Well, at a cost of nine cents each, and even at an exorbitant selling price of say, a buck a throw, a ninety cent per fish profit yields less than $7000 return. Even if it were legal, that money wouldn't be enough to pay the guy that mows the yard at just one state hatchery.

with the single exception of providing the few fish, all costs associated with this project are borne by the landowner. As I said earlier, a seven hundred dollar investment returns millions of dollars worth of scientific research and potentially $tens of thousands$ in fish back to the state from the project over its lifetime.

Not a bad return for such an investment.

How much do you think we'll get back from a $50,000 investment for a new heart valve into a junkie? Happens every day, and we worry about &700 worth of baby fish.

Some guys just hate it when facts get in the way. Good post Fishbreeder.


La Perla keep on doing what your doing!

^^^ true story

You think TPWD values these fingerlings at $.09? Come on... These ultra special fingerlings are in such limited quantity/year you could say they are priceless... You can't even buy them...

To some of the guys late to join the party, this is the second thread on the subject, the other thread started by La Perla shows the contract. Plus Gary said that he is feeding the fish. Plus he also mentioned he has not sold a fishing trip to La Perla yet. It's been just friends and family. And they only fish it 8 days a month. So basically this guy is helping the state with a research project for free. Sure he could have spend $1,000 and got his own fry, and sold trips 6 years down the road when they start hitting double digits. But he hasn't proven La Perla to make money yet. This is just a hobby to his deer business. Personally I don't see how La Perla Ranch is coming out ahead on this deal, when he could have spend a fraction of what it took to build the lake and the prawn ponds and bought some Camelot Bell fish.

Who says that TPWD can't take all the 13lb+ fish at the end of 15 years and taken to the hatchery and never go back to Jalisco.

Also where is the outrage for the other private lakes the Operation World Record has used. BTW, none of them deserve the outrage.

"You think TPWD values these fingerlings at $.09? Come on... These ultra special fingerlings are in such limited quantity/year you could say they are priceless... You can't even buy them..." quoted from above

I said nothing of "value" only of "cost." Value is indeterminate and subjective, cost is not, it is fixed.

If the state were selling fingerlings, that would be illegal. In fact, the fish hatchery is the last vestige of anything that the government is involved with that actually "produces" something.

I do know about what "value" the state places on its fingerlings, as I've been in in a "discussion" over that in the past. Basically "The efficiency and effectiveness of private enterprise vs. the public sector." Read the study and that becomes very clear indeed.

But the state does produce hundreds of thousands of fingerlings, and over the years millions from SAL fish.

Maybe we should be talking about replacement cost instead. Does it cost TPWD $.09 to replace them?

End of the day....there are far worse things that we should worry about....Obamaphones? Border control? I could go on for a very, very long time.

I understand that those of us who are the truest of sportsman value our dollar and want it to be used as wisely as possible but in the grand scheme of things I see this as a "risk" worth taking. If it was $50K for a possible outcome then maybe....but we're talking $7k at best for an opportunity for all of our children to one day catch a 10+ pound bass...something that most anglers never do in their lifetime.

Let's put our big boy panties on and go fish.....

I look at it like this. Would you rather TPW go above and beyond to increase our fisheries potential or take the approach of a lot of other states and do less?

That's right, we should let our govt do what it wants without questioning it...

The TPWD decision makers are all elected right?

I do question it. And it seems like a cheap research project for the state. I approve.

Ditto sir.

Unfortunately neither your opinions nor mine bear any weight in this matter. fortunately for us, we live in America where we can have different opinions. A respectful discussion is healthy and to me quite interesting.

On a side note, I do wonder something. I wonder if TPWD will change the requirements for only accepting fish that are caught on rod and reel. It seems silly if you are really trying to use the place for research to limit yourself in that way.

You are correct. I think some people in here take things way too seriously. I'm frugal and hate to see my hard earned money wasted on things.