Why are there slot limits???????

[boatfisher]

Seems like everywhere you go these days. There are slot limits now on the reservoirs. Strawberry has one. Lost Creek now has one. Waiting for East Canyon next. What about the people who use power bait, and worms to fish? Now I know this is a very touchy subject. But before I get in over my head. I just want to note for the record. I use fly's and practice CPR. Is this a trend that is happening on all the lakes because of the fishing pressure. And what good does it do when a fish that is in the slot takes the hook all the way down, and a person yanks it out. And in the long run the fish dies... Are slot limits really a good thing.? or does it kill more fish in the long run? Just some random thoughts for the forum.[fishin]
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[RockyRaab]

The short version of slot limit reasoning is that it protects the class of fish that has the best spawning record, while still allowing anglers to take some smaller fish and an occasional trophy.

Oh, and I can't find any reference to a slot limit of any kind at Mantua.
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[boatfisher]

Oh I was told there was one on bass on Mantua. I could be wrong about that. If so my mistake. I took it off just in case [fishin] Thanks
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[Kent]

Slot limits on some reservoirs are in place to allow a sufficient number of the predator fish to get large enough to control the number of non-game fish that the biologists feel need to be controlled. All of the reservoirs you mentioned plus Scofield have a slot limit for this reason. They realize that some fish will die that are released and allow for that in their planning.
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[wiperhunter2]

I agree with both Kent's and Rocky's comments. I'll add one more thing, even though fish die when hooked deep and it seems like such a waste, to release a fish that will most certainly die. In most cases they do not go to waste, on many occasions I've seen eagles swoop down and take a dying fish right off the surface and if they don't get them, seagulls and crawfish will put them to good use[].
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[Charina]

If I read between the lines of your post, you don't really have a question about the purpose of slot limit as much as you have concerns about releasing bait caught fish. Correct?
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[buckhunterhart]

Cutting off the line and leaving the hook in the fish (if deeply hooked) does wonders to allow the fish to live. From what I understand the hooks rust out within a matter of a couple of weeks.

I also agree that if the fish does eventually die it does not waste in the grand scheme of things- the circle of life, hakuna matata and all that. [cool]
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[liketrolling]

[quote boatfisher]. And what good does it do when a fish that is in the slot takes the hook all the way down, and a person yanks it out. And in the long run the fish dies... Are slot limits really a good thing.? or does it kill more fish in the long run? Just some random thoughts for the forum.[fishin][/quote]

you cut the hook and leave it in the fish.
What does a hook cost .10 cents.?
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