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This looks like a fish that was shot with an arrow. I caught it yesterday on Barkley. I've been thinking for quite sometime that these bow fishermen were shooting the bigger redear when given an opportunity. It would be easy to go out at night and arrow the bigger fish that are guarding beds.
They shot and gigged them prior to the F&W making redear a sport fish. Why would a ticket stop somebody who is also willing to dump their harvest of carp and gar in a ramp parking lot?
Yeah, I know, it's sickening to think these people are out at night this time of year picking off the big male fish. I had a guy tell me he shot at a 50lb Flathead the other night, it made me cringe.
We have caught some nice redear this spring but the size is down. I've caught lots of 1lb to 1.2lb fish, which is very nice, but certainly lacking those big hammerhead ears that go 1.5-1.75lbs...I'm thinking these shooters are part of the problem. Maybe I'm way off, but this fish survived an arrow and I caught him. I should've turned him loose.
Laws only stop the honest people.
Looks way too small for a bowfishing wound. Looks more like a water turkey poke to me.
X2!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pirogue
Back a few years here in Florida. Near Salt springs Some body called into the Florida wildlife guys about some guys bowfishing in the lake in the park. The wildlife guys just watch them for a few hours. When the bowfishers got their boat back on trailer and pulled away from the ramp, they put them under arrest. They had over 30 LM bass half were under size. Well long story short, bowfishing guys lost their boat, trailer and pickup truck. Plus all their equipment and catch plus big fines.
I routinely converse with a big time bow fisherman ...
It's not uncommon for LM bass to be part of the list of species kills when he talks (boasts) ...
Rickie
As a bowfisherman and a pole fisherman. Around my part of the country a lot of the time the water is so muddy you really can't tell what your shooting just that it's a fish. You try to make a good call based on shape and the way they act ect. But mistakes do happen from time to time. I bet less bass and other non target fish are killed with bows then are gill hooked and thrown back only to die by pole fishing. A bow would dang near cut a red ear in half. That looks like a water turkey wound to me.
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Looks like Blue Heron inflicted to me. Rend lake crappie commonly have that same injury.