Boat Fishing Monthly

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Seems they come up with something new this time

[Simon Everett]

Confusion reigns supreme! Do you want to protect small bass or big ones, that is the bit I am referring to.

 

Well, your assumption is correct - not all of them , but both ends. Here is why:

 

I have already gone through the benefit to the breeding stock of the big girls (and we all like big girls). Now, the reason to protect the smaller end of the scale is to give them a chance to have spawned - not once, but twice. If ALL the bass are given the chance to spawn two times then the population spread of the bass will be much more even - I wish I knew how to draw a graph.

 

The graph would have numbers of fish up the side and size of fish along the bottom. The population spread AT THE MOMENT - due to 36cms - is a curve shaped like a small N is written - starts off low and increases to a peak in the middle and then curves off to a low end. The peak of the population though is over the 1 - 1.5lbs mark for size of fish - lots and lots of little fish, but getting steadily lower as the size of fish increases.

 

Now, by protecting the smaller fish for longer the peak moves along the scale and the main population, instead of being the 1 - 1.5lb fish gradually sneaks along the weight scale - with 45cms the population peak will move along to about the 2.5lb mark. There will be lots and lots of 2.5lb fish (not huge, but bigger than now). The corresponding number of bigger fish is more.

 

Increase the MLS to 55cms and the population peak moves along a bit further - now the ain bulk of the bass are 4lbs in size with correspondingly more bigger fish.

 

We know this happens in practise - if implemented correctly (and that is the IF - that bit depends on the fishermen playing by the rules - all of them and DEFRA policing the system) we know it works because it has been tried and it worked - in USA on their Striped Bass. It has also worked in Ireland where there are now very good bass in greater numbers. It is no longer a theory, it is a practise which has been proven to work.

 

THAT is why we need to protect EVERY small bass we can and EVERY big bass we can - then a 55cms MLS will not be so daunting because the numbers of fish will be greater and they will be of a bigger size - you won't worry about putting back a good fish because there will be another one not long behind it - like those chaps on the boat had a field day on 2lb fish - they would be having a field day on 4lb fish instead.

 

taking size would then be the BEST eating size of 4lbs - 5lbs. Bigger fish put back to breed more bass, smaller ones put back to give them a chance to grow to 4lbs - 5lbs.

 

It isn't that difficult a concept to grasp - unless you have never seen, nor can you visualise, a sea full of decent sized fish. Those small fish are the future - but because there are so many of it seems OK to take them - it isn't, however small a drop in the ocean it is - the ocean is made up of lots of drops.

[Guest CJS2]

At present I have two bass in the freezer, 1 at 2.5lb and 1 at 4lb. I love bass to eat.

 

Sam you have dodged a Quote. It apears only you are allowed to take small bass to eat. I say again, 2.5lbs more than covers the stated "upto range in the artical". Any one know what is an estimated weight for a 50cm fish, sure you would know that Sam?

 

And as for the returned bass missing the net . . . wake up mate!!!! We are moaning about there being very few over 36cm in the first place, you know the nets have had them, plus a few to Dawnbreaker, and a couple in your freezer of course. Mesh size is designed to take that size fish.

 

If you are going to argue the toss, dont dodge the facts Sam, black is black, and you cant bend the rules to suit your ideals! We can change the official rules though?

 

[sam-cox]

Sam you have dodged a Quote. It apears only you are allowed to take small bass to eat. I say again, 2.5lbs more than covers the stated "upto range in the artical". Any one know what is an estimated weight for a 50cm fish, sure you would know that Sam?

 

And as for the returned bass missing the net . . . wake up mate!!!! We are moaning about there being very few over 36cm in the first place, you know the nets have had them, plus a few to Dawnbreaker, and a couple in your freezer of course. Mesh size is designed to take that size fish.

 

If you are going to argue the toss, dont dodge the facts Sam, black is black, and you cant bend the rules to suit your ideals! We can change the official rules though?

 

 

 

I have a rule when it comes to keeping bass for the pot.

If on the rear times I do keep a bass they have to be inbetween 2.5lb and 5lb.

[Guest CJS2]

I have a rule when it comes to keeping bass for the pot.

If on the rear times I do keep a bass they have to be inbetween 2.5lb and 5lb.

 

On that half an answer Sam, I will bow out on the subject. Pages 4 and 5 have brought it to a conclusion as far as I am concerned?

[Bob Jerunkel]

Theres alot of unknowns been posted on this thread.

Maybe putting some straight answers up would stop a lot of speculation.

Just how many bass were caught?

How many were over 36cm?

How many were 40-42cm?

How many were 50cm?

Were most undersize?

Were most 36-42cm?

Were most 50cm?

Any mention of numbers and sizes has been very vague.

Did the skipper move to get away from the little bass or did they just stop feeding?

There are little bass everywhere and sometimes you can't get away from them but I don't think its that lots of undersize bass were caught as much as the method used thats caused the rumpus.

Feathering up little bass is bound to get peoples backs up.

Its like someone who goes shooting birds using a blunderbuss to shoot chicks.

Edited October 27, 2005 by Bob Jerunkel

[Dave Godwin]

Well now we have sorted that out shall we talk about uptiding!

[n4lly]

Well now we have sorted that out shall we talk about uptiding!

 

Nooo, lets talk about coarse fishing

 

http://www.maggotdrowning.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=31054

 

 

[Dave Godwin]

OK so the fish went back, but what about the poor maggots!!!!!

[Tel]

Very sad when thats all there is to write about hammering little bass with feathers surely 4 feathers on the rig wasnt enough, you would catch 3 times as much with 12!!!!!!

 

SAD VERY SAD

 

Maybe trips for the immigrants that fish of southend pier would be a good idea heard they love little bass

Edited November 2, 2005 by Tel