Holy Spots!

[pt1]

I have to agree about lowering the length limit on spots. Every time my son and I have been on Table Rock this year the majority of what we have caught this year have been sub legal spots. Lots of nice fish in the 13" to 14.5" range but very few keeper spots. In contrast the majority of what largemouths we have caught have been greater than 15". But have had to fight through the spots to catch them. Not much luck with smallmouths for us this year, but anyway. The length limit on spots down in the Ark portion of Table Rock is 12", all spots on Bull Shoals Missouri side are 12". Just seems like many of the other lakes and states around the country don't regulate them so heavily. They are very fun for catch and release yes, no good for tournament keepers or to catch any for the freezer because of the current length limit. To me they seem to be taking over. I like catching them, but would rather catch nice largemouth and smallmouth. Just my insignificant opinion.

[Quillback]

I've always been in favor of a slot limit on spots. Have a 12-15" size limit to keep, or keep only below 15". It takes 6 years for a spot on TR to get over 15", seems a shame to put a fish that takes that long to grow into the frying pan.

[ryan]

There are plenty of good keeper spots in the lake. I think that all these 13-14inch fish are just the result of that good spawn a few years ago. I'd rather have a 15-16 inch spot vs a 15-16 inch largemouth any day in a tournament. Those suckers are footballs. This time of year you catch some skinny largemouths. These spots are always fat and healthy.

[Champ188]

I'm with Quillback. Donna and I do keep and eat a mess of fish occasionally, but I won't kill a 15-inch spot. I'll catch my "eaters" elsewhere than Table Rock..

[*T*]

Again, going back to the original post, if there are millions of 13 - 14" spots in the lake and food sources are in excellent shape, aren't we poised for a boom year or two rather than "stunted spotted bass" issue. LM & SM populations look to be in better condition than they have been in a long time. Please, no repeat of fish kill-off.

[Bill Babler]

Quillback, on 04 Sept 2013 - 06:22, said:

I've always been in favor of a slot limit on spots. Have a 12-15" size limit to keep, or keep only below 15". It takes 6 years for a spot on TR to get over 15", seems a shame to put a fish that takes that long to grow into the frying pan.

You don't like catching 13 to 14 inch spots and want to kill them. Better think twice about that. It takes 7 yrs. for a K to reach 15" on Table Rock lake. We have discussed this many times, all three black bass species do over lap, but occupy for the most parts different locations on the lake. In tournaments you can pretty much eliminate the number of Kentucky bass you catch or for that matter you can target larger Spotted bass by the locations you fish.

If the limit gets reduced under 15" then we will hear bitching that all we are catching is 11 and 12 inch spotted bass. The Kentucky will live and spawn in Table Rock Lake at an earlier age and due to its slow growth will live and reproduce longer than either a Jaw or a LM.

Our forage base here is fantastic, with plenty of forage for all, lets not go crazy talking about killing one of the most fun fish we have swimming here.

As I have stated when I was in college we could go out and catch 50 to 100 3 pound K's just about any day. We could walk the banks and catch LM just about any day. Those days are gone and gone forever.

Someone had a good day catching some fish and then complained about it. And then some of you jumped on the start killing bass band wagon.

I am just scratching my head.

Nothing on you Quill, I just piggy backed you to put in the 7 yr. on the 15" deal.

[Quillback]

No prob Bill, lots of different opinions on this subject.

[sholder02]

Someone had a good day catching some fish and then complained about it.

Objection. Erroneous on all accounts!

I was simply sharing my day on the water and emphasizing the fact that I couldn't believe out of all the fish we caught that every single one was a spot and none of them were keepers. Again, using live bait, my thoughts that morning were that we'd be in a position for multi-species.

I'll let you know when I'm complaining.

[Bill Babler]

Objection. Erroneous on all accounts!

I was simply sharing my day on the water and emphasizing the fact that I couldn't believe out of all the fish we caught that every single one was a spot and none of them were keepers. Again, using live bait, my thoughts that morning were that we'd be in a position for multi-species.

I'll let you know when I'm complaining.

"The to make matters worse and even using live bait comments made me think that not to mention the "They must be stunted sentence." Sorry I misread it.

[sholder02]

"The to make matters worse and even using live bait comments made me think that not to mention the "They must be stunted sentence." Sorry I misread it.

Now you're paraphrasing worse than a politician...but I digress.

Have a good day, Mr. Babler.