Limit on spillway bass an ‘idiot law’

The 14-inch limit on bass in the spillway and surrounding area is failed science and any marine biologist should know this.

Why can’t a politician admit failure? The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries of Louisiana is a political entity and like all politicians, cannot admit they were wrong.

The tournament fishermen are the reason that this law has lasted on the books so long. I quit fishing in the spillway and Lake Verret area for bass because of this idiot law and that is the very reason the tournament fishermen wanted it in the first place. I personally don’t know anyone in favor of this law.

Charles Guice

retired/construction

Prairieville

Comments

1) Comment by Oklahoma - 10/10/2012

Maybe some of the ecologist and scientists that have chimed in should read the just published report from Mike Wood, the Director of Inland Fisheries with the LDWF. It states that the Atchafalaya Basin bass population will continue to produce the same number of nice size bass, with or without the 14" length limit. It also says the Atchafalaya Basin does not exhibit necessary criteria for a 14" minimum length limit. Mr. Guice changes are coming. But you can bet the tournament fishermen will fight it all the way.

2) Comment by Springer98 - 08/10/2012

Quite a contradiction,"Personally, I don't give a flip about your fishing." Then "I do very much care about the people who rely on the Basin as a means of income"---- If the fishing goes by the wayside, so does the rest of the ecosystem! I sometimes wonder if such intellectuals as yourself realize how much money is paid by fisherman, in license & boat registration fees, that go toward the good of the outdoors in general. Being that you have resorted to name calling, I wont answer any more on this, but I will leave you with this ------ Proverbs ch 26 v 4&5 ---- Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

3) Comment by quirkmaguirk - 06/10/2012

Just to make things clear: I do, very much, care about the people who rely on the Basin as a means of income very much, as I do too. I also care about the majority of recreational fishermen and hunters, as I am both. However, I could not care less what fools ,that do not respect or understand the work and science that goes behind keeping these ecosystems healthy, think.

4) Comment by quirkmaguirk - 06/10/2012

I am a wetland ecologist that specializes in the geomorphic processes that regulate the productivity of bottom land hardwood forests. I have been focusing the last 5 years of my research on the Atchafalya Basin and how to return it to being a productive system. Personally, I don't give a flip about your fishing. My job, and life goal, is to protect the Basin as a natural resource and as an ecosystem that provides not only for humans but all species that depend on its health. Like I have sated twice now, leave the science to the scientists, otherwise your grandchildren or their grandchildren may not have the opportunities to enjoy the natural resources that are available today.

5) Comment by Springer98 - 05/10/2012

@quirk, Our fishing is hurting because of talking heads like yourself. I'm just a little curious about how much hands on experience you have in the basin. I'm guessing you'd probably be lost as a goose, only a few miles from any of the many boat landings!If you don't mind sharing, what are your favorite bass fishing areas? I wonder if you know the difference between a buzz bait & a jig? You just don't sound like a fisherman. Anybody that has fished the basin for a long time will tell you, the biggest problem in the basin by far is the silting in of many areas that were formally productive fishing areas. Many places that used to hold tremendous populations of fish, are now dry land! You ought to stick to your books & scientific charts & let the fisherman debate this subject. You are really making yourself look silly......

6) Comment by quirkmaguirk - 05/10/2012

@ Springer; The population dynamic growth model does take into account inputs and migrations, or as you say "the mighty Atchafalaya River." Like I said, please leave the science to scientists, our world is hurting because of "common sense."

7) Comment by Springer98 - 03/10/2012

Mr. Guice, I am also not a marine biologist, But I started fishing the basin over 40 years ago. I'm much more inclined to agree with you than quirkmaguirk. Good old common sense is hard to argue with. Many years ago, when the creel limit on bass was 15 per person & there was no size limit in place, the basin was in great shape, as far as numbers of bass & size of bass. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 illustrated just how great the number of bass & other gamefish were present before the storm (due to the numbers of dead gamefish). To my knowledge, the basin had never been stocked before Andrew. It underwent tremendous fishing pressure before the storm & before the 14" minimum size limit. After Andrew, large amounts of largemouth bass were stocked & they made a great come back in numbers! Strange that not a single spotted ( Kentucky) bass, sac-a-lait, bluegill, goggle-eye or any other fish were stocked! Guess what? They made just as prolific of a come back as did the largemouth bass! The MOST important part of the equation that Mr.Q left out is the mighty Atchafalaya River, that restocks the basin year after year, as it has always done! It alone is the reason for the numbers fish, other than largemouth bass, being back in great numbers. In my opinion, it wouldn't hurt a thing to allow a man to keep the creel limit of 10 bass, regardless of their size. Much more damage can be done by keeping large spawning females than by keeping 10 small bass!

8) Comment by quirkmaguirk - 02/10/2012

Mr. Guice, While I am no marine biologist, I am an ecologist that has dabbled in marine biology, although not this particular case. All you need to do to produce evidence that the law is bad science is produce a population dynamic growth model by quantifying all of the variables that are important to the stocks dynamics, and then figuring out how to manipulate the inputs that humans have (partial ) control over so as to set up a management plan that will keep the stock from being over-fished. Then, present that work to marine biologists and other fisheries specialists to get feedback. Finally, submit it to peer reviewed journals, so that scientists all over the world can evaluate your methods and conclusions. Or, you could go back to being retired, from a field of work that did not involve marine biology, and enjoy fishing, while leaving the science to the scientists. Good Day.