The buzz around the bait shop the last couple of weeks is the possibility that DNR may put limits on catfish in the Santee Cooper system. I would like to hear your opinion. What about changing the commercial rules let us hear your toughts.
I think we need aggressive limits on all who are taking from the system. I love catfish but I see no need in taking home a hundred pounds of catfish meat just because it’s easy to do.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
I’ll say the same thing I said on the usca forum. Look what the slot limit has done for red fish and strippers. I think slot limits have proven themselves over and over.
War Eagle 115 yamaha 4 stroke
I am not sure what the solutuon is, or if it will be an easy solution, but I agree something needs to be done. I have noticed a big decline in the amount of catfish we catch over the years. I am unsure what kind of numbers the commercial guys harvest yearly since I don’t know any. I do know of “recreational” fishermen who are retired and fish the diversion several days a week and really haul in the cats. I don’t know for sure, but I have all ideas that these people are selling meat on the side because one can only eat so much.
If I was put to task to create a solution, I would impose quantity limits across the board for both recreational and commercial fishermen. I know this would hit the commercial guys in the wallet, but think of how bad their wallet will be hit when the last cat is pulled from the water. We already have somewhat of a size limit with only being able to keep one blue above 36". I would suggest adding to this and maybe even decreasing the lenth to 30".
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
This Thursday if anyone can make it. I can not, but would love to know what people are thinking…
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/yr2013/aug29/aug29_moncks.html
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
Back in the 80s up ununtil the mid 90s, I use to camp on the islands a lot. I would sour corn & put it out infront of the sandbar we camped on. You would catch 8" to 16" fish as fast as you could throw in. I would catch a few bigger fish but mostly small ones, the best eating size.
While crappie fishing one day out on the edge of the dead forest, I saw a commercial fisherman pull a hoop net. There must have been a couple thousand small catfish in that net. I thought then, if that one net had that many how many fish are being taken out of this lake a month.
Now go and try to catch small cats. When I try, all I catch is larger ones. Don’t get me wrong, the bigger ones are more fun to catch but not nearly as good to eat.
Catfishing isn’t what it was then but crappie fishing is excellent, Bream fishing is excellent and the striped bass fishing is coming back strong. When catfishing was at its peak the amount of other fish being caught were less. How long before that trend changes again?
War Eagle 115 yamaha 4 stroke
Pitviper0404, you make a lot of sense. Not that I hear a lot of this on this forum, but folks seem to approach public resource issues from the perspective of ‘don’t make me change what I’m doing, make that other guy over there change.’ This is a shared resource and the responsibility to bring it back to a better level should be shared by every one of its users. So limits like you suggested should be impossed on everyone. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Blackhawk, your observations mirror what DNR has been saying, not many little cats have been produced over the last 10 years.
Does anyone know how many guides for catfish there are on both lakes? I see boats go by my house that has big tanks or wooden boxes in them. I think they keep them alive to sell to the pay fish ponds. I have just about quit fishing for catfish, I might go once a year. They are just not there like they were. I agree something is bad wrong. Might just be too late to bring it back.
BOB
Has anyone considered the damage done to the breeding population during that nasty drought that happened a few years back that turned Moultrie into basically a slightly glorified river?
The spawn that year, and perhaps subsequent years, could not have been good.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
So y’all are talking about managing two species that were introduced to our river systems now… Is this where ya’ll are going?
quote:
Originally posted by Redfish_mattHas anyone considered the damage done to the breeding population during that nasty drought that happened a few years back that turned Moultrie into basically a slightly glorified river?
The spawn that year, and perhaps subsequent years, could not have been good.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
I’m pretty sure that can be added into the mix of reasons why the breeding numbers are low. I’m thinking we can’t do anything about those years, but we can take steps to help them bounce back.
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
So who’s going to the meeting tomorrow?
I am.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
I have prior obligations I can not get out of, otherwise I would. Please let us know what you hear HoofArded
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
I would be there if i didn’t have to work second shift. It should be a lot of people there.
War Eagle 115 yamaha 4 stroke
quote:
Originally posted by pitviper0404Please let us know what you hear HoofArded
Will do.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole