New regs on Spotted bass for Truman Lake

[MOPanfisher]

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-sets-new-truman-lake-spotted-bass-regulation

 

Looks like they are reducing the MLL from 15 to 12 on Truman for kentuckies.

[Walcrabass]

YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! YOU NEED TO POST THIS ON THE REGULAR FORUM TOO!!!!

 

PRAISE THE LORD FOR THIS ONE !!!!

FISHING WILL IMPROVE!!!!

WALLY

[dtrs5kprs]

Maybe. Or maybe a lot of misidentified LM will go home with the inexperienced and uninformed. There are a lot of issues with Truman that have precisely zero to do with Kentuckies.

[fishinwrench]

It isn't going to change a thing.  The crappie guys don't wanna eat them.  The white/hybrid guys don't want them either.   And the bass guys hardly ever keep a green fish.  

Kids at the Campgrounds/Marina's might kill a couple per year.

[mjk86]

59 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

It isn't going to change a thing.  The crappie guys don't wanna eat them.  The white/hybrid guys don't want them either.   And the bass guys hardly ever keep a green fish.  

Kids at the Campgrounds/Marina's might kill a couple per year.

This crappie guy loves 12 inch bass!  They do eat very very well IMO.  I agree with you that nothing will change.

[MOPanfisher]

They ain't bad eating, (especially for fish frys at work) but generally if I can catch them I can catch crappie.  But yeah I agree that it won't affect the population much if any, the folks that will keep a short bass won't care if its a LM or Spot, others will release them all. 

[Walcrabass]

Guys,

  Please give credit to the honest fishermen which I believe is a huge percentage of the fishing people. I think it will help the overall Bass picture in the lake as with the population of Kentuckies at 33% it was not to be long until the Kentuckies would hit 50% or 60% and take a large part of the food that Largemouth could utilize. The Department of Conservation has acted out of necessity because they have the knowledge of what is to come if they don't. There are many more people that keep bass sometimes than a lot of the more proficient Bass Anglers realize. I have been told that on certain lakes with the 15" length limit and high Kentucky numbers that "most of the anglers release all their Bass so lowering the length limit on the Kentuckies would not help." There is a flaw in this technical truth in that for the most part the commom angler doesn't catch many fish measuring 15". With a 12" length on the Kentuckies this group of anglers WOULD keep some of their Bass.

I do not look for this regulation change to "turn around the Kentucky population and severely decrease it". It will however keep it from getting increasingly worse and this is exactly why the Department of Conservation has instituted this regulation.

I am in praise of this change and I truly believe it is a step in the right direction to return Missouri to being the "kind of Bass legend" it used to be.

Walcrabass

[fishinwrench]

If the goal is to reduce the KY population then why have a length and possession limit at all ?   

I don't see "food" as being the issue, as there are more than enough shad in these lakes to go around.  

To be honest I don't even think the 15" length limit on Largemouth is necessary.  I believe we would still have the same quality of bass fishing without it.   The fishing would be even better if every fish  caught that is over 15" didn't get hauled to the opposite end of the lake every weekend.

Tournaments are cool....but they are allowing TOO MANY OF THEM if their goal is to balance the fish population and improve the average anglers fishing success.    Tournaments bring money to the area and help the local economy (so they claim), but IMO plain old recreational anglers bring way more money to those areas over a years time.

The reason Truman fished so much better in it's early days is likely because there hadn't been that many tournaments held there yet.  So if you want to see Missouri lakes be the "bass legend" of yesteryear then join in and help fuel the movement of far fewer bass tournaments in the future.

You'd be surprised at the number of guys that wouldn't even fish if they didn't think they could make money doing it.  Ask an aspiring "pro" when his last fish dinner was.  More than likely he'll tell you he doesn't like to eat fish at all.   So the argument that IF they weren't hauling them across the lake and releasing them then they'd be keeping and eating them is false.

[Walcrabass]

Fishinwrench,

  I could not agree with you more !!!!! If you REALLY wanted to reduce the number of fish in a lake ( like the Kentuckies) then remove the length limit and the possession both. I am told this has been done in some places ( Oklahoma with some lakes and the Kentuckies) and definitely gets the job done. I feel they are instituting this regulation in this manner to curb the "growing population" but at the same time try to please the tournament anglers and guides. Maybe some other people too.

  Where the food is concerned I agree with your angle of thought too except that in a particular system I see 2 different kinds of food. Size and readily available.I have said for years that a huge portion of the Shad are wasted because we don't have a large enough number of big fish in the lake to take advantage of the bigger dinner.

  Where the tournament stuff is concerned........ I am also in agreement. Way too many. You are so correct about those who fish for money. That is definitely their driving force NOT fishing!!!! I find it very interesting that you mentioned them being hauled across the lake as I have never ever liked that either. So many of the fish die after being released. I have been witness to B  A  S  S  tournament where just such a thing happened. They were coming to the top after the weigh in. I am sure things have improved since I was a young lad but I have seen info published that set the death rate at 40%.

 And finally where the income from fishing is concerned. Yup.... the everyday angler WOULD bring in more money than the Bass tournament guys but maybe in the wrong pockets in the eyes of some. After all ...... Mr. average does NOT use $30.00 Jerk Baits, $70,000.00 Bass Boats, bring in millions (?) in TV stuff, etc....... He just takes his family camping, fishing, buys gas, food, some tackle, and if lucky has a decent boat.

So I would say all in all you and I are on the same page and have the same feelings in the broad scope of things. Kind of scary...... an old guy thinking like a younger (?) guy and visa versa.

Walcrabass

P.S. Love your viewpoints !!!!!

[Chief Grey Bear]

The MDC never said it was to reduce the population. They did say it was because it has been shown that few reach the current regulation limit. 

I'm with you two 1000% on the tourneys!