Mattawoman 06-16

[Snakehead Hunter]

Tournament fish or not, it is still a fish. LMB is good eatting, there are better such as catfish but catfish in Potomac are bad. They are bottom feeder and can accumulate a lot more PCB. I prefer to take Snakehead since it is a better tasting fish and it is more fun to catch. If all I get are LMB, I'm gonna keep the healthy big one (15+) and give to people fishing from shore or work. They love them.

[DOGFISH]

Please let the bass go. Eat the snakehead. I know, I know, to each their own, but hey the bass population if fragile. Just my opinion.

[mepps3]

Bass population is fragile?? Please explain. Would rather people keep and eat one or two (which is totally legal) then to see the thousands go to waste after they die from all these bass tournaments taking place in the heat. You think a bass is gonna swim away unharmed after spending hours in a hot livewell....dragged to a weigh-in...and then dumped at the launch?? I witnessed mass kill offs in a tourney I was involved in last July. Disgusting.

They are in the sunfish family, which means they are tasty!!

[DaveFX35]

Bass population is fragile?? Please explain. Would rather people keep and eat one or two (which is totally legal) then to see the thousands go to waste after they die from all these bass tournaments taking place in the heat. You think a bass is gonna swim away unharmed after spending hours in a hot livewell....dragged to a weigh-in...and then dumped at the launch?? I witnessed mass kill offs in a tourney I was involved in last July. Disgusting.

They are in the sunfish family, which means they are tasty!!

Completely agree with you. I don't think the bass guys like seeing anyone keep them because it cuts into their tournaments and potentially pockets.

[Nitefly]

I'm new to fishing this year for the most part. It never occurred to me that people would take issue with eating your catch (if it is legal of course). I see them as a renewable resource and will continue eating my catch unless there is an advisory for water contamination. I would rather catch snakehead, just haven't figured them out yet. It is educational to hear everyone's view points though. I thought the bass was pretty tasty myself and I didn't try any marinating. I did marinate the catfish first.

[FRED driver]

Completely agree with you. I don't think the bass guys like seeing anyone keep them because it cuts into their tournaments and potentially pockets.

Mostly untrue. The preponderance of fishermen who target freshwater bass (95% of which are NOT tournament anglers and catch far more than the tourneys account for) are doing so for the sport of fishing, rather than for the purpose of eating, and release all of their bass for the next guy. It's important to make the distinction between sport fishing and otherwise. Potential tourney losses account for almost nothing in the larger scheme of bass fishing as a sport. The "bass guys" don't like seeing it because the action might not be as good next time on that body of water. And, yes--tournaments practicing catch and release sometimes suffer from high mortality rates, but it's folly to assume that all catch and release tourneys kill all or even most of their fish; it just isn't the case. Most release almost all unharmed.

[DaveFX35]

Mostly untrue. The preponderance of fishermen who target freshwater bass (95% of which are NOT tournament anglers and catch far more than the tourneys account for) are doing so for the sport of fishing, rather than for the purpose of eating, and release all of their bass for the next guy. It's important to make the distinction between sport fishing and otherwise. Potential tourney losses account for almost nothing in the larger scheme of bass fishing as a sport. The "bass guys" don't like seeing it because the action might not be as good next time on that body of water. And, yes--tournaments practicing catch and release sometimes suffer from high mortality rates, but it's folly to assume that all catch and release tourneys kill all or even most of their fish; it just isn't the case. Most release almost all unharmed.

I think you're mostly right. I forgot to include the non tournament guys who specifically target bass. They frown upon taking bass especially from the bodies of water they fish. I'd probably be unhappy too if after investing all that money, effort, gear and boat around 1 type of fish and someone else takes away from that. But LM are acceptable to keep if they meet the legal requirements.

And I have seen LM die after weigh-in due to the stress they endure throughout the day. But that can happen with any catch and release I suppose.

[Snakehead Hunter]

I would love to let the bass go, if I can catch at least a couple snakeheads each time I go. But it isn't the case, there are day I caught 8-10 bass without a single snakeheads. So, bass got to go and make some room for other fishes.

Please let the bass go. Eat the snakehead. I know, I know, to each their own, but hey the bass population if fragile. Just my opinion.

[ronaultmtd]

For most of my adult life, I have fished for the table- no apologies- I like the taste and the idea of bringing home supper- same with hunting- but in my later years, I have become very selective what Fish I keep- I really love medium sized blue cats for the table- I have never kept a pickerel, seldom a black bass and even less smallmouth bass- too many other fish that are good to eat- my fresh water favorites are trout, catfish and crappie- my salt water favorites are much more of a list, but Speckled trout are high on that list-

[therevolution]

For most of my adult life, I have fished for the table- no apologies- I like the taste and the idea of bringing home supper- same with hunting- but in my later years, I have become very selective what Fish I keep- I really love medium sized blue cats for the table- I have never kept a pickerel, seldom a black bass and even less smallmouth bass- too many other fish that are good to eat- my fresh water favorites are trout, catfish and crappie- my salt water favorites are much more of a list, but Speckled trout are high on that list-

You've never eaten a pick??!! You should, they are tasty! They do require a little extra time on the filet table to make sure some of those pesky rib bones find their way out, but they are good eatin. I don't think anyone could have a problem with keeping some pickerels for dinner...

[ronaultmtd]

No, but I have eaten walleye- excellent table fish- not much beats shellcrackers, though-

[Nitefly]

A fellow forum member identified the catfish as a white catfish. Hope to catch more of them!

[Darnell]

dang that's whats in mattawoman....what did you catch that snakehead on and do you catch them often?