Size limits??

[Ron G]

What do ya'll think about them?were metting with the state do a survey on weather or not one of our lakes need it.im all for it a 14"or even 15"limit.Its getting hard to catch a decent fish on this lake and it does get alot of preasure from tournys .i was just wondering what ya'll thought about size limits and if helped your lakes or hurt them,i now here at another lake they bumped the size up on smallies to 18"and everbody raised h@ll at first but now they love because theres alot more smallies being caught.

 

[JB]

Re: Size limits??

I think all except prime food species should be catch and release only.

Walleye, catfish, trout, salmon and panfish are the prime food species I can think of.

I like slot limits on walleye: 14" to 28", with only one over 24".

Panfish? If it's too small to filet, throw it back.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Size limits??

Size restrictions are good if properly managed. Hope they are surveying the lakes as well as the fishermen. Slot limits are appropriate in an overpopulation situation...fish will grow as large as their habitat (including forage) will allow, subject to genetic potential.

Don't forget the white basses, JB - maybe not so good as panfishes, sure, but plentiful, and fun to catch, and downright tasty when properly prepared. Also you probably already know that the largemouth bass is not a true bass, but a sunfish.

 

[JB]

Re: Size limits??

I think of white Bass and yellow bass ("sandies") as panfish, JT. I'm sure some would disagree. They are great fun to catch on very light tackle.

Stripers and wipers? Not so sure where they belong, but there is no advantage in releasing a wiper, they are sterile and cannot reproduce.

Stripers? C&R game fish or prime eating fish? No opinion.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Size limits??

tough to choose between species...

i'm completely for size limits, we have them for most species here in the Ches Bay. The actual limit needs to be careful selected. Stripers are 18" and 28" during the summer. This past spring they raised it to 33" during the trophy season... yes, i caught plenty of 30" fish I had to throw back, but those fish will help the population grow.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Size limits??

We have some lakes that imposed size limits on bass. They call it the "big bass program". on the lakes it is 15 inches minimum. I fish two of these lakes pretty often and fished them before and after they imposed the regulations. I can tell you it improved the quality of the fish a lot. It is not uncommon to catch fish in the 4 and 5 pound range now. Before it was rare. Still much can be done to improve the bass fishing here in Pa. But the fish commission has it's main focus on trout.

 

[Fishin' Jeff]

Re: Size limits??

I'll have to agree with JB on that one. However, if the lake is underpoulated with a particular species, They're a good thing.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Size limits??

Last year the OFW imposed a 15" limit on my home lake. In that you can`t keep anything over 15". It has yet to be proven, we will see.

 

[Silver/Fish]

Re: Size limits??

With the heavy fishing pressure that many of (our) lakes and streams are receiving, it is vital that some form of regulations are in place.

There was a time when many people kept most if not all of their catch. Quality and quantity suffered.

Here in Michigan the (over-all) fishing has been good the past few years and I for one would like to see that positive trend continue....

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Size limits??

All of Mississippi's major impoundments have slot limits. For the most part, it's worked out well. Some have trophy limits as well, ie: can't keep more than two over 23 inches. -Annoying in a tournament, but good for the fishery.

One of the AR lakes we fish was infested with ten inch bass until they imposed a slot limit there and now it's full of quality fish. The Game and Fish encourage keeping the "unders" there and throwing back the big 'uns.

I fish for sport mostly and a slot limit is just an additional challenge. I'm all for 'em.


spots