I do not know if this will help, but if it saves a few fish lifes it will help. I have noticed a lot of big fish being killed. This is got to stop or we are headed for bad days. Guys this is our spawing season and if you put these big sows in you livewell and keep them in it all day for a group picture or to show you buddies it is a death sentence. If you want to eat some fish that is ok just keep your smallest five not the biggest. All that I want is that you respect the resorce even if it is not your home lake.

I agree, what a stupid thing to do is hold a fish all day just to show your buddies. Take a picture and let her go. The faster the better. I was there at the end of Jan and I was getting off the lake and I notice a guy holding two fish out of the water one about 6 pounds the other about 4 pounds. They were out of the water about 5 min and one of the younger guys in the group runs over to me and ask for a scale to weigh the biggest one I looked at it from a distance and made a guess but still loaned him the scale. They weighed the fish and as I looked back after getting my scale back they had a net full of bass 5-8 fish for sure and were taking them back to the water. I looked at my guys said a few things and said well it is to late for those fish now. I really cannot stand to see this anywhere your lake or our lake here. I have noticed over the years several times and I think teaching is one thing but most people do not listen. Sad day for the fish. I have always said it takes to long to grow a big fish and it only takes a minute to kill it.

This should be for anywhere though, not just Falcon.

good advice

Also hauling fish in a pick up bed from Falcon, Ivie, Amistad, choke etc in a pick up to Athen's Texas so that the fingerling can be released back into fork is not a real good idea either. The survival rate of those fish being caught way out west, and south being hauled up here hasnt been great. Bad idea. drives me nuts.

Agree that something needs to be done but will be hard to break old habits. Not really sure what it will take to change the way people think about taking care of the fish.

We have a lot more people on the water every year, if something is not done now to help protect the fish for the future, there may not be much of a future for fishing.

One thing that could be done is to change the daily limits. Why does it need to be 5 fish? If it was reduced to 3 fish that would be a big decrease in the number of fish being hauled around in a live well all day. This would be really beneficial during tournaments. Maybe only 1 fish over a certain size could be kept.

Our club went to a 3 fish limit for all tournaments 2 years ago and it has worked just fine.

Will paper tournaments help? I have seen fish killed at weigh in. What is a good option?

Hey tom we had a great trip with you last week. Thanks for your hard work and i promise I will turn her next time. Take care and we will see you again soon.

Hauling a fish 10 hrs in a truck cannot be good. Let the fish spawn in her own lake with her own male.It is great to keep the gentics in your lake. A free replica or what ever is just not worth the mis-treatment the fish go through.I hope the guys in west/south Texas take note and keep there lake producing giants. If you keep letting someone have the giants then they are not working for you in your lake.Pictures are Priceless $$$$ The fish get back with little to no stress and spawn in the wild where they should.

I have to agree, applies to all lakes.

I agree. I was down there a few weeks ago and was fishing in an area with two other boats that were obviously "Winter Texans". I overheard them conversating on how many they had caught between the two boats and that the "Ten Pounder from yesterday" filled up a full ziplock bag. Makes me sick and I wish they would go back North to there Walleyes.

Even some tournament weigh-ins drive me nuts, with all the picture taking and anglers telling what they caught the fish on. It's bad enough that the fish were kept in a live well for six to eight hours, but then when they get to the scales they first get put in a weigh bag with one inch of water in it for five big ol' bass...then they get put in a bag with no water in it so they can be weighed...then they are held out of the water for 1...to 2...to 3...or more minutes while someone is trying to find a camera, get the "right" shot, and talk about them.

Get the dang fish back in the water!

If you ever wonder if keeping a fish out of the water for three minutes stresses or damages it, just try having someone put a paper bag over your head so you can't breathe for three minutes and see what it does to you.

We sure have lot of fish biologists on the TFF.

Took a couple buddies prefishing to Falcon with me last weekend. They each cought one over seven I had the camera phone ready as they were fighting the fish. Click and gone!!! Good pics too.

I try and keep my camera close but keeping the fish wet is the one of the most important things. They have a air bladder that is good for a minute or two not that I would ever make them use it all.Again the faster you put them back the better. I think a guy can get just as much respect by releasing a big fish. As he can by taking it in or turning it over to TP&W.