As a non tournament fisherman and lake property owner, it is my understanding that tournament fish caught anywhere on a lake or river, are taken to a central weigh-in point and then released at that same point. Why isn't it be possible to release them at different points in the lake. Is this too much work for those who organize the tournaments and profit from them??? I am not convinced that a LMB will routinely travel 4-5 miles to get back to familiar water. So, yeah, I guess it gripes my butt to see tournament fishermen pounding my dock at which I have spent a lot of time establishing fish habitat only to be jerked out, hauled away and dumped elsewhere. I'm expecting a lot of answers such as "sour grapes" but at least I feel better having vented my frustration.

Your dock is on public water and as such is no different than someone fishing a blow down or rock pile and taking that fish home to eat. Your dock impeads the general public from being able to fully acces the lake you are no more intitled to those fish than me or anyone else they belong to the public so either take your dock out of the water or get over it.

I am sorry if I come of a little harsh but I am tired of Marina owners, slip renter and dock owner who put their stuff on public water than expect the public to yeild to their will. It is public water and the fish are public and the public should be the one yeilded to not the dock owner. It is a priviledge to place private property on top of public propertry and that person who does should do so knowing that the public has full access around their dock 24/7.

well said Tim. I agree.

Do some research by googling John Hope and Tracking Trophy Bass. (the name of his book). Even last year on the BASSMASTER Elite Series they were doing tracking studies.

It's been routinely shown that an adult (over 3 lb) bass will likely return to where it was caught within a day or two. These fish have traveled distances as great as 15-20 miles on a body of water.

Also keep in mind that if your dock is brushed out with habitat the fish will replenish in it. Those fish won't just camp out there each day, but the fish in the entire cove will all stop there at one time or another.

I agree with Tim but would also like to include the following. Which do you find more difficult to take, a fish being transported alive to another part of the lake and then being released alive, or the same fish being transported to another part of the lake and being filleted? At least one of the scenarios ends with a live fish still swimming around and reproducing.

You knew when you built the dock that you were building on public domain or you should have. People on every lake that build their docks and boat houses should think in advance about what it means when they build on public property. It gripes your butt? think about the many fishermen that pay their fee to get a liscense that ultimatly pays for the stocking of these "PUBLIC" lakes. You can't seriously think that those fish are yours (LOL). Get a life and stop harassing the people that help pay for these "PUBLIC" waters.

Yes the fish do not belong to him, nor does he have any right to them, but I can see why someone would get frustrated by this !! I mean Im sure some lake front property owners put allot of work into the habitat for fish around there area, and themn someone comes and reaps the benifits !!

The guy didnt say anything about folks fishing his docks, just that the fish were taken and not returned !! Tournament fisherman are probably the only people who would catch a fish off someones dock, and not return the fish, as most LMB fisherman practice catch and release !! Nothing wrong with the Tournament fisherman, but it would be nice if the fish could be returned back to there original habitat !!

My folks own a house on the water also and I too spend a lot of time building structure for the bass. I am also just now getting in the tournament scene through a club and have wondered the same thing although I believe some of the bigger tounament trails have release boats that take them to differnet areas. Most tournys seem to dump their fish at or near the ramp they weigh in at so why not go and get their fish and release them by the house.

Sounds like you need sell the lake house, buy some land and build a pond. We all paid to stock the lakes so why are you trying to attract all of our fish to your dock.

Larry, at Fork they usually have a live release boat that takes all the fish out to the middle and releases them there over deeper water, all of this ofcourse after they have been chillin in a recovery tank loaded with oxygen and other goodies to help the fish de stress. Your fish will make it back down to your dock eventually or new ones will move in to take the place of the ones that have been taken.

do as they suggest... anytime you catcha fish somewhere else.. bring it back and "seed" your dock. thats the reason a lot of dock owners have removed brush from thier docks. i find it better to put the brush within casting distance off the corners of docks I brush out..... has to be far enough away that the boater cant see it on thier graph when fishing your dock, but close enough you can cast a c-rig to...... if you need help this summer moving it, let me know...lol. I am sure we could find some more to build up the piles a little larger.

Just look at it this way... it's public water and public resources, so you can't stop anybody from fishing around your dock.

The positive side is this: if you put out fish-attracting cover around your dock, a fisherman could pull up, yank out a fish, and an hour or two later there's likely another one sitting there. Build the cover, and the fish will be there. In the end it's not really hurting you at all.

Just string a bunch of rope around your dock, Husker. People will quit fishing it when they are getting hung up all the time, then those fish will never be moved from that spot.

popcorn anyone?