Bass fishing etiquette??

[Paul Roberts]

There are laws in place, usually good general guidelines with some management know-how behind them. Follow them, and you have every right to keep fish for the table. In my mind, there are much better tasting fish than bass, esp in the fertile waters I fish for them in. Walleye, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, and trout top my list, and I'll usually take a few of these home when I catch them. I release my bass.

[gim]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Replace salmonid, salmon and steelhead with walleye, northern and musky in that and you've described Minnesota.

 

(smh)

That doesn’t bother me. Less anglers targeting bass means less people harvesting them and less pressure on them. I don’t actually know anyone that specifically targets pike either. But people obviously can’t avoid catching them most trips lol

[plawren53202]

In one of the Facebook fishing groups I am in, this morning someone posted a question asking for the best recipe for bass eggs ??

 

In theory I might be okay with that if the person was harvesting an egg-filled fish from a private water that was overstocked and needed managing, but I took a quick look at this person's other posts and they are most definitely fishing very public, overfished waters.

 

I've enjoyed reading the thoughts in this thread. Has made me realize that I believe our conservation department needs to do a better job of managing many of the fisheries in the state (Missouri). There are a number of places where it is currently "legal" to keep bass of a certain size in my metro area--and God knows people do--but in reality those bass should be going back in the water. And the fishing very noticeably suffers as a result. Too many people viewing these public waters as their personal fish market, keeping every single fish they catch whether legal or not. 

[schplurg]

On 5/20/2020 at 8:20 AM, JediAmoeba said:

Just witnessed a dude this morning - he was using 8 rods(In Pa you are allowed 3), each with a high-low rig and minnows or worms on them.  I tried talking to him and he didn't speak English so it didn't get far.  He wasn't showing a license.

 

I looked in his bucket and he had 4 bass(bass are not in season and can't be kept), 2 perch, 7 trout (5 daily limit), 7 pickerel (all under 18 inches so all illegal besides the daily limit is 4) some bluegill and a bullhead.  

 

These are the people that upset me.  I took pictures of him, the Bucket that I kicked over and his license plate and sent it to the fish commission.  What else can you do?

You are awesome!

 

You described what I see here as well, except for the 8 rods. A lot of the "bucket people" where I live are going for carp but I, and everyone else know darn well they'll eat anything they catch, often don't have licenses, and don't go barbless as required in these areas.

 

They scatter when fish and game or sheriffs show up. I love it when they show up. Just got checked this morning.

 

The fish and game people know who they are too, we've discussed it. I can tell where they fish by the type of litter they leave behind. I'll not finish that thought. 

 

If bass weren't so scarce here I wouldn't care, as long as they're doing it legal. A lot of it is cultural, but I really don't care for that excuse. Leave that culture behind please. Just my personal feelings on the matter.

 

By the way I would not eat a fish caught anywhere near here due to mercury levels and who knows what else.

[schplurg]

On 5/20/2020 at 8:20 AM, JediAmoeba said:

Just witnessed a dude this morning - he was using 8 rods(In Pa you are allowed 3), each with a high-low rig and minnows or worms on them.  I tried talking to him and he didn't speak English so it didn't get far.  He wasn't showing a license.

 

I looked in his bucket and he had 4 bass(bass are not in season and can't be kept), 2 perch, 7 trout (5 daily limit), 7 pickerel (all under 18 inches so all illegal besides the daily limit is 4) some bluegill and a bullhead.  

 

These are the people that upset me.  I took pictures of him, the Bucket that I kicked over and his license plate and sent it to the fish commission.  What else can you do?

You are awesome!

 

You described what I see here as well, except for the 8 rods. A lot of the "bucket people" where I live are going for carp but I, and everyone else know darn well they'll eat anything they catch, often don't have licenses, and don't go barbless as required in these areas.

 

They scatter when fish and game or sheriffs show up. I love it when they show up. Just got checked this morning.

 

The fish and game people know who they are too, we've discussed it. I can tell where they fish by the type of litter they leave behind.

 

If bass weren't so scarce here I wouldn't care, as long as they're doing it legal. A lot of it is cultural, but I really don't care for that excuse. Leave that culture behind please. Just my personal feelings on the matter.

 

By the way I would not eat a fish caught anywhere near here due to mercury levels and who knows what else. Then again this is California where even coffee gets a Prop 65 warning for cancer, so pffft!

[Fin S]

I don't keep fish anymore, but I don't have a problem with people keeping them if size/limit laws are followed. I assume the people that manage fisheries know what they're doing, and I've seen seminars where experts have encouraged selective harvesting. If you want to keep a few fish for the table and see if you like it, you should (smaller fish within the size requirements usually taste best). At the end of the day, we all do this hobby to enjoy ourselves and we conduct ourselves in a manner that makes each of us feel good at the end of the day. As you fish, you'll figure out what feels right to you.

[Boomstick]

Some people catch and release, and some people keep their bass. Some people keep far above their legal limits too, and I think we can agree that's not cool.

 

Personally I catch and release all of my bass - the vast majority of them into the water they came from and some into hot oil, but only the smaller ones. And I generally target perch, rainbow trout and channel catfish for eating.

[NYWayfarer]

I write this everytime this subject comes up. I don’t care if people take their legal limit fish catch. More power To them, there are only a few bodies of water here that I Would keep and eat a fish from. 
 

Anywhere else and you have parasites and contamination risks that I won’t take. If I am in the mood for fish to eat I go to the supermarket or red Lobster.

 

I take pics of all the parasites and tumors I find on fish to send to my friend. His wife and her family eat everything they catch. It’s my way of saying they might need to rethink that practice.

