Toledo Bend Bass

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

This came from another site where they are just as angry as I am. The picture was posted in a magazine, www.rodnreel.com. As I understand it, the number of bass taken is over the legal limit. Especially sad because Toledo Bend is supposedly way down and is struggling right now.



116 Bass taken at Toledo Bend 3/3/06- 3/5/06, by Scott Daigle, Chris Cormier, Harris O'Blanc, Tony O'Blanc, Wilfred O'Blanc, Roger Mallett, and Ricky.

 

[Ken Neeley]

If that is true, the picture and names are enough for a possession infraction from a CO.

 

[JD Johnson]

Sad

 

[Steve Rizza]

The limit for Teledo Bend is 8 bass per day per person........



7 guys x 3 day trip



Shouldn't they be allowed 168 ??



If they brought their catch back to the cabin every night, they should be legal...I think.:wacko:

I was never known for my math ability.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Thats only 6 fish per angler per day, what is the legal limit? It looks they they had been kept on ice before the pic was taken?



BF

 

[Steve Rizza]

Look what I found for Texas....unless the picture was taken at their house, it looks to me like they are in violation of the law.



*****Possession limit is twice the statewide daily bag. There are no exceptions to the statewide possession limits in fresh water. Fish stored by a person at their permanent residence do not apply to their possession limit.*******



If they were staying at a cabin, on a three day trip, that should put them at 112 fish legally.



Unless there is an 8'th person whose name isn't listed on the photo.:wacko: Then they are back to being lagal again.

 

[Mark Jaworski]

Unbelievable:angry::angry:



What in the world for. If they eat em I hope they choke. Thats ridiculous. I can see keeping a few for dinner or something but what the (*&^.



Jaws

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Straight off the LA Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries website



Toledo Bend Reservoir: 8 daily in aggregate. Largemouth bass minimum total length of 14 inches. Spotted bass minimum total length of 12 inches. NOTE: for enforcement purposes, a spotted bass is defined as a black bass with a tooth patch on the tongue.



Possession:

No person shall have in his possession more than twice the daily bag limit of any kind of freshwater game fish; except that only one day's bag limit of Black Bass may be in possession while on the water and except that only a one day's bag limit of all species of fish may be in possession while on the water at Toledo Bend Reservoir; and except that the possession limit for Catfish is as identified under Catfish.



So even if this was done over a three day trip, they are viloating the law by having more than two daily limits in their posession. 8 fish each X 2 bag limits X 7 guys = 102.





I didn't want to get into a bit about legal and illegal. If it's legal, they have a legal right to take whatever they can. But how about a moral right? Things like this push Bass fishing back 30 years. I don't believe these people are bass fisherman. More than likely pan fisherman who are used to laying out their catch and bragging about it.

I just hated to see those bass layed out like that. I would bet that's more bass than I have kept in 35 years of bass fishing. It's just a shame.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

If it is just 7 guys 105 should be there max from the Texas side. Of course if there a few spots in there they are allowed 8 fish a day not 5. Which means they are legal. And there's no harm in harvesting a few fish(This falls in to the category of a few fish), in fact it might be a good thing. Don't know why some people don't understand this.



Anyways....



Just so everyone knows there's a fish consumption warning on TB due to mercury contamination.

 

[Gilbert Scales2]

Bill, that is horrible. It even makes it worst, posting pics. Everyone should look up this site and let them have it, I will.

Bubby:angry:

 

[Rusty Williams]

the limit is 8 per day with a possesion of 2 daily limits as Bill stated. But don't get to upset guys, this is normal for Toledo Bend. I live 18 miles from the Bend and fish there alot. Most folks here have no problem with guys keeping a limit of fish. These guys are probably from S Louisiana and fish here about 2 times a year. Remember this lake is 186000 acres and has 1200...that's right...1200 miles of shoreline and is 65 miles from one end to the other and is very rural. Fishing pressure is very minimal. Haveing a pic taken with that stringer is also common here. We may be redneck down here....but u must admit we have some pretty good fishing. Oh yea...the lake borders with Tx but there are different laws depending on which side of the old river channel u fish on. Another thing...on all La waters that don't have specific limits....the limit is 10 per person per day with no minimum or maximun limit.



RW

 

[Bob G.]

Question for everyone......



If that pic was a bunch of crappie, everyone here would say how great eating they would be. So why is it different for someone to keep and eat bass if they were legally caught?



Bob G.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

U should see the fish cleaning station at Amistad on the weekends. I saw a 25lb bag in a net going to the cleaning station. But yet that lake is one of the Best lakes in the US. The Mexicans constantly pull fish out of that lake.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

I only counted 100??

Fisherman never tell the truth...

BF

 

[Steve Rizza]

I agree with Bryan. If it IS within the legal creel limit, then no harm, no foul. While I mostly practice catch and release, I have been known to go in the early spring and load up the "deadwell" with a combination of Bass, Walleye, Perch, and 'Gills.

All the fish are filleted and frozen in meal sized packs. Untill the fish in the freezer is all gone,it's back to catch and release again.



Is there a difference between me keeping 50 perch in the spring to last all year, and keeping 5 each trip for 10 trips?? (about 5 will feed my family)



As long as you are within what the law allows.......eat 'em up. Fish are actually good to eat.



Here's my half of a two man meat trip this spring. We had the livewell packed full of ice and fish. I still have one or two meals of fillets left in the freezer,and they will be gone soon.

 

[Ken Neeley]

The thing that get's me is whether or not there is a possession violation.



I have no problem with people keeping their legal limit of anything to eat.....I have munched on a cold-water smallie or two myself.

 

[Pat Goff]

I guided on Toldedo Bend when the limit was 15 per person, and most days brought in 45 fish to the cleaning table. 2 Anglers + Guide. If you didn't bring them in, it was only on the fisherman's request.



If you haven't been there, you cannot understand what a fishery it really is. Little tough with most of the grass gone right now, but the fish are still there.



And the biologists will tell you after a study, there's more bass in the lake now than ever.