"UNDERSIZED BASS"

Post by **Jigs** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:05 am

The header above has to be in quotation marks, as with the advent of this season, LEGALLY undersized bass (in area 18 at least), are no more.

Unfortunately, the season is unfolding as I hoped it would not, with me and several others personally witnessing the taking of bass as small as eight inches (approx.).

Although there is a goodly supply of bass at present, if this practice is allowed to continue, there won't be for long.

It seems to do no good to try and explain to those "anglers" who keep them, that if there are no small ones, there ain't gonna be no big ones. And, if you kill ALL the big ones, there ain't gonna be no small ones. If you are a keeper/eater of a few, as I am, a conservation license should suffice; two per trip...........not too shabby really. This seems perfectly logical and fair to me. Or is there something I am missing??

Does anyone other than myself sense a fairly rapid spiraling down of our fish stocks, which will culminate in a non-sustainable number of game fish in the very near future?? Or, does anyone care?? If so, what can be done??

This is reality, folks, and it's on now. I'm writing my MPP to just ask about the thinking behind the rules. Hope I get an answer. If I do, I'll let you know.

Tight lines,

Jigs.

Post by **MichaelVandenberg** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:19 am

As Jigs mentioned, the MNR removed the 12 inch minimum limit in the 2008 version of the fishing regulations. Not sure why. It really doesn't make any sense.

Mike

Post by **Fishing 24/7** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:01 am

WOW removed 12 inch regulation?????????

a 12 inch bass is verry small!

its like catching crapie slabs!!

why eat mini bass when you can get SLABS!

i didnt know this new 12 inch thigny.... stupid i find ...

Post by **Jasonb** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:05 am

worst part is that alot of fish end up in the garbage because someone took too much or made too much for dinner and everyone got full... if i take one or two 1.5-2lb bass, for a meal, plus i'll make some potatoes and rice or salad or something, thats a huge meal... fit for a king... but too many people want to cook 7 or 8 fish thinking they're gonna have a feast and end up wasting fish... this is wat hurts me the most... if you're not going to finish every bite, then dont keep it... but not enough people think this way, its a true shame... i just hope the fishing will be as good as it is now for when my son is my age and hopefully he'll share the same passion as i do...

JaY

Post by **wolfe** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:30 am

I hadn't realized that, Jigs. I don't think that bodes well for future stock. I don't see how it possibly can.

W.

Post by **Dartee** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 3:38 pm

When I saw that change in the spring my first thought was WTF are they thinking.
2nd is why would you keep an 8inch bass ? its almost all head (especially a large mouth). There is as much meat on a nice jumbo perch.

Post by **wolfe** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:12 pm

Good point, Dartee, about the perch.

W.

Post by **FishingIsHealing** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:01 pm

Everyone makes very good points........I agree with Dartee too..

When you kill an animal, you eat every damn last bit of it.

This goes for fish, deer, birds etc.

I believe in hunting for my own meat sometimes whether it's fish or deer. This is why I'm going to get my hunting licence.

At least that way I have some understanding about what it's like to kill an animal, so when I do eat storebought Beef, Turkey, Fish, I know that I could have killed it myself if I had to so I'm not just sitting back enjoying the meal without knowing where it truly comes from and the suffering it endured.

Not many people like to consider where their meat comes from. Lots of people would refuse to eat meat if they truly knew where it came from and the story behind it.

2 crappie is plenty for me for a meal...Since you add other things to make it a meal such as fries or potatoes etc. maybe some steamed vegetables.

I can keep 10 Crappie of any size with my Conservation licence but that is way too much for me. Why do I need that many? And 30 for a sportsman licence? thats alot of fish for 1 day. And if you do this often, thats alot of crappie you are killing.

Bass shouldn't be eaten if they are too small or too big. There should be a slot size for bass. I guess the MNR figures people don't really eat bass very often, which may be true kinda, but it's not totally true.

Bass can be very good if it's from clean cold water in the spring. So bass need to have a slot size.

Post by **DropShotr** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:52 am

There are some interesting points being made. Here are some of my observations.
Size limits:
The St. Lawrence River has not had a size limit on bass for a very long time.
Commorants pose a far more serious threat to bass stocks than a "no size" limit ever will.
My wife uses worms on her jigs. I almost was considering trading in my Legend in for an old military hospital boat to save the steady stream of gut hooked little bass and rockies my wife gets. Before this year I had no choice on what to do with the "bleeding bad gonna die any ways little bass". Now I can keep the fish and have a fish-fry or share the meat with those that don't fish but like a taste of bass now and then.

Catch/Possession limits:
How many fish DO we need for a meal? 6 bass? 4 walleye? 30 crappie? a 45 gallon drum of sunnies?
If we lower daily possession limits more will it cause unreparable damage to the tourist industry?
Times are changing.
There are no new lakes and rivers being built, but more people are getting into fishing and we are becoming more sucessful on our outings in part to new plastics, baits, electronics and even sites like this with information sharing.
Some spiecies are targeted more than others. Crappie vs sunnies. Crappie limits should be cut in half. Sunnies....load the boat.
What about tourists? Should we revisit the number of fish a tourist can bring home after a weeks stay in Ontario?

I could go on.....and on and on and on..............
DropShot'r

Post by **Jigs** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 4:54 pm

Quote, Dropshotter:"There are some interesting points being made. Here are some of my observations.
Size limits:
The St. Lawrence River has not had a size limit on bass for a very long time.
Commorants pose a far more serious threat to bass stocks than a "no size" limit ever will.
My wife uses worms on her jigs. I almost was considering trading in my Legend in for an old military hospital boat to save the steady stream of gut hooked little bass and rockies my wife gets. Before this year I had no choice on what to do with the "bleeding bad gonna die any ways little bass". Now I can keep the fish and have a fish-fry or share the meat with those that don't fish but like a taste of bass now and then.

I have to agree with you on the cormorant problem, D.S. They may change the way we view fishing in the future.

But: The Larry is much larger than any inland lake in area 18, and a size limit was really never needed there. Obviously I"m not talking Lake Ont. around Kingston, etc., but rather comparing it to say the Rideau Lake or the Miss. Even so, the quality and quantity of smallies around the Brockville area has dropped a tad during the last 20 or so years........

Why couldn't you keep the bleeding small bass, previous to this year? No size limit, right? Or are you talking about a different body of water?

Barbless might also have been an option with plastic grubs instead of live worms, if you were truly concerned. Those live wormies don't stay on a barbless too long, do they? ha ha

I hope the Larry continues to produce for you, and you and the wife can enjoy them undersized fish-fries.........

Tight lines,

Jigs.

Post by **DropShotr** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:30 pm

Jigs wrote: Why couldn't you keep the bleeding small bass, previous to this year? No size limit, right? Or are you talking about a different body of water?

Jigs.

Yes the old division 10. The wife doesn't like the river as much as the lakes.

DropShot'r