Typically i like to fish away from the crowds. But this past weekend the lake was quite crowded. So I began my bass fishing adventure like any other, throwing hula poppers with great success. In fact I had a fantastic day overall, landing and releasing some real giants.
Then I happened upon this boat, anchored and throwing baited lines. Two men proceeded to land a largemouth and release it, because it was too small, so that was nice. But then they caught a 5 pound hog, and added it to a chain stringer of 4 other largemouth, hooked by the lip and dying at the side of their boat.
I hadn't seen a sight such as this one in many many years. In fact i have not seen it since the days of fishing with my dad and my uncle, where catch and kill was not only an option, it was law in my family. My father, an immigrant to this country believed that it was his duty to provide for his family, and animals on the table were a means to this end.
I swear to you, my hand to God, my stomach turned and i spent the rest of the day and the long drive home contemplating the sport that I love so dearly.
Look here, i don't judge people who follow the laws of the land in terms of what they can catch and keep - and I enjoy a shore lunch of a single non-super breeder fish as much as the next guy - but I cant come to terms with what i saw, 5 beautiful 5 pound largemouth ready to die.
I swear to you this has broken a small part of me, and i hope this post doesn't sound sappy or maudlin, but can you offer any advice or sympathy in regards to someone who loves sport fishing for largemouth, but cant quite wrap his mind around killing multiple fish or limits of large breeding fish.
I have no where else to vent what i saw this weekend.
I hadn't seen a bass kept, outside of being put in a live well, for so long, i wonder if part of my passion died that day too.
Am i so foolish to think that as a nation, we were over killing large breeding females, could I have been so wrong?
I wish the regulations were much stronger, like slot limits for bass - just to keep my romantic notions of the modern sportsman alive.
Sorry, this is not meant to be a rant or a attempt to pass judgement at all, and i mean no offense to those who catch and keep.
Perhaps i am devoted to the wrong sport.
Then I happened upon this boat, anchored and throwing baited lines. Two men proceeded to land a largemouth and release it, because it was too small, so that was nice. But then they caught a 5 pound hog, and added it to a chain stringer of 4 other largemouth, hooked by the lip and dying at the side of their boat.
I hadn't seen a sight such as this one in many many years. In fact i have not seen it since the days of fishing with my dad and my uncle, where catch and kill was not only an option, it was law in my family. My father, an immigrant to this country believed that it was his duty to provide for his family, and animals on the table were a means to this end.
I swear to you, my hand to God, my stomach turned and i spent the rest of the day and the long drive home contemplating the sport that I love so dearly.
Look here, i don't judge people who follow the laws of the land in terms of what they can catch and keep - and I enjoy a shore lunch of a single non-super breeder fish as much as the next guy - but I cant come to terms with what i saw, 5 beautiful 5 pound largemouth ready to die.
I swear to you this has broken a small part of me, and i hope this post doesn't sound sappy or maudlin, but can you offer any advice or sympathy in regards to someone who loves sport fishing for largemouth, but cant quite wrap his mind around killing multiple fish or limits of large breeding fish.
I have no where else to vent what i saw this weekend.
I hadn't seen a bass kept, outside of being put in a live well, for so long, i wonder if part of my passion died that day too.
Am i so foolish to think that as a nation, we were over killing large breeding females, could I have been so wrong?
I wish the regulations were much stronger, like slot limits for bass - just to keep my romantic notions of the modern sportsman alive.
Sorry, this is not meant to be a rant or a attempt to pass judgement at all, and i mean no offense to those who catch and keep.
Perhaps i am devoted to the wrong sport.
j/k haha 
