Dinner or Release

[jon the fisherman]

SpurHunter - 5/11/2012 2:19 PM

Its harder to visually inspect the bass population on any given body of water as opposed to deer, so its pretty difficult to say without being trained that fish populations are up/down/stable. So I trust the biologists are doing it correctly due to catch rates and TX results.

I believe that supports what I was saying. Comparing hunting limits and fishing creels is comparing apples and oranges.

Good discussion started from another's rant!

 

[I_Like_Pie]

Actually it is easier to estimate the population of fish in a body of water than it is to estimate roaming deer in the forest. Simple statistical samples from fish zaps and observation of catches can get a very, very good number. The methodologies that TWRA uses has been refined over many years.

Deer population herd is confirmed with hunt success and general observation....much less precise.

 

[jcsanders79]

The statement meant that your looking small picture and relying only on personal beliefs and observations. Using that type of logic is like arguing with an anti hunter. Emotion and "ethics" are being applied to the scenario.

Creel limits and hunting limits are the same thing set for the same purpose and have an annual goal. I find it hard to believe that you truly don't think TWRA takes into account the number of days bass get fished, tx mortality, # of consumptive users ect. ect. Just like hunting limits or quota's are set to ensure the proper amount is taken factoring in the success rate of hunters, downed but non-retrieved animals ect ect.

 

[jon the fisherman]

I_Like_Pie - 5/11/2012 3:49 PM

Actually it is easier to estimate the population of fish in a body of water than it is to estimate roaming deer in the forest. Simple statistical samples from fish zaps and observation of catches can get a very, very good number. The methodologies that TWRA uses has been refined over many years.

Deer population herd is confirmed with hunt success and general observation....much less precise.

This reminds me of a time a couple years ago. I was fishing on Melton Hill lake, and TWRA was shocking fish in the cove we planned on fishing. We went in front of them fishing, and only caught a couple of little bass out of a blowdown. They shocked it, and we were amazed at how many fish were in that tree, including a 40+ inch musky. It changed how I fish. I tend to spend a little more time casting at blowdowns now, instead of the three or four casts I used to make.

 

[jon the fisherman]

jcsanders79 - 5/11/2012 3:53 PM

The statement meant that your looking small picture and relying only on personal beliefs and observations. Using that type of logic is like arguing with an anti hunter. Emotion and "ethics" are being applied to the scenario.

Creel limits and hunting limits are the same thing set for the same purpose and have an annual goal. I find it hard to believe that you truly don't think TWRA takes into account the number of days bass get fished, tx mortality, # of consumptive users ect. ect. Just like hunting limits or quota's are set to ensure the proper amount is taken factoring in the success rate of hunters, downed but non-retrieved animals ect ect.

No, emotion here bud, I have stated eat all you want. I was just saying the comparison was not accurate. 100% kill vs catch and release is not a good comparison.

 

[drumking]

churly - 5/10/2012 1:52 PM

drumking - 5/10/2012 12:44 PM

wjhfish - 5/6/2012 3:13 AM

I keep reading on here that we all should practice "catch and release" which I do unless I have one that did not make it, then it becomes dinner. What is soooo wrong for a person taking home fish for his family? We all have been to a fish fry sometime in our life, why should we value one type of fish over another. I have eaten crappie, bluegil, catfish, and bass. To be honest, the bass was the best in my opinion. Actually I like them all, but the bass was the best. I will stay with catch and release, it really is a good practice, but I will never tell a person they are wrong to keep the fish. Just a thought.

I actually like bass better than crappie too. Most bass fishermen have an 'attitude' about folks who catch and eat the fish that they are trying to make money on. This tx thing is a sickness that most don't even realize that they have contacted. Witness how many reports that the bass tx folks post on CFF. Almost nil, nada, nothing. "I'm gonna keep my secret technique, spot, etc. all to myself so that I can win the next big tournament that is coming up. If I report anything, I won't have a place to fish next time that I go out." Typical answers that you get from bass fishermen. The joy of fishing has been replaced by working to find the next hot spot so that I can win. The epitome of selfishness. There, I have made every bass fisherman mad again at the old Drumking.

