Catch and Release

[GHSmacker]

Who does it? Why? On all sized trout or just big fish? Ever on small, but keeper sized trout?

Who buys in to the whole idea that releasing the bigger trout actually helps out the population? Don't you think that the only reason why that fish got bigger is because he was one of the lucky/smart ones that happened to dodge all of his predators(fish/bird/man) and that it's not based on genetics alone? Don't you think that most every trout in a given bay system pretty much has the same genetics and that some of them just get picked off sooner rather than later? Are we really doing the big trout a favor by releasing them or are we just helping out the decriped elderly by returning them back to the water and stealing bait from the 12"-20" fish that do most of the spawning and in turn need most of the protein(bait)? Do you only release big fish because it's something you read in a magazine and you agree with it because some big name captain says it works? Have you ever caught a big fish(trout)? If so, what did you do with it?

What about the five fish limit that the upper coast will eventually have one day? What do you think about that? Do you really think it will help out our fishery overall or are we just going to decrease the quality of the fishery by jam-packing our bays full of stunted, barely keeper fish? Don't you think that a particular bay's fishery comes in cycles and you're going to have good years and bad years in a certain system? Isn't our fishery totally based on the weather? Aren't we merely one big cold front, several years of severe drought, red tide, oil spill, toxic waste dump away from our fishery going down for several years before bouncing back? Are we going to drop the limit on trout just to make the average guy happy when he calls his buddies and tells them about his epic day when he strung his entire five fish limit? Our fishery is showing no signs of slowing down, so why change it? Or is this just some big conspiracy theory by our government to get us used to them tightening the grip on us in all aspects of life? Thoughts?

If you fish with live bait, you probably don't release anything, so please don't respond. Thank you.

Is this thread one big waste of time?

Regards,
The Sea Isle Sand Bar Local

[bubbas kenner]

I fish plastics also so please let me say this is a very good post.If I did not eat fish I would not be in the game.I am one that as many others have spent many hard earned dollars on boat and equipment.So as you ask for opinions Im glad there are limits and rules.They apply to all of us the same.Fish limits are in place to conserve what is there if there are less fish than limits are lowered.I can remember clearly my Dad and uncles filling the ice chest in the seventies there were no limits. there were more fish and a whole lot less fishermen.We must bow down to authority and diligently help these under payed game wardens do there job.Im not saying be a water vigilanty just keep there number around it can be very handy in certain areas.

[ANDCO]

I fish lures, I have been releasing all of my big fish for the past couple of years. I am a contractor not a biologists so can can't tell you if I am helping the Fish. I just grew up fishing and remember catching many more big fish then, than now. I believe releasing the big fish gives them every oportunity to produce more fish to catch (my opinion). Lots of trips I let all fish go. I fish more than the average guy so I do not need a freezer full and can only eat so much. I will let the 16's go just like the 25's on most days, however when friends fish and want some meat we catch and clean. If someone wants a big one for a mount I am not going to tell him No. That is his decision. I personally am just as happy and can brag as much with a picture. I enjoy eating but to me it is just the fun of trying to find the fish and making them bite. I have had more misses, follow ups, and sight casted at big fish that never bit than I can count. That is why I fish, because of the excitement of chasing the fish and learning what they teach you.

5 fish, I don't know about that. I fish 1-2 times a year in mansfield and can tell you the fishing is easy and can be unbelievable down there. I am not completely opposed to it. However if it goes down to 5 then what is next? I want my kids to enjoy fishing as I did growing up. My wife says I am addicted to it like a drug. I would love my kids to enjoy it like me.

[S-troop]

Good Post!


I only fish plastics and CP(photo)&R 99.9% of the time. I love the fun of the hunt and only keep fish if my sons ask me to bring them some or if I deep hook one. Also, If someone goes out with me and they want to keep their catch, I do not have a problem. It's the getting to go fish that makes my day.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fathernson]

I fish lures, I have been releasing all of my big fish for the past couple of years. I am a contractor not a biologists so can can't tell you if I am helping the Fish. I just grew up fishing and remember catching many more big fish then, than now. I believe releasing the big fish gives them every oportunity to produce more fish to catch (my opinion). Lots of trips I let all fish go. I fish more than the average guy so I do not need a freezer full and can only eat so much. I will let the 16's go just like the 25's on most days, however when friends fish and want some meat we catch and clean. If someone wants a big one for a mount I am not going to tell him No. That is his decision. I personally am just as happy and can brag as much with a picture. I enjoy eating but to me it is just the fun of trying to find the fish and making them bite. I have had more misses, follow ups, and sight casted at big fish that never bit than I can count. That is why I fish, because of the excitement of chasing the fish and learning what they teach you.

5 fish, I don't know about that. I fish 1-2 times a year in mansfield and can tell you the fishing is easy and can be unbelievable down there. I am not completely opposed to it. However if it goes down to 5 then what is next? I want my kids to enjoy fishing as I did growing up. My wife says I am addicted to it like a drug. I would love my kids to enjoy it like me.

