My Avatar explained

[Ray K]

I was contacted by a fellow member and asked why I didn't throw the three large bass (8, 9 & 10 lbs.) in my avatar back to give another angler the pleasure of catching them?  In case anyone else is wondering the same thing, that photo was taken after a tournament back in the mid 1970s.  Back then, most bass boats didn't have live wells and weigh ins were not set up for weigh-and-release.  I have been practicing catch-and-release for many years but, back then it was common to bring them home and filet them up.  The largest fish in the pic is on my wall the the other two along with the balance of the 10 bass limit went on the grill for friends to enjoy.  

[j bab]

Wow, nice fish!! I'm sorry that someone would go out of their way to condemn you, I think they were just jealous that they can't catch a bag that big...  

[Josh Smith]

Bass legally kept should never be condemned.

I generally release bass in public waters, but that is here and now, not the '70s or '80s. (I was born in '77 and don't recall a time of catch and keep.)

However, my wife and I caught and kept several of the largest bass we caught in a private pond. Only a couple others fish that pond and we need to keep it healthy. There are a few small bass that need room to grow in there.

This will be the first time in like 30 years I've eaten bass.

I personally believe that several waters today are suffering the "catch and release all bass" strategies from early in the understanding of that science.

Some bass must be culled from any healthy water to keep the population healthy.

Josh

[F14A-B]

Absolutely nothing wrong with keeping a Largemouth Bass or any kind of bass to harvest for dinner, whatever the weight.

I'm sorry you felt the need to explain..

Nice avatar.

[S. Sass]

1 minute ago, Alonerankin2 said:

Absolutely nothing wrong with keeping a Largemouth Bass or any kind of bass to harvest for dinner, whatever the weight.

I'm sorry you felt the need to explain..

Nice avatar.

Not according to the PC police. Seems the past 50 years we nearly made bass extinct the way some act over people keeping their legal catch.

Some even feel it's their right now days to put their selves in your business without being asked to tell you how you need to do your fishing. 

[Josh Smith]

Truth is, I'd likely keep more of them (and more walleye, too!) even in public waters if I didn't have to clean 'em.  I'm not a fan of cleaning any game.

Love to fish and hunt; hate to clean.

Regards,

Josh

[Ray K]

2 hours ago, j bab said:

Wow, nice fish!! I'm sorry that someone would go out of their way to condemn you, I think they were just jealous that they can't catch a bag that big...  

Well, at least he was not openly condemning me, just kind of between the lines, I guess.  I know there are many, many bass fisherman that are avidly opposed to taking bass out of the lakes.  I think it's sometimes good to remove some of the lunkers so the small guys can grow a little bigger.  Thanks for your thoughts.

1 hour ago, Alonerankin2 said:

Absolutely nothing wrong with keeping a Largemouth Bass or any kind of bass to harvest for dinner, whatever the weight.

I'm sorry you felt the need to explain..

Nice avatar.

I've got a pretty thick skin.  No worries. 

[Airman4754]

I have never kept bass but now that smallies are in all the lakes I fish and they all stunt at 10" and 2lbs I think I'm about to. 

The scolding of keeping fish outside of spring is silly anyways. Water can only hold so much biomass and the more predators you have the less/slower they grow. It doesn't have to be you, but someone needs to take some out of there. 

[d-camarena]

I hate it when im fishing and after i catch a fish people are questioning if im gonna keep it. I usually catch n release but it should be none of their buisness. Sometimes i keep em just to make them mad

[NYWayfarer]

I fish with my Father-in-law who is  used to salt water fishing. When I went to visit him we would catch fluke and flounder and eat our catch same day. Ocean to plate fresh.

Now that he lives up by me we go  smallmouth fishing and he kept one to try it. I told him it's not the best tasting fish as I am a trout man myself. Seems he developed a liking for the taste, go figure. Legal limit here in NY is five 12" smallmouth. We don't keep anything under 15" as a personal rule. That means 1 or 2 a trip. He is eating them so I don't have a problem with it.

Bottom line is no worries about your avatar. If Bass were endangered they would raise the limit to 50" to keep.

[OCdockskipper]

2 hours ago, d-camarena said:

. Sometimes i keep em just to make them mad

I think that may tick off the fish more than the people questioning you... 

[d-camarena]

Lol but they dont go to waste, they make good dinner. Those 14-18 inchers are tasty

[soflabasser]

Nice Avatar.Like others have said ,the person frowning upon your catches is most likely jealous of your success.That 10 pound bass that you caught +40 years ago is bigger than most people's pb down here,so whatever you are doing you are doing well.

