Thread: Redear on Barkley 5/19/10

I wouldn't worry to much about taking home big, pregnant redear....although I to feel guilty when I clean them and see the eggs spilling out. I don't worry because MOST fisherman aren't skilled in redear fishing and the pressure on them isn't like pressure put on crappie.

Most people, even long time panfisherman don't have a real good sense about catching redear IMO. There's a real knack to it and I'm in the early learning stages myself, but boy it's fun.

... with ALL of you

Self imposed limits are fine, since they make all parties happy.
Keeping a limit of mixed sexes is also fine, since they do "have" a statewide limit.

When KDFWR put the Redear on a "Sport Fish" status, a few years ago, they also defined a daily creel limit of 20/person/day. This, in itself, controls the mortality rate (from harvest) ... and add in the self imposed controls, and the specific methods needed to catch these fish on a regular basis .... and the Redear should be about as protected as any other game fish we pursue.

And now that the Redear ARE a Sport Fish .... the KDFWR are charged with monitoring them. Should they see a decline starting, they could easily impose a size limit (which they don't have now), or lower the creel.

... cp

Originally Posted by smashdn

If the fishery couldn't sustain it then the people with all the letters past their names (biologists) would lower the limits.

Never feel bad about taking home fish well within the legal limits. If others don't want to do so, or if choose not to do so that is your perogative. But you do not, and should never have to, explain yourself to others as long as you abide by the law.

I totally agree!!!!!!! I have seen photos of fisherman on this site that have kept female crappie!! And we can all catch more bluegill, shellcracker, ect...
It's the crappie counts that everybody is complaining about, but yet you keep the egg laying females.

Don't preach out of both sides of your mouths!

Originally Posted by ifish

Caught these this afternoon in 4 fow.

What's the two big girls weigh? I would LOVE to catch two pigs like that! Good lookin mess.