Catch and release.....

[Scott Shenton]

So, in reflection on my rather nice bass, from a "unpressured" pond on private property, I was thinking about how sad it is that in the last four months of fishing in various lakes and river spots, in the Washington DC/Maryland metro area, I have only caught one fish over two pounds. Point of fact, 99.999999% are under eight inches!!!!! I see LOTS OF PEOPLE, (certian groups, not to be named) that keep EVERYTHING they catch. I walked by a man who had a bucket with 10 or 20 bass all under six inches long! No wonder the fishing sucks so badly now. When I was a kid, I used to see game wardens on almost every outing, checking licences and catches. I haven't seen a game warden in over 3 years!!!! Are there any "catch and release only" parks in my area? (where they ENFORCE the rules). What avenues do I have to lobby for more catch and release parks, and more enforcement of the rules. This is getting rediculous. There are no fish anymore.

 

[Lamar Gilbert]

You might also want to consider the fact that the lakes you are fishing are so overstocked that there is not enough for them to feed on, stunting their growth. If this is the case, harvesting them heavily could possibly be the best thing that could happen.



I see this condition in several small 'canoe' ponds here in Maine. No one fishes them....none harvested...resulting in all small bass. The more popular 'canoe' ponds produce much larger sizes.



I agree there is a fine line between overharvesting and not, especially if the only ones harvested are always the larger ones caught.



Just a thought.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Wookie, You're about 50 minutes from me... When do you want to go fishing?



Bill

 

[Orville Welker]

I'm from Missouri and it's a fact we have one of the best

managed Consevation Departments in Country. I havn't seen

a game warden in quite a few years but I believe by their

efforts most Missourians are educated rather than threatened.

Fishing is a lot better now than when I was a boy.

Turkey hunting did not exist when I was a boy.

Orville Welker

 

[Staci Matheis]

I lived in Missouri my entire adult life and now live 12 miles across the river. Missouri is where I still go to hunt and fish..... I will second Orville.



In the last 35 years, except for my favorite section of trout stream on the Current River, I can count on one hand the number of times I have just run into a conservation agent.



The Current River is something else; just about every other time there I see agents. It got to the point that they all knew me by name and knew I never kept fish!



The turkey hunting is superb!