re: looks like a push to change the limit on spcks in LA is coming or....

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Nobody needs that much fish.

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Who are you to say this? I can’t catch and bring fish to friends and family? I only keep what I can eat fresh and give the rest away. How is that wasteful?

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I think they are better off letting you keep he first 15 you catch regardless of size. Lots of mortality when you throw back 10-11 inch specks.

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I agree w this, but what happens after the 15th fish? Do you have to stop fishing? If not, that mortality problem will still be a problem.

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I dont give a crap about science or fishery quotas. I know what's right. Nobody needs 25 trout a day.

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Well at least you're humble about it.

Again - what you find acceptable is not the determining factor on how a population needs to be managed. Data and science should be the determining factor. That's why we pay biologists who went to school for this to determine the appropriate season and bag limits.

Guides, etc will likely be all over this. For the handful that still fish for trout, lot of guys just put tourists on reds Bc they’re often closer and don’t require live bait.

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numerous scientific research studies and data collection has shown that reducing creel limits creates too many predators and they quickly decimate the food stocks.

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Link?

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So let’s take it the other way then, if fisherman don’t have an effect on the population why have a limit at all? Why not allow more commercial netting? Where does it stop?

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Good point. But I don’t think you can equate commercial fisherman with rec anglers. Nets are far more effective and the comms are out there every day. Most Rec anglers aren’t.
I agree you have some frick sticks who meat haul and waste fish, but how often does that happen?

It’s apples & oranges with commercials to rec anglers IMO.

And I don’t think anyone is suggesting no limits. But obviously there is a huge gulf ( ha ha, get it?) in agreement on this.

I have a camp south of Houma. Been fishing it for 40 years. Last year was worst trout season in my lifetime, likely the bad winter before, lots of fresh dirty water, and just general weather.

I made 6 trips to barrier island and got a 2 man limit once and a 4 man limit once. Other 4 trips, 2 caught 20-30 fish. No winter trips were made due to conditions and reports. With satellite technology, wind apps, and first hand reports, I don’t make any wasted trips. I like catching more than fishing, but prefer topwater when possible.

The winter fishing is usually smaller fish, but more plentiful, and less dependent on wind conditions for us. Last winter was zilch for us.

So, maybe I’m spoiled. But getting to make maybe 6 day trips during the spawn, where I have to leave my house at 2 am and drive 3 hours to get in the boat and drive another 30 min to make 15 casts when the bite is on, then come home?

I quit fishing snapper, and quit hunting for the same reasons. Just not enough return on the investment for me. I don’t sit in a stand and stalk one deer all season either. I don’t cast 100 times to catch one bass, then release it.

It’s my prerogative. I tell guys in TX and FL all the time that if I could only catch what they do, I would do something else. Glad I had the experiences I did over the years, also glad I didn’t buy a lifetime license. LOL

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I tell guys in TX and FL all the time that if I could only catch what they do, I would do something else.

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If I was worried about ROI I would buy fish at the grocery store. There’s been many times I’ve caught my 5 fish limit in a half hour in the FL panhandle and ended up turning loose 45 fish over the course of the day. They’re fun to catch, especially with the allure of possibly hooking into that gator. The tug is a drug. The meat is lagniappe

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I’m all for change, IF there’s science to back it up. How often do 2 people go out and catch 50 specks? Not often and I fish more than most on here. If the current limit is already nearly unattainable for most people in most circumstances, than I see no reason to change it.

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Dropping the limit from 25 to say, 15, wouldn't affect the net amount of fish I catch in a year, probably, as I seldom limit out.

To me, the size limit is a key factor. If increased from 12 to say 14", I would think this might result in a lot more fish in the fishery. Is that a good or bad thing? Is there enough food to support the increase? Will it result in more or less 14" and up fish? And if it does, do we need to drop the daily catch limit?

Not that it's up to me, but seems like close evaluation of the results of changes would be the key to it being successful. AND the willingness to make adjustments quickly if it isn't.