WHY WE SHOULD REGULATE!!!

[AlaCatter]

Forget about the multitude of obvious reasons we should put some regulations on the big cats that we have in our state's waters, put aside all of the waste and abuse that we have seen our fellow Bamians commit on the whiskered species alone. Consider this, there are some who come to Alabama and harvest are largest cats, put them in bait trucks and transport them to stock lakes. The owners of these lakes buy the fish (the bigger the more they pay) and hold lucrative tourneys and "pay to fish days". What do we get out of this? Nothing but the loss of a natural resource and a reduction in the nations best catfish gene pool. Regardless of what some might say, we have done well managing our natural habitats in this state, especially compared to some of the states to our north that have sold out there waterways health to the smoke-stack industries. They haven't made the sacrifices we have, and now they can exploit stewardship LEGALLY!!! A hand full of seasoned cat-wranglers could demolish a lake like Wilson in a couple of years if they so chose. This sport is growing by leaps and bounds and pressure is sure to only increase on these fish. If you think my afore mentioned scenario seems unlikely, just ask Phil King or Tim Haynie about the effects it had on Pickwick I for one am going to call that bone headed park ranger and let him know my postition, I wish you would too.

[Coosa_Cat_Man]

AlaCatter,
I agree with you 100% there should be regulations on catfishing on certain rivers such as the Coosa...just for the reason of people who take fish fron the Coosa to stock thier ponds/lakes ect...I think the Wildlife Commision should treat catfishing much like they do deer hunting in certain states, they should sell catfish tags for like $5.00 and only sell a certain amount like 25 to each angler per year and these tags be placed on each catfish that is caught and kept, and the fish be taken to a certified marina or whatever and it be recorded, and the tag removed from the fish, they should have stiff fines for untagged catfish. I catch and release all my fish unless it is a smaller catfish and someone is at the lake who wants it. But anything over 10 pounds I take a picture of and quickle release it no questions asked.

[CATFISHERMAN001]

I completely agree with both of you, however the problem is that catfish are reconized as a game fish means that commercial fisherman are going to fight any kind of regulations, creel, taging limits on what they consider their means of livelyhood. As long as there is no law stating that the fish are regulated then no one will stop people coming into the state for the mear purpose of catching these fish to stock their pay ponds. Also there isn't enough research money to allow the conservationist group to do enough studies to prove that a regulation needs to be put in place. I have been fighting this battle with them for over 10 years now. I will continue to put up the fight but have not seen much progress so far. I am afraid that when the realize that a law needs to be put in place all the large fish will have been removed from our waters.

[muddyjet]

I agree with placing some sort of regulations on catfishing for the 'locals'. If we were to require that any 'pay for fishing' out fit to have receipts on the amount or poundage of fish they have stocked, would help tremindously. Also, a total ban on any and all fishes caught, in any manner, in any body of water in our state, from leaving the state. Making a manditory and high fine amount when caught doing so. Now, in my opinion, there are still alot of us that fish to help out with the grocery bill. I have been fishing all my 40yrs and have taught my kids how to enjoy the sport. I ONLY fish for Catfish and feed my family with all that I catch. I do not want to be made to throw my families dinner back if have spent the day and night fishing and catch only 2 cats over a certain weight. I have let many go after pictures and a full ice chest but dont want to see it turned into the way saltwater fish are regulated.......Now, I fish on the Moblie River and Delta area. I can and do support the limit on enclosed bodies of water in the state but not in the free flowing rivers.

[KatKaller]

Guys I dont know if you saw my thread Monday about this very subject:

http://www.catfish1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71193

I hope yall can make the meeting at Guntersville next month and express your concerns. If I can be any help please send me an e-mail, PM or call me 256-852-7858.

Thanks, Allen

[skawez]

although this is bad for the public waters and the gene pool and just about everyone involved .. well except the owners of the ranch.. it is a fact in life we can get it stopped after alot of petitioning and things like that.. but it wouldnt stop it. it would just turn to poaching and even then would be hard to prove.. they caught it legal and took it out of the lake legal no law on having to catch and release cats of that size.. they can "say" they are ging to eat it. and release it again in the "ranch". i am in no part sticking up for them i think what they are doing is wrong. let the rich guy find the big ones like we do its part of the sport.. what fun is fish in a barrel? just sayin its how things are. sorry to say :sad2:

[LOWEDOG]

Im originally from alabama, but now Im in San Diego and I agree with you. I know that it is illegal to transport live game fish and or sell them. We should all report this to the department of game and wildlife.

[KatKaller]

Im originally from alabama, but now Im in San Diego and I agree with you. I know that it is illegal to transport live game fish and or sell them. We should all report this to the department of game and wildlife.


Unfortunately catfish aren't considered game fish in Alabama.

[seacatfish]

Please, could you all fill me in on some of the facts about pay ponds? In Florida, we do not have any that I know of. I am totally new to the angst of the BOC membership where they are concerned, but would like to be informed.

Do pay ponds let fishermen take their "trophy" home, or are they put back into the pond? Do they all operate the same in this regard?

[CATFISHERMAN001]

No, pay ponds are locations where you know there are very large fish. You pay a daily, hourly rate to fish the ponds and they maintain a regulation of, for example: you can keep all the channel cats under 3lbs but everything else is catch photo and release. Some of these ponds even go as far to regulate the type of line, leader, hooks that you are able to use, and stipulating that the fish cannot be out of the water but for so long and they cannot be laid on the ground at all. These locations are for those that have not invested the time to learn how to hunt and locate these large fish. They can go out and catch these fish and have a nice trophy picture to take home and show off that they landed a monster.