X2 I hit the water alot. I don't need/want all of that meat. If I want fish I keep some my next trip, and keep a few in the freezer
just in case. I personally get satisfaction from watching my quarry swim away. Im not out there for food im out there for sport. I suppose its all in different points of views.

[kenny]

Hey, I have a great idea. You do what you want, and I'll do what I want. 'Nuff said.

[Shortystillsurfs]

I sweat PCB's......

[Jerkyourcroaker]

Who does it?

I do when I have more fish than I can reasonably eat in my freezer. That's what my granddad taught me.

Why?

See above. I also release fish in order to preserve/conserve the resource.

On all sized trout or just big fish?

On all size fish but particularly on large fish.

Ever on small, but keeper sized trout?

Sure. I think I get the best fillets off 18" to 20" fish. Much smaller than that and you lose alot on the cleaning table.

Who buys in to the whole idea that releasing the bigger trout actually helps out the population? Don't you think that the only reason why that fish got bigger is because he was one of the lucky/smart ones that happened to dodge all of his predators(fish/bird/man) and that it's not based on genetics alone?

There's a fair bit of research avaible from Texas A&M Corpus Christi on this point. Releasing large fish, particularly females is more helpful for the population because of the number of eggs a big female will release versus a small female. The 1 fish over 25" limit has increased the overall size of fish in the annual creel surveys so the early data is that releasing larger fish is good for the fishery. The 1 fish over 25" rule is relatively new so we probably need a couple more years of data to really draw a conclusion.

Don't you think that most every trout in a given bay system pretty much has the same genetics and that some of them just get picked off sooner rather than later?

Probably not, kind of goes against the idea of natural selection. It's like saying on the deer on your lease are equally stupid and eat at the feeder in broad daylight. You know there is a big buck lurking out there that only comes out when he knows your not there.

Are we really doing the big trout a favor by releasing them or are we just helping out the decriped elderly by returning them back to the water and stealing bait from the 12"-20" fish that do most of the spawning and in turn need most of the protein(bait)?

The large females produce significantly more eggs (like 10x) than a small fish so don't know if it is fair to say that the small fish do most of the spawning.

Do you only release big fish because it's something you read in a magazine and you agree with it because some big name captain says it works?

I do it because I have read the research from TAMCC and others and I think it works. Most magazines I read (Texas Fish & Game most notably) are jam fully of opinions with no facts. Most captains only stretch the truth when their lips move.

Have you ever caught a big fish(trout)? If so, what did you do with it?

I have caught a number of 25"+ trout. I have kept a few. I have released most.

What about the five fish limit that the upper coast will eventually have one day? What do you think about that?

Need to see the creel data and the research that would have to underlie that type of regulation change before I give an opinion. If the bay will only support a finite number of fish, even under ideal conditions, and the number of anglers increases, seems like the number of legal fish to keep per angler has to go down someday. That's an opinion, not a fact. That question begs for some facts.

Do you really think it will help out our fishery overall or are we just going to decrease the quality of the fishery by jam-packing our bays full of stunted, barely keeper fish?

I don't think the fishery will be jam packed nor will it be saturated with schoolies.

Don't you think that a particular bay's fishery comes in cycles and you're going to have good years and bad years in a certain system?

That's true. Look at the creel data.

Isn't our fishery totally based on the weather? Aren't we merely one big cold front, several years of severe drought, red tide, oil spill, toxic waste dump away from our fishery going down for several years before bouncing back?

Look at the croaker statistics for an answer to that question. Looks like weather combined with over shrimping are what knocked the croaker back. Several years of favorable weather plus the bay shrimp license buy back program have helped the croaker recover.

Are we going to drop the limit on trout just to make the average guy happy when he calls his buddies and tells them about his epic day when he strung his entire five fish limit?

I doubt it.

Our fishery is showing no signs of slowing down, so why change it?

We shouldn't unless the catch data and creel studies tell us that the regulations need to change.

Or is this just some big conspiracy theory by our government to get us used to them tightening the grip on us in all aspects of life? Thoughts?

That's Robalo's area of expertise.

If you fish with live bait, you probably don't release anything, so please don't respond. Thank you. Is this thread one big waste of time?

Probably not.

Regards,
The Sea Isle Sand Bar Local

All the best,
JYC

[JT]

Dammm ...that made me dizzy too and im trying to pay attention to the halftime lines of the UK v UK game, and this really distracts me from that.

I like those post about taking fat, middle age, give up looking girlfriends/wifes out fishing and then posting about it this alot better.

i like robolas theory....catch and release into the grease.

[JT]

daaaaamn, that made me dizzy.

and... I just ran out of beer reading that and now I have to drive 4 miles back to to the store in Wheelock, Tx to buy more beer and I missed the halftime line to boot.

[GHSmacker]

Dammm ...that made me dizzy too and im trying to pay attention to the halftime lines of the UK v UK game, and this really distracts me from that.

