Fish Thieves

[BocaGrande]

So I was doin some fishing yesterday at a small private lake. The lake is surrounded by houses, 1 of them my familys, and only has 1 small public access spot from the bank. My father-in-law told me that 2 days ago 2 guys were fishin from that spot and catching some nice bass. Problem is.. they weren't throwing them back!

He said they were some decent sized fish too. So some of the neighbors went over there to tell these guys it's catch and release only. The 2 guys said "oh okay, yeah we're gonna let em go".. as the fish were Floppin around in their coolers. After that, the neighbors were watching them and again, hooked a bass and threw it in the cooler! So the neighbors ran down there and the 2 guys took off! 1 neighbor got the vehicle info, so hopefully these guys get caught. I can't staND people like this! People pay to stock that pond and treat the water etc. Just makes me mad!

[d-camarena]

I have a friend that i sometimes go fishing with, we live in austin texas but he is not from around here. He always keeps any fish he catches, ive told him plenty times that i catch and release only buthe still keeps the ones he catches. One time he kept a 7lber and I havent gone fishing with him since

[BocaGrande]

Come on! 7lbs?? Not cool :/

[Senko lover]

To each his own.

Obviously, if it's illegal to keep fish, than illegal activity should not continue.

But, some people don't see catch and release in the same light as we do.

To some people, fish = food.

In the end, people have been keeping fish for decades, and the bass are still here.

[Lunker Addict]

I used to fish a private lake when I was younger. The gentleman that owned the property would let people fish it as long as they promised to catch and release only. One day he caught a family taking a cooler full of fish out with them. To this day he will not let anybody fish that lake and that was at least 15 years ago. I wish people would just respect the rules.

[Abuss55]

I have several family members/friends that live on or have private lakes and the are kind enough to let me fish there and I have never kept a bass out of there simply out of respect for them; I do not pay to put the fish in that lake and therefore have no business taking them out. I have become pretty good friends with one of the board members there who I talked into having a kid tournament at one of the larger subdivision lakes which was pretty cool and he has spoken with board members at the other subdivisions and they are trying to organize kid tournaments with their combined lakes. I am right there with you and these people are the reason why residents got concerened when they saw me fishing at those ponds/lakes a few years ago.

[Master Bait'r]

If they're keeping bass they're pretty much an idiot anyways, so there probably won't be any talking them out of it. 

 

 

 

Ugh, who actually wants to eat LMB anyways- especially big gnarly old ones??  Yuck.  Enjoy the mercury and parasites, bro.  

[garvin]

To each his own.

Obviously, if it's illegal to keep fish, than illegal activity should not continue.

But, some people don't see catch and release in the same light as we do.

To some people, fish = food.

In the end, people have been keeping fish for decades, and the bass are still here.

The problem with fishing today as a recreational activity is decades ago, there was a much bigger fish to angler proportion. Today, less fish habitat due to development and a human population that's blowing up at a scary exponential rate has brought that proportion down quite a bit. If you have 100 apples and 5 people, there's lots of apples to go around. If you have 100 apples and 1,000 people, well... someone's not getting any apples.

[BocaGrande]

Ugh, who actually wants to eat LMB anyways- especially big gnarly old ones?? Yuck. Enjoy the mercury and parasites, bro.

That's what I'm sayin too. Gross!

In the wise words of Bruce the shark "fish are friends, not food" ... well. . Some fish

[Brnnoser6983]

If it's illegal it's wrong. But if there isn't a limit/regulations what are you going to do.

Every person has their passion and for us it's fishing. We take catch and release serious to preserve our passion. Others may not feel the same about fishing. You can only hope to educate those who do not know and report illegal activity to preserve the sport.

[Thornback]

I have no problem with anyone keeping legal size bass to eat. I release all the ones I catch. Years ago there was a drawdown at the impoundment near me and fishing was allowed on the old river that had been submerged. I didn't want to fish during the drawdown because it was just too darn crowded. The law was any LM bass caught during the drawdown had to be immediately released. I paid a visit to the ramp and there was a wildlife officer parked at the exit. I asked him if he was checking the leaving boats and he said he was. I asked him if he had caught anyone leaving with a LM bass and he said the day before he had caught two boats. People will try to cheat no matter the rules.

[the reel ess]

Just call DNR next time you see them. They'd love to pay a visit. Let them put a couple in the cooler first.

[BocaGrande]

Just call DNR next time you see them. They'd love to pay a visit. Let them put a couple in the cooler first.

Sorry for being such a noon but... what or who is the "DNR"?

[MIbassyaker]

Sorry for being such a noon but... what or who is the "DNR"?

 

The Department of Natural Resources for your state. It goes by a slightly different name and initials in different places, but it's the main public body that regulates fish and game in your state --they're the ones who make the rules and sell you the license.

[the reel ess]

Sorry for being such a noon but... what or who is the "DNR"?

I'm sorry too. What's a noon?

[BocaGrande]

I'm sorry too. What's a noon?

Hahaha noon is a time of day! And I'm on my phone, autocorrect stinks lol.

[Senko lover]

The problem with fishing today as a recreational activity is decades ago, there was a much bigger fish to angler proportion. Today, less fish habitat due to development and a human population that's blowing up at a scary exponential rate has brought that proportion down quite a bit. If you have 100 apples and 5 people, there's lots of apples to go around. If you have 100 apples and 1,000 people, well... someone's not getting any apples.

