(POLL) Do you catch and release or keep fish?

[NittyGrittyBoy]

@EGbassing they might be spots, they come out if the Altamaha river and there is a Hodge podge of bass.

 

 

[Glaucus]

1 minute ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

@EGbassing they might be spots, they come out if the Altamaha river and there is a Hodge podge of bass.

 

 

They're spots. Beautiful fish.

[Bankbeater]

I only like cat, and panfish. I only keep those when I am targeting them. Most of the time I am fishing for bass so I release everything I catch. 

[kenmitch]

3 hours ago, texan875 said:

Freshwater LMB are amazing to eat. I’ll keep every one that comes in the boat, no matter what size. 6 inch fillets all the way to 10 lb pbs go in the bag.

 

2 hours ago, texan875 said:

For those concerned, yes it was a joke. The only time I think I would ever eat LMB is if I had to, not because of choice. 

 

I had you pegged as a nipple twister from your choice of words. Looks like you did twist a few for a while at least.

[Josh Gann]

I cannot bring myself to keep bass. Never ever will I . they even encourage anglers to harvest spots on my local lake and I just can't do it. To each his own of course , but to be honest it sickens me to see bass kept. Not bashing anybody , do what you do. 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

2 minutes ago, Josh Gann said:

but to be honest it sickens me to see bass kept. 

You don't have to explain, but why the strong feelings against it? 

 

If it's encouraged at your local Lake, don't you want a healthy ecosystem, and healthy, thriving, and growing bass? Just wondering

[EGbassing]

5 minutes ago, Josh Gann said:

I cannot bring myself to keep bass. Never ever will I . they even encourage anglers to harvest spots on my local lake and I just can't do it. To each his own of course , but to be honest it sickens me to see bass kept. Not bashing anybody , do what you do. 

This is exactly why I never keep bass. I've actually never kept a freshwater fish. Nothing against people who do though.

[Josh Gann]

1 minute ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

You don't have to explain, but why the strong feelings against it? 

 

If it's encouraged at your local Lake, don't you want a healthy ecosystem, and healthy, thriving, and growing bass? Just wondering

All that is encouraged at my local lake is harvesting spotted bass , as LM an SM are the dominant species. Something about they compete with the SM. And I don't know man I started bassin soon as I could hold a rod , and my grandpa drilled into my head catch an release. As I said though do what you do. I GUARANTEE you there's many others on here who it sickens to see bass kept , but they don't want to open that can of worms, wish I'd worded it different myself now , but it is what it is I guess an that really is how I feel about it. Again people who keep em got every right an not bashing them , I am just strongly against it 

[TnRiver46]

57 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

@EGbassing they might be spots, they come out if the Altamaha river and there is a Hodge podge of bass.

 

 

I’m putting my money on regular ole largemouth. 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

@Josh Gannno problems man, everybody has a difference in opinion! I used to be strict catch and release as well. It wasn't until I seen the effects on several ponds and small lakes I fish having stunted bass and the populations were hurt simply because Anglers were not, selective harvesting. Mostly 16-17" bass and under. 

 

I hope your fisherys never have that problem. 

 

@TnRiver46we just call em bass. They all look good to me! Belly's were full of crawfish and fiddler's. They flat wanted that red craw sqaurebill!

[Josh Gann]

32 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

@Josh Gannno problems man, everybody has a difference in opinion! I used to be strict catch and release as well. It wasn't until I seen the effects on several ponds and small lakes I fish having stunted bass and the populations were hurt simply because Anglers were not, selective harvesting. Mostly 16-17" bass and under. 

 

I hope your fisherys never have that problem. 

 

@TnRiver46we just call em bass. They all look good to me! Belly's were full of crawfish and fiddler's. They flat wanted that red craw sqaurebill!

That is the key right there "selective harvesting". Understand completely on that , even though I just can't bring myself to keep em lol. More of what I was talking about was folks who just keep em all no matter what . 

[Glaucus]

1 hour ago, Josh Gann said:

All that is encouraged at my local lake is harvesting spotted bass , as LM an SM are the dominant species. Something about they compete with the SM. And I don't know man I started bassin soon as I could hold a rod , and my grandpa drilled into my head catch an release. As I said though do what you do. I GUARANTEE you there's many others on here who it sickens to see bass kept , but they don't want to open that can of worms, wish I'd worded it different myself now , but it is what it is I guess an that really is how I feel about it. Again people who keep em got every right an not bashing them , I am just strongly against it 

I'm with you.

