Anonymous
7/16/2017 8:48:13 PMCan they do that as long as it is a legal limit?
8theB8
7/16/2017 9:27:46 PMLegal is a relative term, relative to the character of the sportsman. People that feel the need to eat everything they catch typically aren't "sportsmen" and therefore rules and legalities go out the window. Same thing happened to the crappie in Lake Cassidy years ago. The only saving grace is that typically once it becomes 'work' to fill a bucket they leave for easier pickings and the lake gets a couple years to rebound. Just the way it is and since it can take up to a few hours for wardens to respond it's just the way it will stay.
Let's_Go_Fishing!
7/17/2017 5:38:49 AMI remember back when Armstrong was full of nice crawdads but after the lake became choked with milfoil and almost as stinky as Ketchum several years back, the game dept. used some kind of chemical to kill off the milfoil. In the process, it killed off the crawdads as well. Haven't caught once since. Also, you hardly ever hear those big bull frogs croaking either. Noise problem? The people that live near the boat launch run their weed eater and leaf blower ALL day hoping to drive people away.
Anonymous
7/17/2017 6:19:49 AMI've also seen lakes so choked with bass they became stunted. Bass need to be harvested too for their own good helping balance out crappie, perch and bluegill which are more suitable for harvest anyways.
I think it would be very hard to (fish out) any of the spinyray species since they are so cyclic.
I think it would be very hard to (fish out) any of the spinyray species since they are so cyclic.
8theB8
7/17/2017 6:30:09 AMAgreed, just nice when it's done legally. Also, don't let an abundance of smaller fish fool you into thinking that's all that's there. Two lakes full of dinks, this one and Storm, also produced my first 6+ and 7+ largemouth! I saw an 8+ in Armstrong earlier last year, Sunday Lake put out an 8+ to someone on here and Chain Lake put out a 9.5 to a co-worker this year! Again though, to your point, yes sometimes it can lead to a stunted population.
Anonymous
7/17/2017 6:39:14 AMYeah I don't mind see people keeping a few little bass,but cringe when they kill a big one. Those big bass get big by eating their own too thus helping out themselves.
Anonymous
7/17/2017 6:45:23 AMA couple years back they found a gill net stashed back in the reeds of Lake Cassidy,which might help explain why the Crappie are now far and few.
And not meaning to single anyone out but have seen more Asians fishing and keeping everything on these lakes that seem to be on the down fall.
And not meaning to single anyone out but have seen more Asians fishing and keeping everything on these lakes that seem to be on the down fall.
8theB8
7/17/2017 7:38:14 AMI'm fortunate to have experienced a time on Cassidy where it was difficult to catch a bass on a bobber and worm cause the crappie wouldn't leave it alone! We caught hundreds and didn't keep one. Rapalas too! Not so much anymore, of course I stopped fishing bobber and worm for bass about 35 years ago so take it for what it's worth lol.
Anonymous
7/17/2017 12:52:16 PMAnd I'm also just sayin, Bass pro purists tend to want to release everything in hopes that they can catch and play with them later when bigger. It only takes a dozen or so educated 5+ lber bass to thin most of the crappie,bass,perch, and sunfish outa a lake. So maybe it's not the greedy fisherman with the 5 gal. bucket? dunno but take it for what it's worth and remember all lakes are different and are cyclic with different spiny-rays taking over and being the dominant fish for that lake. ha ha
Anonymous
7/17/2017 1:06:44 PMAnd I'm also just sayin, Bass pro purists tend to want to release everything in hopes that they can catch and play with them later when bigger. It only takes a dozen or so educated 5+ lber bass to thin most of the crappie,bass,perch, and sunfish outa a lake. So maybe it's not the greedy fisherman with the 5 gal. bucket? dunno but take it for what it's worth and remember all lakes are different and are cyclic with different spiny-rays taking over and being the dominant fish for that lake. ha ha
8theB8
7/17/2017 4:25:44 PMFish tend to naturally balance themselves to their environment and forage base. Population or lack of, size or lack of is typically relative to the given species's environment. Dominant forage being over harvested or the species themselves being over harvested is typically the leading cause of rapid population declines. Humans are not natural to a fishes environment and one should not underestimate their impact. I'm fairly confident there are more than a dozen wiley 5 pounders in Lake Terrell and it's pumpkinseed population is huge! Not many people eat pumpkinseeds so not a ton of pressure on the primary forage. Ten boats, of 2+ people per boat, bucket fishing Lake Cassidy for 5-10 years in the late 90's nearly wiped out the crappie population in that lake.... that's what's called negative impact by over harvest. In a perfect world everyone reads the regs, obeys the laws, catches and releases what they don't need or can't keep and keeps only what they need for a decent dinner here and there and the world lives in harmony. In the real world there are far to few wardens scattered over far to vast an area to really ever accomplish much and too many people know this. Bucket after bucket of every species available leaving a lake for an extended period of time has a far greater negative impact than a dozen or so educated predatory fish species ever will.
Anonymous
7/18/2017 6:16:55 AMWell that could be very well the case in some lakes, if there are really that many folks going over their limits.
8theB8
7/18/2017 6:24:09 AMAgain, only commenting on things I have personally observed over the past 5 even 10+ years and sharing my opinions. I appreciate your insights, perspective and point of view, thanks for the dialogue.
Tight lines!
Tight lines!