Another weekend of...

[Norm M]

have them look at Illinois regs if they want to keep the 6 fish limit 

 

limit is 6 bass no more than 3 of which may be smallmouth bass in many streams 

 

might be a workable compromise 

[Gavin]

MDC is not good for anything other than public access and a monthly glossy magazine IMO. They revised the Smallmouth regs last year (disappointing) so it will be years before they look at them again. Its a public relations agency these days. No focus on enforcement, fisheries, or wildlife management (other than deer, turkey, or trout).

[Chief Grey Bear]

13 hours ago, Mitch f said:

No, it sounds like you're finally coming around to our way of thinking.

 

12 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

The argument about gigging that you always dismissed was that gigging doesn't just get a bunch of 12 inchers....it typically results in a bunch of dead 15-20 inchers.  Not to mention that it is totally illegal but very seldom policed.    Your position, as I understood it, has always been that it doesn't happen as much as we say it does so there's no urgent need for investigation.

I always figured that for every illegal gigger I've seen (or seen evidence of) there are probably 4-6 that I don't.  I think that's a pretty safe assumption.

So I did a couple of minutes of research for you two. 

 

Feel free to spend a moment or two reading. But since I know you won't, I snap shot a couple of nuggets for you to digest from 4 years ago. 

[Norm M]

 

[moguy1973]

6 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I seldom if ever see kayak/canoe anglers with a stringer of bass or trout. Goggle-eye more often, but even that is rare.  Bank fishermen and guys in Jon boats are a whole nother story, as they often are toting a few.

I haven't spent much time in a yak (maybe 4 hours total) but I would think that keeping a mess of fish while yakking would be a pain in the butt.  Tried paddling back with 2 limits of white bass on stringers and it was like dragging an anchor, we finally had to just lay them inside the canoe so we could get back to camp.

I agree with this completely.  I'm not sure where I'd keep fish when I'm in my kayak.  And all the times I've been out I've rarely seen anyone fishing out of kayaks besides me and my buddy.  And those that I do see don't have a stringer hanging off the side.  Getting a stringer caught on an under water branch doesn't sound like it could end well.

[Chief Grey Bear]

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I seldom if ever see kayak/canoe anglers with a stringer of bass or trout. Goggle-eye more often, but even that is rare.  Bank fishermen and guys in Jon boats are a whole nother story, as they often are toting a few.

I haven't spent much time in a yak (maybe 4 hours total) but I would think that keeping a mess of fish while yakking would be a pain in the butt.  Tried paddling back with 2 limits of white bass on stringers and it was like dragging an anchor, we finally had to just lay them inside the canoe so we could get back to camp.

You should probably get out more. Or spend more time on other avenues of social medias. If fact, the very fish at the head of this thread were from yaks.  

[fishinwrench]

7 minutes ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

You should probably get out more. Or spend more time on other avenues of social medias. If fact, the very fish at the head of this thread were from yaks.  

I can say the same about you and the gigging thing.  I have seen more dead bass behind gigging boats than I have seen hanging on a stringer tethered to a yak or canoe.    It's true.  Guess it depends on what river you're on.   Is Sugar cr. big enough to float a gigging boat?  If not then maybe THAT is the reason they were able to have that good of a day in their yaks.  

[Chief Grey Bear]

3 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I can say the same about you and the gigging thing.  I have seen more dead bass behind gigging boats than I have seen hanging on a stringer tethered to a yak or canoe.    It's true.  Guess it depends on what river you're on.   Is Sugar cr. big enough to float a gigging boat?  If not then maybe THAT is the reason they were able to have that good of a day in their yaks.  

Whatever. 

Ronnie was spot on.

[fishinwrench]

Just now, Chief Grey Bear said:

Whatever. 

Ronnie was spot on.

He might be, but I have yet to tell a lie.  I don't believe I've even exaggerated.....about ANYTHING.   

So yeah, whatever.

I'm not assuming that I'm always right, but I know dam well that I'm not wrong near as often as you guys say I am.

[Al Agnew]

I ain't arguing the gigging thing again because it ain't gonna change, either.  I still think MDC is one of the best agencies out there, but I do get aggravated at them when it comes to smallmouth management...because I believe things could be so much better for ALL (well, except the illegal giggers and meat hogs).