Quote:
Originally Posted by JigStix
Yes, I really believe that. And unless you were under a rock, or not here at all for the debates that ran wild through these boards, you would know I was right. As soon as DNR proposed regulations (and yes 5thTuition they were targeted at trolling) the trollers quickly turned on the jiggers and light tackle guys. Many names I see regularly on this board were very quick to start pointing fingers and throwing light tackle guys under the bus. Many so called proponents of no regulation were stating things like "Jiggers handle way more fish than any troller" "Fly fishermen fight fish way longer and therefore put more stress on the fish" "a good jigger can put 100 fish in the boat in a day whereas a good troller can put 20"
all of those statements were made over and over again by people on this board. People that left Tidalfish becuase their little feelings got hurt. And there began the great divide among fishing methods.
So, yes, I believe that. And I have rarely trolled, but if regulations were put in against my method of fishing, I would not act like a spurned 5 year old and say "well that's not fair, they need to be punished too"
PS Yes, you do have a say. Show up at the meetings. I was at every single one last year. Was my voice heard, not sure. I spoke at many of them, but stopped as soon as infighting began among fishermen
PPS I fish the same area as you and yes the fishing has been more than adequate
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I think you may not have understood the process or what was going on. The first true proposal that was adopted at the SFAC meeting was aimed at everyone regardless of how they fished. It was the day closure proposal that got so many people up in arms and it wasnt proposed by any specific fishermen but by some of those on the SFAC. It was the DNR proposal that was targetted towards trollers. No preseason fishermen was looking to reduce the efficiency of any other fishermen with the exception of a few like Tom Hughes and a few others. It was obvious that soley the efficiency of trollers that was targetted by DNR. However, Any preseason fishermen I know didnt want to see efficiency targetted at all for any fishermen regardless of how they fished. I believe most would concede regulations that would reduce mortality rates but not ones that reduced ones opportunity to catch a fish.
I actually think that it was pretty good that most fishermen who were actively involved stuck together and fought day closures. Examples of how some light tackle people are productive were only to demonstrate that DNR has no clue to what type of fishermen is more efficient and the targetting of efficiency is unjust (as most fishermen know, any method can be more efficient than another on a given day). There is no way to reduce efficiency on light tackle fishermen without closing areas or days to fishing and
NO ONE I know who supported access to fishing during the preseaon would support such regulations. Even trollers would rather have gear restrictions over day closures and fought hard to make sure day closures were not enacted. Opportunity to fish is zero during a day closure even if it is greatly reduced through gear restrictions
In regards to the divide between those who enjoy trolling and those who only like to jig during the preseason, I believe that came after the whole preseason debate when there were a number of threads posted to ridicule the use of trolling gear during the trophy season (as it came on the heals of efficiency restrictions trollers faced and relatively much lower catch rate during the preseason). I say this even despite the facts that the CCA noted that they would have signed onto a one rod per person restriction that the CBF represenative proposed if it meant no day closures and Tom Hughes and a few others were calling for one rod per person restrictions at the meetings which would have rendered trolling so inefficient that it wouldnt have made it worth the effort. I will remind you that no one went on record at the DNR calling for the closure of the rips or other areas of concentration that light tackle guys like to fish despite some good fishing and high number catches reported there because no one would want that. Heck, we would want to fish those areas if trolling isnt effective enough
Obviously everyone has their perception of what happened. All I know is that it was bitter-sweet. The opportunity to fish during the preseason didnt get shut down, nor were day closures implimented. However, unfortunately the opportunity to catch fish while trolling was greatly reduced without sound justification and there seems to be more a divide amoungst fishermen today. Either way, I am glad to still be able to fish the bay all year in whatever method I believe will give me the greatest enjoyment.
I state all this not to further the divide but to offer another perspective and hope deminish the riff that appears to be there. I enjoy all types of fishing whether it is trolling, jigging, chumming, livelining spot or eels, etc. I just like to catch fish and be on the water. Some of the guys who fish with me are die-hard light tackle guys and we have a great time on the water no matter how we fish.
Hopefully we all can focus on the fall season and not focus so much on the issues of the past.