Amazing Trip to Dale!

[Chubminnow]

Here is a lot better pic of the smallies on my public profile.

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...low/Dale01.jpg

Can't tell for sure but those look like slot fish to me...I assume you all threw them back?

[Bucketmouth10]

Can't tell for sure but those look like slot fish to me...I assume you all threw them back?

No one in my family has EVER taken a fish from Dale. That's holy water my friend.

[Chubminnow]

No one in my family has EVER taken a fish from Dale. That's holy water my friend.

I agree.

You're braver than me...if it were me I'd of thrown those fish back ASAP.

[JUSTINHALL]

I knew as soon as I saw the picture of the fish at dock the postings would start coming, on keeping or letting them go. Nothing against chubminnow for asking I just thought OH BOY here we go when I saw it.
Props for letting them go though!

[tglass]

I would not even put a fish in my livewell unless it was a keeper and i was in a tournament. I got a bad surprise on my first float-n-fly fish at Dale. I forgot my camera, scale, and tape measure in a bag in my truck. I had a smallie that had to be pushing 5 lbs. and i wanted a picture of it and to know the weight for sure. Well i thought about throwing it back and my best friend said just put it in the livewell and we will get a pic and weight back at the ramp before letting her go. Well that was a bad idea. We fished for maybe half an hour more and came out of the creek and started fishing a bluff and here came a guy in a jon boat. Turns out he was the game warden. He asked how we were doing and i told him what i had caught and how i left everything back in the truck and he asked to see the fish so i handed it to him well he was a little short of 21". He told me well i believe you Mr. Glass but this is going to be a very expensive lesson for you. That little stay in my livewell cost me $162.50 and that was 8 yrs ago. I also did not even get a pic or weight of my first float-n-fly fish. He did ask if i wanted to let her go though. So moral of the story is don't put a fish in your livewell unless it is a keeper because as soon as you do you broke the law. Hope this does not happen to anyone else well unless they deserve it!

Tom

[Bucketmouth10]

We generally do put them right back in, we had gotten into a good school of them early that morning so we thought we'd hold on to them for an hour or so to get an one really good pic. Didn't really like holding on to them that long but I'm sure the ones caught in the Billy tourny were in livewells alot longer than that. I guess it was pretty stupid to hold on to the fish but when you catching abunch of big bronzebacks, you tend to get carried away. Sorry if I offended anyone, I would never purposefully hurt any smallmouth or largemouth for that matter. My apologies.

[sweett4u]

always be sure to measure all fish abide by all regulations but that was a learning lesson that everyone goes threw time to time

[Bucketmouth10]

I guess I never really made the connection that it might be illegal. I had no intentions on keeping them, so nothing really felt out of place. I'll make sure to keep the rules and regulations in mind next time though. I guess I was actuallly pretty lucky that I didnt have to learn the lesson by emptying out my wallet.

[sweett4u]

just kiding it happens been in the same shoes before. lol!!

[sweett4u]

sounds like you had fun, but i am very interested about the sucker minnows there great bait

[Dave Clark]

Yeah,y'all were looking at about a thousand dollars in fines and possibly having your truck and boat seized......

[Bucketmouth10]

Game wardens generally don't mess around too much when it comes to stuff like that. After hearing all this from you guys, I don't think that I'll need to worry about that happening again....better safe than sorry. But it's pretty crazy to think that not remembering your camera could end up costing you your truck and boat. I guess that's good though.... the tougher the law, the less chance anyone is going to break it.