I HAVE A QUESTION FOR EVERYONE

I keep reading entertaining articles on various topics pertaining to the species we are all obsessed with.

Yes.....the SMALLMOUTH BASS. I read about the admirations we share for this super species...How we cast endless till our arms crack off, how we skip days from work and lie to the wives. The Dale Hollow Smallmouth and for the rest that swim in the Tennessee waters that we all fish for are a diamond in the rough.

Very few places will they reach the sizes we are out to catch. That leads me to my question:

* ITS 2005, almost 2006: WHY DO ALOT OF US EVEN CONSIDER MOUNTING THESE FISH THE OLD FASHION WAY?????? WHEN FIBERGLASS MOUNTS ARE PRESENT TO PRESERVE THE FISHERY, PROTECT THE BIG BEAUTIES, AND WILL LAST AND LOOK BETTER AND LONGER THAN A SKIN MOUNT.*

Sorry, I dont get it. Next time you see a real good mount, ask who did it. Often times its a guy with good fiberglass work. You will feel better about yourself if you do.

Take good pictures, measure the fish(Girth, length, whatever) then let her go. Blow the original picture up and put it next to the mount. Doesn't that make more sense. And guys, its not the money. A regular mount is only gonna save you a few bucks on a 22-24 inch fish anyway.

I didn't want to rant and rave....I just got back from Dale Hollow. I live in Chicago and I really can appreciate what you folks have down there thats all.

Good Fishin!

Ropesa

Your point is a good one, In fact I just had that same conversation with my teenage son.How can you really kill something so special? I dont even put one of these special fish in a live well unless I am in a tournament. I lip them unhook them and gently put them back. catch and release is working. If you dont believe it look at how many you catch that are 17 1/2 inches at Norris and look how many 20 to 24 inchers are caught now as compared to 5 years ago. If you want something to eat catch spotted bass or crappie. If you want a mount take a pic and get a replica. We have a special deal on Smallmouth in Tennessee lets make sure we keep it.Fish2win

I have had some Stripers mounted and Largemouth caught in Fla..And have caught some nice Smalljaws on Cherokee F and F.But i wouldn't have the heart to have one mounted .They are the cream of the crop as far as Bass go and are the best fighting fish on the lake pound for Pound. I think it would a sin to take one home in my eye's and one of the best water to catch them in east Tn.is the Chucky River ..YANK

Personally, I have gotten to the point where I greatly prefer fiberglass replica mounts, and I probably wouldn't use a skin mount again in the future. Skin mounts seem a little wasteful.

But I don't know that I would completely begrudge another person taking home a single "fish of a lifetime" for a skin mount. I'm not against gently talking people out of using skin mounts if we can, but I don't know that someone who likes a skin mount is necessarily a bad person.

This might make a lot of people upset, but tournaments kill more fish each year than taxidermists do. Post-release mortality studies confirm it. And the scientific evidence proves that smallmouth don't survive tournaments as well as largemouth do.

The point is, you have to take care about passing judgement on what other people are doing with the fish they catch. As long as people are using the resource within the law, I'm going to be cautious about saying they don't have a right to take a fish home as a trophy or to eat.

bd

Not only is it wasteful...it's just downright wrong!
Practice CPR on the big ones and let em' fight again another day:)

If you need to do wall mounts do a fat girl and put the big smallies back please like I do .Don,t put them in a live well. **** thats why we catch 6 and 7 lbs. Thats my motto.