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Catch & release or keep? 2024


fishing user avatarFendercaster reply : 

I've been bass fishing since the mid '70's. I joined B.A.S.S. back then and for the last 30 years, catch and release all bass has been pounded into my head. Until the 1st of this year, I lived in Maryland and threw ALL bass back. Since I've moved to Georgia, I've hooked up (no pun intended) with a fishing buddy who keeps a good number of the bass he catches. I've really got mixed feelings about this. I know he eats them and doesn't waste the fish, but do any of y'all also keep bass to eat? I know bass are more plentiful down here and grow larger than in Maryland, but is catch and release still the general rule? If I want to catch fish to eat, I'll go catfishing, I personally prefer to release bass.

Thanks for your responses.


fishing user avatartallydude reply : 

I never keep bass. There are too many fish out there that taste better. Besides, how could I kill something that gives me that much fun?


fishing user avatarBassin69 reply : 

I always release...

:'( don't have the heart to kill a bass


fishing user avatarcajun1977. reply : 

i also fish with some who keep bass...but only when we are in their boat, in my boat the rules are simple no keeping fish


fishing user avatarLow_Budget_Hooker reply : 

I have a hard time keeping respect for those that keep bass unless it is out of necessity.  I know it's harsh but it's how I feel.

BTW- Rainbow trout, farm raised, $3.59/lb and actually tastes good too.


fishing user avatarRaul reply : 

C&R is a not a rule, C&R is a choice.

I don 't keep bass for the table but I have no problem nor mixed feelings if someone fishing with me decides to keep the bass he caught as long as he keeps a limit. If I want to eat fish I just go and purchase hatchery raised fish.


fishing user avatarmattm reply : 

I know i'm new in here, and this is kind of a sticky subject but is it a big deal if some people are keeping fish.  I always catch and release everything(have never kept a one).  However we all agree that some bass need to be taken.  If we all fished liked most of us do wouldn't everything become over populated.  I also understand that if he's keeping anything larger than say 3.5 thats probably not good, and unacceptable in my book.  To me if people want to go and keep the small ones they catch that is good.  Mainly b/c I have no interest in taking them home and cleaning them.  So basically the guy that keeps all his small ones is doing several peoples part of selected harvest.  Also I believe that Georgia Fish and Game would step in and set limits if there was a problem.


fishing user avatarDavid P reply : 

Every time people that aren't bass fishers find out I release all my fish, they think I'm crazy and ask why.

I don't see why it's such a big shock...

There's 100 other types of fish that are easier to catch, cheaper to catch (in many cases), and taste better.

I fish for sport, I love the enjoyment of catching a big bass and having that crazy fight and anticipation upon seeing it surface.

I then thank the fish by releasing the fish , and maybe i'll catch'm again but 10lbs bigger!

Only time I'd ever keep a bass is if I rip a gill, or the fish is for sure going to die. Thank god this has never happened to me, and fingers crossed, it never will.


fishing user avataralhuff reply : 

I don't keep bass but my dad does when we go fishing together, he keeps them to eat.

It really only bugs me when people keep the large bass, smaller ones need to be thined out, but only a few, not everyone you catch.  

My dad always taught us that if you are not going to eat what you kill then don't kill it, as long as then person keeping the fish is going to eat it then thats ok.

My 2cents,

Alfred


fishing user avatarguest reply : 

I wouldn't let my budies desire to keep and eat bass get between us.

If he's keeping shorts, or exceeding the limit, then it's a different story, but the guy is eating them.

Obviously he thinks they taste........well, good enough to eat  8-)

Without being preachy, I would take some opportunities to try and educate him to the value of C&R.  Especially when it comes to big bass.


fishing user avatarmoloch16 reply : 

In general I don't like killing animals, and I especially don't like cleaning animals to eat :)  However keeping some bass is not a big deal.  Bass reproduce readily enough.  In fact taking some of the smaller ones is a good idea in most waters.  Killing a lunker just doesn't make sense though, for obvious reasons.


fishing user avatarDavid P reply : 

The thing that really gets to me, is when I'm fishing at a dock with another person or even a few other people, and I'm the only one catching bass, they always see me release them, and ask if they can have the next one..

