I am SOTS: MAKE STRIPED BASS A GAMEFISH!

[BigFish]

Technically....by the take limit.....it does!

[Sea Dangles]

How is it possible this can even be a debate?One will REDUCE the rec impact dramatically.Don't forget that boaters also fall into the rec category,and they have an even better opportunity to skirt the regs.

[BigFish]

Amen Chris....it really is just that simple!

[numbskull]

I understand and agree with your guys point, but I think the actual effect is not as big as you think (although ANY reduction is good by me).

The actual mortality numbers for 2008 estimate 2.2 million fish were kept recreationally, and about 1 million fish (950,000) were released and died. Since many anglers do not catch 2 fish or keep 2 fish (and since the recreational community does not fish to a hard quota determined season), a reduction to a 1 fish limit would not automatically reduce the recreational kept number to 1.1 million. Rather it would probably be more like 1.5 million (a guess). The release mortality would increase a bit (@60,000 fish) since 8% of those extra 700,000 released fish would die.

That means dropping the recreational limit to one fish would reduce the total recreational kill from 3.2 million fish, to 2.5 million......a drop of about 20-25%. To reduce the recreational kill further would require a size limit increase as well.

[BigFish]

Sure would love to know where they derive the "released and died" numbers from????? They must have followed the fish or later took a survey!

Again.....the switch from 2 fish to 1 fish would be significant. Lets all agree on that...K?

And I already mentioned the size should go up...34...36 inches....either works for me!

[piemma]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Sure would love to know where they derive the "released and died" numbers from????? They must have followed the fish or later took a survey!

Again.....the switch from 2 fish to 1 fish would be significant. Lets all agree on that...K?

And I already mentioned the size should go up...34...36 inches....either works for me!

How long will we minority keep saying 1, 34 or 1, 36? No one wants to listen.

It's like this nitwit on the "other board". Said he fished from April to Nov and keeps 4 fish a WEEK. I was going to point out that amounts to 108 fish that he keeps. WHAT THE *&%$@# DO YOU NEED TO KILL 108 BASS FOR???? I haven't killed 108 bass in 10 years.

But what's the use! With that kind of mentality, anything I said would have started one of these *&%$^throwing wars. "IT's my right blah, blah, blah....."

[BigFish]

4 fish a week is insane!!! Love to know how much of that fish is being eaten and how much is actually tossed in the dumpster?!?!?!

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Sure would love to know where they derive the "released and died" numbers from????? They must have followed the fish or later took a survey!

They come from several studies done in VA and MD. They caught and released the fish into a giant pen, so they could watch them. Most of the mortality comes days after the release, which is why you don't see dead fish floating around after a blitz.

[afterhours]

on that mortality rate....how were they caught? bait, fly, plug....