The same thing happened with whaling, people thought that "one more whale couldn't hurt", but they all helped contribute to the downfall in whale populations which we are all well aware of these days. The same thing happened with tarpon on the Texas coast. Everybody would catch them, then leave them on the docks to rot. It "didn't hurt", there were still plenty of tarpon around. It wasn't just a few people doing this, everybody helped contribute a little bit, but all those fish add up and the whole population was nearly wiped out. But, nowadays there are nowhere near as many tarpon in Texas waters now, and it may never recover.
History is doomed to repeat itself.

First, I do not keep fish over three pounds. That is a personal choice I made. Now, if it is so detrimental to the fisheries, why don't fish and game depts. set limits on lengths. Tennessee allows sport fishermen only one fish over 34", but no limit on smaller fish. Tennessee has a large commercial fishery, and yet passed the regulation. So why doesn't Texas. Oklahoma, Arkansas, and the rest? Maybe it isn't so detrimental to the overall fishery? What are survival rates for the fish released?
Just my contribution to the fish worlds Bush-Kerry debate.

TPW won't make any strict size limits until it's too late. They did the same thing with Tarpon, Bull Redfish, and Jewfish. All of those were heavily overfished, and no changes were made until the damage was done.

Capt Steve, I can respect your opinion. However, perhaps the difference of opinion between keeping and throwing back the big ones is that some of us don't get to go fishing as often as you. Although I crappie fish several times a year with buddies, I jug fish about 2 times a year on Texoma and I keep the big ones, if I'm lucky to get 1 or 2 40 pounders. I don't see a problem with this and don't even know any of the old timers who throw their big ones back either. On the other hand, any bass I catch goes back into the water.

Oh man theres millions of those nice 20-30 lb. fish in every lake. They get that big in a couple of years don't they?
I remember when unlimited numbers of Stripers in the 20-25 lb range came daily from Whitney, they had no limit size or numbers. Those days are gone now 12-15 lb fish are prizes, 5-10 the norm with a five fish limit.
Catfish are prolific breeders and most lakes can never be depleted of box type fish 1-3 lb, they get that big in a year or two, but the big brood stock is much older and takes time to develop. There will always be the younger, beginners who need a prize to show off, and the old heads who trotline who will keep the trophy type fish. In time maybe others will come around to believeing that conservation is a needed and deseriable fishing practice. When you do battle with one of the 30 lb cats give it and the future of your lake some respect, she is capable of producing 60,000 eggs next spring, and in a few years a lake record.
I recently took a ten year old little girl fishing, she landed eight fish one 30+, three in the mid 20's, an 18, 12, 10, and one 8. She wanted her photo took with em and the fish released, she also wanted everyone to not throw trash in the lake, so maybe the younger generation will be more conservation minded.

Ain't worth argueing about anymore. Each to his own.

Manwithnoboat why would you release a big bass and not a big catfish ?

hey jbvsbv how you been? havnt seen you in a long time. you still finging arows at them gar?

WOW what a post! Didn't mean to start so much stuff! Just wanted to show off some fish. I probably better keep the pictures of the netted, shocked, and trapped fish to myself. No telling what it would start. Man, think of it, if my law-abiding, limit keeping, fully legal fish turned up this much comment, just think what the others would do!

Some people need to mind their own business. Kinda like these certain religions that believe their way is the only way to Heaven. Ok I will stop.

Just for the record......Not that I have to say anything.....The fish caught were caught in my friends boat...not mine. I would have released the larger fish, but his boat his rules. I am a big enough person to not cry about these things. There are plenty of fish to go around. Just go fishing and have fun.

SHARK

I am gearing up to fling some arrows at some truely large gar this summer. I believe I will get some over 100 lbs. Really looking forward to that! I hope someone doesn't get their feelings hurt because I am now speaking about killing a gar! I will post some pictures of the big daddy's once I get them! Have you been sticking any fish?

nope actuly i have never shot a gar but want to.

When I think of the large number of people that don't fish for large fish or use equipment heavy enough to get them in compared to the few that can regularly catch large fish I can see no harm in keeping some fish over the whatever size is ok with you fellers. If I was someone who regularly caught 30 or so over that size a day or saw it done I might be falsly mislead into thinking a lot of people do it but it just isn't that way. The genetics excuse for this reasoning is also false as in Texas Blues began as stockers and rest assured there will be no shortage of those. Looking at it another way I fish for cats at or under 6 pounds so I would rather have 10 6 pounders than one 60 pound fish running loose in my lake. The carrying capacity of a lake is measured in biomass or total pounds of fish that comprises the capacity of the lake. I would far rather have that capacity to be comprised of the size fish I like to eat rather than mass numbers over the size "you fellers" say is ok to keep. What I am saying is that the harvest of larger fish can be good for the lake and fish population as I would rather have more 6-10 pounders than way fewer 100 pound fish.

I still have the same view on the big gator gar I think it is OK to kill all the small gar you can shoot but a average 100 LB Gator Gar is about 30 years old and their numbers are relativly low compared to smaller gar. I do some bow fishing trips but I will not take anyone to the gator gar unless it is with a rod and reel.I really think that the majority of anglers out there who catch big fish on a regular basis agree with me, it just takes a long time for fish to get big and most fish will never reach trophy size.

would you have the same view on deer hunting?
take the small ones and leave the big ones? i am very anchious to hear hwat you have to say about this!

Shark it is a completly different deal. A deer is about as good as it is going to get in 5 1/2 years. Most fish in 5 1/2 years are no where near trophy status. You can't even compare the two because there are no similarities in their life cycle.

ok so your saying that it is ok to take a mature deer but not mature fish? that dosnt make sence at all