DEAD bass was up after Tourney on KY Lake.

[adam7456]

OK so now you have officers there watching them. Unless you believe they are breaking any regulations and not being caught what good does that really do with regards to loss of fish that don't survive after being released?

For that matter you might even get some angry pushback from some smaller groups that will simply KEEP their fish as it is their right to do.

Fish and Wildlife is charged with managing the fishery and implementing regulations in order to keep them viable. The complaints about tournaments are blocked ramps, aggressive/hostile anglers, and dead fish. With the officers observing things, documenting tournament use, counting dead fish, and fielding complaints from others trying to use the lake they will have direct first hand information that can be used to properly manage the fishery. That is for the benefit of everyone including the tournament anglers. Or would you rather have them implement regulations based on viral news story and public complaints?

People were over fishing the catfish on Taylorsville lake. Fish and Wildlife gathered first hand information and implemented creel limits to keep the fishery in good shape. That is how things are supposed to work. If tournaments want to start keeping all the fish they catch, then I imagine more restrictive creel limits will be implemented which would be a negative things for tournaments. Again the only people who can prevent the regulations are the people causing the problem in the first place. If the tournament organizers aren't going to take responsibility for the negative impacts their tournaments are causing then they will have to deal with additional regulations and fees that will come.

Fisherman should want to lead on this and be out front self examining and looking for ways to best ensure the long term success of the sport. But be careful what you wish for when you seek for more regulations and enforcement.

That is my whole point. The tournament organizers and anglers should be pro-active in reducing any type of negative impact or complaint and keep the government out of it.

[SLP]

Fish and Wildlife is charged with managing the fishery and implementing regulations in order to keep them viable. The complaints about tournaments are blocked ramps, aggressive/hostile anglers, and dead fish.

I was under the impression this discussion was abut the loss of fish not bad behavior. IMO that is an spereate discussion entirely.

Or would you rather have them implement regulations based on viral news story and public complaints?

My point has been consistently that I don't desire any additional regulations.

People were over fishing the catfish on Taylorsville lake. Fish and Wildlife gathered first hand information and implemented creel limits to keep the fishery in good shape. That is how things are supposed to work. If tournaments want to start keeping all the fish they catch, then I imagine more restrictive creel limits will be implemented which would be a negative things for tournaments. Again the only people who can prevent the regulations are the people causing the problem in the first place. If the tournament organizers aren't going to take responsibility for the negative impacts their tournaments are causing then they will have to deal with additional regulations and fees that will come.

That was my point. There is really no need for new additional regulations. Limits may change if fish populations decline and those that run the tournaments should desire to best implement tournament rules that don't help lead to that occurring.

That is my whole point. The tournament organizers and anglers should be pro-active in reducing any type of negative impact or complaint and keep the government out of it.

That is the point I have been trying to make throughout this entire thread.

[Drew1233]

I like the idea of paying a small fee for the tournaments but I don't know about paying different fees for the size of the tournaments. What about making it like a trout stamp where you have to buy your normal fishing license but if you choose to fish tournaments that year you have to buy a "tournament stamp". You could make it only a $5-$10 "stamp" but if you think about how many of us fish tournaments it would add up real quick. I personally am glad to buy a fishing license at the beginning of every year because I know that it's helping the waters I fish. Also it's Kind of ironic but as I typed this out a triton commercial came on the tv lol.