Well the spawn is almost here and warmer water and more active and shallow fish is what we are looking forward to. Every year I go out and fish during the spawn and am blown away by the empty nests so early on. Please try to keep in mind that this spawn is what allows our sport or recreational activity to maintain itself. I know that it is the easiest time to get a big fish and up your PB and I would love to see that happen for you. The biggest and heaviest fish are the females that are egg laden and are also our most precious resource to the spawn. Know I am all about putting a kid on a fish and might be persuaded to put a kid on a bed fish myself. Most of us are not kids and should be able to see how fishing the beds is detrimental to a fishery. It seems that every year people go out and look for the biggest bed fish they can find and pull it off the nest, hopefully to be released right back to the nest but that is not always the case. Personally I dont bed fish at all as for me it is immoral. I sure wish that bed fishing would be outright outlawed. I am sure we all realize how powerful the dollar can be and in a tournament situation I think the fish look more like dollar bills or at least equate to that. I think the real damage is done in the tournaments during the spawn. The biggest fish that can be found are pulled off their nests and go the the scales. Sometimes they are handled in a rough fashion by someone who wants to get some cheers from the crowd, you know it is true I have never seen it not happen at a tournament weigh in. These fish are jerked up in to the air for everyone to see and as emotins run high the fish's well being is neglected. These fish are not released back to where they came from and possibly might not spawn at all. I am not trying to upset anyone and I know that the tournament fishermen have bills to pay and mouths to feed too. That is why personally I would like to see it be outlawed. I do not think it will happen but then there would be a level playing field for the tournament guys when the pressure is on. The tournaments almost always happen on the week ends and monday I see way to many vacant nests early on in the spawn. I have observed this since 99 so I am pretty confident about my observations. It is just such a shame to see how Casitas has declined as a trophy bass fishery, I have talked to plenty of old timers and lake personell that agree that the fish on average used to be bigger. I hear stories of catching 14>15 lbers all day long back in the day. The biggest fish in the lake are a precious genetic resource to maintain the gene pool for a trophy bass lake. Yes age and eating habits do also enter in to the equation here but if you study why big fish get big one thing you will notice is that genetics is a major part of it. Please try to respect the beds for what they really are, nests not bulls eyes. I believe that everyone has the right to their own opinion and if you disagree with my opinon I am not going to disrespect you for it. Be free brothers that is what this country is supposed to be about lets just remember how many of us might also want to cacth that fish of a life time and what we can do to help insure the propagation of the species we are chasing for fun or profit. Is bed fishing really sporting? I know sometimes bed fish are hard to catch, but when you are in shallow water and can bounce your lure on the fish's nose or her eggs in her nest doesnt that hurt those eggs and the spawn as well? Personally I get more enjoyment by not knowing when I am going to get bit. Bed fishing reminds me of breaking in to someones car at work who locked their keys in and the motor on. Bottom line I am getting in and it aint going to take me very long to do it either. I respect everyones freewill and am only trying to appeal to your sense of intellect in passing on and if possible improving the great sport of fishing to future generations. There is just way to much of the IGM attitude for me sometimes, shoot I became a fireman to get away from people with that attitude but it is there too. The best time of year is almost here and I wish you all the best spring yet. I hope I am not opening a huge can of worms. Honestly the only other person I have talked to that will not bed fish is Rod Thigpin who by the way will not flip a bass in to the boat either. When I found that out my respect for him increased fivefold. Rod and his customers consistently catch big bass out of Casitas and he is a great custodion of those resources. He has been fishing for a lot longer than me and I like to think he does what he does for the protection of the sport we all love so much. Please share your thoughts and comments with me. I decided to post this while thinkig of getting some anti bed fishing bumper stickers made but thought maybe I would solicit the opinions of some friends before I got my truck windows busted out
Peace
Rich