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Started By
Message
My input/observation on LA Redfish
Posted on 2/11/24 at 1:45 am
Posted on 2/11/24 at 1:45 am
Spent two nights bowfishing Golden Meadow this weekend, I know…we are the reason the population is in decline supposedly. Fiancé and I had our limit by 11:00 both nights, could have been earlier had we shot better and I hadn’t spent as much time cruising and checking out new locations. First night she shot our last fish and we counted 20 more around the boat while we were organizing everything to head back to the launch. Second night we saw/passed on 75-100+ short fish(believe it or not we don’t shoot every fish we see)…but from what I hear we don’t have any redfish in LA. I’m calling bullshite based on my experience and yes I voiced my opinion at the public input meeting and no I’m not a charter guide we just enjoy the sport and our time in the marsh
Posted on 2/11/24 at 4:27 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
Few things to touch on.
The entire redfish population could be on a serious decline and there can still be pockets in the state with a lot of fish. Two things can be true at once
That’s one trip. You and about 50 buddies put together 10-20 trips like that in a row in different areas and you will have the basis of an argument. I know somewhere right now that I can go catch a few limits of reds. One trip means nearly nothing in regards to the whole populations.
You said you saw a lot of “short” fish. I’m assuming you mean lower slot or right under slot fish. That’s a problem. Think of it this way. A redfish means absolutely nothing to the propagation of its species until it reaches 27”. The number the scientist use to test the health of the fishery is escapement rate. How many fish are entering the 27”+ population vs how many 27”+ are dying. Ideally, you have at least as many fish entering sexual maturity as are dying in that group. We’ve had more redfish die from our breeding stock than enter for years. All of those “short” redfish mean absolutely nothing to the continuing of the population if they are caught before they reach sexual maturity.
The entire redfish population could be on a serious decline and there can still be pockets in the state with a lot of fish. Two things can be true at once
That’s one trip. You and about 50 buddies put together 10-20 trips like that in a row in different areas and you will have the basis of an argument. I know somewhere right now that I can go catch a few limits of reds. One trip means nearly nothing in regards to the whole populations.
You said you saw a lot of “short” fish. I’m assuming you mean lower slot or right under slot fish. That’s a problem. Think of it this way. A redfish means absolutely nothing to the propagation of its species until it reaches 27”. The number the scientist use to test the health of the fishery is escapement rate. How many fish are entering the 27”+ population vs how many 27”+ are dying. Ideally, you have at least as many fish entering sexual maturity as are dying in that group. We’ve had more redfish die from our breeding stock than enter for years. All of those “short” redfish mean absolutely nothing to the continuing of the population if they are caught before they reach sexual maturity.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 7:19 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
They're fixing to drag you, but I share the same observations as you and agree. I also don't really have a problem with them lowering the limit to 4 or even 3. I just think the bowfishing argument as the main issue here is wrong. Let the downvotes commence.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 7:26 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
It's all fun and games until you're down to 1 per person per day, 4 per vessel max, with no bow hunting. Ask a Florida person, we've had this since the late 80s.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 7:48 am to hall59tiger
quote:
You said you saw a lot of “short” fish. I’m assuming you mean lower slot or right under slot fish. That’s a problem.
Are you expecting him to see a lot of 27" and up fish deep in the marsh. Seeing a lot of up and coming breeders is never a problem.
I get your argument though if you are trying to say seeing a bunch isn't the same as having a bunch to breed.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 8:03 am to MoarKilometers
quote:
down to 1 per person per day, 4 per vessel max, with no bow hunting. we've had this since the late 80s.
If there has been such stringent restrictions for that long, then its a less fertile habitat problem. Those restrictions are likely needed to handle the pressure vs the stock.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 8:37 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
my opinion of bowfishing from an airboat is the same as my opinion of braces on an AR pistol. Unnecessary boundary pushing which puts the rights and interests of the rest of us to live free and enjoy the resources available to us at risk.
it is abuse of the resource full stop
it is abuse of the resource full stop
Posted on 2/11/24 at 8:59 am to hall59tiger
This was 2 trips, 2 consecutive nights seeing hundreds of fish and yes “short fish” I’m referring to mostly 12”-14” fish. We fish Golden Meadow-Leeville area 4-5 times a year and always see plenty of fish, I was just giving our experience from this weekend. We also fish the Hackberry area a couple times a month and see the same numbers if not more. And like DMAN1968 said, you don’t typically see a lot of bull reds deep in the marsh where we bowfish, however there are multiple places I can take you and catch 35”-40” redfish all day long with rod and reel
Posted on 2/11/24 at 10:41 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
Same. I’ve taken 8 or 9 trips out of several different areas, and the only couple times we haven’t seen hordes of redfish were when sighting conditions were bad (like high tides with murky water). I think it’s reasonable to eliminate the captain & deckhand’s limits, because obviously most people are just using those to stack their total haul on a charter. But I think the limit should remain at 5.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 10:51 am to MoarKilometers
quote:
It's all fun and games until you're down to 1 per person per day, 4 per vessel max, with no bow hunting. Ask a Florida person, we've had this since the late 80s.
