FLW Lake Cumberland

[Fntsyfbgod]

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.

[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

[Fntsyfbgod]

No worries stripernut. Nobody likes putting back 3lb bass in a tournament so im sure they was dissapointment in the regs. But ky fish and wildlife is doing the study in several tournaments and some are on cave run so it's not just something they are doing this tournament so I don't see how they were the driving force behind it.

[Wormin]

No worries stripernut. Nobody likes putting back 3lb bass in a tournament so im sure they was dissapointment in the regs. But ky fish and wildlife is doing the study in several tournaments and some are on cave run so it's not just something they are doing this tournament so I don't see how they were the driving force behind it.

Were are you getting your info?

[TimE]

Were are you getting your info?

Not to be smart but ALMOST everywhere on the internet you can find out the facts. I do question where some who I use to follow closely gets their info! Geo, you should really research this a bit more.

This thread is a joke, full of misinformation and even less truth. Apparently you are capable of accessing the internet, I'd suggest all of the opposed to actually get the facts before Removing any doubt.