This makes me sick-catters pay attention

[minner]

I spent years growing up in the commercial catfish business, no fish ever got this big it's just not possible, and they were fed twice a day....

Check out this 4 acre pay lake, places like this are where our fish could be going:
http://www.castawaylakes.com/Pictures.html

 

[Liveliner]

You make a good point there.  The varity of species all big fish makes it unlikely that those fish were raised from fingerlings.</p>

I think I reconize a couple of those fish.</p>

 

[minner]

Here's another one:
http://www.clearviewlake.com/index.html

click on "pictures" at the top

 

[minner]

And another

"Stocked Fish 6-29-07 Pictures are 30+ 2000 lb load of 20-50 lb. fish"

http://www.lakebutlerfishing.com/photogallery_4.html

 

[Bprice]

Makes my stomach turn.. you know that is where a lot of the fish from upper wheeler are going.  We have to find a way to stop this tragedy.

 

[MrWiskers]

All literatue I have read says blues do not do well in small empoundments and really don't do well in ponds. These fish had to be commerically harvested and transported to these lakes/ponds. Also the literature I have says blues will not spawn in these small confines so this type of business is only sustained by repeated capture and removal of cats from public water ways.

 

[CRAZYHORSE]

Minner, what is the best way for us to combat this? does this just fall under twra or whatever depending on the state? and the description says recently stocked, i don't think they raised them in one pond then stocked them in another either. not possible.

crazyhorse

 

[minner]

CRAZYHORSE - 8/30/2007 2:46 PM

Minner, what is the best way for us to combat this? does this just fall under twra or whatever depending on the state? and the description says recently stocked, i don't think they raised them in one pond then stocked them in another either. not possible.

crazyhorse

The only way we can stop this kind of stuff from going on is to pursue the proper legislation. Contact your state Senators, Reps, and Conservation Commissioners. Tennessee is headed in the right direction but Alabama isn't fairing so well, either way both of our states need our support.

 

[engatty]

I respect everyone's right to an opinion. But first let's examine the facts. What does the State Biologist have to say about Blue Cat populations in the Tennessee River Chain of Lakes and what is the impact of commercial fishing on those populations? I jest don't know.

Anybody got this info??

-SteveemoConfused

 

[Fishin Fool]

Rsimms posted an interesting article about the new bans on catfishing on the Tennessee, the thread can be found here:

http://www.chattanoogafishingforum.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=11817&posts=14

I suggest that everyone that is worried about this problem read the post and make yourself aware of what is going on. Taking a fish from the river and putting it in a "pay-lake" is disgusting regardless of any impact, negative or otherwise on the population. It takes many years for a fish to get that big and I don't see the right of ANYONE to take fish that are in our natural river system and put them in a pay lake or any other lake for that matter. The trucks I saw at Skull Island ramp were loaded with livewells, not coolers. Think about that for a moment. I don't know how commercial fishing is done today but it would make more sense to me to have fish on ice to be cleaned than in livewells. Greed is driving this and it is up to all of us to push TWRA to enforce the laws on the books, and to tip them off when we see something that looks........fishy.

 

[minner]

engatty - 8/30/2007 3:00 PM

I respect everyone's right to an opinion. But first let's examine the facts. What does the State Biologist have to say about Blue Cat populations in the Tennessee River Chain of Lakes and what is the impact of commercial fishing on those populations? I jest don't know.

Anybody got this info??

-SteveemoConfused

Not much Steve. Little is known about the blue cat populations in the TN River much less commercial fishing impacts. Auburn has been doing some studies on them on Wilson but I haven't heard any of the latest results. I need to get back with Dr. Maceina at AU Fisheries, who I've spoke to about this very thing, and see what the progression is on the study. What we do know is it takes years to grow cats over 30lbs much less 50's, 60',s or more. And just like any other critter out there all brood stock don't carry the genetics to produce large cats, so if you take one out of this "population" you eliminated a breeder.

 

[foodsaver]

that gets my blood boiling pretty good. I feel like we are being robbed but its ok because it puts food on the commercial fishermen's tables.

 

[SpurHunter]

Good lord! Do the iggits that have thier pictures made with these fish feel like they have accomplished something?  What kind of a bone-head would be proud?

 

[SpurHunter]

I have looked through all of these so-called fishing operations web-sites, and come to one conclusion...they have really, really bad scales. There is no way the fish they call 70 lbs are correct! Just take a look back at the hall of fame pages, you will see how big a fish needs to be for that kind of wieght....

 

[Fishin Fool]

The truck that I saw at Skull Island looks just like the one in the pic!

 

[Bprice]

Terry, is that the Ohio tags you said you saw, with the Boston Whaler?</p>

 

[Fishin Fool]

Brandon I didn't really look at the license plate but the livewells on the truck were exactly the same. Mike said he thought the truck cab was white. I honestly can't remember the color. I've never seen the fishermen at that ramp before and it was kinda odd, especially with the big, huge livewells. The truck had a sign on the side that said "Live Fish". The boats all matched and were super long camo green aluminum jon boats. There were 3 of them all together and they were running lines or nets coming out across from the nuke plant on the east side.

 

[foodsaver]

If you see that truck again please call the TWRA. I think there is a pretty hefty fine for keeping all those fish. I bet they don't have a commercial license here either. Worthless sacks of crap. Maybe someone can get a picture of their boat so we can all be on the look out for those sorry worthless individuals.

 

[WLG]

emoEnforce emoEnforce