# LOCKED In defense of "The Mack Pack" **URL:** \ **Category:** Utah Fishing General\ **Created:** [June 15, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233 "2008-06-15T01:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TubeDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@TubeDude](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/TubeDude)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/21 "2008-06-15T16:13:17Z")
đŸ•¶\*\*Well, this is getting away from Don’s topic, on this thread, but the Colorado Board is doing fine compared to the California Board. California is a huge angling state, with many times the number of fishermen that Utah has. And, they have less than 10 posts on their boards for the entire month of June. And, again, most of the posts are by moderators with few replies. \*\* * * * **I lived and fished all over California, so I know it a bit. Part of the “difference” is that the state is really divided up into many fragments
fishing wise. Salt water vs fresh water
trout vs bass
north vs south or central
LA vs San Diego vs San Francisco
lakes vs streams
fly guys vs bait dunkers. You get the idea. There are a grundle of individual websites in California that cater to special interests. Some of them are bigger than Utah BFT
for only one small area or one type of fishing. Most California anglers are more “focused” and tend to specialize in their forums rather than spending a lot of time on a generalized forum like BFT California.** * * * **I have not checked it out, but I suspect that might be the case with Colorado. I know it is in some other states, including Arizona, where I was once a moderator for the BFT board too. Tough duty to get any traffic on that board. But, there were a couple of local bass club boards that were very busy.** ---
**Author:** ![lavaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@lavaman](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/lavaman)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/22 "2008-06-15T17:15:13Z")
Well TD, I for one am glad to be a part of the best fishing site in Utah. And it’s you Moderators as well as the regulars and newbies that make this site great. I agree with what’s been said in here. If someone wants to keep a lunker fish, they have every right. As long as it’s legal. As for me, I’ll continue to carry a camera and try to get the best shot possible before releasing. The Mack Pack? I’ll just say that I’m glad I’m not a part of it. [;)] ---
**Author:** ![scartinez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@scartinez](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/scartinez)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/23 "2008-06-15T17:18:48Z")
“Who the hell cares” Apparently a few. LH2 why do act like you own this place. As far as I know this is a public forum and for the most part anyone is allowed to post their opinion within the rules. Some of us will always preach the practice of selective harvest or catch and release. Just cause you don’t like it, doesn’t mean we have to stop. Maybe you should find a new board cause you seem to get upset if anyone disagrees with you. You don’t own this site, so quit acting like you do. ---
**Author:** ![Flycasting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Flycasting](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Flycasting)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/24 "2008-06-15T17:29:05Z")
The whole point is, that it gets old
 the same people come on here and make the same argument, and they get the same result
 a locked thread. Then you aren’t educating anyone with your preaching. You’re just pissing people off. ---
**Author:** ![fsh4fun05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@fsh4fun05](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/fsh4fun05)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/25 "2008-06-15T17:44:13Z")
Real impressive Scartinez, I don’t think you’re helping. There is a difference between preaching and chastising. ---
**Author:** ![lunkerhunter2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@lunkerhunter2](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/lunkerhunter2)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/26 "2008-06-15T17:57:41Z")
First of all, the only time you get on her is to complain about someone keeping a fish. You never post anything worth reading. I have posted thousands of posts full of info and recent reports. You are nothing to me. I am sick of people like you trying to tear people down for keeping what may be the biggest fish of their life time. I have caught 7# bass and thousands on top of that that went back into the water. I do keep fish like wipers, walleye and crappie to eat. If i caught the state record of any species i would keep it in a heartbeat. Something like that is a lifetime achievement and not many people will ever have the chance to say they have. You obviously have no idea who i am and what i stand for. I do believe in catch and release on some fish and catch and keep on others. Would i ever keep a 30# mack, hell no. What good would it do me? The only large fish i keep are for my pleasure to look at on the wall. I have a 12# brown, an 8# rainbow, a 2+# perch and a 7# LMB that i caught out of Mantua. All are on the wall or soon to be. Would i ever keep another big LMB that size, no. If i caught 7# smallie i would keep it in a heartbeat to mount. I know what the cut-off size is to keep with all the species i fish for. I know when they are too small to mount but too big to eat. If someone gets on here that catches a lifetime fish and wants to mount, GOOD FOR THEM! Most likely they are like me and will never keep another fish that size. Get off your barbie horse and stay out of my business. Why don’t all you people who can’t answer the ?? without attacking someone about keeping a fish start your own website and call it the elitist snobs of the world. This is a site where there are people who keep most fish they catch, and there are people who never keep anything, and a few who keep only what they will eat.. Is there ever anybody who gets on here and attacks you for letting everything go?? Do you even fish for macks or do you just want to start something with me?[;)] ---
