My 2 cents (from CL thread)

Here's another wrinkle to consider:  Large mouth bass are a hugely successful  introduced species that have expanded from their home range in the southeast by quantum leaps.  Of all the fish around here that we fish, they are the species of about the absolute least concern.

In many places they compete with or feed on salmon (like the delta).  In Clear Lake they and the other introduced fish species are responsible for almost the complete annihilation of the native fish species, like the Sacramento Perch. 

I'm not saying we should worry that much about the ecological change in CL from the introduction of LMB.  It's a fun fishery and it benefits the locals, but on the other hand, I don't worry about people eating them as much as they want.....no worries we'll make more....or as Mooch said, if folks are eating too many and it's affecting the tournaments, lower the limits.

LMB are like rats, they do well by humans.  Wish salmon were more like that.   

LMB are like rats, they do well by humans.  Wish salmon were more like that.   

I think they tastes a litle better than rats 

Stripers are pushing LMB's out of Del Valle so not sure they are "rat" status.

Who wants to eat a Clear Lake fish of any kind, really?

This is what I've been thinking.  LMB, actually all fish and game in and around Clear Lake tastes like mud.  Crawdads, catfish, crappie, deer...etc all have a muddy taste.  

If anyone wanted to keep a bass for a meal, I'd recommend those from the delta in the winter or early spring.  Most high elevation lakes or reservoirs like Don Pedro have excellent tasting LMB.  For steaming, the smaller the better.  

Hard to beat a barely legal steamed LMB.  

When they get a little bigger up to ~3lbs.  My favorite way is scored, deep fried, braised in a wok with black vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, green onion...the salty, savory, sour preparation is a real saliva producer.  

mmmh, just got myself hungry.

Thanks Dave.  The bass fishing industry is a HUGE money maker (over $1000 from me just this year) for the delta/CL areas.  The reason, those places have HUGE bass because C&R has been practiced for so long, so let's try and keep it going.  Its not so much the tournaments as it is the tourism for catching a trophy, which can be released, just get the measurements and get a nice replica.

Sonny,  .  I'll treat you to a burger sometime if you release the next bass you catch, a cheese burger if you release the next catfish....  Include the video in your next post.

HB

Stripers are pushing LMB's out of Del Valle so not sure they are "rat" status.

I can see it now:

Stripers are like "Cats"
They love to eat Largemouth "Rats"  

Sonny,  .  I'll treat you to a burger sometime if you release the next bass you catch, a cheese burger if you release the next catfish....  Include the video in your next post.
HB

You got yourself a deal Bryan 

Thank you for moving this discussion here, XSquid!
It turned out be a good topic I think (very informative)!
I agree w/ most of people & disagree w/ some... however, hearing these different points of view are very educating & I really appropriate everybody's input!

Some good info on here. IMO keeping bass is kinda a waste they dont taste that great and there our so many guys that love to fish for them for some reason. I would rather toss a tiny minnow for crappie and get a few bass in the process. But a 12inch crappie fights alot better then a 12inch bass. Ohh ya the crappie taste way better.

I am surprised the native vs. nonnative argument hasn't really surfaced in this thread. I think that is part of the issue, regulation is heavily tied to native species so protecting nonnative fisheries is really up to the fisher-folk, look at the evolution of the striped bass stamp, turned delta stamp, turned...poof!

Regarding catch and keep, my favorite "bass" lake always has lots of people taking fish home despite all the anti-keep propaganda in the kiosks. The one thing I have noticed that makes it different from the rest is that there are very few bass over 5lbs. There are also very few "shakers" to be caught. Despite this it is truly loaded with a very healthy population of bass in the 12" to 20" range and you can always count on getting fish. Keeping fish does rotate the gene pool and I think that this then contributes to the overall health of the population.  Also, I do like to eat fish, and I do believe that fresh caught is always healthier that store bought. What I like about using the kayak is that ease of use yields the ability to apply one and done; meaning I usually need only one fish for a good dinner and with the yak I spend much less time, effort and money on a trip so there is no need to stay and try to "load the boat" in order to justify the trip, thus my personal limit has reduced regardless of how many the law allows. In the back of my mind, I can always come back in a few days or a week and get some more.

By the way, what started this whole debate, did someone fill a couple coolers full of fish or something?

Despite this it is truly loaded with a very healthy population of bass in the 12" to 20" range and you can always count on getting fish

This jives with the article Bryan posted. I was reading about a stream in England where for many, many years catch and release was the accepted practice. But at some point they discovered that you had to remove some of the fish that had gotten too smart. So the "done thing" was to keep an occasional fish.

I suspect it's like several here have said, if your not trying to fill your freezer it's all good. What has gotten lost a little is that X was focused on not keeping fish *during the spawn*, which I think makes sense. I just can't buy into the etiquette thing wholeheartedly. If people are responsible and lawful that should really be the end of it.

Great discussion, I've learned a lot.

Ben

By the way, what started this whole debate, did someone fill a couple coolers full of fish or something?

I was there for 3 days and heard only 2 bass were kept by NCKA'ers....

I'll treat you to a burger sometime if you release the next bass you catch, a cheese burger if you release the next catfish....  Include the video in your next post.

HB

I let a bass go once.  Buy me a burger?  and a chocolate shake?

I started this thread to continue a rant I started in an incorrect area.  It is the result of some frustration I have with the differing ethics of the kayak fishing community and the bass fishing community.  I am a part of both, and find it an interesting position.  On one side there is a close group of anglers that commonly practice "catch and eat".  On the other is a community who gets territorial of "their water" and have staunch C&R beliefs.  I hope for a happy medium where each could respect the others interests.  I think 100% C&R is unrealistic, but hope that people targeting bass are knowledgeable enough to know to be selective.  Although toting around a largemouth on a game clip is within the limits of the law and your right, it isn't the norm among regulars on CL and the delta (especially this time of the year).  I realize that to many this is a foreign concept, but it is the truth.  Many of you may not care, but I don't want kayakers to become synonymous with meat hunting.

This can be fragmented into many arguments.  Tournaments cause harm, thinning the population, etc.  Basically, I would rather trust tourney guys to take care of their catch than to speculate on the damage they cause vs the harm one angler with a stringer caused.  It is not just this one angler I'm worried about, but the many who read the reports and those that are just getting into the growing sport of kayak fishing.  Sure there are some D-bag regulars out there, but most I know love the sport and preserve the resources.  I also don't think the two bodies of water mentioned have a bass population problem that needs our intervention.  If this differs from your view then I guess we will have to agree to disagree, I'm not going to split hairs with you. 

The whole native species thing is a slippery slope.  There is an assemblywoman proposing another bill to rid stripers from the delta because of the effect they have on salmon.  This is another pile of bull shit that is meant to turn eyes away from the amount of water being pulled from the delta by the pumps.  The real reason the salmon is in trouble is us, not the stripers that have been here for over a hundred years. So I wouldn't put too much stock in the DFG's use of the stamp or the crap being slung by our governator.

I think this was a good dialog that shed some light on a subject we don't talk about too much.  I agree that the tourney wasn't a fish fry.  It was a reply in that thread that sent me on a rant that has been building for a while.  Sorry if I stepped on any toes, my goal was not to offend or put you down but to share the other point of view.   

X

yakker & basser