Fished Nickajack 2/10/06

[DHaun]

hog daddy, Here's a coincidence for you...I caught my largest smallie below Chickamauga Dam on the first drum/barge tie-off too! It went 6lbs caught on a shiner and was released in that same spot. Might have been the same fish you caught...except it was 9 years ago. I also released my biggest Largemouth - 10lbs that I caught in a pond in Trenton, GA. I hope they are both waiting on me next time I go.

I can't argue either way...folks certainly have the right to legally harvest fish they catch, but the math is simple...each fish that gets released might be one I can get lucky and catch some day and I need all the help I can get! emoCool

 

[2jigs]

I just think of the fact that every time I catch a nice fish. Odds are that a few weeks or months ago someone else probably caught & released it. No release no fish, make any since? Just look at all the records from the 60s & 70s,.The fish could be that way again if we'd all just stick together.emoGrouphug

 

[Pointer 78]

I caught my largest smallmouth night fishing 2 Summers ago. I had my buddy take 2 Polaroids that turned out awful. Because of that experience, I now carry a digital camera whenever I fish. Funny thing, I caught it on a night with no current, in a slew over a mile from the main channel, next to a stump, and hotter than heck. I kept it in the livewell until we returned to the ramp. Fortunately, Magic Chef was holding a night tournament and they let me use their scales. It weighed in at 7.13 lbs. Some of them told me I should have it mounted. I didn't give it a second thought. I let it go. That being said, as long as it's a legal fish, you have every right to harvest it and I'll never begrudge anyone for having done just that.

 

[jim4596]

well, thats good pointer. i would like to see those pics. im not trying to start this big debate. it is legal, i just dont understand the purpose of mounting it. what purpose does a dead fish serve on the wall? but like u said, do whatever u want to. im sure not gonna get on here and tell everyone how i caught my fish and where i fished if i think there is a chance they are gonna go there and harvest some fish. like i said before, it would be different if u were starving to death and needed food, but with other options (replicas), why kill the fish for no reason. just my opinion. i was just trying to point out that there are other options out there that will also help us preserve our resources.

 

[whenwegoin]

Jim says, "my fish".

Very interesting. You think the fish you catch are "your fish", so why can't the fish I catch be considered "my fish"?

I totally understand your position on mounting fish. That is commendable, you must be a conservationist of the ages. It is a good thing that more and more people every year are taking that position.

I have also taken that position. I do have a mounted largemouth, smallmouth, rockfish, and crappie. The last one was mouted over 12 years ago. I don't even keep crappie any more. I would much rather catch them than eat them. Do others have that same opinion? I wonder if DHaun and Rsimms released the crappie they caught last weekend so I could have a chance at catching them later? I don't know, maybe they will answer that.

The most interesting thing about this big debate, I have seen it on this forum as well as others, is that most of the controversy is over the black bass family, ie largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted. Why is that? Why is it so wrong to "harvest" a bass? People do not share the same feelings on crappie, bream, catfish, whitebass, etc.

Does the black bass family have a greater potential of being wiped out due to harvesting than any other species? I don't think so.

So why is it we are so worried about black bass? Because we think we can earn a buck or two the next time a tournament is announced. We don't want to catch and release them strictly for the fun of it. We want to search them out, figure them out, and target them to pad our pockets. Bass are big money makers. Plain and simple. If there were as much money fishing for bluegill as bass, we would be deeply distraught over someone saying they cleaned a mess of them for dinner or had a big one mounted.

Maybe I also need to think twice before giving any information on fishing to the general public. I'm not too keen on having "my fish" hauled all over the lake by someone trying to prove they are the best fisherman on the lake and take others money.

 

[flip1up]

Jim, I think you have made your point. Do we have to keep beating a dead horse. Lets move on, some see things your way and others dont, thats alright isnt it?

 

[DHaun]

I'm sure the vast majority of CFF members are already great conservationalists and pay for their license. It's a great debate and some very good points have been made. I am glad to see folks have been polite, but lets leave it at that and not try to get into what the exact specifics of conservation might be. Someone has already done that hard work for us and established the limits accordingly.

If you wish to continue this debate any further then please take it offline - private message eachother or lobby the TWRA with the info you have to change the limits. Lets freeze this discussion and move on to better things.

I think our energy as CFF members is better spent helping eachother out and reporting the greedy ones who are actually in violation of exceeding creel limits or trashing the river system. We have probably all seen someone polluting the river or taking fish illegally - I think that's where the major damage comes from so I think we should unite and put our efforts to use in that area.

Please feel free to report any violations you see on CFF - I may even create dedicated area for tracking purposes. Maybe the TWRA will learn of it and use it as a tool to increase enforcement efforts.