Gnasher Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 (edited) Firstly, thankyou Bass for the presentation. I think the turnout proved you had decent support But something i wasn't sure of................ Most anglers in here feel that by putting back a double figure fish is helping to preserve the stock and therefor allowing it to to spwan again in the future........But after the meeting with B.A.S.S it seems that the 4-7lb class will produce more better eggs that will therefor help with future stocks........ So for conservation reasons, is it better to take a nice double for the bbq or a healthy 5lb fish that will produce better quality eggs? Im sure people wouldn't bat an eyelid if i took a 4lb fish, but there may be some eyebrows raised if i banged a 12 pounder on the head!! After the meeting, maybe its now ok to take the big fish and put the more tastier mid sized fish back.... What fish is best to keep? Or did i miss the point ? (p.s...good to meet a few more faces) (pps I don't actually catch any lunkers!!) Edited December 8, 2006 by Gnasher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Hi Dan Nice to meet you last night. A really big thank you to the organisers and to B.A.S.S. for the effort they put into getting us a great presentation with som,e really interesting thoughts. Dan, I am with you in that I have always promoted keeping the "medium" sized fish and returning the lunkers believing that these would have stronger genes, immune system, tenacity etc (survival of the fittest). In fact I now feel a bit of a plonker as I have just been asked to write a bit for the SFSA Christmas News Letter where I did go into one about returning the larger fish too. Slightly confused here as I have always, certainly in recent years, been proud to return a bigger fish and happy to keep what we are now being tolled are the best fish. It will be a bit of a shame if I have been doing wrogn and now need to swap as my "large" Bass catching ability is well known to be pretty poor at the best of times, not to mention I don't believe the larger Bass taste any good.... It would be great if one of the B.A.S.S. boys couild put us straight. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Dan, Tom, go onto the CEFAS website and download the reports on Bass studies, and read them at your leisure. In essence, yes the bigguns are still spawners. The thing is, the bigger the female, the larger quantity of eggs she is able to lay, however, she may actually be past her prime fertility wise, and only a certain percentage of her eggs will hatch and thrive. A fish of say, 50cm, which should have spawned a couple of times already, is just getting into its prime, egg weight to body weight wise, and this younger more virile fish should be producing better offspring, than a fading female of say 15lbs, which will probably be over twenty to twenty five years old. So, if we are taking a few fish in the three to five year class, which may have achieved six pounds in weight, we are in fact removing an important fish, especially if it is a female, from the demogarphic pyramid. At the end of the day, and this is my personal view, I feel that if I catch a bass and want to take that fish for the table, I can do so with a clear conscience, as I return far far more bass than those killed for the table. It is perhaps, the commecial sector whose actions may have detromental effect upon the local Bass populations in specific areas. When you drift an area, such as Portland Race, using many different baits and methods, and feel the number of hits, takes, and ultimately fish in the net, it shows you how many Bass there actually are in that specific feeding area. However, when a smaller hotspot is found, and then fished continually, it is easy to remove all the prime breeding fish in a few sessions, with catastrophic efffects upon the immediate population. Also, to bang a 12lber on the head..................you first have to catch her!!! Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Unfortunately I had to leave early last night, but the one thing I did take away from the BASS presentation was that Bass are territorial and the importance of keeping marks circumspect. For those who weren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 (edited) Big Bass are rare, you may have caught one cause somebody else returned it prior to you catching it. They have the potential to grow to 20lbs, wouldn't we want to see more of these? It's not all about conservation, its about sport also PJ Edited December 8, 2006 by Paul J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Paul, time of year has a huge impact on how the Bass fights. I have found that early and mid season fish fight far harder than late season ones, and the mid range fish fight harder than the largest. Perhaps just my thoughts, but it would be interesting to see how others views pan. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffy Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Guys, I'd like to thank you all for your attendance, support and feedback last night and here in this post. It was a privelage to be able to present our thoughts on bass fishing and to share information relating to the Bass Management Plan. To clear up one misunderstanding straight away...we are not advocating that it is best practice to knock doubles on the head! Far from it in fact. I guess one of us must have said something that has left this impression with a few of you, but trust me please...this is not the case. Virtually all bass in our inshore waters that are over 6lb are females, and the big girls carry a huge number of eggs when they are ripe. They are experienced and successful breeders and as such they represent an incredibly important part of the reproducing stock. Perhaps when they reach a huge size they start to become a little rough around the edges like all females do of any species, but by the time they are this big I couldn't imagine many people wanting to clobber them on the head anyway. Big bass are indeed rare. Most of us would like to catch a big fish at least once a year....it doesn't make sense to kill big fish if they represent the best of what we hope to catch, because once they are gutted they can't be caught again Rememer the story about Billy Bass from Wales, she who was caught four times in successive years on the same mark - she is a double now (if she is still alive). There is another reason why it is important to release large bass, and that is one of image. Actually, it's not really about image at all - it's about the message that is given out when we, as recreational anglers, are demonstrating how highly we value bass. For those of you there last night you'll be able to appreciate who the people are that we are trying to reach and influence with this message. It starts with us, recreational anglers. So what size bass to take for the table? Like Rich said, it's entirely up to you, but big bass taste dull compared to smaller ones anyway. BASS have debated this for years, and some members make a strong case for fish of around four to five pounds being the best size to take if they are for personal consumption. A fish this size will comfortably provide a meal for an average family, and this size of fish is reasonably plentiful within the stock that remains. Certainly more plentiful than fish of 8lb plus. Personally I only take a handful of fish out of the hundreds I catch each summer, and they are all four pounders. These fish have almost certainly bred once, so I am happy that they have at least fulfilled this important task. A four pounder also tastes fine, and feeds my family of four in one sitting. I know most BASS members would rather cut off their little finger rather than clobber a fish over double figures, and most would not kill a five pound plus fish unless it was obviously gut hooked or in some other way terminally damaged. Choices choices, it's a free world after all. Take only what you need seems a sensible enough motto to me. Thanks again for your support. Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted December 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 thanks Al. i perfect response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted December 9, 2006 Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 (edited) Theres plenty more of this quality advice available on their Members only Forum. I joined last month and am very impressed with the quality of writing, not only do these guys know how to catch fish they know how to tell a good story as well. The quarterly Mag is worth the subscription alone if you compare it to the monthly fishing mags. PJ Edited December 9, 2006 by Paul J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted December 9, 2006 Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 WHAT'S A BASS. ?............. Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted December 9, 2006 Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 WHAT'S A BASS. ?............. Jack Not sure Jack, once got one going to school! Asked where its mum and dad was but would not say so swam off without a thankyou for saving it from getting run over by a big hook! Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wedger Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 WHAT'S A BASS. ?............. Jack A large wooden, stinged instrument Jack.................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 A male singer with a deep voice. If you're quick, you could catch one. Terry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 all this bass talk reminded me of my earlier days,and I am sorely tempted to put one of my photo's on,if I can find it and do a digital copy....sort of "watch this space : jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Would that be you dressed up as Nanky Poo singing the lead roll in The Mikado? Terry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 thank you for that image Terry.............not! with Rich on the fight - I have only caught 2 'doubles' both in Autumn, and neither matched the fight from early season fish half the size. sort of seing an underlying truism here as well - it's not about the ones you take for the table; it's about the ones you put back............. tight lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 This one is just for Terry,and perhaps for me too [memories are made of this.] YER--'TIS. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 memories are made of this ah the days of hair.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 (edited) .......and the Village People. Terry. Edited December 12, 2006 by plaicemat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Jack..........................what a fine moustach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.