From the boat......................

Chris Ryan- Contributing Writer/Field Tester

Since the advent of catch and release the chances of an angler catching a record fish have greatly increased. Even a simple 6 pound wall hanger is getting easier to come by. Yet we still endure the constant noise that tournament fishing and increased fishing in general have put a quality fish out of reach. Most of these same critics claim recreational fishing is a thing of the past.

As a tournament fisherman, I talk with lots of anglers and have years of experience on the water, fishing for many species of fish, and never has there been such an awareness of anglers for the survival of bass. Pro bass fisherman work extra hard to keep bass alive and enable them to swim another day. Tournament fisherman pre-fish these days with the barb cut off their hooks in practice before the actual tournament day. They equip their livewells with chemicals and keep the aerator running to give adequate oxygen supply, so much so it would make an aquarium guppy jealous.

So when an angler catches a trophy fish, what then? I'd have to say most tournament anglers are satisfied with a quick picture and release and if in a tournament situation, are just happy to bring it to the scales and let it go. If the fish is a thing of beauty and you want to see it on your wall replication has never been better. A good photo or two and a professional can have a fiberglass replica that will last a lifetime AND the fish lives on.

So critics beware, tournament anglers are well aware of the politics of fishing management, we are fishing management. Catch and release! That's a fishermen's phrase. Catch-Photo-Release, that's ours too. We are entitled to 6 bass a day, and if we fish 125 day a year for 40 years of our life....for just one bass fisherman that is 30,000 bass. You know how many bass I will keep......0! Over all those years, I will catch, photo, release....because I love the sport, the outdoors and want my kids to respect the water the same way I do.

I think all of us feel the same way, and we should always keep our voices heard when you hear someone complain about tournament fishing and the quote "fishing is terrible now with all the pressure". Simple answer, Fish harder and smarter.

Thanks and good luck!

BassDigest Field Staff

 

BASS CLUBS AROUND THE COUNTRY

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