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Senior Member
No complaints on a slot limit from me either...sure don't see what it could hurt for building more trophy fish into the population. It sure seems to me like it has benefited Dale Hollow, but I'm no expert. Of course, I don't keep bass for the table, but that's another argument entirely.
Member
No. I'm not joking. Check out the late fall tournaments and early spring tournaments. 20/25 lb sacks. All smallmouth.
If anything Dale needs to get a handle on their largemouth population.
Cumberland has as many good smallmouth as Dale. It's just a bigger lake and a little harder to find em.
If you can't fish Cumberland then I guess you should stay on Dale.
My 2 cents. All joking aside!!!!!
Member
CTFSHWISKER is right, slot and size limits have to be set up on an individual basis for each body of water. There are a long list of things that have to be taken into consideration when trying to decide what limits must be set. The slot limits are generally designed to maintain a good healthy breeding population of a certian species. The reason for the large slot on Dale was for this supposedly for the purpose of increasing the overall harvestable size of smallmouth in the lake in hopes of producing another record.
I have to say that since the implementation of that system, it is now possible to catch several fish in the 19"-20 3/4" range with fair consistancy. However, I also believe that without some modification or changes being made to the slot limit on Dale, that in the future you will see less and less fish over the 21" slot being caught. The reason that I say this, is because, slot limits of the nature that was imposed on Dale was primarily designed for short term use, it was not intended for more than a 10 yr implentation, because over the long haul that kind of slot will cause a stunting effect to take place, especially if the fish that are genetically inclined to grow longer than 21" are removed and the ones that are not genetically inclined are left in the population to reproduce.
Sorry for the babble, but had to throw in my 2 cents on the topic after I took fisheries management last spring.
Lee
Senior Member
jigman makes some good points. I recently read an article about smallmouth in lakes in our region that are over five pound are approaching the end of their life cycle. It went on to say that a average smallmouth in the 21 inch plus range and over five pound was at least 13 years of age and many were 15 years of age. The Fish and Game people actually would rather you keep a 6 or 7lb smallmouth than to release it as they feel it won't live much longer than it has anyway. I'm not sure I agree with that 100%, however their logic seems pretty sound after reading the article. Also it's not only about the size but the lesser creel is a huge benefit as well as pertaining to the slot. So what the slot doesn't have to be exactly the same as on Dale, let's tweak it a bit how hard would that be. The department of Fish and Wildlife does way too much fishery management in this state to appease Tournaments then it does to what's best for the fisheries. That's just the almighty dollar there in it's glory. Sorry for all the ranting but as you can tell I feel strongly about this subject I can't help it.
Senior Member
Dude I'd stack my creditentials against your's anyday on C-land that's my lake. I'm no expert but I've caught a ton of brown fish from the Big C. If you truely think the slot hasn't made Dale take off like a rocket with big smalljaws call Bob Coan, Steven Headrick, Jonathan Davis, Ralph Sandafer and any other well known guide I can think of on the Holler and see what they tell ya. I'm also pretty sure them ole boys might know what they are takin bout to, lol. Also at Cumberland's present level Dale and C-land are almost the exact same size when the Holler is at summer pool. Too many smallmouth are hitting the skillet out of Cumberland every year from day in and day out guide pressure froma hundred plus guides per day. Smallmouth are particuallry suspect to live bait, therefore NUMBERS of 18 to 20 inch fish meet the knife every day down there. That being the majority size slot for that lake and that I'll almost guareentee would have to be returned to the lake if the slot was present in the fashion it is on Dale. Go to cleaning station at midday at any marina you want and watch'em get cut by the bunches. I'm not dogging the guides as their clients are allowed to keep any legal fish they want to takeand beleive me most of them do. I don't fish Dale much because it gets in my wallet to hard to go that far, heck Cumberland is eating me alive. This is my two cents, Have a nice day, Mark Hall.Originally Posted by trex1
Member
The slot only works with honest folks. I have seen coolers full of smallmouth come out of dale that I know for a fact were not legal fish. That kind of thing happens on every lake, it's just the way things are.
MHALL is right, a large majority of striper guides on CLAND let there clients keep any legal fish. That is there right or what ever. I do know one guide that does not. He told me that "When a client books a striper trip that is what they get, all black bass go back in the water, not to the dock." So, I send him all the business I can.
Lee
Senior Member
jigman73 care to say his name publically, I commend him for his efforts.
Senior Member
Mhall - That's pretty interesting what you mentioned about the KDFWR would rather peopel keep fish that are keepers because they're reaching the end of their life cycle anyway. Dag gone...I guess I should have kept that 21 1/4" 6 pounder that I caught back in April!!! Dag gone it!!! I was wanting one that was DEFINITELY longer than 21", say like 21 1/2, 3/4 or maybe even 22" so there would be no doubt when people see it that it's definitely a trophy, no questions asked. Oh well...I'll be back fishing Dale again this fall, this time I'll probably keep that keeper over 21" for the wall.
Senior Member
Like I said Chub I don't know if I 100% agree with what they were saying. I guess averages are just that. Some of us will live to be 70 while others will live to be 90, fish are no different. I can only assume a 20 year smallmouth would be in that 8 to 10lb range and the only way to get her there is to release it. You did the right thing releasing that beauty and good job on a dandy brown fish. When you think of the 11lb 15 oz bronzeback that came from Dale you have to wonder just how old that fish was and how much longer was she going to beat the odds, one just never knows about nature.
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Senior Member
To get back to the original question, I've never fished Dale or Cumberland, but I do fish Elmer Davis Lake, where there's a 12-15" slot, and I guess to me keeping fish under the slot just seems wrong, like it's using some loophole in the law to keep under-sized fish. I know KDFWR says the reason for the slot is there are large numbers of bass under 12" in the lake, and they want to reduce the competition for forage, so more of them might survive to be over 15". That may or may not apply to Dale and Big C, I don't know, but to me it makes perfect sense for Elmer Davis. Still, I just can't bring myself to keep and eat an 11" bass. But after reading this discussion, maybe I'll start keeping a few. It'll be rough, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make
Senior Member
you wouldn't keep an 11"bass on a 12-15 slot,that allows you to keep 1 fish in that size,11 99\100" and under have to be let loose...they are not set directly due to competition,it all has to do with the growth rate,an it is also to keep prime breeding size fish..in most lakes there are more than enough shad and bait to go around...To get back to the original question, I've never fished Dale or Cumberland, but I do fish Elmer Davis Lake, where there's a 12-15" slot, and I guess to me keeping fish under the slot just seems wrong, like it's using some loophole in the law to keep under-sized fish. I know KDFWR says the reason for the slot is there are large numbers of bass under 12" in the lake, and they want to reduce the competition for forage, so more of them might survive to be over 15". That may or may not apply to Dale and Big C, I don't know, but to me it makes perfect sense for Elmer Davis. Still, I just can't bring myself to keep and eat an 11" bass. But after reading this discussion, maybe I'll start keeping a few. It'll be rough, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make
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