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Originally Posted by
Inkdabber
I like the new rule, but would like to see it taken even further. I fished many tournaments over the years, and as the years passed, equipment, techniques, and electronics have given the fishermen a decisive edge. This holds particularly true for those more fortunate anglers who like the best of everything, and can afford to purchase it. Rod limits have been in place for some time, and I feel 8 rods maximum per boat is a fair number and it works for any size boat. Two baits per rod is also a good fair number. That takes us to rod length. I have no issue with rod length either. If you want to use a 20' rod that is fine by me. What I want to see is nets eliminated, or net handles limited to say 5 feet. The angler is supposed to play the fish back to the boat. Not net him some 15 feet away from the boat! I also would like to see a no cull rule come into play. When a fish is caught, the angler must decide right then and there if that fish is to be kept to be weighed, or released so the angler can keep fishing. Once the set amount of fish has been caught and placed in live well. The angler must stop fishing and return to the weigh in sight. This policy would greatly reduce fish mortality during fishing tournaments. It would also make the tournament anglers think their way through a day, not just go out and catch and keep every fish that bites their hooks. Not trying to ruffle any feathers, just passing on some random thoughts on competition fishing.