Possible Size Limit on Alabama Catfish

[Bprice]

I'm sure Minner and SouthernCats will chime in, but Mike recieved this email from Keith Floyd, AL Dist 1 Fisheries Biologist, its attached below.

Richard, or anyone else, can you give me some positives you have seen from the size limit in Tennessee. Of course, I can't see how there would be any negatives. Thanks Guys!

Mike,

I would appreciate your input on a subject.

We have been playing around with the notion of size limits for catfish. If this ever occurs it would be similar to the Tennessee regulation.

Please provide any comments or thoughts that you may have concerning size restrictions for catfish.

Please pass this on to Richard and any other catfish angler for comments.

I would appreciate any responses ASAP.

Thanks,
Keith B. Floyd
District I Fisheries Supervisor
[email protected]

 

[rsimms]

The only "limit" there is in Tennessee right now is sport fishermen can take home a maximum of one catfish that is over 34-inches long. However commercial fishermen can keep ZERO cats over 34-inches. Otherwise no size nor creel limit.
I think the existing limit regarding sport fishermen has little or no effect... every client I've ever fished with who caught a trophy cat (over 34 inches) wanted to let it go anyway... even when they didn't have to and even when they were keeping fish to eat.
I believe preventing commercial fishermen from keeping trophies can certainly have an impact.
However I question whether we will ever really know for sure if it helps. I'm not sure wildlife folks really have enough baseline data to effectively measure the impact of the regulation "before" and "after." I have little doubt there will start being more and more "trophies" submitted for their angler recognition programs... but I see interest in catfishing growing. It will be hard to tell if people are catching more big fish due to regulation.... or due to greater interest and effort to catch them?
Regardless, I am opposed.... I am already hearing noises about additional restrictions in Tennessee in the form of creel limits. I wouldn't be opposed to that either, provided it's applied equally across the state.
Anyone will tell you that on large, mainstream bodies of water... I have always questioned the effectiveness of size and creel limits. I am generally of the opinion that environmental factors determine the success or failure of any fishery and that most size/creel limits are more "feel good" measures versus management tools. Commercial catfishermen have been plowing our waters for decades, yet there continues to be huge numbers of catfish. The commercial guys are phasing out... there is 1/3rd or 1/4th the number of commercial anglers in Tennessee as there were 20 years ago.
However now sport fishermen are getting interested in catfish... therefore fisheries managers across the country need to do something with catfish to "feel good." It's a social response, not biological.
Does that mean it is inappropriate... absolutely not. Does it mean it will make a profound difference in your chances of catching a 100-pound catfish... probably not.
Sorry.... you asked. emoBigsmile

 

[rsimms]

Typo in the above and I didn't see until after time I could edit. I am NOT opposed to catfish size/creel limits. Repeat, NOT opposed. However still question whether it would really make difference.

 

[Guest]

Catfish creel limits will have about the same effect as lowering the crappie limit. All it will do is give some fisheries guys some justification for their paycheck. It will have little to no effect on the population.

Cheez

 

[drumking]

I'm agreeing with Cheez! It's like the creel limits on crappie. Not going to make any difference. Now on the spotted bass thing that TWRA sat on their behinds in our region this year, I think that it is all political. At the very least, they should have separated the spots from the black bass limits. No, they want to study it some more. In West Tennessee they increased the limit on spots to 15 per day because their biologists think that it improves the black bass fishing in those lakes over there. But the East Tennessee biologists have to study the thing to death despite data from many more sources. Like the MadBomber says about increasing the limit on spots, "Can't hurt, might help".emoGeezer

 

[Bprice]

My main concern with Alabama Catfishing is the number of large tournaments coming to our Tennessee River Lakes. Granted, Minner, Southerncats, and I participate in them. I feel like we take optimal care of the big cats, and never have had one have a lack of energy or spunk to him. Of course Minner and Mike have put a lot of time into these great livewells. I guess the problem is that they are very rare, and most people cram them in a cooler with some water and a bubbler. I think that limiting to 1 fish per person over 34 inches would help the tournament mortality rate. Although this will probably just open up the floor for a, "Is competitive catfishing detrimental to the species?" Not trying to go there, but have at it if you will.

Thanks for the opinions guys, its very valued by me.