Now to the few bass fishermen that haven't been offended by the last paragraph, let me commend you. You are a rare bird indeed. For the rest of you, get a life. emoBigsmile emoGeezer

why do you block out the background in your pics on your reports?

My, my, this is my first time back on this thread since my original post and I must say that it has become a popular thread. To answer your question, Churly about why I block out the background on my pics. It is because one of your fellow fishermen got offended at some of the pics that I was posting because he had put out brush piles at 4:00 AM and didn't want anyone else fishing there. So, to appease him and others like him, I started blocking out backgrounds on my pics, but you can be sure of this one thing. You will never see another pic blocked out and I hope that I show in great detail one of your favorite spots so that the 20 people that don't know where it is, can find it with ease. With all the side/bottom scanners that are around now, I realize just how paranoid that you tournament anglers get cause you can't hide anything anymore.

I normally release 95% of the bass that I catch. I usually keep the spots because the fewer of them that there are, the better the largemouth and smallmouth fishing will be. But I think that now I will start keeping several largemouth bass as I catch them. Heck, the way that tournament fishermen kill them in huge numbers by their never ending dog fights and tournaments every week, I surely can't hurt the population by keeping a few to eat. The fish that you kill are wasted.

Show us just how much you care about CFF. Start posting some bass fishing trips. All you bass fishermen, start posting some reports besides the ones that you are required to post following a CFF tx. Jmax is about the only one of you with guts enough to post a fishing report with any regularity. Thanks, Jim. If I wasn't going to post a fishing report, then I wouldn't even belong to this site.

I don't carry a gun, Churly, but I do have very big angels all around me. I'm sorry that this innocent thread turned out to be so vile. Like I said in the original post. Get a life. emoBigsmile emoGeezer

 

[jon the fisherman]

I was thinking it got more civil... shows what I know!

 

[SpurHunter]

Jim your just some dang electrician anyways, what do you know!

Hey, can you come wire up my nw garage soon??

 

[jon the fisherman]

I would be glad to Erik, but it will have to be when I get back from New Hampshire.

 

[churly]

any fish dead at a CBA dont ever get wasted. out of 80 boats you might have 25 dead in July. someone always takes em home to fillet. If your going to start keeping bass just out of spite, i have zero respect for you sir.

 

[drumking]

churly - 5/12/2012 1:50 PM

any fish dead at a CBA dont ever get wasted. out of 80 boats you might have 25 dead in July. someone always takes em home to fillet. If your going to start keeping bass just out of spite, i have zero respect for you sir.

I don't do anything out of spite, but I know that you have 0 respect for me anyway, but I really don't care. The way that you attacked a couple of other posters here to begin with shows everyone just what kind of man you are. The mods can close this thread now, if they want to. emoGeezer

 

[dragfish]

If you don't know Churly by now Dickie, then I guess you haven't read many of his past conflicts (mine and his included) He is a forgiveable and non-harmful person.
I do remember your sharply aimed comment to me for sitting on the Intake wall too long while I was crappie fishing that carried a bitter tone.
Now you want the moderators to freeze this thread after you've had your "final word"?
Geez! emoGeezer emoGeezer

 

[MrWiskers]

Bottom line to this whole thread is fishermen kill fish. Period. No matter if you catch fish off the beds, break off a fish with a large worm hook, gill hook them, gut hook them, beat them to hell in 90 degree water livewell in a tourny, pollute the water with our motors, leave fishing line and lead in the lake, mount them, or take them home for dinner. Every single one of us kill bass, and big ones to boot. I have a 7 lb 14 oz LM on the wall, only because the fish died on me when trying to release it. I killed it, plain and simple, and not for food. Had I not been fishing that day, that fish would probably still be in the Chick having babbies. Fishing started as a way to provide food, so I will have to say keeping fish for the table is the more noble thing, but I also fish a few tourny's which is fine as well but can get a little of our hand on the Chick at times. I would bet more 4+ lb bass are killed by catch and release fisherman than meat hunters, especially since a lot of them get to ride around in small livewells in tournys for up to 8 hours. Most everyone that keeps fish for the table will tell you the larger bass are not good for eating. I keep spots from time to time, but anything over 15" gets put back in the water, just too tough and gamey.

