FLW Lake Cumberland

[stripernut1]

Catching a few spawning smallmouth out of a lake that size won't make an impact. If they were fishing a smaller lake it might affect the spawn but not a big lake. Florida has been allowing big national tournaments to get tournament exemptions for years and it hasn't been an issue. I don't think every little tournament should get an exemption but I think it's a great idea on big lakes with tournaments that handle fish care properly. I want to showcase our great lakes and that's what the exemption does.

To compare cumberland to a top lake in florida is ....
And why do you want to "showcase" our lakes?? You think these lakes need MORE pressure???

[Duayne]

I want to showcase our great lakes and that's what the exemption does.

WHY?

[GeoFisher]

Catching a few spawning smallmouth out of a lake that size won't make an impact. If they were fishing a smaller lake it might affect the spawn but not a big lake. Florida has been allowing big national tournaments to get tournament exemptions for years and it hasn't been an issue. I don't think every little tournament should get an exemption but I think it's a great idea on big lakes with tournaments that handle fish care properly. I want to showcase our great lakes and that's what the exemption does.

Stating Cumberland can support a few spawners being taking off the nest based on size, is very short sighted.

Lake size,
Lake fertility.
Spawn success.

A **** ton of factors go into evaluating if it will hurt or not.

Dale Hollow suffered a gigantic fish kill a decade ago. Smallmouth fishing there was practically decimated. the 25 yr old slot limit was LEFT ALONE, and the 2 fish limit was left in place for smallmouth and guess what. The smallmouth population is exploding.

Personally, I believe a 2 fish limit and a 16 - 20 slot would be awesome for Cumberland...IMHO.

Now to the fact of ripping spawner off the nest and dragging them 50 miles....that is a severely IGNORANT ideology, and should stop. Period. I agree to what others have said about northern lakes. They have closed seasons on smallmouth, and I believe those closed seasons significantly help the smallmouth.

On a personal note:

I used to plan trips to the BWCA and Quetico around the spawn, but we stopped that years ago. There was no sport in pulling the male and then the female off the nest.......NO SPORT. Any ignorant fool with a fishing rod can do that. It takes a little more skill to find and locate the fish staging. Heck I think the fall is one of the best times, as the weights are significantly heavier as they feed up for their long winter.



Later,

Geo

[Fntsyfbgod]

You do realize this isn't the first time? They have allowed big high school/youth tournaments to keep anything 12 inches. I can't believe people are actually mad and think this will be much worst on the lake vs a normal size limit. There were alot of limits last year also either way fish are going to be caught and weighed in, there were just fewer spotted bass (also spawning) and more large mouth and smallmouth, and alot those were keepers anyway. I'm not going to say anymore it's funny to me more anything that you guys don't have more common sense.

As far as showcasing the lake there's several reasons. I liked watching coverage on the lake learning how they fished it so anytime I can see tournaments on lakes I fish or similar lakes it's a bonus. Also it helps the economy around the lake and this tournament won't bring people from all over like guntersville with its 100lb sacks it will just be a little bonus. If the 4000 acre lake up the road produced alot of monster bass it might be a different story. That's my 2 cents anyway fell free to disagree.

[Duayne]

I'm not mad about the size change. I just lost a tad more respect than what little I already had for those FLW guys. If you can't put a few 15" LM or 18" SM along with a couple of spots together for a bag in the spring, you shouldn't be earning money in a club tournament, much less fishing in a major league. And as far as learning techniques, that's pretty laughable as well. You can bring some shiny new deal to Cumberland and it may work a time or two, but at the end of the day, all you need are a few really basic baits and fishing off the right side of the boat at the right time to catch bass on Cumberland.

As for pulling bass off the beds, we aren't close enough to even continue a logical discussion.

[Fntsyfbgod]

I'm not mad about the size change. I just lost a tad more respect than what little I already had for those FLW guys. If you can't put a few 15" LM or 18" SM along with a couple of spots together for a bag in the spring, you shouldn't be earning money in a club tournament, much less fishing in a major league. And as far as learning techniques, that's pretty laughable as well. You can bring some shiny new deal to Cumberland and it may work a time or two, but at the end of the day, all you need are a few really basic baits and fishing off the right side of the boat at the right time to catch bass on Cumberland.

