Giggers At Ozarks Finley River Park.

[Project Healing Waters]

I like giggers and bow-fishers. They take a LOT of rough fish out of the fisheries, and that is good for the game fish populations. The ocassional game fish that gets taken by a gigger or bow-fisher doesn't concern me much. I mean...of course they shouldn't do it, but I'll bet the positives far outweigh the negatives. After all, giggers and bow-fishermen are an EXTREMELY small minority. Our declining game fish problem is far more the result of land use and water pollution problems...and yes, otters...than any sportsman group.

Sportsmen need to get TOGETHER and pressure developers and corporate ag interests. We don't need to be battling one another. NONE of us are the problem with the exception of the 2-stroke outboard motors we use. Believe it or not, game regulations are set with the poaching and illegal fishing/hunting activity factored into the equation. Obviously, less is better. And we need to continue to police our own community in this regard to keep it in check and even reduce it. BUT the big limiting factors are pollution and storm water runoff. And these things are domain of real estate developers and farmers. Interestingly enough, most folks in the development/construction industry and in the ag industry in the Ozarks also hunt and fish. So the door is at least open for constructive dialogue. Electing conservation-minded outdoorsmen and women to the local HBA boards, REALTOR associations, planning and zoning boards, and so forth would be a huge step in the right direction. But it would take a concerted political activism on the part of the sporting community to get it done.

So I say elect those giggers to the county commission and positions of leadership within the real estate and ag industries instead of banning their sport. After all, if they don't have clean water they're screwed too.

[jscheetz]

phw - now I think you've stumbled onto something - a gigging season for politicians! All in favor say aye.

JS

[Guest]

I

[brianbarker]

Like running deer with dogs, sometimes a tradition needs to pass. Snagging, grabbing and gigging I feel need to all go away. along with baiting bear.

If its going to be allowed as a tradition then it needs to be done traditionally, nothing more than a gas fueled Coleman type lantern.

Maybe its time for special gigging permits, like some states sell turkey tags and deer tags, maybe a gigging tag.

After all Arkansas is talking about going to a one 24" brown trout per year with a brown trophy trout tag and it being checked like a deer.

I would buy a "gigging tag" either by day or year. It might put a stop to alot of the people who are just out there to gig anything they can stab. Then you have to keep in mind that lots of people fish with a liscenes, shoot deer out of season, keep short fish on a float trip, or load the livewell up with whites and head home. Might be worth a shot, but I think if someone is going to gig bass hes going to gig bass, even if he has no "tag". I would consider it though, if it came to that. Thats really neat that AK has the one 24"er per year in effect. I hadn't heard about that, but were planning a trip to the Little Red soon.

[taxidermist]

Thats really neat that AK has the one 24"er per year in effect. I hadn't heard about that, but were planning a trip to the Little Red soon.

AK is ALASKA.

AL is Alabama

AZ is Arizone

AR is ARKASNSAS

AR has not yet went to the 24" one fish per year limit and I hope they dont. Its protection rather than conservation. We who hunt and fish dont need more protection its conservation we are in need of.

Sadly many times the things the biologist want does not happen, rather groups put pressure on the law makers that really have no foundation. Such as the fact that making all of WHITE RIVER FLY FISHING ONLY!

I pay probably pay more for my trout fishing on White River than most on theis board, I also fish Taneycomo, its 54 miles one way for me to fish either and I do this one to three times per week. How many lures do I buy every year, lots my monthly trip to BPS is something near $200.00 for lures and line no counting gas.

Last year I spent nearly $5000.00 of fishing White River not counting my many trips to Taneycomo or Bull Shoals

I agree we need strict conservation of smallmouth especiall thru the years when we have weak rain and the holes in the creeks fill in.

Depedning on what is happening I have to buy a deer tag, buy a turkey tag, buy a trout stamp, buy a trapping license.

So why should GIGGER and GRABBERS not have to buy a special permit.

I remember the day when Bull Shoals lake had LAKE TROUT, yes true LAKERS not just rainbows and browns, but LAkers were stocked and hell noone knew what to heck they were catching, even browns were stocked by the AGFC. Lkaers got no protection and did very well in Bull Shoals.

Suckers have aplace in the eco system, maybe that is why smallie fish has dropped of some in certain streams.

Everyyears I get a few spoonbills to mount, but I alwasy wonder why waste sucha huge old fish?

Same for Alligator gar, I have had several calls on 200lb plus fish over the years I then wonder why did the bowfisher have to kill that grand old fish? its 100-125 years old and done in by someone with an arrow. Why not chatch tag and release then.

If trout as so sacred then other fish deserve the same treatment no matter what the species is.

Protecting one fish over another is not right by the standards already placed by some on this forum. others think their fish is the only one that needs help and protection.

Maybe then tag and check the fish like Arkansas does deer, bear and turkey. Why should you be allowed to grab two or three 80-lb spoonbill? they hurt nothing I know of. Is one not enough? I know I use to see many grabbers at lockand dam #1 at Batesville and now no spoonbill are to be found.

Keep grabbing the breeders and soon there will be none. Conservation not preservation is the key!!!

[Tightline]

Gobblergetter,its good to see you on the forum.Slider talks about you all the time.I hear your his #1 scout for suckers.Keep your eyes peeled and we'll all get after them!

Scheetz ,by the way thats a really nice Northern in your picture or is it a big Muskie?

[Guest]

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[gobblergetter]

So taxi do you expect us to be impressed because you spend thousands of dollars to fish the white river? Im not. as far as the big majestic fish, most fish you catch that are truly trophies are old fish, the trophy deer you mount each year are just as majestic and elusive creatures. but they are taken every year. if thats the case why not take a picture of the deer. We do not have to buy a special license because we are covered under the fishing license a special license we have to buy to do this.

we cant just go out and do it, we pay our part too. most of us are anglers as well and enjoy our fishing just as much as the next guy. you talk of conservation, last time I checked sucker populations are not in a tail spin, they are very abundant. I think this topic is dead cause we can both argue our opinions all day long, you have some good ones I feel you also have some very narrow minded ones. Furthermore there is no need to be a jerk about the whole arkansas alaska mix up, the guy made a mistake big deal, I found many typos in your post.

I GRAB OFTEN, I KEEP MY BARBS ON, I TAKE SOME HOME TO EAT, AND I AINT APOLOGIZING TO ANYONE

[bryantsmallie28]

Speaking of Grabbing, boys its been a rough year for it. The only people i know of that have been are the people who dont white bass fish or do anything else, and are desperate for something to do. There will be fish everywhere if we can ever get a break in the rain for more than a couple days. This may be one of those years that you can look back and tell your grandkids "Well that one year back in 2008 we grabbed suckers all the way up at ____________." I'm sure there will be a bunch of places to insert there.

[gonefishin]

Ah.... OK, Gonefishin disagrees with me.... Things are back to normal then.

JS

phw - now I think you've stumbled onto something - a gigging season for politicians! All in favor say aye.

JS

See 'cheetz, there you go making blanket statments again. I agree that most of the time you seem to be so far out in the far left that your statememts tend to be real hazy so we generally disagree but, like you I think a gigging season for politicians is an outstanding idea which proves I dont always disagree with you.