 It puts me in an awkward position, I always say no, but I'm a nice guy and dont' want people to think i'm an a-hole..

To me, if I was going to keep fish, it takes away the fun if you dont' catch it yourself..

Does this happen to you guys when fishing around others?


fishing user avatarSam reply : 

The only time I have heard that you should remove the fish from the water is when the lake or pond is overrun with small bass and there is not enough food for the rest of the population.

Otherwise, ALL freshwater fish are thrown back.

I only eat saltwater fish.  

Leading the list is redfish, then speckled trout, bluefish, gaftop catfish and salmon.

If you want to catch them again, you just got to throw them back.


fishing user avatarCigarlover 1 reply : 

I fish for Bass for the sport of it. I release any Bass I catch. If I'm hungry I'll fish for Crappie.  ;) Like Avid said maybe try to educate him a little on what it can do to the place you fish if a lot of people are keeping fish like him. Especially if your fishing a small pond or something.


fishing user avatarnra4life reply : 

i dont keep bass very often either.  If i want to eat something, ill take a half hour and fish for crappies and bluegills


fishing user avatarCatt reply : 

It's all depends on the body of water selective harvesting is necessary on certain bodies of water other wise you are doing more harm than good. On my home lake of Toledo Bend you could not do any damage to the bass population by keeping a legal limit of 8 bass over 14. Even during peak fishing times like pre-spawn, Memorial Day, Labor Day, & the week of the 4th of July there is not enough pressure to harm this lake.  


fishing user avatarjdw174 reply : 

I agree with most of you.  I'd feel like a cannibal eating a bass.  Just the way it is.  If I want to eat fish there isn't an eatery around this neck of the woods that doesn't serve up a dandy southern-fried catfish dinner :)  Or I could just go and fish for shellcrackers/bluegill/crappie.  If you want to see something that brings tears to your eyes you should hit some of the resorts around here in the spring and see what goes on the table in the fish cleaning shacks.  If it's legal it gets killed.  I've seen far too many 5+ LM go under the fillet knife :-[   Once I saw a couple of old-timers come in as I was launching.  They wanted to show me their fish.  They had two limits of 4lb smallies they were gonna eat.   :-/  Darn near put me in tears......


fishing user avatarjomatty reply : 

i fully understand what you guys are saying about c&r and personally practice it 100% of the time (actually that is not true i have kept one bass in the last 3 years when my son and i struck out crappie fishing and he had been promised a fish fry on a camping trip), but i think sometimes people do not draw the line between keeping and eating a 14 inch fish and a large bass.  very few healthy fisheries do not have and abundance of smaller fish, and if someone wants to eat some then i think that is fine.  it bothers me much more when folks kill a big one for any reason, be it to eat or for a skin mount.  i know some folks seem to think that c&r is the rule except for that once in a lifetime monster, and i think that is a lot worse than routinely keeping a limit of smaller fish.  if it is legal than i wouldnt say anything but thats how i feel anyways.

tbh i think i could do a service to a number of places i fish by keeping bass but i just dont do it, mainly because i dont want to deal with it.  call me a wimp but it is a pain to clean fish and take em home to eat.  if im camping and go crappie fishing it is a different story but i just dont have the time and energy to deal with a bunch of fish cleaning and whatnot.

matt


fishing user avatarGarnet reply : 

C&R has went to far. Theres several generation that believe anything but catch and release is bad.

On most lakes bass would not be the specie I chosse to catch and consume but I have and will continue on certain lakes.

Nobody should feel bad about selective harvest.

