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What ideas do you have on the current limits? How could they be changed to help produce a better trout and red population?
Anymore around here a Gator trout is rare, the reds seem to be holding on fairly well.

I'd like to see something done to help the trout rebound.

Redbelly wrote:What ideas do you have on the current limits? How could they be changed to help produce a better trout and red population?
Anymore around here a Gator trout is rare, the reds seem to be holding on fairly well.

I'd like to see something done to help the trout rebound.

Folks need to NOT keep every dang thang they catch, start there. BTW, you asked the question, what are your thoughts ?

I've always wondered if dropping the slot limit to 14"-19" would actually reduce the pressure on the trout. Seems I will catch 5 t(or more) trout that measure between 14.0" and 14.9" for every trout that is over 15". If the limit was 14" I would have my limit much quicker and then stop fishing for trout and move to another species. Which I think would greatly reduce the release mortality of this short trout you catch that will die after release. But I it may not work that way but seems it would.

I also catch many more just under 15" then i do in the limit sizes. I hate to see how torn up there mouths are after just a short struggle. I am on the fence about lowering it though because a 14" trout is not a lot of meat. I know I'll get trashed for this but I would be for a slightly lower bag limit for a few years to let them grow up. I think the population level that they are at now just can't get easily past 17"-18" without being caught, so reduce the bag a little.

Close it in Feb....lowering the bag limit,IMO, won't stop shorts from being caught. Folks are still going to fish, catch and release (or not). If I'm in short trout I move, outta there, not what I'm after. If someone wants to keep any trout over 20" they legally can period.I choose to release over slot fish, that being said, we're fishing tourny tmrw and any 4lb fish and up will be on ice. Encourage folks to self govern themselfs....make it the cool thang

Leave the limits as they are.

Close Feb. lower limit to 4 (15-20" and no over 20" allowed)

Salty Gator wrote:Close Feb. lower limit to 4 (15-20" and no over 20" allowed)

I'm sorta like Leonreno, I'd like to see size limit lowered to 14'' so I can keep a few of the just-short fish that seem to be everywhere when you are looking for bigger ones. Get my limit quicker instead of sitting out there all day trying to catch 5 over 15''. And I don't think all of the released fish will survive, some are hooked deep and mouths get torn up bad from hooks. More reason to keep some of them.Just my .02.

I'm ok to close Feb, but not sure I agree with keeping a 14" trout. If the point harvesting is to eat them, then you aren't getting much meat off a 15" better yet a 14". Heck, I rarely keep a 15" unless its a last minute trout to finish a tourney stringer.

Most of you here like to fillet your trout and probably throw the backbone away. If you do that, then yes, a 14'' trout makes small fillets. But we cut him down the middle along the back to get 1 fillet and cut the other side in half with the back in, so it's more to eat. I can remember eating 12'' trout that way when they were legal, and now they look really small.

I think trying a lower limit and increase the minimum. 4 trout is plenty for a meal. Heck 2 trout is plenty for me just like 1 red is.

Close 2 months, Jan and Feb. When they are stacked up in the rivers don't allow the harvest, or reduce it to 2, something.....

[quote="One Keeper"]Close Feb. lower limit to 4 (15-20" and no over 20" allowed)[quote]

I would support this.

Redbelly wrote:I think trying a lower limit and increase the minimum. 4 trout is plenty for a meal. Heck 2 trout is plenty for me just like 1 red is.

Close 2 months, Jan and Feb. When they are stacked up in the rivers don't allow the harvest, or reduce it to 2, something.....

4 or two maybe enough for you, but you are not everyone else. If you have a family of 4 or 5, you might need 5 fish for a meal.

leonreno wrote:

Redbelly wrote:I think trying a lower limit and increase the minimum. 4 trout is plenty for a meal. Heck 2 trout is plenty for me just like 1 red is.

Close 2 months, Jan and Feb. When they are stacked up in the rivers don't allow the harvest, or reduce it to 2, something.....

4 or two maybe enough for you, but you are not everyone else. If you have a family of 4 or 5, you might need 5 fish for a meal.

Or if you only make it down a few times a year to stock your freezer.