Forums59
Topics1,153,120
Posts15,754,088
Members143,107
|
Most Online36,273 Jan 23rd, 2013
|
|
Keep em or thrown em back?
#5935003
03/09/11 04:02 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 483
BankAFish
OP
Angler
|
OP
Angler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 483 |
While fishing my normal creek for smallish bream, I started fishing next to a bridge pillar and bam...it started. Fish after fish, all very close to hand size (some even bigger!). All species of fish, sunfish, bluegills, crappie, green sunfish, etc. I probably caught 30 fish in less than a hour, that would have made a great fish fry.  I don't know too much about bream, but why would so many different species of fish be at the same location? Do you think it would be ok if I took some home or is this some kind of mass spawning location? Thx for your thoughts.
Recent Notables: 40lb Flathead, 30lb Carp, 25lb Buffalo.
|
|
Re: Keep em or thrown em back?
[Re: BankAFish]
#5935143
03/09/11 04:40 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 64
Yak Blue
Outdoorsman
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 64 |
In my experience it's a bit too early for any sunnies to be spawning. If your favorite creek runs into or is connected to a large lake, I would keep as many nice bluegills/greenies, etc as you want to clean. You couldn't catch enough to put a dent in their numbers. They are prolific breeders. there's a reason why TPWD doesn't have a size or possession limit. Those nice hand sized gills, battered and fried, are tough to beat
|
|
Re: Keep em or thrown em back?
[Re: Yak Blue]
#5935460
03/09/11 06:53 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 70,843
banker-always fishing
Super Freak
|
Super Freak
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 70,843 |
In my experience it's a bit too early for any sunnies to be spawning. If your favorite creek runs into or is connected to a large lake, I would keep as many nice bluegills/greenies, etc as you want to clean. You couldn't catch enough to put a dent in their numbers. They are prolific breeders. there's a reason why TPWD doesn't have a size or possession limit. Those nice hand sized gills, battered and fried, are tough to beat Plus #1. I may I usually catch@release most of my sunnies however I have always kept a few for the frying pan when I get the urge to eat fish. The are super to eat. Keeping a few fish for the fry does not hurt anything.
![[Linked Image]](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/823/ycku.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/560/ukw3.jpg) IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap. John 3:16 Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
|
|
Re: Keep em or thrown em back?
[Re: banker-always fishing]
#5935479
03/09/11 07:23 AM
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,445
Don Morey
TFF Celebrity
|
TFF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,445 |
The way I see it they're your fish and you should do what you want with them. Lately if it doesn't come from salt water I don't eat it. Could be I'm just to lazy to do all the work.
|
|
Re: Keep em or thrown em back?
[Re: Don Morey]
#5936407
03/10/11 02:43 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,208
craigo
Extreme Angler
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,208 |
not at all unusual to catch multiple species of sunnies in one location. As for eating them, these guys are spot on... they breed like crazy and you'd have a hard time keeping enough of them to actually hurt the population. That said, no reason to keep more than you can reasonable expect to eat or give to someone else who you know will eat them. Pretty easy to clean even some of the smallest of them and get you some nice small, boneless fillets.
 I don't live for the thump, but I sure do like it.
|
|
Re: Keep em or thrown em back?
[Re: craigo]
#5937026
03/10/11 04:45 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,067
fiSherwood
TFF Celebrity
|
TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,067 |
I think it's ok to keep and eat underscoring the earlier point: if its connected to a larger lake or river. Small creeks have limited holding and breeding capability. They will withstand a few people keeping all they catch, but not many people keeping all they catch. The fact that you have so many hand-sized in the one area tells me that there is a thriving population of predator fish in there as well (bass, flatheads, etc) keeping them from overpopulating. Of course, this is all just speculation based on one report. 
|
|
Moderated by banker-always fishing, chickenman, Derek 🐝, Duck_Hunter, Fish Killer, J-2, Jacob, Jons3825, JustWingem, Nocona Brian, Toon-Troller, Uncle Zeek, Weekender1
|