**Author:** ![HaggardW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/48db29/32.png) [@HaggardW](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/HaggardW)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/27 "2008-06-15T18:00:21Z")
So many different thoughts and posts on this subject
. I think I will just put them all in one reply to Don since he began the discussion (on this thread anyway). This is not directed at Don, rather to all of us who have read and continue to read the discussion. First of all, I don’t know any of you nor do I owe anyone here my allegiance, so hopefully you can view this commentary as an outsider’s perspective. The idea that C&R is protecting a resource while H&C (Hook and Cook) is consumption of a resource is false. C&R may result in less consumption (degradation of the resource) but it IS still a use and consumption (feel free to look up the C&R stats). I do not believe I have ever been to the gorge and not seen at least one Thirty pounder floating belly up. Release is an excellent practice, but it does not guarantee the survival of the fish and percentages dwindle with older larger fish (the ones we target, so we are ALL harvesters). The DWR in UT and WY keep decent tabs on the happenings at the Gorge and while they may not be perfect in their actions to protect and grow a resource, they do have more information and insight than any one fisherman who claims to have the answer. Seems to be the opinion of the DWR right now that the keeping of one 28”+ is not an issue, but finding and killing every Burbot possible is, keeping a limit of pups is. So as we take shots at those who tale pics of their harvest - “Dinos”, ask yourselves what we have done to promote the resource and follow the guidelines set by the folks with the info, C&R is not promotion nor a requirement. The argument that you are a conservationist is null, that dog won’t hunt. I noticed that several in the “Mack Pack” (a term which holds no negative connotation at my dinner table) don’t believe they have attacked any individual other than the guide. From the outside in, I have to say, all the Gorge threads with a pic of a Laker over 30lbs being hijacked and taken to the depths of a political discussion of C&R or proper release techniques is an attack and quite disrespectful to the entire BFT community. I like that TD locked the other thread and we began a new discussion. As a BFT member I can then choose if I want to debate an issue, read a happy note about a great day fishin or see some cool pics of a fellow fisherman’s best day. This is a private board, not a democracy. We are expected to hold with the rules and regs not to mention just plain proper etiquette. We have been asked by the mods not to attack or negate discussions with our own agendas
 Just a thought, but starting a new thread on hot topics shows respect to the angler and his catch. IMHO - I definitely thought several of you gents directly attacked the poster of the thread. Putting the word “IF” before an allegation does not take away from its intent to defame or harm. Unless you know for a fact someone has committed an illegal action, you shouldn’t be making the comment at all. If you do know, this is not the place to file a report or complaint, that # is 1 800 562 2337. Realize it or not gentlemen, when you pull down another angler in the wake of your passion for a specific fish, you do more harm than good. That includes the guide who everyone keeps hammering on. I can guarantee you he has new clients based on this discussion, folks who want to harvest big macks (no pun intended). Finally, I noticed in this thread and another I read a couple Sundays ago, some of you feel the need to “voice your opinion” in person at the dock or on the lake. May I just make a suggestion that this is not a wise idea and can only bring harm to you and the sport you love. If you want to protest a regulation, contact the DWR. If an illegal activity is happening, there are proper ways and channels to handle it. My two cents
.. flame away. ---
**Author:** ![lunkerhunter2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@lunkerhunter2](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/lunkerhunter2)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/28 "2008-06-15T18:09:26Z")
BRAVO! Great reply. You are obviously a very intelligent person.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FishNCoach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/977dab/32.png) [@FishNCoach](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/FishNCoach)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/29 "2008-06-15T19:14:06Z")
If I catch a BIG BAD BOY, you bet I’ll keep it, it is legal and MINE,[:p] And you guys B\*\*\*\*\* up a storm on BFT and I am really disliking, and disgusted with your comments, at least Wiperhunter2 tries to hold the peace on BFT and tells it the way it is, and as for Lunkerhunter2, Donindenver, I used to like you, but your turning into a JURK, with the willard tournament-then to this, I am not playing favorites here but reading comments and some of you are out for the attack, all you guys do is complain, try to teach others with understanding that we are here to learn not to read your DAMN CRAP, I go to BFT to learn and teach others, not to read your crap, your objective is to intimidate others and find falt, get a life and go somewere else to complaine? We do not want your kind here 😠 ---
**Author:** ![Kent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kent](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Kent)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233/30 "2008-06-15T19:29:39Z")
IMNSHO this topic has been covered enough. LOCK [Previous page](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/locked-in-defense-of-the-mack-pack/135233.md?page=1)