Released Fish ???

[blugil]

I guess i have always had an idea of tournament fishing as being a way to measure yourself against other fisherman and the fish. I can somewhat understand fishing close to a release area on the way in to check in to add a fish or so, but camping out on an area with hopes of cashing in on released fish.... Well it is just pathetic. I can not imagine getting a sense of satisfaction from competeing this way. I believe that FINDING FISH to catch is harder to do than catching fish that you know were put there by anglers from a tournament a week or so ago. I guess everyone has there own reasons for fishing, so each to their own.

[bassmaster]

Did anyone see Luke Clausen on Lake Cumberland FLW series fishing only 200-400 yards from the take off site and caught 4 keepers there? Has anyone watched the bassmasters on Saturday morning where they tag 3 or 4 fish and release them at different areas of te lake. Some of these fish have traveled as far as 3/4 of a mile from the release site. So, my question is, where does it end? Off limits at 100 yards, 1/2 mile or the 3/4 mile mark. Most all fish at some point and time have been caught before by someone and then released. So we all have caught a released fish at some point and time, in fact if the fish is very big, it's probably been caught and released at a tourney several times in its life---a released fish. In my opinion, Luke Clausen just played it smart and moved up the board. He didn't win but he did win more money because of his choice. At Herrington Lake, there are 3-4 tourneys a week at 3-4 different ramps. It would really cut down on the areas that could be fished if we had a 1/2-3/4 mile off limit area (which they have proved to have traveled that distance several times on the bassmaster show)
Good fishing all and good discusion.
See ya on the water,
Tim
bassmaster

[Danny]

If fishing the release area is a bad thing because the fish have been artificially populated there, how about fishing man made brush piles? These are generally private, unknown to the general population, and create a falsely, or unnatural concentration of fish. Pretty much the same as the idea of fishing around release areas.

Just my thoughts. I've even heard some call it pot-licking... sounds derogatory.

I personally don't see anything wrong with it at all.

Great discussion though.

Danny