Saying No To The Bucket Fishermen

[tugsandpulls]

was fishing a small pond packed with bucket fishermen usually ( stocked trout) but fishing for bass i caught 2 they asked for them said no way there going back they were none too happy and i loved it

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Keep the two fish and throw them in the water. We'll be way ahead in the long run. lol

[tugsandpulls]

i did throw them back

[Diablos]

Yeah I never give fish in freshwater but I'll always give fish from the saltwater if there is a family around.

[MN_SONNEN_ANGLER]

i did throw them back

He meant the bucket fisherman.

[tomustang]

Okay..

[bigbill]

I will only take fish at times to feed my feral kittens that i find while fishing. People don't like it when i throw back the 2lb to 5lb bass. I seen some guys taking 3'' sunfish to eat. Tell them to get food stamps if its that bad.

[Marty]

I don't shore fish as much as I used to, but those requests always made me feel uncomfortable. That's just one of numerous reasons why I don't want any witnesses to what I catch, whether I'm on shore or on the water.

[telmomarques]

there is a park with a fishing dock, people know me very well because i always get bigger and lots of fish from there compared to other people.

them mexicans always asking me for my fish, i have seen them take a 6 inches striped bass, i reported to dnr. i hate those types of guys

[marinetech]

I will only take fish at times to feed my feral kittens that i find while fishing. People don't like it when i throw back the 2lb to 5lb bass. I seen some guys taking 3'' sunfish to eat. Tell them to get food stamps if its that bad.

I think thats pretty good of you to feed the kittens

[K_Mac]

The "bucket fisherman" who keep fish within the limits of the law have every right to do so. Not giving them your fish is completely reasonable, but condemning anyone for doing something that is legal to do, whether they are Latino, European, Asian, Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, just like you , or very different is a waste of energy. I once kept some small bluegill from a local lake to fry for my parents. It was all we could catch, and was the last time I had the chance to do it. If you would have told me to get food stamps instead of keeping legal fish, you would not have liked my response.

[pbrussell]

I've only been here for a short while, but I think I can say it with some level of authority.

Hasn't anyone learned that threads such as these are rarely productive?

[Jake P]

I went on tuesday after work and start catching on a 5" smoke pearl with purple flake senko. Immediatley after the first dink i caught and released this woman runs over with her son and starts grilling me on why i threw it back. I told her i dont keep fish unless i fish for crappie or catfish and i wasnt at the time. She told me not to throw it back and to call her over to give to her when i caught another one. I told her no, i fish for fun and i dont want to take away from the place i fish on a regular basis, even though i know it doesnt hurt at times.I just dont keep them. She looked at me like i was crazy and told me it wasnt fair to her. I asked her nicely to move on and stop talking. that did the trick.

I dont really mind others too much but when someone asks me for my fish and then continues to argue with me, thats when i get ticked off.

[tomustang]

I've only been here for a short while, but I think I can say it with some level of authority.

Hasn't anyone learned that threads such as these are rarely productive?

Oh they get productive alright, just depends which side of the fence the ball goes over

[ChiCityBasser]

I get asked why I throw fish back or can I have it all the time at one lake me and a buddy of mine fish. He gets the same thing and we both tell them no and get either conversations on "why" or looks of disgust from the people asking. We just simply explain that they don't stock this lake with bass and enough people take them out regardless to if they are legal or not and pretty soon if everyone took what they caught the lake would be just a bowl of water filled with bluegills. So no matter how many people ask we put them back legal or not but I agree its ur right to keep a legal fish but put the 6" bass back, please.

[Nice_Bass]

Bass are tasty fish- I keep one or two every once in a while from certain lakes.

[Bob C]

Bass are tasty fish- I keep one or two every once in a while from certain lakes.

I agree. The release everything sounds a little rediculous. I don't understand the big thrill of c&r. Catch and fry.

[Nice_Bass]

I agree. The release everything sounds a little rediculous. I don't understand the big thrill of c&r. Catch and fry.

It is good practice- but nothing wrong really with keeping a small but legal fish every once in a while. Usually if i see the fish is malnurished i may keep- chances are it has plastic in its belly.

[MN_SONNEN_ANGLER]

i agree its annoying when they ask but every once in awhile when i go out and just catch a few panfish and throw them in the livewell, i will offer them. if its no worth my time to clean the five sunnies and there are a couple people fishing from the launch not doing so well.

[grimlin]

I don't shore fish as much as I used to, but those requests always made me feel uncomfortable. That's just one of numerous reasons why I don't want any witnesses to what I catch, whether I'm on shore or on the water.

I Know how you feel BIG TIMES! I caught walleye last week and some guy comes running up to me and ask if he could have it. I was like "eeerrrr NO,they aren't in season yet brother" Mind you I was looking for crappies,so it was an unintentional catch on my part.

I remember when I first started fishing up here and started getting serious about Bass fishing....people would run up to me and ask for my catches....If I could release it back in the water fast enough before they approached me for it I kept fishing. But then I had people walk up to me and go "I want your next catch".....I got so sick of it to the point I faked "I have to go home,wife is calling me"......RUIN MY DAY! And it still does every time I get approached by them which is still to this day.

I fixed that problem by getting a kayak very soon this year. Now I can fish the backwaters where nobody can get to.

[SirSnookalot]

Is there a difference in keeping a few fish for feral kittens and helping someone in need? I have no problem in giving some fish to people that need it to feed their family, if they are that bad off I've been known to give them a cash donation. I don't really like being pestered either, but if it's a routine run of the mill fish I ask them if they want it.

I know this is a bass forum and people can debate c&r until they are blue in the face. Bass are fun to catch, and plentiful in Florida, enough to go around. I just can't put them on such an elevated plateau above all other fish or people for that matter.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There is nothing wrong with keeping of giving away the occasional legal fish. My annoyance is with the greedy that decimate fishing holes with blatant disregard for laws, regulations and sportsmanship

[grimlin]

Is there a difference in keeping a few fish for feral kittens and helping someone in need? I have no problem in giving some fish to people that need it to feed their family, if they are that bad off I've been known to give them a cash donation. I don't really like being pestered either, but if it's a routine run of the mill fish I ask them if they want it.

I know this is a bass forum and people can debate c&r until they are blue in the face. Bass are fun to catch, and plentiful in Florida, enough to go around. I just can't put them on such an elevated plateau above all other fish or people for that matter.

I agree,It's the beggars that bother me the most. More than not I'm willing to give one or two away to a gentleman that just makes conversation with me and says "nice catch" when I catch one. Yes I do work in "are you keeping any today?" If the reply is "only a couple for a small family fish fry tonight ." I'll gladly give him/her one or two nice catches. Show me some respect and I'll give it back.

[Spotswood]

Just recently I have witnessed the same thing on a small local river. Here in Manitoba, the spawning time period is completely closed to fishing, April 1 to the middle of may. But this year because of the early spring, the spawn hit during legal fishing times, and I saw many large female walleye just about to spawn being taken. And buckets full of the males. Many people just don't realize how big of an impact it can make.

[ww2farmer]

I have givin my fish to guys on the ice who were struggling for bites when I have had more than I know what to do with or I changed my mind and just don't want to clean fish that day. Talking panfish, bluegills for the most part, most people are really thankfull. Ice fishing was terrible this year, well not the fishing, but just the ice itself. We only had a few weeks of safe ice, and I am almost out of fish already. Looks like this is the year, when they are in season, that I keep some smaller bass for the fryer.