[Ray K]

Speaking of eating bass, I sometimes BBQ them on the grill on aluminum foil and baste them with my favorite sauce. 

[Reel Guy]

Don't think this needs an explanation. If it's legal, whether now or back then, that's your business. No one needs to become the moral police for something they think is wrong. Certainly entitled to their opinion but perhaps should keep that to themselves. Not sure what this person's motive was in saying that, maybe just asking a question, I don't know. Same thing happened in the hunting industry when crossbows came out. People condemned those that use them claiming they are not 'real' bows. Well, they look real to me and if it's legal, go for it. You certainly have my blessings. Just my opinion. Let's just fish and encourage other to so the same and help them become better fishermen!

[ward131]

I think your answer should have been, None of your d**n Business!

[Josh Smith]

3 hours ago, Ray K said:

Speaking of eating bass, I sometimes BBQ them on the grill on aluminum foil and baste them with my favorite sauce. 

What sauce sauce do you use on fish? Every one I can think of seems like it would overpower the fish's taste.

Josh

3 hours ago, Reel Guy said:

Same thing happened in the hunting industry when crossbows came out. People condemned those that use them claiming they are not 'real' bows.

Didn't those come out the Second Century A.D.? You have a GREAT memory!

[everythingthatswims]

This photo was taken after a flurry of schooling fish in the winter during the mid 20-teens when my church janitor had asked for some fish. Most kayaks don't have live wells and it's hard for someone to eat a fish if it gets released. I practice catch and release 99% of the time on bass, but there is nothing wrong with that limit of 12-14" fat, cold water herring munchers.

 

[Ray K]

8 hours ago, Josh Smith said:

What sauce sauce do you use on fish? Every one I can think of seems like it would overpower the fish's taste.

Josh

I've used different bottled sauces over the years but a mild prepared one I can think of is tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce of varying amounts to suite your taste.  Baste lightly while grilling and be sure to spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray beforehand to keep the fillets from sticking.  You can also marinate the fillets in the sauce ahead of time.  Enjoy. 

8 hours ago, everythingthatswims said:

This photo was taken after a flurry of schooling fish in the winter during the mid 20-teens when my church janitor had asked for some fish. Most kayaks don't have live wells and it's hard for someone to eat a fish if it gets released. I practice catch and release 99% of the time on bass, but there is nothing wrong with that limit of 12-14" fat, cold water herring munchers.

 

MMmmm, perfect filleting size.

[Further North]

I'm 100% C&R...but it's because I'm allergic to fish...not because I think eating them is some kid of sin.

...actually...I lied.  If someone is with me who eats fish, they are welcome to what I catch....but the big ones go back in the water on my boat...you don't want to eat those anyway...

[dwh4784]

I'm with Josh Smith. It's why I can't stand fishing for Kokanee, yes they are delicious but I don't want to bring them home and deal with them.

That said, best fish I ever had was northern pike where the guy really knew what he was doing cleaning them. Two 6.5lbers fed the whole group, 7 guys or so and were amazing!

[fishblitzer]

 “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.”  - Matthew 4:19

 

 

[WRB]

Ambassaduer 5000 red reel, can't see the rod well enough to identify it.

Catch & Release started in B.A.S.S. Tournaments in the mid '70's and it has slowly evolved into a cult like following where any bass that is dead becomes a criminal act. I was trying to promote C & R back in the late 60's for trophy size bass because it was and is my belief giant size bass are extremely rare bass in the population.

Nice photo using the rod and reel to show size and artistic arrangement, a snap shot for the era and makes a good avatar.

Tom

[Ray K]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Ambassaduer 5000 red reel, can't see the rod well enough to identify it.

Catch & Release started in B.A.S.S. Tournaments in the mid '70's and it has slowly evolved into a cult like following where any bass that is dead becomes a criminal act. I was trying to promote C & R back in the late 60's for trophy size bass because it was and is my belief giant size bass are extremely rare bass in the population.

Nice photo using the rod and reel to show size and artistic arrangement, a snap shot for the era and makes a good avatar.

Tom

Thanks for the compliment on the photo.  I digitized it from an old photo and photo-shopped it best I could.  By the way, yes the reel is an Ambassador 5000B.  The rod?  A Browning Silaflex 5 1/2 footer with either agate or carbide guides.  (can't remember which) Back then, it was a premium rod.

[GORDO]

Youre in central Florida, there are 8+ pounders in storm drains LOL the 3 you kept roughly 30 years ago are irrelevant. Nice fish man, I cant wait till I get to hold a DD LMB with my 2 hands!