About C/R on bass and why it is bad for the lake.

[bones]

I have a slightly different viewpoint on this subject. I've been bass fishing since the mid 70's. In my lifetime I've seen some lakes go through incrediable transformations. Seems like I'm always saying......."You should have seen this place back in the 70's and 80's .....It was awesome!!! "
I believe that each lake is different where as it's eco system is unique within itself. You can not compare Castaic shall we say to Legg Lake for example IMHO.
At Castaic.....Stripers are at the top of the food chain. At Legg.....LMB are the top dogs. Per square acre Legg gets a tremendous amount pressure where as Castaic does not (from a fishing standpoint) but rather the competition for food is harder for the LMB at Castaic.
Now....If you compare Castaic to Dixion for example you can see that the Stripers have caused the LMB fishery at Castaic to completely change over the last 3 decades. All of this WITHOUT even factoring in the HUMAN element.
I believe the each fishery is unique to itself and that's where proper fishery management comes in. In some lakes there are just too many average size LMB like Castaic for example. Some biologist believe that the smaller LMB have faster metabolisms because their growth rate is faster when they are young. Hence.....The need for food in larger amounts and more often.That's where the selective harvest theory comes in. If you look at the lagoon or any lake for example that gets regular trout stockings when the shad schools are small.....The result is TOADS. That's because the LMB at the lagoon don't have to compete with Stripers for that bass candy.
I could go on and on about how different and Unique each fishery is but the bottom line is that each body of water needs to be watched carefully and the lakes own management needs to work with the DFG and biologist to keep a healthy balance. OOPS.....I just woke up from my dream and realized that our bodies of water that we like to enjoy are NOT managed as fisheries but rather water sources and duck ponds. Seriously..........Doe's anyone REALLY think that the cities and countys care how big the fish we catch are or how many we catch?
I myself am very big on catch and release but not because I believe that I'm helping the balance of a fishery but rather because I have a deep respect for life.

[DarkShadow]

The only bass i keep is bass from the ocean not from the lakes.

That's pretty arbitrary.


Any reasons for why the fresh ones are released and the salt ones are kept, and some given away?

[bowler]

Because the saltwater one taste better and are hard to catch. I only keep a few spotted bay bass and keep the other bass and if the have egg i will let them go so the can have babies.

[Nessie Hunter]

I only keep a few spotted bay bass

Shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!

You just opened a big can of worms....

Im getting my popcorn!!!!!!!!!!!!



.

[bowler]

Where is in the rule that say you can not keep spotted bay bass. Say what you want. I am still going to keep a few here and there. I do not go out every weekend looking to get on but if i happen to get into one i will keep it. So is that wrong of me to do.

[Ray Lopez]

Dropshot for me seems to be the worst offender out of all the technique. Everything else gets a pretty clean hookset.

really?

what size hook are you using?


I fish drop shot 99% of my fishing time and have yet to kill one bass. I use size 6 to size 2 drop shot hooks and for me it seems that all bass get hooked right in the lip or the cornor of the mouth. I've caught well over 2000 bass fishing this method and like i said have yet to have one gut hooked.

[Fire Ball]

really?

what size hook are you using?


I fish drop shot 99% of my fishing time and have yet to kill one bass. I use size 6 to size 2 drop shot hooks and for me it seems that all bass get hooked right in the lip or the cornor of the mouth. I've caught well over 2000 bass fishing this method and like i said have yet to have one gut hooked.

I agree with you Ray. I don't really gut hook fish in general, but I've only gut hooked one bass on the drop shot and that was last week because I though it was a snag and not a bass so I didn't set it or anything, lol.

[DarkShadow]

Where is in the rule that say you can not keep spotted bay bass. Say what you want. I am still going to keep a few here and there. I do not go out every weekend looking to get on but if i happen to get into one i will keep it. So is that wrong of me to do.

Not at all. You're in your legal right to keep a limit.

http://www.fishingnetwork.net/socal/newport.htm

Note: With the exception of the white seabass, all fish inside the harbor are wild, native fish and there is no stocking program. Catch and Release fishing is strongly recommended and greatly appreciated to insure [sic] our fishing future.

I'm sure those that fish these harbors and bays would appreciate keeping that fishery going by C&Ring the Spotted Bay Bass.

[bones]

Where is in the rule that say you can not keep spotted bay bass. Say what you want. I am still going to keep a few here and there. I do not go out every weekend looking to get on but if i happen to get into one i will keep it. So is that wrong of me to do.

If you decide to put down the regulations for just a moment and take the time to truely understand the reasons WHY the majority of fisherman protect the bass populations in both the saltwater and the fresh......You will have a better understanding of what the fishing community here in socal is all about. Spotties were poached out and basically overfished many decades ago and they neared the endangered species list here in our local waters. Only due to conservation efforts and protected marine enviroments have their numbers began to bounce back but the MAJORITY of fisherman now view them as a sport fish rather than a meal. More or less ANY species of fish that has migrated to the "Sport Fish" status has also gained the respect of the fishing community and is protected by "Fisherman Philosophy" rather than DFG regulations. Just a suggestion............Sit back......Read........and try to understand WHY the fisherman here are so passionate about protecting certain species regardless of the law.
If you are lucky......A light will come on in your head and you will get it!!!
Please let me know if I have to use smaller words........

e.g. Spotties....No eat!
Largies.....No eat!

[Thisfool]

I once asked "why are bass was so highly protected and the moral thing to do is to c/r are they hard to farm raise?" the answer I got is no they are very hardy fish and could be farm raised very easily and the reason there so highly regarded is that they are now thought of as a trophy and not a meal because of the explosion in popularity of the bass fishing sport.

I kind of get that and I definitely have the respect to follow the laws of CA and rules or private lakes. I never really targeted LMB and I don’t think I ever will I do however intend on going out and trying to kill mar stripy. and in my ventures to also kill trout, crappie and cat fish, if I ever accidently hook into one and it is of legal size and also depending on the lake and its population of LMB I don’t know if I will be able to stop myself from keeping it.