Following the Big Rock tournament and see that 3 400+ lbs were brought to the dock today. Not trying to start a debate as to whether or not kill tournaments should exist rather I’m curious as to the opinion of the CF.com scientists as to how many fish this size are swimming off our coast. Say, North and South Carolina out to 150 miles.
More than you think, I’ve seen as big if not bigger swimming in spreads and have hooked up on some as well.
Less than you think, the few tagged sharks are often caught in the same areas. Like any top predator there numbers are few compared to other animals, and most are slow to mature and rely on the few big and strong to breed. That’s why you don’t catch a lot of them they are the top predator so naturally they would get to feed first and have the least threat, which makes them extremely easy to over fish. Just like trophy hunting you slowly kill out all the elite genes and the inferior genetics become more abundant creating smaller and less dominant offspring further impacting the species. If you look into it almost all top predators are on the decline because they are affected by every level of the food chain and are often the prize that people go after and usually have the greatest territory which also increases the odds of them being affected by environmental factors.
What makes it even worse is the fact that the big marlin are breeding females!!
Marsha
22 Sea Hunt
There would be no such thing as “catch and release” if it wasn’t for these tournament guys. The positive impact they have on the fishery greatly outweighs a few dead fish hanging up on the dock. Their influence on catch and release even makes it into 3rd world countries.
Good point skinneej. This tournament brought 3 to the dock, i wonder how many they released
quote:
Originally posted by skinneejThere would be no such thing as “catch and release” if it wasn’t for these tournament guys. The positive impact they have on the fishery greatly outweighs a few dead fish hanging up on the dock. Their influence on catch and release even makes it into 3rd world countries.
Exactly
quote:
Originally posted by skinneejThere would be no such thing as “catch and release” if it wasn’t for these tournament guys.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>What makes you say that? That’s a very big assumption for one to make…
??? How long have you been in the fishing game?
quote:
Originally posted by SchoolsOut1quote:
Originally posted by skinneejThere would be no such thing as “catch and release” if it wasn’t for these tournament guys.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>What makes you say that? That’s a very big assumption for one to make…
quote:
Originally posted by RADDADDY??? How long have you been in the fishing game?
quote:
Originally posted by SchoolsOut1quote:
Originally posted by skinneejThere would be no such thing as “catch and release” if it wasn’t for these tournament guys.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>What makes you say that? That’s a very big assumption for one to make…
Pretty much all my life…why?
I’ve been releasing fish long before I knew what a “tournament guy” was…I wonder how/why that is?
I’m not saying the majority of tournament guys don’t catch/release or didn’t help start a “movement,” but Skinnee’s statement is nonsense.
I’d be willing to bet that if it weren’t tournament guys, it would be the SAFMC pushing that movement.
So…where were we?
Wat?
Captain Chucky Moore on the Gryphon out of IOP is headed to the scales with a Blue Marlin.
I personally wouldn’t kill a big Blue just to hang it on a scale and brag about it, it doesn’t matter what it pays to me. But then, I wouldn’t be in the tournament in the first place.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Most of these captains only bring dead or dying fish that would not survive release back to the docks anyway. They would rather hang them on the docks than feed them to the tax man.
2005 Sea Hunt 212 Triton
“Head East”
I had some smoked Marlin from NC awhile back that was delicious.
’
Down here is where a signature goes but they can confuse and anger some people so I don’t have one.
I’ve had it in Belize and Panama, very good tasting fish, but I’d rather see it swim away.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Not sure I understand why you would kill a Blue if it’s not bigger than the leader. I understand some die at the boat but I’m sure all the 400s they killed weren’t all dead at the boat. I disagree completely.
36 Yellowfin ~ POLE DANCER
39 contender ~ MAMA BECKY
Why the fuss over bringing back a couple of big blues but no fuss over bringing back a boat load of Dolphin etc? Meat is meat. Personally I’d rather be on a boat going out to bring home some food rather that just the sport of bringing one close to the boat on hook and line just to let it go and hope it makes a recovery.
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
Smoked marlin is tasty. But in my experience, only striped. Blue is tough as leather once smoked.