"Protect Lake Tawakoni's Trophy Blue Catfish" �Ray Sasser�s Outdoors Report in today�s Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/more-sp...ty-concerns.ece

"Protect Lake Tawakoni's Trophy Blue Catfish"

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protect-lake-tawkonis-trophy-blue-catfish/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

I really think this is an important cause, and I'd like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It's free and takes just a few seconds of your time. I did.

Nice read...
I support the cause and appreciate the work Michael is doing...

Well you got one for and Ill give you one against.

I want proof for the you don't catch as many big ones as we used too. Personally I see way more big fish and pictures of them now than I did even 10 years ago. We don't need any more regulation. The catfish population is just fine and I don't want it to be like bass fishing. The catfish aren't here strictly for the sole few who want to turn it into the next bass masters, it is for everyone, the ones who want to catch and release and catch and keep.

matt

With respect redchevy: the kind of proof you speak of is hard to come by without �shocking� the whole lake. Some things will always be subjective but if you poll the old timers, like me, who have fished this lake for over 30 years we can see the difference. I would suggest the reason you see more pictures of big fish now is simply because 10 years ago no one had a smart phone with a camera .

Micheal behind you all the way...Our future generations need us to watch for them so they have a fishery to catch fish from...Oh yeah lake Fork isnt too bad a fishery now is it? The coast for Redfish isnt that bad either so regulations do help.

Im not saying we should have no regulation, they are needed for sure, just think what we have is working fine. I don't want to jack up this post so I will say good luck.

matt

After reading article fully I am for sure going to get behind this...Lake Lewisville,Chambers,Waco has regulations REALLY and not TWOK that says it all for me!!!!! Writing a letter to TPWD and each one of our fatherless boys will be writing a letter also.Will be in mail on Monday...

there are a lot more pics and stories of big fish now due to the internet . In the old days if someone wanted to start catfishing it was all trial and error or finding an old timer to show them the ropes . Now we have fishing forums , youtube , etc and anyone has access to the information . With better info out there we are seeing an increase in the number of catfishermen and also in their success rates .
It stands to reason that if there are more successful fisherman out there that there needs to be some science applied to insure that future generations have the same or better resources that we enjoy today .
For whatever reason some lakes are capable of producing monster catfish and others are not . On the lake I fish most often a 50lb blue would make the local papers. On other lakes a 50lbr is the bench mark of what a "trophy" should be and doesn't even raise eyebrows. Those lakes with "trophy " potential should have every means possible to sustain and protect those fish as they are something special .
I am not sure what the answer is , and the answer is likely to change several times in the future as we learn more about these "trophy " fish . I see no reason why the catfish community needs to be divided but understand that everyone has a different reason for why and how they fish .
I believe the regs on Lewisville , Chambers , Waco etc are set up for scientific purposes and after the studies are complete other lakes will see similar regs if they are successful in their goals .

Guys, we appreciate all your support.

Red Chevy, send me your email address and plenty of good "proof" will be on its way.

I have to agree with matt on this one!

I'm leaning more to it being about the almighty dollar than conservation. JMHO

Computers & inter-net has made catching big cats more easy .....as there are instructions on how , when, where, tackle , bait , boats, trotlines , jug fishing , noodles, etc available at ones finger tips.....in a few seconds instead of hanging around your local waterway watching what the fisherman are doing.....getting reports from the "local" bait shop.....now we just hit a computer and see photos of monsters being caught an hour away from Dallas.....There are a lot of people who never post anything & just read what we say....I have witnessed the decline of shad & Trophy cats all over not just in Texas..... I support any regulations and conservation efforts made by any state.... Does people really think with our advanced tackle & equipment the big ones are not declining at a rapid rate??

i signed the petition. we should make every effort to preserve this resource.

i've only caught a handful of big fish in the last 5 years. i consider big over 20lbs.

i always feel a little bad when i clean them. especially the 40lbers and bigger.

a slot may not be THE answer, but it should be a step in the right direction.

do we want to be the generation that really SCREWED IT UP?

Catfishing today is not like your granddaddys cane pole Fishin with some running lines for sustenance! The popularity of catfishin is booming and equipment is making it so you can target these big fish. I really can't understand how people would not understand the need for a little conservation and education! JMHO!!!

Don't one at a time email it to me... post it for all to see! I don't think its there and don't need it fillin up my email. Ive known an old time or a 100 in my day and they all seem to be pretty impressed with what I catch in these current so called lean times where all the big fish are gone.

Again I think it is a ploy to turn catfishing into a "sport" like bass fishing and like Jimbo said money. I also think using kids without daddy's to write mass letters is well piss poor.

matt

Yes sir, especially when the guides are pulling WAY more fish from the lake every year than any other person on the TFF. Big or small taking out a couple hundred fish every weekend has to add up.