Seatrout ethics

[Littoral]

And if you say something it should be a complaint with the FWC, not a man well within his legal rights and who has a different opinion of stewardship of the resources.

If I read right you are saying something here to anyone who fishes in a trout tournament.

Double Standard...that is the heart of this whole issue to me.

Fine. Say it or don't. My point, again, is that you should say something.
You can try it diplomatically but to quote a friend of mine, some people need to be offended.
Like Franklin say's (at the bottom of RD's post):
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." That, I read, means our responsibility is to say something.
Not everything we should do is defined by law (FWC). Just do the right thing.
Yeah, you can decide what right is but MY OPINION is that the right thing should include helping other people understand what is right...and keeping your mind open enough to know that you might not be.

[Littoral]

I think he was referring to what Littoral said...

Maybe. But I have never participated in a trout tournament.

[Good Times]

I think everyone is just grumpy because February is coming.

As I was reading this thread I was thinking "I wonder if NoleFly has any pictures of a 30" trout?" Thanks for chiming in Nole.

I know there is a HUGE trout on the wall at "The Captain's Table" in Panama City. I can't remember how long it was though. Anyone else seen it? I believe it was caught in Panama City.

If the 30" trout are out there and CC targets them, then I am thinking we will see one this year. The man is focused.

It's always good to have an elusive fish out there to give mystery and challenge to the game isn't it?

Happy New Year everyone!

Conserve and enjoy.

[Chalk]

If I read right you are saying something here to anyone who fishes in a trout tournament.

Double Standard...that is the heart of this whole issue to me.

Fine. Say it or don't. My point, again, is that you should say something.
You can try it diplomatically but to quote a friend of mine, some people need to be offended.
Like Franklin say's (at the bottom of RD's post):
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." That, I read, means our responsibility is to say something.
Not everything we should do is defined by law (FWC). Just do the right thing.
Yeah, you can decide what right is but MY OPINION is that the right thing should include helping other people understand what is right...and keeping your mind open enough to know that you might not be.

Amen brother

[Redfish Jim]

Several years back, me and a friend used to spend quite a bit of time soaking cut mullet in creek mouths near the Econfina. It was about the only way we ever fished for several years. We never caught a lot of 'em, but occassionally caught some jumbo size trout this way. A bunch in the 26" range and a few around 29". I remember at least one that we landed that measured a little over 30".

One time we hooked a fish that I think would have been a record, at least for these parts. In fact, we thought it was a gar until we noticed the lack of a snout. It is by far the biggest trout I have ever seen, easily bigger than the one JR's got mounted in his store. Got her to the side of the boat and she wouldn't fit in the landing net. She apparently got tired of our debate on how best to get her into the boat, shook the hook and swam off. It took a lot of to kill the pain of that one.

Now days, I move around with the trolling motor and throw artificials. I still get some 22"+ fish because I'm fishing the same areas, but it is extremely rare for me to get one over 24". I don't keep good records but I pretty sure I haven't caught any over 26" over the last couple of years. It all leads me to believe that cut bait is the way to go if you're patient enough to sit there for several hours, want a really big one and are willling to risk coming home empty-handed if you didn't pick the right spot that day.

As to keeping them or not, I play by the rules and that is all I think any of us can legitimately ask of one another. If the rules aren't sufficient to protect the resource, they need to be changed. I have no problem with people expressing their honest opinion or trying to educate others. It's only when people cross the line of thinking they have supreme wisdom and moral authority that I get irritated.

[Redbelly]

As to keeping them or not, I play by the rules and that is all I think any of us can legitimately ask of one another. If the rules aren't sufficient to protect the resource, they need to be changed. I have no problem with people expressing their honest opinion or trying to educate others. It's only when people cross the line of thinking they have supreme wisdom and moral authority that I get irritated.

AMEN brother...amen!!

[Littoral]

As to keeping them or not, I play by the rules and that is all I think any of us can legitimately ask of one another. If the rules aren't sufficient to protect the resource, they need to be changed. I have no problem with people expressing their honest opinion or trying to educate others. It's only when people cross the line of thinking they have supreme wisdom and moral authority that I get irritated.

AMEN brother...amen!!

[RD]

Several years back, me and a friend used to spend quite a bit of time soaking cut mullet in creek mouths near the Econfina. It was about the only way we ever fished for several years. We never caught a lot of 'em, but occassionally caught some jumbo size trout this way. A bunch in the 26" range and a few around 29". I remember at least one that we landed that measured a little over 30".

One time we hooked a fish that I think would have been a record, at least for these parts. In fact, we thought it was a gar until we noticed the lack of a snout. It is by far the biggest trout I have ever seen, easily bigger than the one JR's got mounted in his store. Got her to the side of the boat and she wouldn't fit in the landing net. She apparently got tired of our debate on how best to get her into the boat, shook the hook and swam off. It took a lot of to kill the pain of that one.

Now days, I move around with the trolling motor and throw artificials. I still get some 22"+ fish because I'm fishing the same areas, but it is extremely rare for me to get one over 24". I don't keep good records but I pretty sure I haven't caught any over 26" over the last couple of years. It all leads me to believe that cut bait is the way to go if you're patient enough to sit there for several hours, want a really big one and are willling to risk coming home empty-handed if you didn't pick the right spot that day.

As to keeping them or not, I play by the rules and that is all I think any of us can legitimately ask of one another. If the rules aren't sufficient to protect the resource, they need to be changed. I have no problem with people expressing their honest opinion or trying to educate others. It's only when people cross the line of thinking they have supreme wisdom and moral authority that I get irritated.

If you want to consistanly catch the big fish then live pinfish or pigfish under a old fashioned popping cork are the way to go.
I wish everyone would please try to remember your last statement the next time a Commercial vs Recreational issue comes up.