Utah should ban all bait completely where they have slot limits

[fuzzyfisher]

ya left out some lakes..

Joe's valley, scofield, fish lake of a sort on lake trout. come to mind...
oh and all the lakes the DWR have planted tiger musky!!
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[flygoddess]

AWESOME!!!!! love that fly[] I can say, I have lost flies in fish, but the good news is, those fish wearing FG jewelry, never left the water (break off)

But I agree with prock05. No barbs. I will go one step farther and say I wish No Trebles.

Add to that, it is absolutely possible to catch fish without using bait or smell. Just have to change your expectations and style.

It wouldn't kill me if they went no bait...been doing it for years[]
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[CROSSINEYES]

what??? i am amazed. you are the killer of so many big fish every yr at fg. those fish take 30 to 50 yrs to grow that big. the berry cutts take 3 to 5 yrs to get over 22 inches not pounds. and we pay taxes to plant moore correct? who replaces those killed lake trout your clients kill every week? no one!!! [crazy][crazy][crazy]
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[DonInDenver]

I sure hope the moderators have enough backbone to let this thread stay up and active since you, Steve Davis, are the one who started it.

The fact that it is you of all people who is complaining about unintended fish mortality is just mind-boggling. Virtually all of your fish mortality is 100% intentional, nothing accidental or unintended about it.
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[kochanut]

ah ha! this is the guy that called us wimps the last time we were in iraq! its all so clear now!
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[flygoddess]

[quote cadresults][#6000bf]I'm sure the 4-8 year old kids would have a great time flipping flies.[/#6000bf]
[/quote]


Why not? I have about 20 students ranging 4 to 11 that got it down perfect.


EDIT! Before you all freak out, I have nothing against bait users. Been around since the beginning of time.
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[GUIDEMAN]

Don I can take it, so bring it on ! But every thing I said about bait fishing at slot limit lakes is true.

GUIDEMAN
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[timberhall]

This seems to be a very heated discussion. One idea that I had was the use of circle hooks on some waters. Some states including California and I think Idaho only let people use circle hooks for certain kinds of fish. I have used circle hooks with power bait and worms and they have always worked fine.
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[Jacksonman]

I am more of a trophy hunter than a meat hunter AND hope to teach my kids the same so my personal wishes are close to what you recommended. I am a personal HUGE fan of slots. I have personally landed a 26" cutt through the ice this year at the berry (didn't have BFT logo for ice tournament) and have seen more reports of fish over 25" coming from the Berry this winter than ever before. I also landed a 25.5" tiger at Scofield at first ice and have seen the fishing dramatically improve since the slot was put on there.

I would personally love to see the slot increased to 24", be put on several more lakes (boulder mountains, etc), include rainbows in the slot in several lakes, then allow everyone to keep one fish in the slot (preferred if people waited until one was mortally wounded) and one outside of the slot. I would also like to see certain lakes close for a few months to allow the fish to grow (like Henry's). I would also like to see more sterile species put in to these lakes.

I would also agree that when there is a slot, you have to get rid of bait fishing with trebles. The only trebles allowed should be those on lures.

Meat hunters can always go buy fish at the store if they want some meat. But trophy fishermen can only fish for trophys. I also don't see why anyone needs tot take home more than a fish or two per trip, especially if you are taking out a child who can also take home a fish or two. One nice fish will feed a family for dinner, and if you want more fish, go fishing again. There are multiple good lakes within 30-60 minutes of all urban centers in Utah. I just don't like the thought of keeping multiple huge fish to end of throwing some away due to freezer burn or going bad.

But just what I would want and I understand the other side too.
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[PBH]

[quote GUIDEMAN] But every thing I said about bait fishing at slot limit lakes is true.

GUIDEMAN[/quote]

No it isn't true. I think you're blinded by your own personal motives. Banning bait on lakes with slot limits doesn't necessarily help. Multiple posts have been posted that prove otherwise. Just because it is your opinion doesn't make it true. There is plenty of evidence to prove otherwise.

if you truly are a man -- that shut your mouth and stop trying to argue your side -- it's wrong.
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[cadresults]

[quote flygoddess][quote cadresults][#6000bf]I'm sure the 4-8 year old kids would have a great time flipping flies.[/#6000bf]
[/quote]


Why not? I have about 20 students ranging 4 to 11 that got it down perfect.


EDIT! Before you all freak out, I have nothing against bait users. Been around since the beginning of time.[/quote]

[#6000bf]LOL... It would take more than an internet opinion to make me "freak out".[/#6000bf]
[#6000bf][/#6000bf]
[#6000bf]I think its great you take kids fly fishing. However, kids need both options for this fishery IMO. [/#6000bf]
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[Tarponjim]

Every single sentence, all 5 of them in the first paragraph of the original post, is wrong!

