07-18-2003, 11:35 AM
[cool]Hey, Leaky. Glad you guys had a good trip. Hope Bud doesn't develop that "itchy twitchy" reaction to the swimmers' itch. I'm guessing the weeds are probably getting pretty thick in there by now. At least Mantua treated you a lot better than some of your trips late last year. Always good to be able to show a newbie a good time...and to have them catch a biggun or two.
NOTE: Let's not make this forum a platform to argue the merits of catch and release vs hook and cook. These are issues that every angler must decide for themselves, for their own reasons. There are some waters in which the bass populations are self-sustaining...or even suffering from an overbalance of predators (bass) and a light harvest is beneficial to keep the bass from stunting.
Joe, you are not familiar with the little lake (Mantua) where Leaky fished, but it is one of those waters in which there are lots of "bitty bass" and very few large ones. People are encouraged to harvest the smaller fish and release the big ones, which Leaky always does. In fact, he seldom keeps trout or bass for the table...preferring whitefish, perch and other sunfish. If his guest elected to keep a couple of bass, that is a matter of personal choice and can be excused.
The problem on most waters is not the occasional harvest, but the people who load up and keep everything they catch. The fish and game department refers to this as "subsistence fishing". Some of our ethnic groups (and plain fishing slobs) feel that the fish are put in our waters for their exclusive harvest. They are not sportsmen, and often become hostile when confronted. They fish for food...either because they traditionally have a lot of fish in their diets, and/or because they do not have money in their budgets to buy it at the market.
All I can say is that I am glad that I do not have to keep all the fish I catch to feed my family. It is great that we are able to have a choice as to whether we keep an occasional fish...or to release it after enjoying the sport. We do not have to agree with the outlooks and oractices of others, but there is no need to slam someone simply because they do not have the same outlooks we do.
NUFF SAID.
[signature]
NOTE: Let's not make this forum a platform to argue the merits of catch and release vs hook and cook. These are issues that every angler must decide for themselves, for their own reasons. There are some waters in which the bass populations are self-sustaining...or even suffering from an overbalance of predators (bass) and a light harvest is beneficial to keep the bass from stunting.
Joe, you are not familiar with the little lake (Mantua) where Leaky fished, but it is one of those waters in which there are lots of "bitty bass" and very few large ones. People are encouraged to harvest the smaller fish and release the big ones, which Leaky always does. In fact, he seldom keeps trout or bass for the table...preferring whitefish, perch and other sunfish. If his guest elected to keep a couple of bass, that is a matter of personal choice and can be excused.
The problem on most waters is not the occasional harvest, but the people who load up and keep everything they catch. The fish and game department refers to this as "subsistence fishing". Some of our ethnic groups (and plain fishing slobs) feel that the fish are put in our waters for their exclusive harvest. They are not sportsmen, and often become hostile when confronted. They fish for food...either because they traditionally have a lot of fish in their diets, and/or because they do not have money in their budgets to buy it at the market.
All I can say is that I am glad that I do not have to keep all the fish I catch to feed my family. It is great that we are able to have a choice as to whether we keep an occasional fish...or to release it after enjoying the sport. We do not have to agree with the outlooks and oractices of others, but there is no need to slam someone simply because they do not have the same outlooks we do.
NUFF SAID.
[signature]