This article can be found at http://www.smallmouth.org/ConservationRegs.html
Because of the hard fighting smallmouth and the quality of fish found in some regulated lakes and streams across the country, interest in fishing for the smallmouth has greatly increase in the past two decades. However, habitat quality continues to decline. Samllmouth populations have been attacked from two directions. First, because of habitat degradation, and secondly, because of increased fishing pressure, the quality of fish in unregulated lakes and streams has decreased. Greater protection of bass populations assures us a future in quality fishing. This means everyone would have a lake or stream close to them with quality fish and not have to spend time and money traveling longer distances to fish.
You do not hear of fishermen complaining of "too many big fish." It is the dream of all of us to spend time on the water catching quality fish. Under today's catch-and-kill regulations, many waters have mostly small fish, and less fish than in the past. A trophy fish is unlikey in these waters. This means high-quality fishing is available to only a select few who have the money to travel to remote smallmouth destinations like Idaho's Snake River, Quebec's Beuachene Preserve or Ontario Fly-Lodges. "Quality Regs" will mean a chance to finally experience quality fishing at home.
The Smallmouth Alliance believes that American smallmouth angling has great potential that is not being realized. Hundreds of rivers and lakes have the potential to be outstanding smallmouth waters. Plenty of research has been done, and it's clear many anglers want improved smallmouth fishing. This is why, I Bonefish, would like to see all of our lakes and streams here in KY under "Quality Regs" such as Dale Hollow Lake. It is a win-win for us all.
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