[slonezp]

5 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

 

Anywhere else and you have parasites and contamination risks that I won’t take. If I a, in the mood for fish to eat I go to the supermarket or red Lobster.

I have a gin clear lake I keep fish from. Bass, panfish, pike whatever. Cleaned almost 30 crappies/bluegills yesterday. 2 gills had parasites. First time I have thrown out gills in 30 years of fishing the lake. 

[Dwight Hottle]

11 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I have a gin clear lake I keep fish from. Bass, panfish, pike whatever. Cleaned almost 30 crappies/bluegills yesterday. 2 gills had parasites. First time I have thrown out gills in 30 years of fishing the lake. 

Why throw them out? It's just extra protein man. 

[NYWayfarer]

49 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I have a gin clear lake I keep fish from. Bass, panfish, pike whatever. Cleaned almost 30 crappies/bluegills yesterday. 2 gills had parasites. First time I have thrown out gills in 30 years of fishing the lake. 

The River here is gin clear and The fish have parasites and other nasty stuff

 

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[slonezp]

36 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Why throw them out? It's just extra protein man. 

Was only 4 fillets I threw out. Aside from what I had for dinner yesterday, the rest is already frozen and waiting to be consumed. 

Can't even say they were parasites, could have been aliens. 2 of the gills had numerous small specs of something in their meat. I was able to pick them out with the fillet knife. Didn't want to chance it.

 

I caught some bass a few weeks ago on my sons lake that had parasites in their mouths. Had no plans on keeping them but it was still alarming. 

3 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

The River here is gin clear and The fish have parasites and other nasty stuff

 

http://

Those parasites aren't even in the good meat. LOL

[NYWayfarer]

4 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Was only 4 fillets I threw out. Aside from what I had for dinner yesterday, the rest is already frozen and waiting to be consumed. 

Can't even say they were parasites, could have been aliens. 2 of the gills had numerous small specs of something in their meat. I was able to pick them out with the fillet knife. Didn't want to chance it.

 

I caught some bass a few weeks ago on my sons lake that had parasites in their mouths. Had no plans on keeping them but it was still alarming. 

Those parasites aren't even in the good meat. LOL

I know but it freaks my friends wife out. I think I made her a Vegetarian after this pic.

[Mbirdsley]

I don’t personally keep bass to eat. In Michigan there are way to many other better species to eat.  I’m not a huge fish eater any more and the wife hates eating most fish.  With that said it does not bother me if anglers do keep bass to eat as long as it’s within law. 
 

Knock on wood I have not gut hooked a bass in a long long time.  That’s about the only wAy/reason  I would keep and eat one. 

[Dminor9]

I keep fish to eat. I have no problem with that. I will not keep bass over 2 1/2 lbs. Anything smaller and legal, I will keep for eating. Larger bass are for future spawning. I have eaten catfish (blue, channel, yellow), fresh water drum, white bass, LM bass, crappie, Guadalupe bass ( these are smaller, but get fairly meaty), smelt, lake perch, bluegill, speckled trout, kingfish and sheepshead. I really don't do much saltwater fishing, but have been a few times. If it is legal and within state regulations, I see no problem with it. Oh, and I think fresh bass deep fried tastes delicious. To each his own. 

[schplurg]

Just an added note - many of us including myself have said "as long as it's legal" but there are exceptions to that, personally I mean.

 

If someone is constantly taking a legal 5 fish limit out of a very small body of water I may not like it, legal or not. Not much I can do, of course. I suppose a friendly comment maybe but I never have. Haven't really come across a reason to yet though. People here usually take carp which is fine by me.

 

Laws aren't always well thought out either so just because it's a law doesn't mean it's a good idea. I live in Cali and we have no shortage of ridiculous laws and regs. Just food for thought

 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, schplurg said:

If someone is constantly taking a legal 5 fish limit out of a very small body of water I may not like it, legal or not.

I think Minnesota's catch limit makes sense - it's not only a 'daily' limit but also a 'possession' limit. The limit is six bass - LMB and SMB combined. Which means if you keep some - if you have four already in the freezer at home, you can only keep two that day...that brings you to your six limit.

[Dminor9]

MN Fisher,

  I am curious about the MN limit quoted in your post. How would a game warden know what is in your freezer at home? Is it an honor system? Unless I am missing something, I just don't see how that would work. 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Dminor9 said:

MN Fisher,

  I am curious about the MN limit quoted in your post. How would a game warden know what is in your freezer at home? Is it an honor system? Unless I am missing something, I just don't see how that would work. 

It is kind of an honor system, however the conservation officers have the right to demand 'spot checks' if they believe you to be collecting over the limit. They have all the same arrest/inspection rights as the police here.

 

There have even been arrests and fines given to people for taking too many sunfish - the limit is 20 combined (bluegill, green, pumpkinseed, longear, warmouth).

 

Most launches are manned by officers, there are roaming patrol-boats on the more popular lakes and roving patrols in vehicles checking shore-fishing spots.

[Dminor9]

Thanks for the clarification MN Fisher. Game Wardens here in Texas can stop you for any reason and ask for fishing license and check your catch for over limit or below size minimums on any species. There are daily limits per person, but also boat limits regardless of how many people on the boat are fishing. They can also fine you for over limits, under size fish, lack of PFDs for everyone on board a boat, and lack of all applicable safety regulations for boats. On a side note, there was a fairly large creek here in central Texas I used to fish a lot for bass and catfish, where the game warden used to check my fishing license and catch every time I went out. It happened so much that we knew each other by first name. I never got upset, I was actually glad to see it. Wish it happened more often on other bodies of water.