Garnet


fishing user avatartelecaster reply : 

I allways release bass,not that I have a problem with keeping them to eat,I just dont care for it as food.I'll keep catfish and trout,other fish for table fare.


fishing user avatarsnapperd1 reply : 

I have no problem with either point of view.  I release most bass I catch, but have no problem with someone that wants to keep a legally caught fish.  Now tuna fish watch out I will keep any legal ones I can.  I however have a problem with all the people that keep the 5+ bass to have them weight in the throw the fish in the dumpster.  Kill to get a citation is crazy in my book.  Killing to get a wall mount is crazy, when most taxidermists can do a fiberglass replica with some good pictures and measurements.

TD


fishing user avatar-badhabit- reply : 

The only fish that are allowed to be kept anywhere around me are ones that may have swallowed the hook and are bleeding. It does happen once in a while :( I don't eat any type of fish or seafood myself anyway.....(beef & pork only for me...... no yardbird either).

When I was a guide in the 80's I had to allow the customers to keep one fish if they desired by my employers rules and sometimes it broke my heart because of my love for the sport. Big fish spawn big fish. I have only had two fish mounted and that was over 20 yrs ago (11 3/4 & 12 1/2).

I do hope that if someone does keep fish that they choose to keep only fish 1 lb - 3 lb so that the larger fish will multiply for their children's children to enjoy just as they have. Now that bass fishing has become "cool" and the sport has grown so rapidly it has had a negative effect on the bass population in the more high pressured lakes/rivers. As someone who has fished only for bass for close to three decades I have noticed the decline in the bass population first hand here in FL.

A picture with a nice frame is much cheaper than a mounted fish and gets a lot more respect from me.

"A picture can be worth thousands of baby bass in the future!"

just my .02 :)


fishing user avatargrimlin reply : 
  Quote
The thing that really gets to me, is when I'm fishing at a dock with another person or even a few other people, and I'm the only one catching bass, they always see me release them, and ask if they can have the next one..

 It puts me in an awkward position, I always say no, but I'm a nice guy and dont' want people to think i'm an a-hole..

To me, if I was going to keep fish, it takes away the fun if you dont' catch it yourself..

Does this happen to you guys when fishing around others?

yeah i got the same problem...you know what i usally do? Leave.....sadly enough.I'll go to another fishing spot away from everybody.This is why i like fishing alone.The lake i fish everybody seems to keep everything they catch and i can't figure out why.


fishing user avatarguest reply : 
  Quote
The thing that really gets to me, is when I'm fishing at a dock with another person or even a few other people, and I'm the only one catching bass, they always see me release them, and ask if they can have the next one..

 It puts me in an awkward position, I always say no, but I'm a nice guy and dont' want people to think i'm an a-hole..

To me, if I was going to keep fish, it takes away the fun if you dont' catch it yourself..

Does this happen to you guys when fishing around others?

Absolutely.

It has happened to me on a number of occasions over the years and yes it is very awkward.

I have a few places where I fish alongside of poor folk.  I'm talking cane poles and straw hats.  I will always share a few eatin' size fish with them.

Other than that, like you I just say "nah, I'm just here to keep in shape for a big tournament that's coming up.  It's bad luck if I keep any fish"  Then I just start yammerin away about all my superstitions.   They sorta look at me funny as they slowly take backwards steps.  

Works like a charm  


fishing user avatarFish Chris reply : 

Catch and Release is generally a good thing. Problem is, in many cases, people have just taken it too far, releasing small fish back into places that already have "too many small fish" and not enough food and space.

Selective Harvest takes it to the next level, although this requires much more thought, and knowledge of each particular body of water in question, as every fishery is different. Just to simply things a bit; If you go to a lake and always catch lots of small fish, but rarely catch (or hear of any) big ones, this lake would likely be a good candidate for Selective Harvest. On the other hand, if you know of a lake where numbers of smaller fish are tough to catch, but every now and again, it kicks out a hawg, it's probably best to C/R from this place {and to send me a PM with directions, and spots ;-)}

BTW, I believe that C/R and / or Selective Harvest, are a good thing (which I practice) for ALL sportfish, not just bass.

