ok guy's n' gal's used to this catfish community used to make fun of the bass guys for always whining about people keeping fish but it seems more and more in the catfish community are doing this as well

lets sit back and look at the big picture if there is a close to even number of large fish harvested to smaller fish harvested that means there will be more producers later down the line because we are allowing the smaller fish to get to the size of the ones we all chase now

and yes the larger fish are the egg layers and they are passing on better genes to their offspring but at the same time the larger fish will eventually die weather its due to old age water conditions food conditions ect


lets quit the dang arguement over whose right and whose wrong both sides have valid points yeah cpr is great but also over harvesting the smaller cats is detrimental to the overall population in the long term

if we continue to bicker the way it has been lately we are basically stooping down to the bass fishermans level of its only right to keep certain fish then in another 5-10 years we will be in the same boat of saying its not ok to keep any blues or flats

big fish are great to catch and yes i want my kids and grandkids to catch them as well but seriously fellas lets not stoop to the bass crowds level in the cpr debate

I reckon if you choose to keep some bigger fish, and it's within the law, so be it. I personally don't keep anything bigger than 8-10 lbs because I don't care for the way the bigger fish taste. I'm all for conservation and responsible fishing, but until the state of Texas changes the laws regarding the retention of larger fish, some folks are going to do it. Can't argue with the law, you can only lobby to have the laws changed. Bickerin' about it isn't going to change anyone's mind, that much I know.

Bag limits prevent over harvesting of box fish. Slot limits have proven very productive with redfish, stripers, and white sturgeon. At the turn of the century hundred pound cats were not uncommon. Over harvesting destroyed bloodlines. They are making a comeback due to ending commercial fishing and a C.P.R movement. If we stay vigilant the chance of seeing 200lb blues is possible again.

thats what i'm saying though mcraig yeah overharvesting the larger fish in the past was a huge problem but now we have limits that help prevent that from happening but commercial fishing was a huge part in that

cpr is great dont get me wrong but lets not more less condemn those who keep a few big fish on occassion

and lets face it if the catfish community as a whole sticks together the whole idea is more likely to please everyone instead of dividing the sides the way the bashing and condemning of those who keep a larger fish every now and again

And I'm not as hard on it as I'm making my self out to be, but a 30" limit on blues I think is more than fair.

I agree with you Brando that a person can take any legal fish that they want. That is following the letter of the law. The bass fisherman worked hard in a group effort to increase the size of the bass they are catching. Some thru genetics with the Florida bass but a large part is due to catch and release. The fact that many want to fish for trophys and that is all that matters is great. There will always be the people that do it to put meat on the table and as long as they follow the letter of the law it is their right. I personally will never agree and would love to see the state do more to protect the large cats. Hopefully in the future we will get better regulations.

And I do agree that a 30inch rule will help but there will still be lawbreakers and honestly too many fishing illegally in one way or another go by without ever being noticed personally I think the changes we need to focus on are the hook limits number of game wardens and the jug lining and trotlining need to be monitored far better than how they are currently monitored and most of these issues would be solved with more wardens in the field

you don't have a clue about fair ... who are you to decide what's fair?

you want fair? ... cut the limit down to 10 fish under 30" and 3 over 30" ... or something of that nature

that way everybody has compromised a little ... fair?

Ya and Deer Season should be.year round..................

Catfishes are pretty scarce all the spots I fish.............

My hats off to the bass crowd. Call them what you want, but they have done a tremendous job turning around the Texas Largemouth Bass Fishery. We all have a great example of what catch and release does over time.

With that said, be careful how you say: "well, as long as they are within the state legal limits, I guess it's ok." It's not ok. Biologist admitedly know very little about the blue catfish (as I have spent the later part of Nov-Feb) w/ these guys working on new information they are working with.

There is good reason to beleive that the larger fish 20lbs and over carry a different or slightly different gene that causes expedient growth.

Right now in South Texas, a well over qualified scientist is studying the gene pool and scientific make up between 2 blue cats the same age, one 3 pounds, the other 30 pounds. Both fish are 8 years old. Both were harvested from the same body of water.

If this is true, and you harvest fish over 20lbs, you are harvesting the gene pool that needs to be protected. (yes, there needs to be a checks and balances set up)

Also, if this is true, look for TPW to implement some new bag limit laws on the "different" strain of blue catfish.

For now, put the big ones back and let them breed.

I've been fishing for about 60 years and have only touched 3 or 4 big cats over 20 lbs. I also believe that the numbers of people that target these fish are the ones that are already CPR their fish. As for the rest of us, we might get lucky again one of these days and get another one, but, for my dinner table, its gonna be some 2-4 pound channel cats. Does anyone really eat the biggun's? They look good in the pictures, how about the dinner table?