I don't have a dog in this fight but I am curious what the opinions are of the PBF members.
Should fish raised on pellets, or fed crippled prey, or fed supplemental abundant non-native forage, for their locale, like trout or Tilapia for LMB, etc. be eligible for state and world records when most of the competing anglers are fishing public BOWs where the fish have been raised with "natural" forage and had to compete to thrive?
The State of Texas doesn't think so.
I have no problem with excluding fed, private fish from record status, but get a little irritated when some do so while claiming that a fish on a feeding program are somehow less of a trophy than a so called "wild" fish. If feeding a fish was all it took to reach trophy status, then this forum would be filled with photos of two pound bluegills and 18 pound largemouths, coming from everyone's private ponds.
I have no problem with excluding fed, private fish from record status, but get a little irritated when some do so while claiming that a fish on a feeding program are somehow less of a trophy than a so called "wild" fish. If feeding a fish was all it took to reach trophy status, then this forum would be filled with photos of two pound bluegills and 18 pound largemouths, coming from everyone's private ponds.
While I would agree that not everyone can grow trophy, it does seem like comparing Barry Bonds to Babe Ruth. Not quite apples to apples.
IMHO
I suppose I look at it like choosing a head of lettuce for a salad.
When I need lettuce, I have a few options. Basically I can grow it myself, or purchase it. If I purchase, I can choose big box chain supermarkets, small mom and pop grocery stores, farmers markets, roadside stands, even organic specialty retailers. Whichever I choose, if I decide to purchase I'm limited to what I see on the shelf. I plop my money down on the counter and make my selection.
Too me, that equates to catching fish other than my own. I've put my money on the counter, (fishing license), and I'm free to pick from the selection offered. Maybe instead I decide to visit a farmers market, or roadside stand for my lettuce. I see this as equating to someone else's private water. Here in Indiana I do not need a license to do so, but I'm still limited to the selection that someone else has stocked in their pond.
Or, I could decide to grow my own lettuce. Buy the time it's all said and done, I will have far more $$$ tied up in the salad than if I had just driven to the market and purchased it, but I will KNOW the quality of that lettuce. And I see that quality missing from store bought lettuce, AND public water fishing.
I see it like this: If I'm fishing my ponds, I will have a much better idea of the likelihood of catching a trophy fish, As I have been hands-on from the beginning. I pretty well know what's under the surface, as maybe I've seen that 2 pound bluegill while feeding. If I know a trophy is in there, then I can honestly say I'm deliberately targeting it...kinda' takes that whole luck thing down a notch or two, and replaces it with skill. Not so with public water, as I have no idea if that record fish swims there or not...that's exactly why record or trophy fish may be caught by kids with Snoopy poles...luck. Not trying to take anything away from such an accomplishment, just acknowledging that public water fishing contains an element of luck where record fish are concerned, no matter the skill level of the angler. Now if you've seen that trophy bass in public water before, so you know it's in there, then okay.
Otherwise, a lot of so called angling skill in public water, might be compared to just knowing when the lettuce truck arrives, and where the stockhandlers tend to place the largest heads in the produce bin. I will admit that that does take a certain skill, but nowhere on par with growing that giant head of lettuce yourself.
Tony ,somehow I am suddenly hungry for a salad and some trophy sized fish fillets!?
The bass in Shortay's post might have a broken jaw by this time.
Is it maybe time to start a second set of record fish stats; keep the old stats going and start a new set for intensively managed fish? I agree with Tony, IMO raising a trophy fish is hard to do, even when providing supplemental forage, and there should be a way to acknowledge that accomplishment.
I don't have a dog in this fight but I am curious what the opinions are of the PBF members.
Should fish raised on pellets, or fed crippled prey, or fed supplemental abundant non-native forage, for their locale, like trout or Tilapia for LMB, etc. be eligible for state and world records when most of the competing anglers are fishing public BOWs where the fish have been raised with "natural" forage and had to compete to thrive?
If not, then you better tell the State of California and all the trophy bass fishermen that go there. All the state record bass have come from reservoirs that are stocked every few weeks during the winter with Rainbow Trout.
There's even a fishing lure company named after one of the reservoirs.
https://castaicswimbait.com/
