My input/observation on LA Redfish

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.

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.

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down to 1 per person per day, 4 per vessel max, with no bow hunting. we've had this since the late 80s.

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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.

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

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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.

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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

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.

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I don't get how nighttime bow fishing is any different from shining for deer. It's the proverbial shooting fish in a barrel.

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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.

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you can't shoot deer at night is safety related as well as being able to identify your target

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#1 buck is pretty safe at night or so I’ve been told.

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I just think the bowfishing argument as the main issue here is wrong. Let the downvotes commence.

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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.

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Who makes that argument? Whoever does is irrational.

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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.