Early Bass

[DelJ]

Elton:

No, it's definitely a bass

:mad:

[Jim Roper]

Leon Roskilly:

What we really could do with are slot limits, where small fish are allowed to grow big enough to spawn a couple of times, and larger sporting specimens are returned to provide future sport as they grow bigger and bigger.

I think I commented that I thought that sounded the most sense some time ago, but somebody condemned it then!

 

I think big cod eat better than big bass!!

 

If fish are bigger at spawning, do they produce bigger offspring. I'm told this is not the case with carp!

 

[ 14. March 2004, 11:47 AM: Message edited by: Jim Roper ]

[JimLad]

H.A.

 

"Now some of our best bass fishing is after a storm in Nov/Dec/Jan!"

 

I have to agree with you there - I'm just along from you in Pompey - FIshing from Eastney I've been catching bass (mainly shiners ) from Eastney all year round - been catching whiting on one hook and shoal bass on the other. Seems like they just stay all year now - Like you say - we always used to 'start' angling for them when the peelers started in march/april...

 

Things are definitely changing critterwise - Have you seen all the cattle egrets in Langstone/Chichester harbour - Also we've started catching Gilt Head Bream here too...

[H.A.]

Cattle Egrets came from SW France ...... they are not actually 'Cattle Egrets' ..... I asked a 'twitcher' recently ......

 

'Common Egrets', I gather ........

 

been digging bait in Langstone for 15 years ....

 

there were none then, now there are hundreds ......

 

'basslings' all over the shallows when digging rag through the winter .....

 

and from Selsey, today ......

 

".....had a mooch down to the Bill this afters, just to see what it was looking

like and bumped into one of the locals fishing right on the point and into the

gulley.

 

Nice afternoon so stopped for a chat and was there for about 40 mins,

 

 

during that time he pulled out two bass in two casts, one went 9lb 3oz and the

other 12lb 2oz."

 

March 16th 2004 ....

[Jim Roper]

We appear to have lots of Little Egrets. They've cleared out most of the unprotected garden ponds in this area.

[Jim Roper]

H.A.:

during that time he pulled out two bass in two casts, one went 9lb 3oz and the

other 12lb 2oz."

 

March 16th 2004 ....

When they're there, they're there!

[Salar]

macky1:

loverly fish

 

was it returned alive???????

Obviously not, so what point are you trying to make? Are you trying to push your point of view about sport and conservation on others by trying to make the guy that caught it feel guilty? I happen to believe that to catch a wild fish, exhaust it with a fight, drag it suddenly up tens of feet into fresh air then put it straight back in the name of sport is cruel and unnecessary, and just adds fuel to the Antis. To fish for the pot and for pleasure is a natural human pursuit and perfectly justifiable, and when done responsibly (i.e. stop if its too easy) will not damage fish stocks. But I don't go round saying "why don't you eat it now you've caught it". If I want to eat the fish I catch, leave me alone. If you put yours back, fine. By the way I didn't catch that bass but I did catch one just like it last August and a very nice meal it was too. It was the only one I caught all month so I don't feel at all guilty. Just my view, for what its worth. Hopefully not everyone will hate me for it!

[Jim Roper]

Salar brings some sanity to the forum!

[JimLad]

Salar

 

Couldn't have said it better. While I think its great returning fish alive, I do resent being made to feel guilty if I do want to take some for the pot. The thing that really grates me is on charter trips when fish (pout/whiting etc) are caught and due to ther swim bladder having gone pop have no chance of survival - and then they are thrown back just to float off belly up. I think it shows more respect for the fish if you take them and do something useful with them. i.e. fishcakes :-)

 

Hang on - I just went off a complete tangent - apologies for my short rant - don't let me take this thread off track...

 

Anyway - early bass - I'm going for a fling at the weekend and I'd like to meet some ;-)

[H.A.]

A pal of mine has been catching bass from HMS Dolphin, Gosport, all year ....... some on bread, when mullet fishing ...... not 'schoolies', either!