So why didn't he say Ray Hubbard or Lavon or something closer. He probably said Fork because of the reputation for big bass. I personally think SAL helps that and drives economic activity to our state.

Without re reading the web page i posted, i think it said 70 something SALs were caught by anglers from another state.... u think that is just coincidence?

Check out the ShareLunker facebook page for instructions on how to view the hearing. Hopefully the video works better for you all than it does for me.

http://www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram

To me this is one thing the state should continue. Just like cali catering to the movie people, Iowa catering to farmers. This is a major cashcow to the state.

dose the program still pay like $500 a pound

That was only for the 500th fish turned in.

The number of 13 lb fish taken out of a lake in a year is very small...taking 6 or 8 of these fish out and then RETURNED doesn't do any damage. That is about the only argument I hear against the program and it doesn't hold water....if 6 are caught how many do you think are in the lake?

+1

The taking of the fish from the lake is not the argument against the program. I'm not saying that the taking of 6-8 big fish and then returning them is hurting the fishery. My thought is that if she was left in the lake she would breed on her own and the fry would already be in the lake. I do understand that if she breeds in the lake on her own then the fry could be either Florida/northern hybrid or straight Florida or anything in between. If she goes to Athens she breeds with another straight Florida so the fry are straight Florida. Therefor the fry that SAL is providing are for all points and purposes Florida strain bass. But I feel that the cost of those floridas that SAL are producing are too expensive. I'm thinking about how much it costs for two people to drive to the lakes that are producing these 13 lb bass, gas, employee benefits, equipment costs, yearly operating budget of the TFFC where SAL is housed, etc, etc. Straight Florida fingerlings are running around $75.00 per 100. So I think that TPWD could stock the same numbers Florida fingerlings for less money than what SAL is producing them for. One thing that I am not sure of is how much is Toyota providing toward the yearly operating budget of SAL. They say that Toyota is the sponsor but what are they sponsoring? If Toyota is providing half of the budget then I could see where SAL could be cost effective, but if what Toyota is providing is the replica mounts then TPWD is footing the entire operating bill plus retirement benefits, insurance, etc. I just would like to know how much state money is going toward producing the fingerlings and could the same thing be accomplished cheaper? I'm not totally against SAL and I don't hold it against anyone who wants to donate to SAL. It's your fish if you catch it and you can do what you want. I have my own plans for mine and though many of you wont like hearing it, if I ever catch one she probably won't ever be available for any of the rest of you to catch, though she will still be alive and breeding. I harvest several LMB every year for state lakes and private ponds. I relate pond management to a cow herd. It's hard for people to see because obviously we can't accurately see all that's happening underwater but I see it like a ranch with cows. If you have 300 acres of grass and can support 100 cattle then that's what you should have on there. You can do that in any combination you want, 50 cows and 50 calves, 99 bulls and one cow, whatever you choose because it's your field. If you exceed that 100 head though your cows are gonna starve unless you do something. So now you have to either add food or get rid of some cows. Again it's your choice because its your ranch but something has to give. If you have the means to do it you feed. If not you sell. It's the same with fish. The lake can only support so much. Whether that is 100 little fish or 75 little, 20 medium, and 5 big'uns, that's it. If we want more than that we can decide but then we have to either feed or harvest. It's that simple. If we never harvest any big' uns then eventually we will effectively change the balance in numbers of what the biomass of our lake is supporting. Before long we could have 99 big'uns and 1 little. Not a bad idea but the what are the big'uns gonna eat? The 1 little guy, their offspring, themselves, and eventually we have die off. Nature will balance itself one way or another. A stewards we bear responsibly to do what we feel is right and good for our lakes. I happen to think that is to harvest.

I don't know how many 13 lbers are in there. I do know that there are less 13lbers than 3 lbers. Taking any of the giants out imo isn't very good advice. Even if you say the SAL mortality rate is only 10% or 5% it doesn't matter because that 10 to 5% is effecting the top end of your bass population. It is like me saying so what I only killed 1 105 year old person if we were trying to grow the oldest human. And none of that even addresses whether or not we are effecting the top end weight potential of the sal's by removing them for a period of time.

Taking 13 lbers out would help the rest of the 13s in there grow larger...more food for them!

probably says it best, lol. We obviously have a difference of opinion. Hopefully we will both catch 13lbers tomorrow and can do with them what we please. Good luck.

Hey I'm getting tired of tracking this thread anyway. I'm going to the SAL sight to see pics of the latest big fish.