[Glaucus]

And to clarify, along with you, Josh, the individuals who keep the fish do not "sicken" me, and I respect their right to keep fish; I would never say a word about it unless it was illegal size or from a catch and release body of water. I am simply naturally (I guess) repulsed by seeing a bass kept because I have an irrational love for the species.

[MN Fisher]

I'm going to open up a can of worms here.

 

Many have said that they'd keep fish from other species but never Bass.

 

Why are Bass put on that pedestal? What makes them 'more special' than other species? Wouldn't they also benefit from selective harvest?

 

I know there's a video on site here that goes into that very issue.

 

I'm trying to understand the mindset that allows harvest of other species, but almost demands that Bass are C&R only.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Truthfully, because bass is the species that individual favors the most.

 

I got popcorn for this one....

[PhishLI]

For me personally, the thought of intentionally killing a bass is almost like killing a puppy. We'll not quite, but something like that. At least while I'm in the moment. I really try to get them back in the water as fast as possible. Yet somehow I've come to terms with blowing a hook through their faces, and worse. But I really do not wish to harm them. Chew on that! I know what the clinical diagnosis is, but I'm not going to utter the phrase... Anyway, I think the way I feel is based on the low populations in my waters. They are very hard to catch. Perhaps it makes them "seem" more precious to me? Shock studies prove their low numbers per acre around here, hence the year-round catch and release only policy they've instituted. On top of all that, the bucket brigades coming out from NYC to raid our waters to harvest and sell the fish to restaurants are merciless. They take anything and everything in quantity. Then you have the schmucks that dance around with a caught bass for what seems like an eternity. I assume they've unwittingly killed a bunch of them doing just that. I understand that it's just a fish, but I'm just not a callous person, and I wouldn't fish with anyone who is.

 

However, having said all of that, I would, with some sadness, cull for the health of the population if there was a directive based on a study. For sure. If I lived somewhere warmer where the spawning season for all fish was longer, and the forage populations inflated the bass populations, I wouldn't judge anyone who harvested them for food. I might do the same, respectfully. But around here I have a problem with it as it's against the law and it affects me personally. I'm a Bassin addict and I need my fix. Please excuse me now while I go sharpen some hooks.

[TnRiver46]

Bass fishing is my favorite thing ever and I love and respect bass . But I still eat them. I love cows and chickens turkey and pigs too........ dang it now I’m hungry 

[Dan Bures]

Reckon that all depends if I'm hungry for fish or not. I target mostly LMB and probably 95% of them go right back in. Like others....if I'm asked to keep a few for someone, I will... If I should ever be fortunate enough to land a 10#er or bigger she may end up on the wall. I suppose I'm a hypocrite of sorts.....cause I would dearly love to whup the Arse of any so called "Big Game Hunter" that kills for trophy purposes only....but my mind sees a huge difference between millions of bass versus animals no one intends to eat.      Just my $.02

[Smokinal]

100% release crew

[scaleface]

It depends on the water I'm fishing .I would have kept a limit yesterday but the cleaning station wasnt open yet . Bass are a renewable resource after all and 100 per cent of them are going to die . On a lot of waters if the population is not kept in check , then  we end up with a lake full of stunted fish .  A few  years back the Missouri Conservation dept set a 12 fish limit and no length limit on a lake because they needed to thin the bass population out. I did my part to bring that lake back .

[OCdockskipper]

16 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

...Many have said that they'd keep fish from other species but never Bass.

 

Why are Bass put on that pedestal? What makes them 'more special' than other species?...

For me, bass are put on a pedestal compared to other fish because of their traits.  I believe they are the perfect sportfish.  Accessible, willing to bite lures, adaptable to many climates, durable enough to survive being caught & released, able to be handled (via lipping) without a net or being hurt, will put up a fight without making it last 30 minutes, etc.  They are a curious fish, often willing to stand their ground & look at an angler instead of always swimming away.

