Long season for SE CT good and bad

[shotty]

I haven't seen ice down this way like we have had this season in 20 plus years its been great I was on 6 plus inches of ice today along with 2 inches of water and slush. I have caught quite a few bass along with panfish and trout this season and didn't keep a single fish and haven't kept a laremouth in probably 30 plus years nor have any of my buddies I also have seen a lot of bass caught this season which is concerning because the ones I saw caught had all been kept from 12 to 23 inches people were keeping their limit of 6 fish per person I have seen a lot of dead females that are capable of producing thousands of eggs not good for future bass fishing in these small shallow lakes. I really wish the state of ct would protect these fish and lower the limit to 1 to 2 fish per person and have a slot limit to protect mature female bass. Ice fishing for bass is much easier for people than in open water due to being able to have 6 baits in the water at once you get 3 or 4 guys and you got half of these small lakes covered a lot different than casting a single lure instead of 3 or 4 you get 18 to 24 hooks in the water for 3 or 4 guys, just my opinion.

[frenchy]

nice man i havent kept 1 fish either and im catching 4, 5 pound bass. I was out today in CT with over a foot of ice and tonight w'll add more

[camo man]

I agree with you , although there is nothing wrong with taking a fish or two to feed the family. I turn them back , so hopefully we can consistently catch big fish in years to come.

[lowaccord66]

Shotty what you fail to realize is a percentage of your C&R bass die after release anyways.  So it is hypocritical of anyone to be frustrated at those who keep fish for the table when some of the fish you catch for FUN are dying after you release them and they arent even used!  This is especially true with ice fishing as using live bait leads to the highest post release mortality rate.  Read link below.  If you truly care about the health if bass you would not be fishing for them with live bait.


http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/catch_release.htm

[eiderz]

Thanks for the link Lowaccord. The mortality rate in C&R is far higher than most believe. Where I think it is a terrible shame is saltwater fishing for fluke, seabass, stripers etc.. Small (below legal size) fish stocks take a wicked beating because so many of the fish are hooked deep and bleeding. Might as well be bycatch from a dragger.

[dmach83]

I prefer a slot limit like Mudge has where between 12 and 18 go back in the water. Iowa is right about mortality.You can help by useing single instead of treble if you wish to release.I ice fish to put meat in my freezer.I let bass over 12 go because I don't think they taste as good as the small ones. I flyfish the farmington 3 to 5 days a week in the tma and watch guys fight fish on ridiculous size tippets for 10 minutes and think the fish they let go is going to live.If you can't get the fish landed in a reasonable time don't fish below 6x.  Just rambling.

[shotty]

L A I don't use live bait only jigs and other large single hook lures with pork or plastics when fishing for largemouth bass and stripers, I like setting the hook immediately so not to get any gut shots 99 percent of the fish I hook are hooked somewhere in the mouth and the 1 percent are a little back in the  mouth but can still be removed with just my fingers I use pretty heavy line and crank them in as fast as I can. I always have a very quick hook set and the fish doesn't have a chance to take it deep plus I get the fish unhooked and back in the water asap and they always take off fast to call me hypocritical is pretty slack especially when you don't know my technique I never just plop a bait in the water so they can swallow it deep!

[lowaccord66]

Even still as the study from that link says mouth hooked fished that were just played and released also died.  No way to get around it,  C&R guys kill fish just like guys who take them home.

[Jessox80]

C & R doesn't kill fish "just like" keeping then for the table unless this study shows a 100% death rate for released fish. Every effort matters, regardless of the findings of this study.

[Jessox80]

I would also hesitate to put too much stock in applying the findings of one study done in Texas in August to the conditions in connecticut's winter.

[lowaccord66]

C & R doesn't kill fish "just like" keeping then for the table unless this study shows a 100% death rate for released fish. Every effort matters, regardless of the findings of this study.

I agree every effort matters and by no means do I expect anyone to take my posts literally.  There are tons of variables..someone who takes a fish for the table kills it, where as its a maybe for a released fish.

[ESOX FIX]

I don't fish for bass but ive caught pike that I have caught several times, gut hooked each time over a four year period and the fish is well and growing.

[bojango]

I agree every effort matters and by no means do I expect anyone to take my posts literally.

  then why post?

[lowaccord66]

  then why post?

I like rambling.

[schaffman]

Imagine if we applied catch and release for hunting?   The press release might look like this -

"The DEEP has announced new regulations for the Spring Turkey Hunters.   Hunters will now be allowed to use Ballistic Bean Bag rounds for those hunters that are interested in shoot and release.   The bean bag rounds will allow Hunters to stun the Turkeys long enough for a picture and will allow the Turkeys to then be released with relatively little trauma".

Now that is rambling.   

[Jessox80]

I don't fish for bass but ive caught pike that I have caught several times, gut hooked each time over a four year period and the fish is well and growing.

That's awesome! I think a lot of people learn how to handle fish better from info shared on this site (I certainly have) so it would be a shame for someone to interpret that study as a knock on C & R or the importance of proper handling. 

[PikeKing23]

Catch & Release for hunting?  It's called taking a picture with a camera

[waltsfishing]

 

[egriffin70]

Catch & Release for hunting?  It's called taking a picture with a camera

I take a lot of pictures and video in my stand of bucks and deer I pass,  so I guess you can say it's catch and release.   

[ImmovingtoMaine,OUCH]

Speaking of ice in se ct, anyone know the ice situation on Pachaug?

[Mallard870]

New to the sight.
Went to pachaug today but couldn't get on from where I normally do, there was about 18' of skim ice before the good ice (about 6" thick). Did not try the launch though. We're losing ice here in NE Ct.

[fishing12]

i guess its more of capture and release when it comes to hunting