Thread: Livescope

100% of fish do not die, not even the big ones when using livescope. 100% that go into the cooler will die regardless of livescope or not. I like my livescope I have learned a whole lot that I never knew I didn't know. When I go I keep a few fish for supper and let the rest go. Two days ago I caught and released over 40 crappie using livescope and all of them went back into the water. So how did my use of lifescope become detrimental to the crappie population on that day? Livescope isn't the problem. I believe greed or ego stroking does way more damage than livescope.

Lol.....I remember all the fuss when side scan came out.....and we haven't ran out of fish yet

Originally Posted by Pac in Arkansas

100% of fish do not die, not even the big ones when using livescope. 100% that go into the cooler will die regardless of livescope or not. I like my livescope I have learned a whole lot that I never knew I didn't know. When I go I keep a few fish for supper and let the rest go. Two days ago I caught and released over 40 crappie using livescope and all of them went back into the water. So how did my use of lifescope become detrimental to the crappie population on that day? Livescope isn't the problem. I believe greed or ego stroking does way more damage than livescope.

As with most things greed and ego fulfillment is what causes the problems.

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

I wonder how much of a role the shutdowns due to Covid have impacted fishing. Lots more people in the outdoors than there used to be. More people fishing means increased impact on fish. Pherhaps it is the natural ebb and flow of fish population.

I witnessed an estimated 40 anglers catch limits of crappie one spring. Limit was 30 fish over 9 inches. If everyone only kept 20 fish, that's 800 less fish that made it through the spawn. I would say the average that day was 12 inches. This was from a small area of a large lake. If this happened in 10 different bedding areas. The numbers really start to add up.

3 years ago on the lake I currently fish. We had spring flooding during when the crappie spawned. Enough that cities along the lake were flooded. If fewer numbers of fry survived or hatched do to the flooding . Less mature fish to catch now. This lake has. 10 inch minimum lenght. Most of the fish I have caught have been just under that benchmark. Most everyone is reporting the same sized fish. If people get to where they can't catch fish they will move on to something else. Then possibly the fish will rebound

I have watched folks catch every dink they catch and throwing in the bucket, I am sick of it!
The sport of fishing has become the feeding of the hungry and I can respect that but my goodness it makes me sick!

Originally Posted by funfishers

I have watched folks catch every dink they catch and throwing in the bucket, I am sick of it!
The sport of fishing has become the feeding of the hungry and I can respect that but my goodness it makes me sick!

If they were truly hungry then I would not be concerned how much fish they took. I am not saying that hunger does not exist yet I find it hard to believe those that kept everything they caught are truly hungry.

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Till some type of size slots or whatever to limit cleaning out big fish . If 10% of fishermen release big fish the other 90% will clean them out . Nimrod has had an over population problem for years but it seems to be improving with all the pressure except big fish becoming more scarce . Used to see unreal numbers of tiny fish 4 to 8'' and now plenty 10 to 11'' . I refuse to release all the big fish with next 10 boats are taking them . Kinda like Deer hunting . You pass a small 6 point and it goes to next stand and boom . I have seen all kinds of population / average size swings on Nimrod in 50 years . Just wonder if a slot with everything 14 to 15'' released and maybe one over would work ? Doubt your average fishermen would go for this . AGFC say they want to see people catch fish but this is going to be interesting how they deal with this or just sit and watch . From some fishermen I have heard from even some at the big Crappie lakes in other states are beginning to be concerned too .

Duh! Who would care if we have fish for our future? I care and I care a lot but feel there is nothing I can do about it.

I think there are a few categories to link scope fisherman in, but in the long haul, we only need so many fish in our freezer.

1. The guy that gets lucky from time to time to bring home 8-10 good fish and gets to go out maybe 12-15 times a year. He probably brings that single 2lb'r home, even though he should toss that one back, but he brings home some to enjoy with his family. Im guilty of this.

2. The Guides. These guys make money from fishing obviously. They stay on the fish week to week and usually day to day. You see their shots on FB with table after table after table load of truly big fish with 60-90 fish laid out there and quite a few really big fish. They need these big harvest pictures to fuel their guide service. TX is getting slaughtered right now on their top lakes. There are a few guides that refuse to load 2lb fish and they make it known before you book. I like that, that's responsibility.

3. The greedy Fisherman. This is the seasoned guy that has all the time in the world to fish, he wakes up and decides if he will fish that day, (my jealousy inserted here) he is there and makes sure you know about it. He stays on them, doesn't like to see anyone else have success, very unfriendly if he sees you on "his" lake multiple times, yet he is always harvesting multiple days of the week. He could have 150lbs of fillets in the freezer and another 150 at his friends, but still cant just fun fish looking for that 3lb trophy while sitting on a frozen bounty because he is so over taken from ego and greed. He has to bring home as many as he legally can every trip, and its his right to do so.

Hence the term, Greedy as a Pig.


Just my observations. With the scope, comes responsibility.

Im not going to say what is right or wrong. In my opinion, you can learn a lot about someone from their patterns and you dont even have to open your mouth to figure out their Norms and Ethics.

You would think as a Guide you would want to ensure a healthy supply of large fish to let your clients catch, photo, and release. Otherwise it could be bad for business