fail to see how this is revelent. And on a personal note, I don't belive California should be setting the standard for the rest of the country to follow.

Site fishing nest...you bet that is bad practice. And I have no use for those that practice that. AT ALL!!!!

[Feathers and Fins]

No I did not say you are one and you know it. but keep coming to threads trying to stir the pot now that I would definitely say is a true assessment.

You dam well Know I'm talking about people in general who condemn others for keeping fish, I would guess most of us have ran into them! That is also how it is relevant to any conversation, River, Creek, Pond or Lake! We here it!! Never said California should be setting any standard did I? I said

Now if I was back in Cali I would be keeping bass all day long different flavor.

That is purely referring to taste and my preference. I fish to EAT some and THAT is anyone's right, to keep what they want to eat its legal and its not for anyone to say anything about so long as its done legally and the fish is not wasted.

[creekin bassnerd]

FnF, You hopped on this thread with one intention, to try and piss somebody off, as far as I can see you have failed in that regard. But since your opening sentence sparked my curiosity, you have lead me try and understand what you mean.

"Littlered, you should not feel upset for people elitist-self-righteous attitudes."

My question: What in the world does bringing a bass to hand and watching it swim away have to do with elitism? Is it that c&r folks want to be the best fish releaser that has ever lived. Im so good at releasing fish, bass sometimes quick release on the way in..

I can't understand your statement at all. Please explain.

Is it that you are so pissed off at our black President that youve got to think that anyone releasing a fish and not firing dual pistols in the air like yosemite sam has got to be some self-rightous elitist?

Im just wondering, because as far as I can tell, nobody gives a sh!tt what you keep and turn back in beaver lake. This thread is about stream smallies plain and simple.

LittleRed, take it easy. Im sure ole Crowbar is loads of fun to sit around with trying to decode whatever hes saying while yall eat a few cases of All-American (Belgium-owned) Budweiser beer. I don't 100% completely blame him for keeping all those huge stream smallies. Ive got friends who would do what crowbar does, except they don't because they don't have the opportunity and/or desire to do so. Its just a reckless tradition, and you CANNOT deny that Mr. Crowbar and all desciples who follow his teachings are a cancerous tumor to the south fork of the spring river.

[405z06]

.Is it that you are so pissed off at our black President that youve got to think that anyone releasing a fish and not firing dual pistols in the air like yosemite sam has got to be some self-rightous elitist?

WTF is this nonsense?