Slab, those are great ideas. I have another. How bout a contest where ,if I catch a crappie I post a pic and you send me a prize!!!
Well actually, I'd like to announce two New Years Resolutions for 2015.
One was inspired by RCC who suggested we figure out a way to encourage our membership to help clean up our fishing environment.
So there is a contest on the contest forum right now. Take a picture of the garbage you cleaned up and post it to that contest to enter. There will be many more of these contests, so start taking your pictures now. And lets live in a cleaner environment. Especially when we go fishing. We go out there to enjoy being in the great out doors. Let's leave it a little cleaner than when we arrived. If we all chip in, it'll be all that much more pleasant for everyone, including yourself. And if you don't want to be the only one cleaning things up, well, post a pic in the contests, thereby inspiring others. JUST DO IT.
The second was inspired by Speckanator and Anchorman (and re-enforced by Shuorc who released his biggest crappie he's ever caught just yesterday while I was in attendance). They release many of the big Crappie they catch for two reasons. To help seed for the future, and to potentially give someone else the same thrill they had when they caught it. Ain't nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. So to encourage the practice, I'll be having contests where you have to post the "release pic" to enter. The release pic will be a picture of your hand (not holding the fish) and the fish in the water next to it (or I suppose the crappie could be out of the water a little). These will be cool pictures, so start taking them now for future contests.
The "Clean up our Waterways" contest is posted here now:
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/conte...arbage-picked/
Brandon Jennings LIKED above post
Slab, those are great ideas. I have another. How bout a contest where ,if I catch a crappie I post a pic and you send me a prize!!!
Team Overalls Travel Squad
FISH for LIFE
HUMANKIND......be both
That contest is right here:
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/conte...-post-picture/
Just post a pic, you might win. But you got to be lucky.
"D" LIKED above post
Nice Slab. Those are some great ideas. I released a 3.68 2 years ago. Great feeling to let a big egg bearing female go make some more big fish. I pick up trash all the time at the ramp I use. Makes me sick sometimes to see such blatant disregard for such a great place to be. I hope this will encourage me and others to try and be better sportsmen!!
Life is Good !
2018 Kentucky & Tennessee Crappie Masters State Champs!Speckanator LIKED above post
Yep, started picking up trash around Prettyboy reservoir in the 60's would take a bucket along for fish and if I didn't catch any, that was most of the time, would fill it up with beer cans. I always wondered how the pigs could carry a case of beer a mile or two through the woods but wouldn't carry the empty (aluminum cans) out.
RMGeorge LIKED above post
Great idea, Slab. I have a pic of a 2 1/2 lb slab that Talquin Maggie took last year that was in mid air as I released it. It is on my computer that crashed and I'd love to be able to retrieve it someday for my own sake. I have always called it "Catch and Release" and have been limiting myself over the past few years to try and only keep a 12" fish or bigger. But in the past year, I have found myself releasing the bigger fish and only keeping a few 11-12 inch fish to put on the table. I like the phrase some of the Catfish Tournament guys use....CPR....Catch, Photo and Release. The other resolution is also a great one for everyone that uses any fishery throughout the country. Kudos to RCC for bringing this to everyone's attention. I agree with CP that a lot of the members have been doing this "out of habit" for years. Let's hope these resolutions are kept and brought up to members attention on a regular basis and to instill these values in our youth.
1. Most of the ramps I put in at are owned by Ga. Power or Privately owned so I do not see very much in the way of trash.
2. Putting back big fish is and should be a personal preference. I have seen people frown on other folks keeping fish. My humble opinion on that is as long as no laws are broken we should Be happy folks enjoy fishing and encourage them. Most people that I know do not to get to fish very often. I try to fish once a week and I only keep 1 pound or better( fillet size fish) 90% of the time. I know other folks that are retired and get to fish everyday if they choose. Do what makes you happy as long as you are legal!