You know whats cool....

[IsaacM619]

Watching guys pull these females off there bed and sticking a stringer right through there gill. I have seen 6 fish over 8 lbs, one I guessed at about 11 lbs, caught over the last week and strung up. You wanna catch a bed fish? Cool. Just please handle her carefully and let her go. I just dont understand it. I am sure this topic has been around before but I needed to vent. Peace. 

[Lakeshark]

What area are we talking about?  That is a damn shame.

[ATFISHING1234]

Seen it happen more times than I can count. The dedicated bass guys will almost always let them go....but there's a lot of meat hunters / weekend warriors out there and they always look forward to spring time

Edited April 18, 2016 by ATFISHING1234

[Low&Slow]

You know what I say? F^CK THEM

[Low&Slow]

Sorry. ..bout that had to let my feelings out hahaha where's this at Lake Murray I swear when I used to work there I would see that shiz all the time.

[Toledo Rayburn]

I do not fish beds at all. I love fishing and just like to let the spawn happen unmolested. I think it sucks folks take bed fish.

[Low&Slow]

I can't say I've never bed fished cause that's a straight lie. But Ive never took it off the nest and was released right back in the bed.

[kilog]

Yeah it sucks, BUT it isn't illegal

[rugbyfisherman]

There are some studies I've read that taking bass off of a bed even for a minute and releasing them can be harmful for the numbers of offspring. Baitfish can eat and disturb beds within that 60 seconds. I'm up in Canada so there is a legal bass season that starts only after spawning has finished - I have to say I really agree with the policy. Considering the size and genetics of some of those 10+ lb bass down in the USA it is a shame when people harvest/injure those trophy fish. It doesn't just effect that fish - multiple generations of potentially trophy sized fish are impacted. Sad that some people don't respect the resource. 

Edited April 26, 2016 by rugbyfisherman

[gcopple]

There are some studies I've read that taking bass off of a bed even for a minute and releasing them can be harmful for the numbers of offspring. Baitfish can eat and disturb beds within that 60 seconds. I'm up in Canada so there is a legal bass season that starts only after spawning has finished - I have to say I really agree with the policy. Considering the size and genetics of some of those 10+ lb bass down in the USA it is a shame when people harvest/injure those trophy fish. It doesn't just effect that fish - multiple generations of potentially trophy sized fish are impacted. Sad that some people don't respect the resource. 

in cali they see bass as a non native invasive species for the most part.  some even would like to have legislature that would eliminate all bass populations here.  having a "season" to protect the resource will never fly here.  would be nice though.

[Low&Slow]

There are some studies I've read that taking bass off of a bed even for a minute and releasing them can be harmful for the numbers of offspring. Baitfish can eat and disturb beds within that 60 seconds. I'm up in Canada so there is a legal bass season that starts only after spawning has finished - I have to say I really agree with the policy. Considering the size and genetics of some of those 10+ lb bass down in the USA it is a shame when people harvest/injure those trophy fish. It doesn't just effect that fish - multiple generations of potentially trophy sized fish are impacted. Sad that some people don't respect the resource.

 

Well many biologists say that harvesting smaller bass is actually better for the population mainly the larger females. There are many huge fish that die from starvation due to many frys smashing on any food source available. So...imho damned if you do damned of you don't.

[Low&Slow]

^^^*mainly* frys^^^

[SwimbaitsatLMV]

If you were to have a "season" in CA, you would pretty much eliminate any chance of the world record coming from CA and probably the US.

[BigSlant]

Here we go again...there is nothing wrong with bed fishing...it's been done since the sport began...I don't know about other states but the bass population is so explosive they do consider the fish destructive and non native to the ecosystem...that being said as long as you handle the fish with care and practice c & r...the fish will be fine...more die from sea lions on the delta then fisherman...and if you say you never tossed a bait at a bedding fish you're probably lying

[MA Frog Man]

Japan considers bass to be an invasive species and prohibits catch and release and purposely tries to disrupt spawning bass areas. They seem to be doing alright with the big bass...