Peace,

Fish


fishing user avatardickenscpa reply : 

I'll throw my hat in the ring. I C&R 100% of the time myself because I'm purely into the sport side of fishing. I also take the barbs off almost all my hooks. For two reasons 1) I had a boss I used to go fishing with while in high school and it was easy on the fish and easy to unhook and 2) I'm casting in a boat with a 4 yr old casting too and if either of us get hooked it's easier on my son. I may lose a few fish but 80% of the fun to me is just being out there on the water and spending time with my son.

I love eating fish, but prefer farm raised fish's taste as opposed to local lakes and rivers. Plus I'm too lazy to clean them when Kroger is 4 miles down the road. I'm not too crazy about the taste of bass anyway, especially big bass. I don't however have a problem with someone who keeps fish to actually eat as long as it's done legally. I don't know anyone personally though that actually catch bass to eat.

Now I do crave the taste of deer and it's not something you can go down the road and buy at the supermarket. In Tennessee it's illegal to sell deer meat. I love to bow hunt. I'm not real successful (LOL!) but the president of my company will throw me some scraps every now and then. LOL!


fishing user avatargrimlin reply : 
  Quote
  Quote
The thing that really gets to me, is when I'm fishing at a dock with another person or even a few other people, and I'm the only one catching bass, they always see me release them, and ask if they can have the next one..

 It puts me in an awkward position, I always say no, but I'm a nice guy and dont' want people to think i'm an a-hole..

To me, if I was going to keep fish, it takes away the fun if you dont' catch it yourself..

Does this happen to you guys when fishing around others?

Absolutely.

It has happened to me on a number of occasions over the years and yes it is very awkward.

I have a few places where I fish alongside of poor folk.  I'm talking cane poles and straw hats.  I will always share a few eatin' size fish with them.

Other than that, like you I just say "nah, I'm just here to keep in shape for a big tournament that's coming up.  It's bad luck if I keep any fish"  Then I just start yammerin away about all my superstitions.   They sorta look at me funny as they slowly take backwards steps.  

Works like a charm  

;D I'm gonna try that next time,although it's gonna require me to tell a white lie about fishing tournaments since i don't fish tournaments.But who cares.


fishing user avatar-t0pwater.fish#n- reply : 

always catch and release for me, bass do not taste too great, blue gill is supposed to taste amazing when fried


fishing user avatarCatt reply : 

Ill cook y'all some bass and I promise not only will you love it,

You will not want to eat any other fish ever.  ;)


fishing user avatar-badhabit- reply : 
  Quote
Ill cook y'all some bass and I promise not only will you love it,

You will not want to eat any other fish ever. ;)

If you got the fish fishing in my boat you would need all of that nutrition to re-coop from that long swim and even longer walk back with the fish to your truck ;D ;D


fishing user avatarCatt reply : 
  Quote
  Quote
Ill cook y'all some bass and I promise not only will you love it,

You will not want to eat any other fish ever. ;)

If you got the fish fishing in my boat you would need all of that nutrition to re-coop from that long swim and even longer walk back with the fish to your truck ;D ;D

Yea but you'd still love the fish I cook  ;)


fishing user avatar-badhabit- reply :  :)
fishing user avataramfyoyo1 reply : 
  Quote
I never keep bass. There are too many fish out there that taste better.quote]

Going against the trend of this thread.

You must not know how to fix a bass for excellent eating. I have cooked almost every land locked game fish in the US. I rank Bass in the top 5.

I don't keep the big ones but to never "keep bass" is narrow minded. You end up over populating your water and stunting their growth. Looking down on someone that does keep a catch for the enjoyment of their family is self-centered.

