Fishing for Bass on the beds.

[fshfanatic]

The water is reaching that temp and I am seeing bass on the beds at the local ponds. I love catching these agressive fish.

Is it in your opiniun unethical to cast into the beds and take these bass? I am a C&R kinda guy, but I realize it is stressfull...

Opinions

 

[Curtis]

I would say it is unethical but then again, so is half the things we do for fun anymore. The bass is a much more resilient animal then say the Trout. It also helps that they are spawning in the spring too. They won't have the whole winter ahead like a trout to replenish the energy the used up. I would say that if you see them actively engaged in spawning, close your eyes and leave those alone but other then that, enjoy.

 

[fshfanatic]

I wont cast to pairs. Only the singles. which is generally pre or post spawn.

 

[Curtis]

And no filming them for the internet!! :wink:

 

[Cliff Hilbert]

There is absolutely nothing wrong or unethical in fishing for bedding bass. Whether you keep them or let them go doesn't matter one littlle bit. I let mine go, but I definitely have no problem fishing for spawning bass, crappie or bream. If it was wrong then Texas Parks & Wildlife would make it illegal. The fact that they don't, and they are the experts in fisheries management, tells me that there is nothing wrong with it.

Those who hunt deer, elk, moose, etc usually shoot the trophy animals. When was the last time you heard anyone say that was unethical? Have you ever heard of hunters releasing the animal they just shot?

People have gone way off balance in this Catch and Release thing. A certain number of fish need to be taken out of the lakes, otherwise the lakes will become overpopulated with a bunch of small, skinny fish. Marine biologists will be the first ones to tell you that proper lake management includes removing certain numbers of fish from a lake. They set the legal fish limits based on their expertise in fisheries management - they expect and WANT people to take legal fish out of the lakes.

 

[Fish Bones]

It doesn't look like we need to ask Cliff to clarify his position does it??? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[fshfanatic]

Those who hunt deer, elk, moose, etc usually shoot the trophy animals. When was the last time you heard anyone say that was unethical? Have you ever heard of hunters releasing the animal they just shot?

All my hunting is catch and release. :wink:

Seriously though. One can not compair Elk hunting to Bass fishing. In Elk season you get 1 a yr. How many Bass can you leagally keep in a yr? if yo fished EVERYDAY and took home a limit of 5 that would be 1825 Bass a yr. If you hunted ELK everyday of the yr and took your limit home, you would still have only 1.

 

[Curtis]

There is absolutely nothing wrong or unethical in fishing for bedding bass. Whether you keep them or let them go doesn't matter one littlle bit. I let mine go, but I definitely have no problem fishing for spawning bass, crappie or bream. If it was wrong then Texas Parks & Wildlife would make it illegal. The fact that they don't, and they are the experts in fisheries management, tells me that there is nothing wrong with it.

Those who hunt deer, elk, moose, etc usually shoot the trophy animals. When was the last time you heard anyone say that was unethical? Have you ever heard of hunters releasing the animal they just shot?

People have gone way off balance in this Catch and Release thing. A certain number of fish need to be taken out of the lakes, otherwise the lakes will become overpopulated with a bunch of small, skinny fish. Marine biologists will be the first ones to tell you that proper lake management includes removing certain numbers of fish from a lake. They set the legal fish limits based on their expertise in fisheries management - they expect and WANT people to take legal fish out of the lakes.

AMEN! This is sound advise. While C&R is a good thing, like anything it can be overdone and lead to as many problems for a fishery as taking too many. Balance is the key. If we were going to worry about what is and is not the most "ethical" thing to do, I am sure jamming hooks through the faces of the fish in the first place would be out. I say get em'!

 

[Cliff Hilbert]

Fshfanatic, you don't fish everyday, you don't take 5 bass everyday - the fisheries biologists know that and set the limits accordingly.

 

[dougm]

Just curious ... When exploiting these poor fish you call bass, do you fish barbed or barbless hooks? And now, my thought for the day: If you can't catch them, you don't have to release them.

Always delighted to offer my sage advice gained over the ages...

Doug

 

[fshfanatic]

Fshfanatic, you don't fish everyday, you don't take 5 bass everyday - the fisheries biologists know that and set the limits accordingly.

I understand that. But... You could. Therein lies the issue.

 

[fshfanatic]

Just curious ... When exploiting these poor fish you call bass, do you fish barbed or barbless hooks?

Just curious how is it exploitation & what does it matter what type of hook you use?

And now, my thought for the day: If you can't catch them, you don't have to release them.
Doug

I am not sure I am getting the point you are trying to relay.

 

[freeze69]

I don't think that it's unethical to catch them on the beds. I do think that people make more out of it and than there is. Even though I catch and release bass I try not to target them on the beds. Sometimes it just so happens that you do hook them on the beds. This is getting of the topic. The thing that makes me mad are the people that keep everything that they catch regardless of size bluegills & crappies especially. These same people are the first to complain later that the fishing isn't as good as it used to be. Keep some of good size release the rest.

 

[FowlHabit]

I personaaly keep very few of the fish I manage to catch. Everyone has thier own set of morals and they should be respected if within the set of laws set in thier area. To some if it's legal it's OK to others everything should be catch and release. Hopefully our local Fish and Game laws will protect enough to allow a next season. Banning all bedded fish sounds like the start down a slippery slope that would lead to all fishing being considered both unfair and cruel. Hopefully when a sportsman/woman progresses they will realize they must help out to keep the sport we love and support it in a way they see fit.

 

[Jakeway]

Just curious ... do you fish barbed or barbless hooks? ...Doug

I've heard many places that barbless hooks are better for bass, since the larger diameter hooks normally used for bass have a hard time getting the barb into the tough heads of large bass. I crimped down the barbs on my bass flies, and I do believe I lose fewer bass. Some still get off, especially when I use longer bunny-fur streamers. I think the bass grab the fly by the tail, and don't even get the hook into their mouth.

 

[Fish Bones]

I use barbless on the small mountain streams that I fish. Its less harmful to the small fish, hook set is better, and I can get them off faster so I can recast and catch another fish. Otherwise, I'll fish with barbs unless the regulations prohibit them.

 

[gregorykicks]

i've smashed the barbs on some of my wolley buggers that I use when i'm bluegill fishing since they hit hard and swallow deep. That way I can get them off much quicker. With my smaller flies i keep the barb cause a fly the size of your pinkie nail isn't a lot of hook to keep a 13" trout on, and when I catch the small fish with the small fly it's usually fairly easy to get out.
As for fishing bass on the beds.. i'm neither here nor their...
as far as c&r i release everything almost all the time (except trout, I only release trout when i've reached my limit) why? tennesse is 100% stocked trout and all but one of the rivers I fish on don't stay cold enough year round to keep the trout alive, and on that river I only keep what's for dinner that night.

if i keep it, it's supper, and I gut them right then and there. Less suffering for them since it's a much quicker kill, and when you kill a fish that's trying to get away you appreciate it's life much more than a fish that died of asphixation and doesn't flop everywhere when you slice it open.

Greg