I like those post about taking fat, middle age, give up looking girlfriends/wifes out fishing and then posting about it this alot better.

i like robolas theory....catch and release into the grease.

This thread isn't going in the direction i was hoping.

[Jerkyourcroaker]

This thread isn't going in the direction i was hoping.

Whoops...sorry....try this->

"I don't know where the heck you come off bringing up those darn fishing rules again. Everybody is constantly on me about filling my cooler and stacking my freezer. They are my dad gum fish, caught out of my dad gum boat, with my dad gum rod and reel that I paid for along with that $16 license. I have a right to keep what the heck I want and I ain't gonna let no dad gum pencil neck school boy that never caught a trout with anything but a dip net tell me how the dad gum world works. There's fish out there, always have been, always will be. I don't need your rules. I can take care of myself. Now go back to your school work and quit asking questions"

That better?!

[Muddskipper]

I release big fish for myself ... and no one else ... Im not saying I release them all ... but I feel better releaseing the bigger ones that have survied the gauntlet ... everything eats each other in our eco-system ... and we are at the top of the food chain ....

MAN takes more than he needs ... Buffalo, Galveston Tarpon/ snook, Texas Elk/ Bear, and who knows what else ...

If MAN can help the slightest bit, we should ....

Look at the trophy DEER we see today

We know that a 3 1/2 yr old deer has so much more potential BUT
a 20" flounder is a trophy....but is only half the age it could be .... they are pressured by recs and commercial

hook & line, gig and net .... not much room for admiration and releasing

There is a grass roots movemnet of releasing over 20" flounder ...and a rewards system in place

http://www.flounderrevolution.com/Fiberglass_for_Flatfish.html

very few even know about chester's program

And it benifits our back yard - Galveston, Gorda & Sabien

In short - take what you need and release the rest - the True American Indians got it - but hey they were not smart enough to realize the white man taking over beofre it was to late ...???

...are you smart enough ... or are you that guy who still does not get it

BTW
I fish with Bait - mainly shirimp when I do .... come over to my boat for a trip ...see how much bait I actually fish with .... IMO a QT of $20 cost to much ... but I SOMETIMES DO IT .... personally I fill the box with both live lures ... and still release a good share of fish trophy fish ... personally ... I have stopped taking pics of the trophys ... I know how big they are

[small bites]

Are you on meth?

I do when I have more fish than I can reasonably eat in my freezer. That's what my granddad taught me.



See above. I also release fish in order to preserve/conserve the resource.



On all size fish but particularly on large fish.



Sure. I think I get the best fillets off 18" to 20" fish. Much smaller than that and you lose alot on the cleaning table.



There's a fair bit of research avaible from Texas A&M Corpus Christi on this point. Releasing large fish, particularly females is more helpful for the population because of the number of eggs a big female will release versus a small female. The 1 fish over 25" limit has increased the overall size of fish in the annual creel surveys so the early data is that releasing larger fish is good for the fishery. The 1 fish over 25" rule is relatively new so we probably need a couple more years of data to really draw a conclusion.



Probably not, kind of goes against the idea of natural selection. It's like saying on the deer on your lease are equally stupid and eat at the feeder in broad daylight. You know there is a big buck lurking out there that only comes out when he knows your not there.



The large females produce significantly more eggs (like 10x) than a small fish so don't know if it is fair to say that the small fish do most of the spawning.



I do it because I have read the research from TAMCC and others and I think it works. Most magazines I read (Texas Fish & Game most notably) are jam fully of opinions with no facts. Most captains only stretch the truth when their lips move.



I have caught a number of 25"+ trout. I have kept a few. I have released most.



Need to see the creel data and the research that would have to underlie that type of regulation change before I give an opinion. If the bay will only support a finite number of fish, even under ideal conditions, and the number of anglers increases, seems like the number of legal fish to keep per angler has to go down someday. That's an opinion, not a fact. That question begs for some facts.



I don't think the fishery will be jam packed nor will it be saturated with schoolies.



That's true. Look at the creel data.



Look at the croaker statistics for an answer to that question. Looks like weather combined with over shrimping are what knocked the croaker back. Several years of favorable weather plus the bay shrimp license buy back program have helped the croaker recover.



I doubt it.



We shouldn't unless the catch data and creel studies tell us that the regulations need to change.



That's Robalo's area of expertise.



Probably not.



All the best,
JYC

[castaway300]

Whoops...sorry....try this->

"I don't know where the heck you come off bringing up those darn fishing rules again. Everybody is constantly on me about filling my cooler and stacking my freezer. They are my dad gum fish, caught out of my dad gum boat, with my dad gum rod and reel that I paid for along with that $16 license. I have a right to keep what the heck I want and I ain't gonna let no dad gum pencil neck school boy that never caught a trout with anything but a dip net tell me how the dad gum world works. There's fish out there, always have been, always will be. I don't need your rules. I can take care of myself. Now go back to your school work and quit asking questions"

That better?!

Im glad everybody DOESNT think like you do..