Pursuit of happiness. I'm happy eating a great meal that God gives me.


fishing user avatarGatorBK reply : 

I keep them in overpopulated ponds but I let the big healthy females go ,  People have questioned my keeping of bass,  but when they look like this one I caught yesterday I feel justified in keeping them , Its a sad thing when bass get overpopulated

Thsi is the result of a catch and release only pond after several years

54bzps4.jpg


fishing user avatarFish Chris reply : 

Hey amfyoyo1, I mostly agree. Of course, just to reiterate; Every fishery is different. Their are certainly places with high recruitment, which are subject to over population, and what's cool is, these are the places where a good meal is much easier to catch anyway :-) Nice how that works, huh ?

But then their are places (unfortunately, not enough of them, cuz these are the places with HAWGS !) with low recruitment, where it is probably detrimental to keep any bass.

I know it's human nature to try to over simplify things, but fisheries are just too dynamic, and variable, from one to the next, to make any broad rules, like "100% C/R", or "catch and kill a limit every time" that will cover all lakes.

If a guy is truly concerned with the fish in his waters, he will study that fishery, and follow specific practices, that will help that particular fishery the most.

Peace,

Fish


fishing user avatartallydude reply : 
  Quote
  Quote
I never keep bass. There are too many fish out there that taste better.quote]

Going against the trend of this thread.

You must not know how to fix a bass for excellent eating. I have cooked almost every land locked game fish in the US. I rank Bass in the top 5.

I don't keep the big ones but to never "keep bass" is narrow minded. You end up over populating your water and stunting their growth. Looking down on someone that does keep a catch for the enjoyment of their family is self-centered.

Pursuit of happiness. I'm happy eating a great meal that God gives me.

Clearly you've never had my cooking. ;) But I'm not landlocked- I have the bounty of the ocean ahead of me. Bass cannot compare to dolphin, yellow tail snapper, grouper, or fresh tuna. Aside from that, I'm not keeping ANY of the fish from the freshwater here in South Florida :'(.


fishing user avatarFish Chris reply : 

I hear ya' West Palm Dude ! Can't wait for some fresh grilled Tuna, and some Halibut sandwiches :-)

Oh, and hey you guys, when WPD said "Dolphin", he wasn't talking about "Flipper" :-)

Yes WPD, Mahi Mahi is awesome on the grill too !

Peace,

Fish


fishing user avatargreentrout reply : 
  Quote
The only fish that are allowed to be kept anywhere around me are ones that may have swallowed the hook and are bleeding. It does happen once in a while :( I don't eat any type of fish or seafood myself anyway.....(beef & pork only for me...... no yardbird either).

When I was a guide in the 80's I had to allow the customers to keep one fish if they desired by my employers rules and sometimes it broke my heart because of my love for the sport. Big fish spawn big fish. I have only had two fish mounted and that was over 20 yrs ago (11 3/4 & 12 1/2).

I do hope that if someone does keep fish that they choose to keep only fish 1 lb - 3 lb so that the larger fish will multiply for their children's children to enjoy just as they have. Now that bass fishing has become "cool" and the sport has grown so rapidly it has had a negative effect on the bass population in the more high pressured lakes/rivers. As someone who has fished only for bass for close to three decades I have noticed the decline in the bass population first hand here in FL.

A picture with a nice frame is much cheaper than a mounted fish and gets a lot more respect from me.

"A picture can be worth thousands of baby bass in the future!"

just my .02 :)

thanks for the honesty about what you believe to be the decline of the bass population in florida. i've got my thoughts of why but it's interesting to hear from someone who is there, been there and done that, and sees first hand what is going on. sounds like florida is not the mecca some think it is for the bass. good fishing to all.


fishing user avataramfyoyo1 reply : 


fishing user avatarJRL reply : 

I practice C&R all the time.

I have no problem with people keeping smaller fish.  Like 1 or 2 pounders.  

Anyone who questions weather C&R works can look at Stick Marsh.  Its not a big lake, everything gets released, and its loaded with 10 pounders.    

