re: Speckled trout limits would be reduced for Louisiana anglers under new state plan

quote:

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If all of those pogies were still in the water do you think the sharks, dolphins and other predatory species may be targeting pogies instead of speckled trout or redfish?

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This is an interesting point that I haven’t considered. I’m not saying the pogey boats aren’t having an impact. I’d just like to see some reasonable arguments that give an idea of what precisely they are doing to the trout population. Everytime people bring up trout limits everyone starts screaming “pogey boats” as if that is universally accepted as the biggest contributor to our dwindling trout numbers.

I believe habitat loss and salinity levels are far and away the biggest factors impacting our trout numbers. This is completely anectodotal but I’d say that accounts for as much as 90% of our issue.
That doesn’t mean we cant try to do every sing thing possible to make sure our great grandkids are still catching trout 75 years from now. If that means tighter rec limits then I’m all for it.