makes me sick!!!!!

I was down on on of my favorite spots just shore fishing and having fun with the family. Catching sum of the biggest smallmouth of my life. One after another 4-5 pound smallmouth were being caught and realesed. An oder gentleman showed interest in what we were doing to catch these fish a few minutes later he came down with his equipment and also started pounding these huge brownies. He then put every one on a stringer. Even though he wasnt doing anything illegal I aproached him and gave him a speach on how old those fish are and y he should release them. For the next 3 days he was there everyday leaving with 5 smallmouth over 4 pounds…. what do you do in that situation. Im a tournament fisherman. I hear all the crap about how the tounaments are ruining the lakes. After seeing that I now see the true reason quallity basses are few and far between. I say slot limit!!!!! Keep 5 over 14 but no more than 2 of thos 5 can be over 16 after 5 years you will really start seeing the benefits. Whats your opinion

…or maybe close the SMB season to catch and relase fishing starting in Sept like Minnesota?

Welcome to IDO.

-J.

I believe its 9-9 wasn’t it. Call the cops on him immediately.

Oops saw this is WI, still sucks though. Not much you can do except get the kids to start skipping rocks in the area

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…or maybe close the SMB season to catch and relase fishing starting in Sept like Minnesota?

Welcome to IDO.

-J.

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X2 catch and release season works for me.

Im sure he appreciated you forcing your views on him.

When did following the law become wrong?

There is nothing wrong with keeping LEGAL fish.

Was he over limit?

Aren’t there possession limits in Wisconsin?

If its legal to do, I’d keep your opinions to yourself.

So odd… a guy keeps five legal walleye and few bat an eye… bass, and it becomes the worse thing ever. I personally would have kicked myself for sharing how I was catching them more than blaming him for following the law after I gave him the information.

I didn’t even know the Chetek chain had SM, let alone huge SM. I have only caught LM there.

FDR

X2…Perfectly stated Cycle Guy.

Keeping the bass is within the law provided he is somehow staying within his state allotted possession limit. If you believe he is not, there is always the TIP line, or the Wisconsin equivalent which I assume exists. If he is within the law and you don’t like what the law says, you should take that up with your local legislators and work to change the framework of laws that protects the resource.

Welcome to IDO!

As long as the law wasn’t broken , no harm done. Welcome to IDO !!!

As long as it was in WI it’s OK

Really, it would have been nice to not hear him take so much meat home coming back day after day to stock his freezer but, like others said, he has the right to keep fish (not sure about stocking up for the winter but it is what it is).

X2!!!!!!! Silence!

I’m all for changing the law (via slot limit or otherwise) to restrict this sort of behavior, which I believe was your original question.

In the FWIW category, I think it’s a bad idea to let the law tell you what is right — just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Old guys fish for the table, nothing to be done about it.

being a tournament guy, you won’t be exempt from the slot but I do feel your pain on seeing those big smallies getting their sides cut off for meat on the table. I disagree with it as well, but I also don’t approve of any more regulation on bass. However, unless the guy ate an entire daily bag limit or gave it away, he would be over the possession limit, making all or part of his day 3 catch illegal.

i understand being a tournament fisherman ill have to obey a slot but im fine with that as long as it brings the species to a steadier population.and i understand he wasnt doing anything wrong.it not like i ripped into him about it. any fisherman knows that bass are very slow growers up here especially smallmouth. a 4 pound smallie can easily be 10+ years old. and he kept 15 that i know of. im sure everyone loves catching big smallies.if people keep taking the breeding stock we wont have anymore at all.and im sure the guy didnt eat 15 huge bass in 3 days so yeah he was prolly way over his possession limit.

i mean just cause the speed limit is 80 you dont go 80 if its foggy out