So if you want to keep some for the table do so. If you want to fish tournys, then do so. But we all have to admit we kill bass and lots of them, not just the meat hunters. If you truely want to take care of the bass, then stop fishing. It is the only way to stop killing them.

 

[Buoy-Master]

Now there's a closing post if I ever seen one!

 

[I_Like_Pie]

That was beautifully articulated. Bravo MrWiskers!!!

 

[EricM]

emoWorthy emoWorthy emoWorthy Thank you MrWiskers!

 

[Paul Nichols]

Mr. Wiskers said it best!

It blows my mind that a person can say a fish was caught and released ''unharmed''. Pull a fish up from 25' at 8 AM put it in the livewell during any month (hot ones are worse) and run around ALL day beating and banging around in the livewell on Chickamauga Lake. Take the fish to the weigh in stand weigh it and throw it back into the lake...just becasue it swam off ''it was caught and released unharmed''....lol!! MANY fish die later after they are released...MANY, but more in the hot months. The best thing I have read on here a while back was...''don't keep bass to eat, if you want to eat a bass just come to OUR weigh in and get OUR dead ones''...lol!
If you fish tournaments you put WAY more stress on a bass than an average fishermen who catches and releases bass. The average fishermen does not keep fish in his livewell all day and dump them out at the end of the day. Most average fishermen keep a few from time to time to feed his family (that's why God put them here on earth, not for tournament fishing ). A tournament fisherman has the bass in the livewell all day trying to win MONEY with them EVERYTIME he fishes a tournament.
I haven't been bass fishing in years, but when I do go I should be able to keep 5 freaking bass to eat without someone telling me it's wrong when they have killed A LOT more bass than me weather they care to admit it or not. I support the average guy and I support tournament guys, I don't support ANYONE who is a hypocrite.

Paul

 

[churly]

you misunderstood my point. I know people eat bass. I know bass are gonna die. Im not mad that Billy kept every fish he leagally could. I am furious tjat keeping bass is being promoted by this forum. Makes me feel like the past 20 years of work to rebuild ary, has been wasted. Im also pissed to learn that mods and administators have been viewing peoples pms. Its not right. whiskers, I aint quiting fishing.

 

[SpurHunter]

Justin I think the stress my be getting to you. You decided to make this a sport vs Tx fishing thread and quite honestly I think you have done more harm to your point of view than good. It's quite obvious that your really pissed at one of your buddies for eating a smallie and bragging, talking down to anyone that doesn't agree with you and then making blanket statements about whole groups of people is just digging the hole deeper. If everybody on CFF is a bunch of bloodthirsty rednecks or back stabbers maybe it's time for you to look elsewhere and ask for your account to be deactivated.

 

[Paul Nichols]

Go by the game and fish laws and enjoy the outdoors, that's what sportsmen do. I would not post a pic of me frying fish on a fishing website because it's sure to make someone mad (which I don't understand at all). I don't think posting about eatting a bass is promoting the killing of bass at all, I would see it as a man who had a great day on the water and is going to enjoy his catch that he legally caught. I just don't like it when someone tells me I'm doing something wrong when they are doing the same thing themselves. It's kinda like a ''tree hugger'' driving a Hummer to a environmental protest...lol. I do know that tournament fishermen DO try their best to take care of the fish before the weigh in because a dead fish will cost them money. I also know that the fish in a livewell are stressed and stress can kill a fish, maybe not always while you have the fish in your possession but later after the fish has swam off (delayed mortality). Fish would never be in the livewell of a tournament fisherman if money was not involved...right? There are a lot of tournaments on Chickamauge Lake and there are a lot of average fishermen as well. If everyone stays within the laws of the game and fish that's good enough for the TWRA who enforce the laws and SHOULD be good enough for the tournament fishermen and for the average fishermen as well.

Paul