Sight Fishing Bedding Fish - Opinion?

[ball_coach_1]

I fish because I love it, but I am still in the hunt to be in the '10 lbs. club'.  So, this week I am going to be sight fishing for bedding fish if possible.  In short, I am going trophy hunting.

I am ALWAYS catch and release, and if ever fortunate enough will be hanging a replica.  But, I am curious on how many of you feel about fishing for fish on the spawn.   My thoughts are fish for them, catch them, handle them carefully, get a length/weight/girth if needed, and get them back in the water safely and swiftly.

Any thoughts out there? For, against, feel the same?

[Skeeter6598]

Feel the same as you, but unfortunately fishing bass tournaments you have to take a few off their beds. They do get released back but usually nowhere near their beds so I'm sure it's hurting a little.

[Nick_Barr]

I also feel the same, catch and release carefully.

[roadwarrior]

I NEVER intentionally fish spawning beds. All bass do not spawn at exactly the same time and as I have stated numerous times on this forum, the big girls are staging in deeper water just off the flats. Maybe taking fish off their beds doesn't effect the overall population, but it eliminates the eggs in that nest. It's legal and I'm not trying to tell anyone what they can or cannot do. I choose not to fish bedding fish.

[bassinjack]

when i bed fish are i sight fish i see fish off all sizes

i see more fish on the beds in the smaller waight class range tho males more then likely guarding the beds but when i see that huge sow cruzing

im going to try to out whit her im after my double diget bass as well and if i get her witch one day i will im gonna put the real thing on the wall if she is over 10 pounds i look at it like this she has put off several thousand off spring each year so its not like im ending her life cycle in the past 6 are 7 years i have released probbly 150 plus bass over 5 pounds i beleave 100% in catch and release but there are also times in witch i harvest bass from 14 to 17 inches to take home

tight lines

  Jack

[GamblerFL]

I NEVER intentionally fish spawning beds. All bass do not spawn at exactly the same time and as I have stated numerous times on this forum, the big girls are staging in deeper water just off the flats. Maybe taking fish off their beds doesn't effect the overall population, but it eliminates the eggs in that nest. It's legal and I'm not trying to tell anyone what they can or cannot do. I choose not to fish bedding fish.

Im with you. I never bed fish. This is just for me but the satisfaction of catching a large bass without seeing it is better than being able to watch the fish take the bait.

[Larry_Landgren]

I admit  it, I love to bed fish. I alway release them right away though. I don't care to bed fish in a tourny but if theres some good money on the line I will stick a few if there good enough.

[squid]

I enjoy bed fishing, but, like said before...in a tournament, they are going to be released far from their beds.  Most, maybe all will never get back to them either.  That's tournament fishing for ya.  If ya wanna be king for a day..play the game by their rules... :-/