keep or release

[Bassin_Dude]

J.P. why would you keep a SPAWNING bass? i would understand if it was no longer able to live due to foul hook, but why when it was perfectly ok to live and repopulate the enviroment with bass? thats stupid and unethical to do > i dont mind people keeping 1-2 everynow and then, but not a spawning bass full of eggs. that is just not right.

[macgyver]

[quote author=bassfisher02 link=board=MessBoards;num=1113784886;start=25#26 date=04/20/05 at 20:57:45]J.P. why would you keep a SPAWNING bass? i would understand if it was no longer able to live due to foul hook, but why when it was perfectly ok to live and repopulate the enviroment with bass? thats stupid and unethical to do > i dont mind people keeping 1-2 everynow and then, but not a spawning bass full of eggs. that is just not right.[/quote]

First off he has every right to keep it if he wishes, there are limits in every state to regulate that. Also I get the impression, he is either trying to get a rise out of some of you, or just doesn't care what you think. He made it VERY CLEAR HE DID IT INTENTIONALLY. So if he chooses to do so, then that's his right. If he's trying to get a rise out of ya, he just accomplished that, now didn't he :-X

Lizards

[Bassin_Dude]

i guess he did :-/ i dont care if he keeps some bass, just not ones that are spawning. i dont think it is ethical to do. but if he feels it is right to keep a good healthy bass that is full of eggs, then i guess he just doesnt care for the bass that much.

[TheBassMan]

That was well stated Lizards. Yeah, don't worry about it bassfisher02, I am biting my lip on this one as well...but I don't know how much longer I will be able to...lol.....I am very passionate about this topic...

Catch em up
Brian

[Rich]

Haven't kept one in several years, and that one is on the wall. Wish I hadn't kept that one-should have got a fiberglass mount. Now I catch them, take a picture and put them back. Strictly practice CPR-catch, photograph, release-or weigh in and then release it.

I hate to see people keep bass, but as long as it is legal they have every right to keep them.

[Jeff]

Not trying to get a rise out of anyone.
I wanted it,I kept it.
I didn't break the law.
Besides,I like bass and this chunk was really askin' for it.
I also released at least 10 spawners in the same weight range this weekend.
The fishing is really good in Oklahoma right now!
We could sit here and hash out enviromental ethics all day but we all know how that would end.

[Jeff]

.

[catfishtonyd]

Would somone please explain to me what difference it makes if you keep a spawing bass as opposed to a non spawing bass? It's dead either way. It's just as dead in September as it is in April. Either way it's not going to spawn again.

When did a fish become some kind of sacred cow? I'm surprised that some of you people would even have hooks on your baits. A fish is a consumable resource. It is meant to be consumed. That means killed. Do you plant a garden and never pick the crop?

Everything DIES, sooner or later. Even rocks get worn down to nothing eventually. A fish is just that. A fish. We pay biologists to look at the health of a resource and determine how many and what size of fish should be allowed to be taken from that resource. You cannot stockpile fish. The lake will only hold so many. If you have over that number, whatever that number is you don't get more fish. You get stunted fish. You get sick fish, you get a lot of bad things.

Having said that, personally I do not keep fish. Why? Because I'm too lazy to clean them. That's why. Do I care if you keep them? No, not one bit. Nor do I care if you don't keep them. What I do care about is this overly sentimental bull that equates some kind of moral superiority to those who don't keep fish, or who don't keep one particular type of fish. A bass is no better or worse than a bluegill or a catfish or a tuna. It's just a fish.

Folks, all of you who believe that it is wrong to EVER keep a fish, have fallen right into the hands of the people who would ban fishing as being "cruel" or "mean". If you really believe it is wrong to kill and eat a fish, I don't give a hoot how big it is, you are giving them ammunition to ban our sport. And if you don't think there are people out there who want to do just that you've got your head somewhere where it's not supposed to be. Just how big a jump do you think it is from "It's wrong to kill a fish," to "It's wrong to catch a fish."

