Chat room tonight

[gitnby]

 

Here's a prime example. A buddy of mine that's a really good fisherman had a couple of neighbors that liked to fish, but they really weren't very good at it. He took them out and helped them learn how to catch more fish. He showed them a lot about the lake they would have spent years figuring out and taught them some techniques that they truly would have never learned without him. He is a C&R guy all the way. Well, his new apprentices have become somewhat proficent and are very proud to show him all the keepers they catch. They keep everything they catch that is legal up to the legal limit everytime they go out. They are retired and when the weather and the fish cooperate they may fish 5 days a week. Several of my buddy's favorite spots just are not nearly as productive anymore. He's having to find new spots which is tough because he really did know the lake pretty well. They picked up the skill set, but not the C&R ethic. They have no issue keeping a 20 inch bass to filet out. Big smallies taste just great to them. it doesn't matter to them that the fish took 10 years to grow. If he had it to do over again, he wouldn't show them ANYTHING, but that horse is out of the barn.

 

That's a darn shame!

I still would be interested in knowing how many bass die from the knife versus from a gut-hook or poor handling.

Since live bait is not allowed, tourneys seldom have gut-hook issues, but I have seen the floaters on Monday morning after a big tournament. I'm sure these fishermen don't want that to happen, but it is just part of the deal!

Not blaming tournaments, but it only stands to reason that on any given weekend, there are probably more quality bass caught by tourney competitors than by all of us amateurs put together?

Not sure there is any reliable way to come up with a number, but my guess is that the 'net effect' (see what I did there?) on the fishery is negative because of the pure number of fishermen as opposed to just by the ones that keep and eat?

As for me, I don't know of anyone who keeps bass to eat. And, I don't want to know them!

 

 

[MOPanfisher]

While someone ating legal bass doesn't cost me any lost sleep I hate to see folks rape a resource regardless of what that resource is. 

[Ham]

I'm all about selective harvest of a renewal resource like fish. I am NOT a total catch and release guy. I do and have not ever advocated total catch and release, BUT I do believe it is foolish to keep larger fish to eat. I have no idea why anyone would fillet out 20 inch black bass and I will not kill Smallmouth Bass to eat. Period.

I fully acknowledge that fish are killed by C&R anglers. Sometimes it can be avoided by optimal release techniques and optimal angler behavior and sometimes it can not be. I kill an unknown amount of fish every year. I try to limit it, but knowing that I am killing some fish accidentally is not going to keep me from fishing. 

[fishinwrench]

Every fishing video I see features guys catching a fish and holding it for 5 minutes before releasing.   For the love of Whopper Ploppers PLEASE go ahead and turn the fish loose BEFORE your loooong drawn out explanation of how you caught it, and how special your rod/reel/line/and depthfinders are.

By the time they turn the fish loose the fishes eyes are starting to glaize over.   I'd wager that fishing videos have killed more bass this year than meat eaters have.