1. I don't bait fish except for burbot on the Gorge, but kids and new comers without "expert" guidance need the option to go waters and fish with bait. Certain fisheries can handle this just fine. Some benefit.

2. Bait does not kill as many large lake trout as GUIDEMAN does! Never will! "Poacher?" (His word in the sentence, not mine!)

3. 50 percent of deeply hooked fish where the line is cut do not die. That's hogwash. Google it, read, whatever. Just a bad statistic.

4.The slot limit at Strawberry is working. READ the fishing reports! People catch the piss out of the fish there, nice ones too!

5. Most people DO NOT fish all day long trying to catch the BIG fish to keep. They're smart enough to keep the smaller fish, and let the big one's go! What a concept!


The post began with, "Utah should ban all bait completely, live, dead or stuff out of a bottle."

While that would not affect my own fishing, its still completely rediculous. But, who should be suprised given the history of the OP?
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[wagdog]

Meat hunters can always go buy fish at the store if they want some meat. But trophy fishermen can only fish for trophys.

Are you saying that folks who are fishing for food shouldn't keep a limit or are you saying that in the worst case scenario, they can go to the store and buy some meat? I'm not trying to hate, just curious as to your point of view.

I also don't see why anyone needs tot take home more than a fish or two per trip, especially if you are taking out a child who can also take home a fish or two. One nice fish will feed a family for dinner, and if you want more fish, go fishing again.

Also it depends on the size of the fish you are catching as to how many will feed a family as well as the size of the family. Most likely you are referring to trout and since I'm not big on trout, I wouldn't know how many to feed my family. Having said that, it takes a limit of cookie cutter kitties to feed my family and I probably get enough to have lunch the day after. Sure I could go to the store but why would I buy those nasty farm-raised catfish? []
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[clipripper]

wow! this guy is really off the hook i have never fished with him or would i but i have a few things to add. i have fished to gorge my entire life and my first observation from this guy is dont you remember how much better the lake trout fishing was when there was a slot limit? when you was just learning to fish you never used bait? why would you think slot limits dont work when in fact they let fish mature such as the ones you are killing now were able to mature during the days of the slot. bait that is all about preference i dont use it unless my 9 year old daughter is with me just so she has the oportunity to catch some eater fish. just my two cents and i dont keep anything over 6 or 7 pounds ever due to the fact now they are very hard to find with no slot and people keeping everything.
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[doggonefishin]

Do you fish in any or the fisheries that have slot limits? Besides the fact that the overall fishing in these areas is usually excellent, it is apparent when you catch the slot fish that the slaughter you picture is not happening.

Next time you fish Strawberry and pull up a slot cutt, inspect the mouth carefully and see how many times it has been caught. I lot of thse guys have been caught 4-5 times. Same for big Jordanelle bass. (slot now expired[:/])
I maintain at Strawberry that almost as many slotters are lost from pulling them up from deep water into the warm surface water during the hot months (regardless of lure/bait type) as are lost by bait use.
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[Jacksonman]

Just saying meat hunters have another option and worse case can go to the store.

I also agree it depends on the size of the fish. But there are plenty of family fisheries that would alow a full limit still."

And most of this talk of fishing with kids isn't really valid. How many people are really taking out 3-8 year old kids and how often? After 8-10 years old they can throw lures just like the rest of us. And if you are really trying to give the kids an experience AND you want to keep fish, take them to a community pond, or go catch some panfish or catfish. I have two young daughters that I will take out often. But they will learn how to fish according to my ethics (which includes keeping some fish on occasion) but I won't teach them that you have to keep fish. I will teach them how to respect the waters they fish and do what is best for them.

Fishing is so much more than eating fish!
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[pookiebar]

I took my 2 year old little girl out ice fishing last week. She loved it and talks about it every day. She even "helped" me catch the biggest fish that day.

If you don't take them when they are young they don't have much interest in going regularly when they are older.
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[wagdog]

Just saying meat hunters have another option and worse case can go to the store...Fishing is so much more than eating fish!

Cool. I get your point. I love eating fish. Grew up eating fish. But for me, eating what I catch is just a bonus at the end of a trip. Now back to your regularly scheduled BFT thread wars...
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[pookiebar]

This is the dumbest post I have seen on here! Strawberry consistantly produces large cuts. End of story.

Something must be working there!
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[catmaster23]

There are big fish all over the state pookie, the problem is that if you keep one or one dies when you catch it, you are apparently going to rot in Hell for eternity. May God have mercy on our souls!
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