What I would like to see is size limits imposed similar to other game fish like snook, grouper, redfish, etc... (to protect breeders).  Like no harvesting during the spawn.  And all fish over 3lbs are to be released.


fishing user avatarjacksize reply : 

i have only kept 1 because i was begged to. i release because i'm out there for the fight and the chance for bragging rights with my buddies. (curretnly i do have the right) my personal opinion is to each their own. down here in so. florida water is more than plentiful. (compare to vegas where i moved from) the amount of bass is incredible. for those who fillet & release in public lakes, hope they like the taste cause most of the waters i would not swim in. i do have a real big complaint when it comes to private lakes. i'm thankful and is fortunate to be allowed to fish in a few private communities.  shame on the ones that take from these lakes. one, you are disrespectful and two, it only takes one  >:(@^&%*()&^% to ruin it for everyone. hope they get a hook up their @*(%^.  >:(


fishing user avatarguest reply : 
  Quote
As someone who has fished only for bass for close to three decades I have noticed the decline in the bass population first hand here in FL

I'm not going to dispute your personal observations, but if you look at the tournament bag weights they have actually gone up n recent years.

I think sometimes us older guys look back at the "good ole days".  I know I do.  

I also don't believe that harvesting bass is the reason for any declines you may be seeing.

First off, all lakes have their cycles.  They are better some years than others.

Second.  Surveys of top bass locations in the country, continue to name several Florida locations at the top of every list I have seen.

Third.  The impact of the '04 hurricanes was devastating to alot of fisheries.

The famed stick marsh, which is strictly C&R for bass lost all it's hydrilla and has yet to recover.

5th The current drought is also having a severe impact in some areas.

6th.  I think Florida has one of the better F&W departments in the country.  Keep in mind they have a very difficult task balancing the demands of the fresh water guys and those of the salt.  The okeechobee release practices are always controversial.  But they are on top of the game.  Slot limits and ID'ing declining species like the goliath grouper are good things.

Lastly, I think it's fine that you have rules for fishing on your boat.  We all do.

I just think it's a mistake to assume that C&R is the answer in every situation.


fishing user avatarflyphisher # reply : 

Avid, good question....should be interesting if he responds......especially the entertaining conspiracy theories involving DNR and such ;D ;D


fishing user avatarGeorge Welcome reply : 

Opinions are like your butt - everyone has one, and everyone thinks everybody elses stinks. When you become dogmatic with your opinion you become the butt.

I've been fishing in Florida for the last 5 decades and I have only seen collosal improvements.

The hydrilla is missing from the Stick Marsh, but the bass are still there!

My boat is and always has been C&R. What you do on your boat within the law is your business and I have no right to think otherwise.


fishing user avataryoungangler13 reply : 

some times when i lived in virginia u would keep bass but rarely. if we wanted fish we went down to the trout farm and paid 2 dollers a fish that we caught to eat


fishing user avatarLightninrod reply : 

Catch, photo, and release for me too except for the dinks in two ponds that the owners want removed.

Years ago, we ate Bass and they were fine tasting but I skinned them instead of scaling them.  Getting rid of the oily skin frees up the taste of the flesh.

Dan


fishing user avatarfishingfourfun reply : 

I personally practice C&R.  However, I do belive people have a lawful right to eat their catch within lawful limits. Most bass fisherman aren't buying a 30K boat to keep their fish.  It would be far mar economical to buy fish!


fishing user avatarroadwarrior reply : 

Hmm... got me thinking...

I've shot a lot of dove over the years...probably got that down to under $10 per ounce

Pheasant...$100 per pound. Well, if you count the whiskey  ::)... no way...

