First off I want to thank you for the reply to my email and post. I knew when I met you last Feb. at the meeting that you would respond.

I guess you could tell by my post that I was pretty fired up about the nets in the bays this time of year and still am. Regardless of the studies, I still believe that those nets should not be allowed in the bays in March. This is the time of year that game fish are consintrated and migrating into them. I also believe that they affect the fishing.

Before these nets were placed in the bay that I was fishing, we were catching quality fish. After the nets were placed the quality and quantity immediately declined in that bay. That's a fact. You can ask anyone fishing that bay before the nets. Several good fishermen to choose from. The nets were set high enough that I and 2 others that I know of, hit them with our lower units. I talked to 1 of the guys that hit it and saw another guy hit it. Yes, I called when I hit the net. I was told that they were legal.

It also strikes me as odd, that right after I made that post the nets were pulled out of the bay. I’m talk’n 2 days after the post. No fish left? Nope, still a few! Season over? Nope! Coincidence?

I've got a good idea why they’re out, but I’ll keep that opinion to myself.

I do know what I saw in a commercial fisherman’s boat that day 2 years ago. (I don’t know if this is the same fisherman. I want to make that clear.) It was big crappie. I don’t know how many there were but it was more big crappie than I’ve seen in one place, at one time, in a looooong time. And yes I made the call. I don’t know if my call had anything to do with it but shortly after that call a guy was caught illegally netting in that bay. So you see I am a little gun shy about netting.

With that said… I want to let everyone know that I don’t believe every commercial fisherman out there is a poacher. There are some good, hard working fella’s out there, doing it right and trying to scratch out a living. But… anytime there is money involved, there are those that will push the envelope.

I agree that the Asian Carp and other ruff fish need to be controlled but question if nets are gonna get it done. That horse is already outa the barn. Trying to control that species with netting is like me trying to spit in the lake to make it rise. I don’t have the answers to the problems. Sure, netting will eliminate a small percentage of the undesirable populations but I’m just not convinced that we ain’t throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

When you guys did your studies on the net’s effects on game fish, were those studies conducted in late march, half way back in the bays, with nets that reached from the bottom to within a foot and a half of the surface, and game fish starting their migration to the shallows? If you did I'll publicly take back everything I’ve said and I’ll shut up!

Lastly, You guys do a good job on 99.9% of what you tackle. I appreciate each and every one of you guys. I just wish there were more of ya.

I know yall stay busy but when someone like me calls, and you wait a week to check out the problem, 99% of the time you're gonna be to late to catch the guy.

Keep plugg'n at the problem and I'll be quiet for now.

Wiskers