Men's spring camp out and fishing trip done for 2022...

[vernon]

About ten or twelve years ago my brother and I were cleaning some whites and crappie on the dock at the Kimberling Inn when a bass boat with two guys about my same age pulled into their slip.  As it turns out they were there for a tournament that weekend.  

Anyways, one of them saw me and jumped out of the boat and comes charging over literally yelling, "Hey you!  Those better be white bass!"

Well I ain't tiny and my brother is a man's man and I was still in pretty good shape at the time so I puffed up about a big as I could and replied, "No, they're great big fat largemouth and they're all full of eggs.  What exactly are you gonna do about it?"

He backed up and down pretty quick and just said, "Well, nothin' but that's just wrong." and walked away.

Over the weekend we saw him a couple times after that and he never seemed to have anything more to say about it.

People need to mind their own dang business and not worry so much about everybody else's.

[fishinwrench]

5 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

Probably done by a bunch of biologists 😅. Seriously, @fishinwrench if you have details on the data from that study I would be interested in reading about it.

It's on YT,  Oklahoma F&W in partnership with Ken ?????  (forget his last name) but he used to work for the Pierce family at Basscat boats.   They were still in the process of doing a "Tournament released bass" tracking study the last I knew.

I had it all saved to favorites but then had to switch phones and lost it.  It's a lengthy series of videos.   

Basically, 70+% of 3lb.+ bass released after weigh-in were discovered dead within 2 weeks, even during cool temperature months.  Smaller 2 pounders seemed to fair better. 

(Ya know, the ones not paraded around and hoisted up for photo shoots) 🙄

[Flysmallie]

I searched on YouTube and all I can say is that NOW I know why everybody hates anyone doing a fishing video. I never watch them because the ones I do see on TV are horrible. But there is so much more horriblenous (new word) on YT. Yuck. 

[fishinwrench]

Here's the channel.    You'll have to search the channel for all the info, as it's covered in over 10-15 seperate videos I think.   Kind of a series.

 Ken Smith is the guys name.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

I watched a few of them.  Pretty interesting stuff.

[Champ188]

22 hours ago, vernon said:

About ten or twelve years ago my brother and I were cleaning some whites and crappie on the dock at the Kimberling Inn when a bass boat with two guys about my same age pulled into their slip.  As it turns out they were there for a tournament that weekend.  

Anyways, one of them saw me and jumped out of the boat and comes charging over literally yelling, "Hey you!  Those better be white bass!"

Well I ain't tiny and my brother is a man's man and I was still in pretty good shape at the time so I puffed up about a big as I could and replied, "No, they're great big fat largemouth and they're all full of eggs.  What exactly are you gonna do about it?"

He backed up and down pretty quick and just said, "Well, nothin' but that's just wrong." and walked away.

Over the weekend we saw him a couple times after that and he never seemed to have anything more to say about it.

People need to mind their own dang business and not worry so much about everybody else's.

So you're saying that my passion and outspoken support for catch and release is wrong? Would I ever walk up and say something antagonistic like that guy on the dock? Heck no. Not the place or time. Hopefully, you know me well enough to never think I'd do anything of the sort.

But internet forums are intended for the purpose of everyone stating their opinion, and my opinion is that the bass population on TR needs all of the TLC it can get from those of us who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to enjoy it. It goes deeper than what's legal ... for me, it's a passion. 

And before anyone accuses me of hiding behind a keyboard, try cutting me off or some other doosh-baggery out on the lake and you'll find out different in a hurry. 

[Quillback]

3 minutes ago, Champ188 said:

 

And before anyone accuses me of hiding behind a keyboard, try cutting me off or some other doosh-baggery out on the lake and you'll find out different in a hurry. 

That would be one heck of a big keyboard to hide you, even your current weight reduced self.  😃

[fishinwrench]

9 hours ago, Champ188 said:

my opinion is that the bass population on TR needs all of the TLC it can get from those of us who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to enjoy it. It goes deeper than what's legal ... for me, it's a passion.

 Glad to hear that you've joined the NO MORE WEIGH-IN'S club. 

Happy to have you aboard. 👍

[Champ188]

On 5/17/2022 at 4:00 PM, fishinwrench said:

 Glad to hear that you've joined the NO MORE WEIGH-IN'S club. 

Happy to have you aboard. 👍

Definitely onboard. I grew up loving bass tournaments, but it was a different time. There weren't a dozen or more tournaments practically every weekend day of the year and even though they weren't perfect by any means, tournament organizers were constantly improving the process by which they weighed and returned fish to the water. These days it's all about money and bling and strutting around in jerseys like a banty rooster --- and to heck with the fish.

Undoubtedly time to take a very hard look at what we are doing to our fisheries and make some adjustments before it's too late. Not saying shut down tournaments but we can't be killing any more fish by hauling them around all day. Maybe Johnny Moneybags should put his money where his mouth is and look into providing some research/direction for lower-level tournaments to start practicing immediate release of tournament-caught fish.

And while I'm harping, you guys who tote fish around in your boats just for a "HERO" group pic at the end of a recreational trip should have your fishing license suspended for a month. There is absolutely ZERO friggin reason to do that other than EGO. Get over yourself, take pics AT THE MOMENT you catch the fish and let them go where they were caught. That goes double for this time of year when males are still guarding fry.

[196champ]

So, I'm not trying to start a big debate here but notice several guides posting (facebook) "limits" of bass with bonus cats and walleye, in a box, going in for the knife treatment.

I keep a few fish for a fresh fry from time to time but these guys are stacking up limits of fish, sometimes several times a day with 2 trips each day.

I understand each guide curtails to their client but was just curious on the opinion of guiding catch vs keep.

Is this looked down upon from other professional guides or just a known part of the business?

 

Again, i keep a few to eat too, so I'm not busting chops just curious on the guide perspective.