[BassNva]

i release every bass i catch,eventually.i'm not saying it's wrong to keep them.i just don't do it.
however,when i see someone with a bunch of big bass on a stringer,that does irk me.i have no problem with someone catching dinner,but the ones that sit on the the bank and keeping every fish they catch and throwing it in the bucket pi**es me right off.or the kids that just kill the fish after they catch 'em and leave them on the bank....but...never mind,i'll be getting the soap box out soon.

[Bassin_Dude]

the difference is cajun, that a spawning bass FULL OF EGGS isnt just one bass. it is abunch of bass in one. if it is kept, all the baby bass will be killed along with the mother. so its like killing 10 bass in one(not sure how many eggs one female can hold) but im sure its over 10. i dont mined people keeping bass IF they are gunna eat it or use it in some purpose, but when they are just gunna throw it on the bank, or keep big ole spawning bass, that irratates me. i know they have every right to, but why should you keep a spawning bass full of eggs when there are other bass that arnt? its just a touchy subject with me.

[TheBassMan]

well said bf02.....By the way JP, you said you don't mess with the small ones, but are you telling me you can't get a good filet off of a 16 incher????........How much fish can you possibly eat???????......

Catch em up
Brian

[Rob Mak]

i loath filleting crappie, a 16" bass aint worth the time or effort to try and fillet. give me a 20 pound cat fish. and a nail gun i will have a fillet in no time. come on guys lighten up. gezz the young guys are doing the preaching. this is quite insane..



zooker

[LEVI]

Zook,
I agree, we should just move on! I stated my opinion(I'm allowed to have one) and I moved on. It doesn't hurt my feelings any if he keeps 10.lbers all day, its legal, he should be able to do what he wants .

J.P,
I wasn't judging you, congrats on catching some nice fish, now please pass the tarter sauce and cole slaw ;D

Kybasser

[Rob Mak]

don't for get the hush puppies yummmm




zooker

[Jeff]

How much fish can I possibly eat?
How much you got?

So if I eat a non-spawning bass,what's to say it is not a nesting male ,which is in fact 'spawning'?
We have a VERY long spawning season here so that would put bass off the menu for a looooong time.
Ain't gonna happen.
We don't have a bass shortage here,folks. ;D

[Infisherman1]

I used to LOVE fried fish. Then when I was in New Orleans I had about 3lbs of fried fish (catfish,crab cakes, oyster, shrimp, ALL fried.) Well I didn't let it settle well enough before going to bed and woke up the next morning about to puke. That thoroughly destroyed my appetite for most fish.

[okefenokee010]

About the only bass I keep are from stock tanks. the ones I fish are rarely fished and are mostly overpopulated. Some of the tanks have fish that are begining to be stunted due to the competition for food. I keep a few here and again for management purposes. I need to get some catfish out of some of those tanks, but that is just too boring. I guess I could shock them up, but that is no fun either.

[Infisherman1]

[quote author=Nitro911 link=board=MessBoards;num=1113784886;start=25#42 date=04/23/05 at 22:53:38]About the only bass I keep are from stock tanks. Â*the ones I fish are rarely fished and are mostly overpopulated. Â*Some of the tanks have fish that are begining to be stunted due to the competition for food. Â*I keep a few here and again for management purposes. Â*I need to get some catfish out of some of those tanks, but that is just too boring. Â*I guess I could shock them up, but that is no fun either.[/quote]

TAKE UP GIGGING!!!

[fredhatch]

Thin em out the old fashioned way. Stick your head underwater and wiggle your tongue around. When one gets close bite him on the tail and bring him up. It's fun, different and works on improving lung capacity. Also fun to teach this technique to people you dont really like. 8)
By the way: Zatarans coating w/ butter or olive oil, lightly fried to a golden brown, fish will flake with fork. Serve over bed of long grain wild rice w/ veggie of choice. May also include a chateu(SP?) or sweet tea to compliment.

[DDmay87]

When I'm out bass fishing I practice catch and release. Crappie, catfish, striper, and white bass are a different story. Once a month(or so), I will go out and catch a limit of catfish or crappie. and fillet them out and eat on them for a few days. I don't know if there is much better than fresh blackened catfish. MMmmmmm getting hungry.......