New limit on catfish at Taylorsville

[restornator]

one word, atlantic cod. well two words..

if there is an awesome fishery of tasty fish, anglers will compete to take out as many as possible. If there is money or benefit, angler A will take out as many fish before angler B has a chance. Limits keep the fishery alive. heck, if KFW wasn't replenishing the stock, you guys would have already wiped out the fishery. Keep the bullheads if you want more fillets :P

I was thinking about trying Taylorsville out, but i am worried that there will be no room my jugs anywhere! haha

[riverrat12]

Guess I'll put my 2cents in on this long thread....only place I jug fish is around Captains Quarters

[KYCatfish]

Apparently you have never used a throw net to catch bait, baited and put out 50 noodles, picked up those same noodles when the wind has blown them out of your target, rebaited those 50 noodles after picking them up and moving them for the third time, go back and throw the net for more bait, pick up fish, rebait and put those noodles back out, and then when you are ready to go pick up everything. There is hardly any time for a break.

AMEN to that!!! More than a few times I have paused and looked around and said "Man...this is starting to feel like work!"

[KYCatfish]

Oh, and to all the people who seem to be zoning in on my use of "fish fry"....it certainly did not include a whole block...just my family and 2 more families from my kids' soccer teams on 2 occasions. Many of you took that phrase and just totally blew it out of context.

[KYCatfish]

Save some for the fishermen that honor limits!!!

Before this year, there was no limit. Now that there is, of course I will abide by it.

[RA]

Sometimes, I cannot believe how backwards we are. We still have the same frontier mentality that led to the decimation of most of the game species and the deforestation of the entire state by the turn of the last century. It is long over due for catfish to be declared a game species and appropriate limits placed on their harvest (15 is too many fish and too late, and this only applies to one lake). There still are no appropriate regulations prohibiting the removal of the large breeders from the river systems or limits placed on the harvest of these fish from those waterways. There is good reason why the fishing is so poor in this state; many of us have the mentality of killing and eating practically everything we catch, and this is actually promoted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Did the host of Kentucky Afield ever catch a fish he didn't eat (pardon the hyperbole, but it is close to being true)? Heck even recently I saw photo after photo of muskie being taken, the the "fishermen" just couldn't resist the urge of putting them on a stringer and even posting it on a national site. Sometimes our reputation is well deserved! We finally get a lake that is producing decent catches of catfish with the potential for developing a trophy fishery, and we can't wait to fill up the tubs. Very sad.

[cooter 33]

Perfectly said Ra!

[bnt5]

Sometimes, I cannot believe how backwards we are. We still have the same frontier mentality that led to the decimation of most of the game species and the deforestation of the entire state by the turn of the last century. It is long over due for catfish to be declared a game species and appropriate limits placed on their harvest (15 is too many fish and too late, and this only applies to one lake). There still are no appropriate regulations prohibiting the removal of the large breeders from the river systems or limits placed on the harvest of these fish from those waterways. There is good reason why the fishing is so poor in this state; many of us have the mentality of killing and eating practically everything we catch, and this is actually promoted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Did the host of Kentucky Afield ever catch a fish he didn't eat (pardon the hyperbole, but it is close to being true)? Heck even recently I saw photo after photo of muskie being taken, the the "fishermen" just couldn't resist the urge of putting them on a stringer and even posting it on a national site. Sometimes our reputation is well deserved! We finally get a lake that is producing decent catches of catfish with the potential for developing a trophy fishery, and we can't wait to fill up the tubs. Very sad.

Im with you on this, however no one group of fishermen are going to self-regulate, it is going to take our biologist and lawmakers to put into place laws protecting this species and right now whether we like it or not catfish are "considered" trash fish. Now in recent years with the popularity of catfishing and catfish tournaments that label is becoming obsolete, however the regulations are lagging public opinion. There is also the problem of the public's perception of the catfishermen themselves, there seems to be the notion that catfisherman as a whole are uneducated hillbilly's filling up the pickup bed for a family fishfry that includes the backwards sister, the stuttering uncle and the tobacco chewing granny and while this may be true in most cases, there are a few of us that see catfishing as the pursuit of a worthy gamefish and not just a swimming picnic complete with pork rinds and married cousins.

As a side note I dont consider all catfishermen to be backwards, simple minded buffoons raping a fragile ecosystem with reckless abandon.......just the Juggers.

[KYCatfish]

There's still a lot of people frowning upon catching and eating. Why is that? Do you frown upon hunters in the same manner? Just b/c you practice catch and release doesn't mean everyone has to. That's why the law says you can keep them. I can't believe how narrow-minded people are....like another person said (but it has been deleted) too many people think it's their way or the highway. As long as everyone follows the regulations, to each his own......and don't worry about anyone else.

[twise7]

Guess I'll put my 2cents in on this long thread....only place I jug fish is around Captains Quarters

Mind if I come and watch the jugs with ya?!?!?!

[cooter 33]

Wow! bnt5 just took it to a new level. I think most people could care less how many fish people take to the dinner table as long as there are still good angling oppurtunities to catch trophy blues, and your not hurting the fishery. If people can take 50 fish a day and it does nothing negative to the fishery, I say go ahead. But if it calls for total catch and release so be it. It would be nice personally if the fishery is intact when my kids are a little older to take them fishing for the big blues and to see a smile on there face. I dont currently fish for them. But as good as the blue cats have done at taylorsville, and the rapid growth it intrigues me to maybe take a few blue cat trips. (Rod and Reel)

[KYCatfish]

Since everyone is mentioning trophy blues, in 5-6 yrs of jugging I've only caught 3-4 over 15 lbs so it's not like I'm depleting the trophy fishery. My average weight is prolly 4-5 lbs. I have no idea the size fish others catch.

As for BNT5's comments...I take it with a grain of salt b/c he did include the smiley/wink at the end of his comment so I'm guessing it's in jest.