Recreational Bass Catch

[numbskull]

Interesting there is no mention what percentage of the recreational catch and what percentage of the recreational harvest (as opposed to estimated release mortality) is accounted for by those 787 charter boats. They do have that information available.

My sense is that a large proportion of the Recreational catch and keep harvest, particularly of large breeder bass, is the work of the charter industry, which I consider a quasi-commercial fishery. The majority of recreational mortality otherwise is catch and release related. I do not think that very many recreational non-charter anglers consistently catch and keep large bass (not that they are altruistic, just that they don't consistently stay on large fish). Even allowing for the carnage that is the canal most of those guys are only getting a few big fish each year.

[Piscator]

Originally Posted by Justfishin'

Sorry, I'm calling bull#^&#^&#^&#^& on those stats. Sounds like he was saying "its not your fault" to the charter association.

What exactly is it that you think he was saying "its not your fault" to the charter association about ?

[bart]

Originally Posted by Justfishin'

When are they going to work on making sure the fish have enough to eat?

How do the fish not have enough to eat? Just this year alone from shore in multiple states I've seen big numbers of adult menhaden, more herring than ever, and a school of horse macs the size of a football field. I've also been fishing around terns and getting small keeper size fish that are probably on small sand eels.

Bait isn't the issue, IMO