It takes all kinds of kinds...

[Rahlow]

I was always led to believe that a pond like that needed some of the larger bass harvested, to allow more fish to reach trophy size. Small pond like that cannot support (feed) that many big fish, can it????

[NittyGrittyBoy]

A pond is like fishing in a bath tub-hypothetically

 

When you keep smaller bass, it opens the door to letting your bigger bass feed.

 

When you go fishing, majority of the time you gotta catch 5 dinks to 1 decent fish. Why? Because your smaller fish are more active and steady eat. With pond you only have a limited amount of forage for a bass.

 

Do you constantly want to feed your small bass or large bass?

[Rahlow]

5 hours ago, LTBAndrew said:

There are some different philosophies, but normally it's the other way around. What happens in a lot of small bodies of water, is the smaller fish (which are normally in the majority it you're having good spawning years) will take out a lot of the baitfish, creating a lack of good forage years. Normally, it's a good thing to harvest out some of the smaller to medium sized fish and allow those bigger fish to continue to reproduce making for a better overall genetic pool of spawners. It can go either way, depending on the body of water, however.

I get that in a “ normal” pond, lol, but a pond that size with that many 5 lb’ers ain’t gonna have many fry! Lol none that last anyway lol

[iiTzChunky]

16 hours ago, Hyrule Bass said:

Not everyone who likes to eat fish, or bass more specifically in this case, is starving. some people just like it. and what you say still has no bearing on the situation. the fish was kept legally, doesnt matter if the guy goes home and throws it on his garden or feeds it to his cats. its his fish, people have no realistic right to be upset over what one does with his fish providing no laws or rules were broken

I'm in no way upset. I see no difference I'm not sure why you're trying to argue. I stated that I see the stance from both sides. 

[Hyrule Bass]

On 5/22/2018 at 12:25 PM, LTBAndrew said:

You're certainly welcome to your opinion, but saying that we don't have a "valid reason to be angry" is uncalled for. It is unethical to keep a bass that big. You can disagree, but that's the majority of bass anglers' opinions.

 

Most the replicas I've seen look WAY better than skin mounts and are made by local taxidermists just like the real deal. Most skin mounts deteriorate over time and fall apart, whereas replicas are made to last longer and stay in good condition for many years. 

What is unethical about it? That the guy got his feelings hurt over someone keeping a bass? If thats the case he needs to toughen up and get over it. A majority of opinions doesn't mean anything. No laws or land owner rules were broken, this is about a guy thats upset over someone keeping a fish that he has no say so over. And now youre upset too. I simply see nothing unethical about it. Someone can make use of a renewable resource, or you can wait for the day its belly up laying on the bank being eaten by vultures. people buy and pay for their license just like im sure you do, people get permission from landowners, etc. Calling them unethical for exercising their rights to keep fish is what is uncalled for...i dont even keep fish because i dont eat fish, but i will stand by a mans rights to do so, as long as its done legally...and as long as its done legally, i dont care how big the fish is...

 

For me its the exact opposite, skins mounts look way better than any replica i have ever seen. My skin mount bass looked way more realistic than the replica of the perry bass my taxidermist has hanging in his shop. and i have a dang good taxidermist. My aunt and uncle have his and hers striper skin mounts over 20 years old that look just as good as the day they picked them up, so i refuse to buy that argument either. its nothing more than a simple cop-out excuse from people who just cant seem to stomach and fathom that some people like to keep the fish/bass they catch. people need to get over it, there are plenty more bass out there to catch and release for you and others despite the fact that many people keep fish of all sizes each and every day, week, month, year, decade, century...etc...

[toni63]

On 5/18/2018 at 6:50 PM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

So there's a pond by my house i fish, it's a guy from church so i pretty well have full access as well as a few other people from church. 

 

Small pond maybe 2acres? I try and fish it maybe 4-5 times a year,

number 1 for courtesy

number 2 a small pond gets pressured easy

 

I mean it's nothing to go out there and catch 10 over 5lbs, I mean loaded with qaulity fish. I've been pretty much only one fishing it for couple years. Well I talk to a buddy and he asked, have you heard? Heard what I said? So and so caught and 11.8 out of small pond I fish. AND KEPT IT! 

 

That wouldn't be so bad had I not have caught that bass last year, took pictures, and released her... I mean come on! Am I wrong to kinda be mad about that??

For somebody mentioning multiple times this all revolves around your church folks, and quoting a scripture in your signature, it seems odd you're getting worked up over this. Forgive the guy and move on.

 

Honestly, my first thoughts when reading all the comments were that everyone is assuming this guy who did this actually knew what he did in the grander scheme. My thoughts, based on your comment "Now he's there pounding it all the time" kind of looks to me like he is just some seriously clueless amateur who doesn't have the foggiest idea that a 10 pound bass is a Unicorn in the bass fishing world.

 

Be glad you had your chance to catch it. Most of us will never see a bass that size on the end of our lines in our lifetimes. And you have the picture.

 

(oh, and on a side note, I will be staying overnight in Macon on Friday May 25th, and thats kinda in South GA, so if you'd like to take me to this secret location I'd be more than happy to buy you dinner and/or breakfast..or both.... )

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I've let this thread try and die simply because I have regretted starting it.

 

I'm by no means holding a grudge or mad at the fella. Simply stated I was frustrated after being the only one to fish this pond for years and manage it, to have someone come in and just start ripping lips and keeping the best bass in the pond. 

 

Again I'd just assume this thread die. 

 

 

 

[toni63]

Lets see.... There was this guy who first thing in the morning went and offered a days wage for a days work and some folks took him up on it. They went and worked. In the afternoon, the guy went and offered a days wage for workers to come and finish the day working for him. They took him up on it, went and worked. At the end of the day, he paid them all what he promised... a days wage. The workers who were there all day complained that they worked all day and it wasn't fair he was paying the guys who showed up for the last two hours the same as them. To which they were told, "you are all being paid according to what I promised you. This is the only fair thing to do, you entered into the agreement, you met your end, I met mine, you all received what you agreed to work for. I can do what I want with what is mine, why do you begrudge me being generous?"

 

Sounds to me like you and these other people all enjoy the same rights to fish at this place as granted by the landowner. If he doesn't set restrictions, you certainly have no right to, nor do you have any right to be upset when others behave within the rules set by the landowner, who has the right to set limits, or no limits, as he sees fit.

 

I will abide by your request to let this thread die and won't post again.