[CATFISHERMAN001]

I have gone to a couple of the meetings on the regulations of the catfish. I am in the understanding that the conservationist have no intentions on setting up a regulation or creel limit on any size or amount on catfish. Now they are aware of the out of state transportation but they feel that if those that come from out of state and purchase a legal license that they can do what they want with what they have caught. In the meetings that I have gone to, the conservationist showed their 1 study that they did in the state and have a consensus that the fish are not being over fished and that the number of fish harvest doesn't constitute a regulation. I think that the large catfish in our waters should have a regulation so we can keep them in our waters, however with the mentality that is in charge of our laws, I don't see it happening. I will maintain that as long as I am doing my part to return the large fish that I catch I am saving some. It will be like the bass industry, they will not do anything til it is too late.

[fish]

The large cats in a pay lake usually don't live more than two years. That is a gross waste and at the expense of natural resources in all our areas.

[AlaCatter]

It is also important to remember that all cats, even in the same waters, do not have the genetic capability to reach enormous sizes. Just like people, some fish a have a DNA structure that gives them a tendency to live longer, or grow to exceedingly larger sizes. Some blue cats, even in the most prime conditions will never grow to trophy size. Every trophy size cat that is harvested from the available gene pool, detrimentally effects the overall size of future generations of that species of fish, exponentially. It is the same proven science that helps people manage deer populations for trophy bucks. While they were never the norm, in the 1800's 200-300# blue cats were frequently seen for sale at fish markets along the banks of the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers. It is true that many factors contributed to the demise of that class of fish, but it is painfully apparent that over harvesting played a huge role.

[flathunter]

This is going on in alot of areas, not just Alabama...It's up to us to stop it.

[Reel_Blues]

I agree we do need some type of regs. But we have to be carefull not to just let legislaters decide on their own what those regs. need to be. Chances are they know nothing about catfish, catfishing, or catfishermen. That is the only thing that scares me about regs.

[ShilohRed]

Something to think about.
Tn has catfish listed as game fish. We still have commercial fishermen.but TWRA thinks that getting them listed as a game fish will and is a start toward them being able to control the commercial guys form do as they do today.
So look at it as small steps add up to a bigger goal.
Pete

[CATFISHERMAN001]

I am glad to see that there those out there that do care/

[Eudora]

Hey guys:

I love up in the north (Michigan) near the Ohio line. I know for a fact that pay lake fisihnig is big business in the state of Ohio. i'm not sure where they get their fish, but it grinds my axe that people can harvest large, healthy, fish that are capable of reproducing and further their species in their native waters, all for the sake of making a buck. Who could really consider themselves a sportfisherman when they are fishing "from a barrel"? It's sad that a state like Alabama is allowed to have a bounty on an incredible resource. I have never fished Alabama for catfish, but from everything I have heard and read, you guys are truly blessed with an outstanding native population of channel, blue, and my favorite flathead catfish. From up here, I'm not sure what I can do to support this movement, but I am willing to lend my efforts to support you. Pay lakes are a sad fact of life up i nmy neck of the woods, and native populations, suffer. My best to you all.

[bamawhiskers]

maybe we should rally and try to get catfish placed in the game fish category. anyway we try to get this fixed is gonna be hard. but we cannot let these guys destroy our fish population

[Eudora]

Yeah, we have tried to voice our concerns over similar matters in Ohio, but to no apparent prevail. I like that Tennessee has finally gotten on the ball and has listed catfish as game fish. I think it's high time that other states follow suit and respect these valued and unfortunately overlooked fish. Also, a good point was brought up about the harm that the harvest of large specimens can do to a gene pool. Any short-term financial gain seen by the pay lakes will be overshadowed by the long-term damage done to native fish populations. I'm all in favor of making our voices heard.

[BamaRiverRat]

I agree with some sort of regulation on cats in every way. However, not many people in Alabama realize how broke the Dept. C & NR is. It doesn't matter how many regulations that there are in place. If we don't have proper manpower on the water to enforce them, they won't matter. They are pitifully understaffed and under-equipped. I'm been pounding all of the politicians that I know to try to get these boys enough $ to do their job and preserve our resources for our children and grandchildren.

I've been advocating a 1% special sales tax on EVERYTHING that is sold for the outdoors. Everything from bait, to rod and reels, to boats, to boat tags, to guns, and hunting clothing.

With what is spent on those kinds of items in AL every year, that would generate over $20M per year in additional funding for the D C & NR. That will buy a lot of boats, atvs, trucks, and additional salaries to enforce the regulations that our state desperately needs. It will also pay for additional boat ramps, camping areas, and public use facilities on public waters. These numbers are real. With the help of one of the outdoors writers in AL, we've done the research.

Arkansas was in a similiar position several years ago and enacted a tax similiar to this and now their Conservation Dept. has grown by leaps and bounds as a result.

[BamaRiverRat]

I've also thought about forming a lobbyist group for outdoorsmen in Alabama. That's the only way we're going to get something done is to have a voice on Goat Hill. I don't have the time to take away from my profession to get this off the ground, but it can and will work.

If anyone in AL has experience in this sort of thing or is interested in discussing further, PM me and let's get together to see if we can get the ball rolling on this.

I've talked to many legislators over the past few years on some hunting issues and let me tell you, it's terrifying that these people have the keys to our state. Talk about driving under the influence !!!! :cool2: