Well much of this information is known, and I guess next year we'll get to see what the bass management lake regulation changes have done to the populations.

I only have a copy of the 2003/2004 data in this report:
Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration
F-57-R-22 Annual Performance Report
April 1, 2003– March 31, 2004

In this they state that they will be evaluation the impacts of the regulation changes to the bass management lakes. When this comes out we'll have information to talk about. If the changes worked, perhaps we'll see the DEP make more changes. Remember though, you can't manage for just bass without having potential impacts on other species.

When I would go fishing with my Dad on our own Lake X, if we caught a bass, on the stringer it went. Now this was 20 yrs ago, before there was a big catch and release mentality. I can honestly say no fish that my Dad caught was wasted. Everything was eaten. He never kept more that his limit.

These fisherman that want to keep a few bass to eat aren't the problem. The problem ones are the people who keep MORE than their limit, or keep undersized fish. They are passing on their bad behaviors onto their kids and others. I personally called the DEP hotline 3 times this year. Twice at Mansfield for guys keeping bass in the slot limit, and once for a guy filling his bucket up with schoolie stripers on the river.

I think that changing the bass limit is a good idea. Would it be so bad to make all lakes bass slot limit? You could keep 2 bass between 12"and 16" to eat, all other fish would be released. Are there other states that have tried this on all the lakes?

I forgot to mention, that DEP publication goes contains some information on catch and harvest rates for some lakes during ice and no ice conditions. Aren't nearly as many fish being taken through the ice as people make it sound sometimes. Not to say it isn't happening, but it might not be as bad as you think

Ok...ill try and do this without offending anyone, but in case I do please accept my appologies I am just expressing an opinion.

Keeping bass is NOT a bad thing. Many lakes become stunted or overrun with numbers of smaller fish. Look at a lot of ponds that do not get fished....I know one for instance that it is a private pond, about 2 miles from a public one almost identical in size, water quality etc. The private pond has VERY few fish over 12 inches, whle the public one produces great numbers of fish over 16 inches. Bottom line is that harvesting bass on bodies of water is not as big of an issue as many would make it seem. The issue is harvesting LARGE fish. I think we could all agree that our issue was not the harvesting of bass, it was the harvesting of the 4 lb fish etc.

I have to agree with pretty much everyone on this post, but you have to look at what findbas said about 20 years ago....there was very little "catch and release" practiced back then...good lord look at any of the pictures or video from the first BASS tournamants...hundrede of 5 lb bass put in a jon boat after the weigh in. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dead fish....and guess what...we can still catch plenty of big fish today.

I think my point is that keeping 10 bass over 4lbs during a weekend at 1 lake WILL make an impact....will ANYONE notice, NOPE!!!

To the creel limit issue, I agree, I think 6 fish may be a little high...but that ios why we have bass management. These lakes are surveyed every year by the DEP, and as soon as a trend in abundance, or lacktherof, is noticed managment begins to discuss regulation changes.

I am not a hunter but have always wondered how the persepctive could be so different. Bass and deer populations are no different, yet the perspective is so different. When hunting deer you target the BIGGEST bucks...why? Well they have the most meat and have big antlers for show and tell. What does that do to a population? Well it allows the smaller deer to get bigger by allowing them to fill the space as dominant male, alloting them more resources. Thow hunters know how important thinning the heard can be, a population with too many individuals becomes smaller in size, thus creating health, disease problems.

The same occurs in bass populations...too many fish create smaller average weights and health issues....fish kills become more prevalent and overall population health declines.

OK...well I have to tie up my rambling...I think we are semi-overeacting. Yes we all want our natural resources protected...are there ways to do that , yes. bodies of water are managed on a water-specific basis, meaning that overall regualtions are not the best answer. What may be good for one bodie of water is terrible on another....bottom line is that a lot of factors are tae into account when regulations are made, including angler harvest...and DEP does everything they can to ensure that we will be catching fish years from now just as we are today.

Just some food for thought: Without catch and release we probably wouldn't be looking at the two great bass photos on the homepage of this site.

Selective harvest is a great idea. Taking your limit of large bass to "fill the freezer" can have substantial consequences, especially on a small body of water.