Ducks...I've killed my fair share...$200/lb

Goose...$500/lb

Deer...$200-300/ lb

Bass (eaten as an adult)...$1000/lb...Nah, way more than that.


fishing user avatarPondBoss reply : 

Personally I agree with a lot of you in the case of keeping a few fish to help thin out the small ones.  Personally I don't keep fish just because I don't want to clean them but I do get rid of fish in some of the ponds that I fish.  If you're catching a bunch of dinks give the coons some food.  The only big fish you should ever take out of a body of water should be to put on your wall.  And with the technology they have today a good taxidermist can make you one that looks even better than the real deal if you want.  


fishing user avatarGlenn reply : 

Education is the key here.  There's a lot of misconceptions thrown around here.  For instance, 100% C&R, while noble, is actually much more detrimental to a fishery than sound selective harvest practices.

I HIGHLY encourage everyone here to read through the articles here on BassResource.com and overcome the emotions associated with harvesting a fish.

Replace your opinions with sound, scientific facts so that you can better arm yourself for debates such as these in the future.

Besides, the better educated we are about lake management, the better off the fish will be!  :D

Glenn


fishing user avatar-badhabit- reply : 
  Quote
  Quote
As someone who has fished only for bass for close to three decades I have noticed the decline in the bass population first hand here in FL

I'm not going to dispute your personal observations, but if you look at the tournament bag weights they have actually gone up n recent years.

I think sometimes us older guys look back at the "good ole days". I know I do.

I also don't believe that harvesting bass is the reason for any declines you may be seeing.

First off, all lakes have their cycles. They are better some years than others.

Second. Surveys of top bass locations in the country, continue to name several Florida locations at the top of every list I have seen.

Third. The impact of the '04 hurricanes was devastating to alot of fisheries.

The famed stick marsh, which is strictly C&R for bass lost all it's hydrilla and has yet to recover.

5th The current drought is also having a severe impact in some areas.

6th. I think Florida has one of the better F&W departments in the country. Keep in mind they have a very difficult task balancing the demands of the fresh water guys and those of the salt. The okeechobee release practices are always controversial. But they are on top of the game. Slot limits and ID'ing declining species like the goliath grouper are good things.

Lastly, I think it's fine that you have rules for fishing on your boat. We all do.

I just think it's a mistake to assume that C&R is the answer in every situation.

You are right about the FWC being one of the best there is.

As an ex-guide, newspaper columnist, and a person that has studied bass populations in central FL lakes for a lonnggggg time. I have seen changes. I have been out shocking fish and testing water several times with Sam McKinney (Regional Director & Biologist) of the FWC on the Clermont Chain, Harris Chain, Kissimmee Chain, & St. John's River. I have also been involved with them on studying local fish kills on smaller lakes in the area. My best friend Wayne that you may know as Tennsopher here studied Marine Biology at the University of Tennessee for years also.

NorthEast Region Headquarters (DFFM)

1239 S.W. 10th Street

Ocala, FL 34474-2797

Phone: 352/732-1225

Fax: 352/732-1391

Manager: Mr. Sam McKinney

Email: samuel.mckinney@MyFWC.com

I'm not saying that fishing pressure is the main reason for all of the decline because most lakes are doing fine - excelent. It does have an effect on the trophy size fish on the more pressured lakes.

When the water gets low like it is now the concentration of non-native chemicals becomes more concentrated and has an effect of marine health, growth patterns, & vegetation problems. Like fertilizer, pesticides, detergents, oil, & gas runoff from over development of our lakefronts. Also just about every lakefront home has to have a pvc pipe run into the lake to pump water on their lawn to help with the runoff problems and lower the lakes water levels faster than nature. Boat fuel & oil spills/leaks don't help either. So I would say over population of people is our #1 problem, not nature.

Also the batteries dumped along transit routes by barges years ago have the mercury levels in some rivers and lakes sky high.

I do know a little about the subject and will never claim to be an expert on it. But I have paid my dues to our sport. Results speak for themselves and you would be hard pressed to find more than a few people here that catch very many more big fish on a regular year-round basis than I do.

I wish you only the best and our bass populations even more,

Dave




10681

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