Question on fly fishing ethics?

[Travis C.]

I guess that is a correct intro to my question.

Here is a quote from an Eastern Fly Fishing Magazine (nov/dec 2011) article on KY & Barkley Lake bass fishing.

This is when dealing with the spawing habits of bass. "During the spawn, females are lethargic. They don't feed much, if at all. In order to entice a bite from a big ole girl on bed, you must annoy her into attacking. Often, by pulling a fly right across her nose is the only way to encourage a strike."

Not saying on the Caney, regionally, hatchery raised vs natural reproducing or anything other than this just being general question pertaining to trout.

What kind of backlash would this statement make if instead of it being bass the author was writing about trout and why is it so different because it's bass?

[jtuohy]

I imagine there would be a month long Internet argument with a bunch of desktop hard a$$es talking crap to each other.   I fly fish and dont fish the reds.  I used to bass fish and after I got to about 20 I didnt fish the beds.  I would say bass fisherman dont raise a stink for a couple reasons.
 
1) There are so many bass fisherman that engage in the practice that it has become acceptable.

2) There is not a shortage of Largemouth Bass water and the species thrives in almost all bodies of water.  Brown trout water and wild trout are very rare.

3) Bass are a much more hearty fish and breed in a much more controlled environment.  Trout Reds are in fairly harsh environments with current and shallow areas easily accessed by predators. 

4) Female bass aren't on the beds to protect them and catching them doesnt effect their spawning habits.  Just annoys or delays them.  The males protect the beds.   

5) The gear.  Bass fisherman rarely stress the fish except in tournaments.  They use heavy gear, heavy leaders and tippet and rip the fish to the boat and release them fast without touching their bodies.  This does very little damage to the fish unless you get the tv douchebags on there that hold the fish up sideways by its jaws. 

6) Trout are paid for by special permits.  Bass are covered under the general license.  Trout fisherman feel the need to protect their investments. 

[icthus]

hello,
My name is-Pal- and I fish to spawning fish. 

I fish to snook that are spawing, smallies, large mouth, and chubs.  I have tried to stay away from trout, but its just to hard.  With that being said, the more attention one brings to the subject the more people will try to figure out whats going on and where to find the spawning fish.  I cant tell you how many people I saw throwing buggers this past weekend in arkansas.  Not to say that it didnt work, but it didnt work well.  I would hope not many people fish to spawning fish, for obvious reasons... it gets crowded up in there. 


Floating indicators,
Pal

[Travis C.]

I agree about the argument possibility but after reading that in the magazine it had to be asked. The article just seemed to be an odd perspective from a flyfishing writer and even after the part about females it did go on that you can easily target the males once the females leave due to their aggressiveness over the nest.

I also agree with all your points as well.

Thanks for the reply.

[MikeA]

Meh

[Yoda]

Meh

 LMAO!!!!!I damn near pissed myself!!!!!!

[icthus]

Somethings are better left unsaid, like--Meh-- the difference in wisdom and a young chap such as myself full of, "Piss and vinegar" as one lad called Pal.  I like Mikes explanation better.  Anyways enjoy the evening and thank you for the question.  It is always nice to have inquisitive minds on this board.

--5x tippet--
Pal

[Travis C.]

Maybe sooner or later, I will get out and do some fishing instead of sitting around pondering fly fishing questions to pass time.   

[Steve H]

Meh

Sums it up!

[Phil Landry]

Travis C. , you get a gold star.... Pal, you get the middle finger.  Done

[bd]

The main difference to me is that most bass don't spawn in crystal clear 2-foot-deep rivers where you can walk right up and fish right over them.  It's an issue of "shooting fish in a barrel."

I've seen times on the Caney where there were literally clusters of fishermen standing in a circle over a fish on a redd and casting to it. Since the spawning gravel is limited, the fish come to the same places every year, and they're basically stuck at an easy access point where people can stand over them and fish all day until the fish bites or is snagged.

Fishing to a bass on the bed isn't nearly as easy.

Even so, I think tournament fishing that pulls large numbers of bass off the beds can't be good for the population.

Sent from my SPH-M580 using Tapatalk 2

[mnfisher]

I don't  know anything about fishing spawning trout as I have never seen them on the reds.  (Although I would like to see it just to see it)

But what I have done is fished smallmouth on their beds in northern MN....and it is very EASY.  Crystal clear water with dark black smallies on the beds.  Can catch 100's of 18-20" smallies a day.  Nothing difficult about it at all.

[mnfisher]

And we were fishing along side Ted Takasaki. I guess it's just accepted in the bass world.

[Travis C.]

Again, thanks for all the responses.

Like I said in the beginning that I guess that the thread subject is a correct intro to my question.

Looks more like after viewing the responses its a diffence more so in species nature/population rather it solely being an ethical question.

Thanks...