this is what the idiot morons will cheer on to happen here, all while the pogie boats continue to kill millions of fish free from any meaningful regulations or limits.
they trust the experts, just like with covid and 2020 was a fair election, they cant even entertain the idea they are being lied to for commercial profits
Posted on 2/11/24 at 10:55 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
It seems unlikely that chasing reds at night doesn't influence their behavior patterns going forward, or move them to what might be less desirable spots for their inshore growth.
I don't get how nighttime bow fishing is any different from shining for deer. It's the proverbial shooting fish in a barrel.
Reds this year have all but disappeared in formerly abundant parts of the Biloxi Marsh. It's as if they flipped a switch and left. Night time bow fishing isn't all of the problem, but contributes.
My 2 cents worth.
I don't get how nighttime bow fishing is any different from shining for deer. It's the proverbial shooting fish in a barrel.
Reds this year have all but disappeared in formerly abundant parts of the Biloxi Marsh. It's as if they flipped a switch and left. Night time bow fishing isn't all of the problem, but contributes.
My 2 cents worth.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:19 am to HogsWillRiseAgain
quote:
there are multiple places I can take you and catch 35”-40” redfish all day long with rod and reel
Yeah, I highly doubt you could take me anyplace where I will catch 35 to 40-inch redfish all day long.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:33 am to Mr Breeze
quote:
I don't get how nighttime bow fishing is any different from shining for deer. It's the proverbial shooting fish in a barrel.
I think there are a few differences here. One is deer are naturally nocturnal, whereas redfish are not, they are more influenced by tides. And yes I know deer are affected by the moon as well, but shooting deer at night would be more comparable to fishing for redfish at the "magic tide time" than shooting them at night. I also think that a major reason you can't shoot deer at night is safety related as well as being able to identify your target. Neither one of those are really a concern with bowfishing reds at night. If I'm wrong with any of that please let me know, I know we have some real life biologists here and not just an internet biologist like me.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:36 am to mdomingue
quote:
Yeah, I highly doubt you could take me anyplace where I will catch 35 to 40-inch redfish all day long.
I would agree with this. But I know guides in the lafitte area that absolutely hammer the redfish taking out clients twice a day 6 or 7 days a week pretty much all year long.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:38 am to TunaTime
quote:
you can't shoot deer at night is safety related as well as being able to identify your target
#1 buck is pretty safe at night or so I’ve been told.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:49 am to KemoSabe65
quote:
#1 buck is pretty safe at night or so I’ve been told.
Agreed, which goes back to the fact that deer are naturally nocturnal and I haven't read anything saying redfish are, so comparing the two don't make a lot of sense to me.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:50 am to TunaTime
quote:
I just think the bowfishing argument as the main issue here is wrong. Let the downvotes commence.
Who makes that argument? Whoever does is irrational.
The “main issue” is that the redfish population is in significant decline and is being overfished. There are many causes that contribute to that issue and bowfishing is one of them. Bowfishing also has a negative effect on fish movement and group congregation, and generally, the way many bowfishing guides operate their boats is not good for the long term health of the marsh itself.
I am not “anti-bowfishing,” but it needs to be regulated in some way.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:50 am to TunaTime
quote:
I know we have some real life biologists here and not just an internet biologist like me
When I have a choice I won’t fish for reds the first few days after a full moon. They feed at night? Like you I’m not a biologist but that’s been my observation over the years. Bull reds out of Venice have a different pattern. Easier to find and catch, relatively speaking.
Thanks for your perspective.
Posted on 2/11/24 at 11:59 am to bluemoons
quote:
Who makes that argument? Whoever does is irrational.
I have seen it mentioned on the OB as a main issue over the years, I'm sure I could search and find people mentioning it but you are correct, the people that make that argument are irrational and probably in the minority. I won't argue that bowfishing doesn't have some sort of negative affect, because that would be incorrect. Any kind of fishing has a negative affect, whether it's rod and reel, bow, commercial trawling, etc.
How would you propose it be regulated further than it already is, which is teally just normal rules? Genuinely asking, not trying to sound like a smartass.
This post was edited on 2/11/24 at 12:00 pm
Posted on 2/11/24 at 12:01 pm to Mr Breeze
quote:
Thanks for your perspective.
Same to you, I admittingly don't fish the venice area as much as Grand Isle/leeville area, and the two fisheries, although similar, are also very different.
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