a very interesting study about "catchability"

[paul.]

Yeah, this was hashed out over a year ago, but its an interesting topic. I REALLY think the author had ulterior motives on this one.

Paul, NAFC......really? Sorry, blech!

lol.  please don't hold it against me J. ;D 

[Fish Chris]

Paul, I've read other studies on the same thing. In-Fishermen has done a couple. Yes, I find it very interesting. On the other hand, while I totally believe that this does take place, it is of such an obscure nature, that you would never be able to change peoples minds about their fishing practices based on it.

Oh and

do y'all think that there is such a thing as a bass that is totally uncatchable?  are there bass out there that die of old age without ever having been caught?

No. I think every bass is catchable.

Yes, absolutely, a few big, old fish will die of old age, without ever being caught.... or at the very least, maybe only being caught, but lucky enough to have been released, early on in life. In fact, maybe those experiences "wised them up" and made it more likely that they would not be caught again later in life.

This one was found floating in one of my trophy bass ponds... It weighed 19.2 lbs, and it was almost certainly heavier when alive {if a bass bloats to the point it starts floating, this means that lighter gasses, have pushed heavier liquids out of the fish. This is why it floats}

Fish

[WRB]

The question regarding uncatchable bass; consider how many big bass you see during the spawn verses how many big bass are caught between July to November during day light hours.

Every lake, river or pond has a population of the biggest bass for that ecosystem that die of old age, that may never been caught.

The least catchable bass are venerable during the spawn because they reproducing in shallow water and not feeding. Ounce the spawn is over a percentage of these big bass disappear and not seen again until the following spawn.

The question is did these bass learn at an early age how to survive or is it a genetic trait? I believe it's a combination of being genetically wary and learning to avoid negative prey responses like lures and live baits with a hook.

Keep in mind that bass in public waters get pounded with fishing pressure. The most aggressive bass get caught several times during it's life until it's killed by being over stressed or eaten. Very few bass that are reckless feeders live long enough to grow big.

Tom