 

I have had a bass in our Koi pond for almost 5 years, along with a bluegill big enough to avoid being eaten and 5 Koi slightly smaller than him (now, he was half their size initially).  I feed them all twice a week and still marvel at the difference in personalities of the species.  The Koi are flat out dumb, persistent & tough, but dumb.  The Bluegill is a bit smarter, but is a also a bit finicky about eating.  With the bass, if it moves & he can fit it in his mouth, meal time.  He is the only fish of those species that turns & faces me when I am tossing food in.  He is the only one who will anticipate what is coming out of my hand and race to where the food is being tossed, as opposed to reacting once it has hit the water.  He is much more pet like, almost an underwater dog.

 

During the spring, I see fry in schools number thousands and I think how only one or two of those little guys will reach keeper size.  To then extrapolate how few reach "big 'un" territory makes me really respect that particular fish.  How can I eat something that had to beat those odds?

 

How do I reconcile feeling this way about them & then catching them via hook?  I have no idea.  I know it bothers me when people are nonchalant with bass, letting them flop on the carpet, keeping them out of water for an extended amount of time, things like that.  Last year at Texas Fest I witnessed one angler continually cut the line on deep hooked smaller fish instead of taking a few moments to get the hook out.  Another angler literally ripped the lips off a small bass rather than taking the time to remove the hooks properly.  Those things bothered me, but that doesn't mean my perspective is correct.

 

It carries over to other predators as well.  We have small fishing birds that live on my home lake, they catch all kinds of small fish, including bass fry & fingerlings and that is fine.  However, a cormorant large enough to eat a keeper bass is another thing, I will chase everyone of those off the lake.  The one exception for cormorants was at a private pond that had a stunted bass population, there I welcomed the cormorants to do the dirty work I wasn't willing to.

 

I have no problem catching other types of fish for food, when we go to Lakes Mead or Powell, stripers are part of the menu for the trip.  I know some lakes benefit from having LMB removed, I'm just not the person you want to go to in order to have it done.

 

It is more of an emotional attachment that logical reasoning...

[Choporoz]

On 4/7/2019 at 8:37 PM, EGbassing said:

My dad says that the people on here that spend so much time fishing do it because they like eating fish. He doesn't believe that you guys actually spend the amount of money and time on fishing that you do just for the enjoyment of it. 

On 4/7/2019 at 8:47 PM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

Tell your dad he is wrong. 

 

Lol.. .and if somehow he's still listening,  explain that there's probably an inverse relationship between amount spent on freshwater fishing gear and percentage of fish kept to eat.  Dude sitting on a bucket with $23 invested in gear keeps a LOT more fish to eat than anyone on here.

[schplurg]

On 4/8/2019 at 6:43 PM, MN Fisher said:

I'm going to open up a can of worms here.

 

Many have said that they'd keep fish from other species but never Bass.

 

Why are Bass put on that pedestal? What makes them 'more special' than other species? Wouldn't they also benefit from selective harvest?

 

I know there's a video on site here that goes into that very issue.

 

I'm trying to understand the mindset that allows harvest of other species, but almost demands that Bass are C&R only.

 

I agree. There is no shortage of bass within 300 miles of me, if anywhere. As someone said above, they are abundant. We ain't running out any time soon unless the waters are poorly managed. 

 

I've never eaten a LMB but I heard they aren't that tasty. If I thought they were and I wanted to eat one I would, nothing too big though for several reasons. I may try one someday but I doubt I'd ever target them for food.

 

I have no special love for bass over other fish. If I did I wouldn't catch them in the first place now would I?  I take great care with any fish I catch and enjoy a good clean release.

 

I fish for river stripers a lot and I've only eaten one. But if I wanted to eat more I'd have no problem with keeping one or two that aren't too big. Same with trout and panfish (uh they're called panfish! haha).

 

I voted A - catch and release but I should have chosen B, even though it's very rare I eat any simply because I don't fish for those species often. I plan on eating trout and some others in the near future.

[Yumeya]

Its been a long time since I have kept any fish of any kind, but we don't have salmon or halibut here...

 

I love salmon and halibut.

[The Bassman]

1 hour ago, Yumeya said:

Its been a long time since I have kept any fish of any kind, but we don't have salmon or halibut here...

 

I love salmon and halibut.

Did you hear about the guy who travelled all the way to Alaska just for the halibut?