Let's face it, everybody loves to
catch big bass. Everybody loves to catch more bass. Our policy is simple
and should be a policy that you consider adopting as well so that largemouth
bass will continue to thrive in the future.
Section 1: Bass shall be kept in two slotted ranges.
Between 1-2 pounds and in excess of 10 pounds. This by NO MEANS indicates
that you should keep all fish in these ranges, but as good
practice you should only consider retaining largemouth bass from these
ranges.
Article
1: Keeping largemouth bass between 1 and 2 pounds are acceptable
for the purposes of obtaining filets. There are plenty of smaller
largemouth bass from which you can obtain food. Besides, the meat
from smaller largemouth bass is of better quality for eating.
Article 2: Keeping largemouth bass in excess of
10 pounds is acceptable for the purposes of mounting. It is understandable
that you may, on occasion, want to have your trophy largemouth bass
mounted. However, there are alternatives, such as having a replica
of the fish made or simply taking photos of you and the lunker.
If you take either alternative approach, be sure to get the largemouth
bass back in the water as soon as possible. The chances of survival
for the fish are far greater if you can return her to the water
immediately, with minimal handling. Remember that trophy bass are
females and may be carrying eggs that could lead to many more great
memories for you and other bass anglers.
Section 2: Only keep what you need. Simple rule,
don't keep a fish just for the sake of keeping them. Know when you
have enough and draw the line.
Section 3: Minimize handling of your catches. There
is a direct correlation to the chances of survival for a largemouth
bass with the minimization in which you handle the fish. Over-handling
a bass may cause it to lose some of it's gel coat and make the fish
much more vulnerable to disease.
Section 4: Respect your waterways. Be cautious
of how you treat the waterways in which you fish. Keep trash inside
your boat and be very careful not to let pollutants and other potential
harmful substances into the water. This includes trash from your trips,
used fishing line, gasoline, oil, and any other material that may
come in contact with the water. Preserve the waterways and bass fishing
will continue to thrive.