As for pulling bass off the beds, we aren't close enough to even continue a logical discussion.

You lost respect for the flw???? Do you think the pros got together and signed a petition to use 12 in fish? They had nothing to do with it and last year they did fine.

The fact you think I watch tournament coverage just to learn a shiny new bait shows we can't carry a logical discussion on that either.

Honestly no point trying for any logical discussion.

[stripernut1]

You lost respect for the flw???? Do you think the pros got together and signed a petition to use 12 in fish? They had nothing to do with it and last year they did fine.

The fact you think I watch tournament coverage just to learn a shiny new bait shows we can't carry a logical discussion on that either.

Honestly no point trying for any logical discussion.

They had EVERYTHING to do with it. There was a unanimous discontent with the number of "short" fish they had to wade through last year. There was no petition that i know of but there was definitely lobbyung going on.
And as far as common sense goes, i wont argue that one, maybe i dont have as much common sense as the next guy, but as far as lake cumberland goes, ive already spent more hours on it this year than you will all year long. So go have your logical discussion with someone else, i know what the zzzz im talking about

[stripernut1]

Let me apologize for how that reply came across...what i meant to say was bless your heart, and i welcome and respect your point of view. Ok , the high road for me lol.
Seriiously, when i read it it was disrepectful and i didnt mean it that way. Have a good day and tight lines

[headbanger]

You do realize this isn't the first time? They have allowed big high school/youth tournaments to keep anything 12 inches. I can't believe people are actually mad and think this will be much worst on the lake vs a normal size limit. There were alot of limits last year also either way fish are going to be caught and weighed in, there were just fewer spotted bass (also spawning) and more large mouth and smallmouth, and alot those were keepers anyway. I'm not going to say anymore it's funny to me more anything that you guys don't have more common sense.

Common sense would dictate that state fishing regulations should apply equally to everyone, not just the folks who don't elect to fish in some meaningless tournament.

[Fntsyfbgod]

Of course I dont see a problem with it. Dont get me wrong I don't think they should lower the size limit in every little tournament. But Im all for it in larger regional tournaments that bring in alot of money and exposure. And as a requirement you should have holding tanks and take the necessary steps in fish care. The positives of bringing in money to the local economy vs making a few locals cry is well worth it.

No worries buddy if you think my opinion is dumb the feelings mutual.

[stripernut1]

Of course I dont see a problem with it. Dont get me wrong I don't think they should lower the size limit in every little tournament. But Im all for it in larger regional tournaments that bring in alot of money and exposure. And as a requirement you should have holding tanks and take the necessary steps in fish care. The positives of bringing in money to the local economy vs making a few locals cry is well worth it.

No worries buddy if you think my opinion is dumb the feelings mutual.

i guess thats where the problem lies with me, why only the large tournaments?? would you be in favor of tv hunting shows being allowed to come to kentucky and shoot an extra buck? i mean if we are talking exposure and state revenue production there is no way an FLW tournament brings in as many out of state sportsman as the never ending barrage of hunting shows.
im not anit tournament, i used to fish tournaments, i am against the "selling" the exemption to the biggest show
if you need to do this study then offer it to the high school anglers, or the cure for cancer tournament etc etc

[Fntsyfbgod]

i guess thats where the problem lies with me, why only the large tournaments?? would you be in favor of tv hunting shows being allowed to come to kentucky and shoot an extra buck? i mean if we are talking exposure and state revenue production there is no way an FLW tournament brings in as many out of state sportsman as the never ending barrage of hunting shows.
im not anit tournament, i used to fish tournaments, i am against the "selling" the exemption to the biggest show
if you need to do this study then offer it to the high school anglers, or the cure for cancer tournament etc etc

They don't release the deer after they shoot them that's the problem im guessing.

I don't know what other tournaments they used for the study there might be a high school tournament involved also but they do exemptions anyway for HS and youth events. I was at Cumberland a few yrs ago and they did one. Im guessing for the study they want the biggest tournaments with the largest sample size.

And in the future if they start allowing exemptions my guess is they will limit it to the tournaments that meet a certain criteria. Not based on $$ but if you do certain things to maximize mortality. Things such as treated holding tanks at weigh in, or having a conservation director and you can only get exemptions during spring and fall. I don't see smaller tournaments going thru the trouble to get an exemption but I might be wrong.