 

I will say, though, the saddest fishing memory I have is of my Grandpa, who taught me how to fish,

brought home his personal best, a 7 1/2 pounder, from the lake where he had caught it.

I remember watching it swim around a metal trash can. Even though I had been told not to touch it,

I leaned down and picked it up by the gills. I was so little, I couldn't lift it, but it was such a huge fish, I couldn't resist. I got in trouble for it later.

He wanted to eat it, but my Grandma was tired and didn't feel like filleting + frying it. So, what happened to that gorgeous bass? Grandpa cut it up and buried it in his tomato beds for fertilizer. The next morning, we discovered that neighborhood cats had dug up and eaten it.

7 years later, I caught one slightly bigger than that . It's still swimming around somewhere in that pond, eluding me. I've had her on once after that, but she shook the hook. I have every expectation of catching her again sometime in the future.

 

So, I do agree with you. I don't like the practice, but, that said, I think it's easy to be too far on the side of only C & R.

[CeeJay]

I will say, though, the saddest fishing memory I have is of my Grandpa, who taught me how to fish,

brought home his personal best, a 7 1/2 pounder, from the lake where he had caught it.

I remember watching it swim around a metal trash can. Even though I had been told not to touch it,

I leaned down and picked it up by the gills. I was so little, I couldn't lift it, but it was such a huge fish, I couldn't resist. I got in trouble for it later.

He wanted to eat it, but my Grandma was tired and didn't feel like filleting + frying it. So, what happened to that gorgeous bass? Grandpa cut it up and buried it in his tomato beds for fertilizer. The next morning, we discovered that neighborhood cats had dug up and eaten it.

7 years later, I caught one slightly bigger than that . It's still swimming around somewhere in that pond, eluding me. I've had her on once after that, but she shook the hook. I have every expectation of catching her again sometime in the future.

 

So, I do agree with you. I don't like the practice, but, that said, I think it's easy to be too far on the side of only C & R.

 

Yeah I have no problem with people eating the fish they catch, even bass.  Not my thing at all, I'm a die hard catch and release angler, but I definitely wouldn't call someone out for eating their legally caught fish. 

But I think the OP implied that the particular lake was private and C&R only...so basically the "anglers" who caught those bass were poachers, which definitely isn't cool.

[the reel ess]

I will say, though, the saddest fishing memory I have is of my Grandpa, who taught me how to fish,

brought home his personal best, a 7 1/2 pounder, from the lake where he had caught it.

I remember watching it swim around a metal trash can. Even though I had been told not to touch it,

I leaned down and picked it up by the gills. I was so little, I couldn't lift it, but it was such a huge fish, I couldn't resist. I got in trouble for it later.

He wanted to eat it, but my Grandma was tired and didn't feel like filleting + frying it. So, what happened to that gorgeous bass? Grandpa cut it up and buried it in his tomato beds for fertilizer. The next morning, we discovered that neighborhood cats had dug up and eaten it.

7 years later, I caught one slightly bigger than that . It's still swimming around somewhere in that pond, eluding me. I've had her on once after that, but she shook the hook. I have every expectation of catching her again sometime in the future.

 

So, I do agree with you. I don't like the practice, but, that said, I think it's easy to be too far on the side of only C & R.

The Older generation just didn't get conservation. The original bucket brigade. My dad, probably near the same age as your grandpa, wouldn't dream of throwing back a bass over 5 lbs. He always said as few good bass as he caught he was no threat to the population. He had one in the freezer for mounting once at the lake and the power went out. Had to toss it.

[BocaGrande]

I'm sorry too. What's a noon?

And to answer your question, "noob" is what I was going for lol

[BocaGrande]

Idk guys, I just have an attachment to the bass. I'm not a hunter, I feel bad even hooking them sometimes... but that just me, I'm a softie!

[wytstang]

I have zero issue with any one taking any legal fish home to eat no matter the size. But when it's illegal they need to be held accountable.

[SirSnookalot]

Hahaha noon is a time of day! And I'm on my phone, autocorrect stinks lol.

Settings-my device-language and input-keyboard-turn off predictive text.  Some sites have built in autocorrect and can't alter your text.

 

I'm C & R release myself, here in Florida there are a lot of bass so I'm not bothered if someone chooses to take their legal fish home. 

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I think this would be a no tresspasiing issue with theft involved.if its private if its public and yall buy fish to put in it aint much can be done if they are following the law.catch and release is a individuals right but so is keeping legalfish

[Kevin22]

Its private waters so if they say you cant keep them then you cant keep them. DNR wouldnt have any jurisdiction, it would be theft so the local PD or sheriff would have to be called.

With that being said, C&R only is not good for most fisheries. I fish ponds and lakes that are c&r only for bass. Guess what happens? People take the panfish and leave the bass... So its full of thousands of skinny 10-12" bass and very few bigger than that.

Most people thing their good lakes are due to bass fisherman releasing their fish, but i say its due to people taking out the eaters and reducing the number of hungry mouthes.

My local Iowa lakes have went to poop since the DNR went to 15" minimum instead of 12". Now people cant keep the 12-14" eaters and have to keep the breeders. Most lakes are to where you can catch all the 12" bass you want and maybe 1/100 are over 15".