# Catch an Release Question.



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Been thinking (yea its scary  ) if you caught a big old drum would you keep her or let her go. It's easy for me to say I would release her since I aint seen her yet. Just curious what the board thinks especially those that have caught drum over 27".


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## Cobia Seeker (Mar 19, 2002)

I would keep my limit. We make false crab cakes out of them.


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

absolutely, 100%, RELEASE! Those big gals are older than most folks posting on this forum. A 50lb fish is 50 years old, or older. That's the brood stock, we need to keep them swimming and making more drummies!

I'll keep one or two pups every other year or so when I get one the right size, even though VA allows me 5 a day. Never anything over 25 inches though.


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## *BRANDON* (Dec 2, 2001)

I would realease it too because that is more drum you catch later. I release every thing i catch anyways. Except if i cought state record or world record.


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## FAST EDDIE (Nov 14, 1999)

The law says you can keep five drum between 18 and 27 inches, with one of your five over the 27 inch upper limit. I wouldn't fault someone for keeping their limit if they were gonna eat em all. That said, I don't see any reson to keep a fish over 27 inches. Like the good Doc says - these are the brood stock that keep the population alive. Let em go to grow and breed!!

I would like to see an active effort to change the Virginia regs eliminating the keeping of any drum over 27 inches. I'm told they don't taste as good as the smaller pups anyway.

I did keep the smallest of the bunch we caught the other weekend (my first drum kill EVER) and BOY WAS IT GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!


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## Rob Holtz (Jul 29, 2000)

The ASMFC is about to change the FMP for Red Drum with amendment 2. One of the things they are doing is not allowing any Red Drum over 27" to be kept. This will be a coastwide regulation. Look for VA to act on this within the next 3 or 4 months.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Thanks for the responses. I have been given [email protected] by my buddies for releasing fish but if I aint eating it I aint keeping it. Now I just have to wait for the day I get to watch that big red swim back out to sea.


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## Salty (Jan 10, 2000)

Its bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad and even bad karma to keep a cow red- use to be a saying- "if you keep your first, you'll never get a second".   


I'm with Bubba- I'll keep maybe one or two a year- and they are usually both between 20-24".


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

I like to eat little ones ocasionally, maybe 1 to 2 a year. I'm glad about the news of tighting the regulations. I have one exception though the record fish and this I think would be easy to allow take the lenght of a record fish back down 2 or 3 % and set that as a throphy lenght(say 60 inches was the record allow 58 inch fish and up). Alowing that size fish to be kept trying for a record. I believe at that end of the spectrum the fertility of the fish would be questionable anyway. And a rarity anyway.


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

Actually Salty one per life time. The other is an idea. Or maybe tags like FL does for Tarpon, but on a National level.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Good info this is what i was looking for. Thats a interesting idea Digger,not sure how it would work but its a idea at least. What is the deal with the tags? I'm not familiar with it.


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## Jake Ace (May 4, 2000)

It's too bad you get the business from your buddies for throwing fish back.

You don't even want to know all the names that Kimoslobby and I get called for tagging and releasing keeper-sized flatfish.

Even with flounder, which is far more catchable for the average angler than redfish, we keep just 1 fish each per weekend, and we "always" eat it that night.

But oh, the nasty looks and mumbled slurs we get, I wouldn't wish those on anyone.

On a separate note, and this would probably be hard, but I wonder why they don't have a "release citation" on flounder? There must be a reason.

Throw "most" back,

Jake Ace


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

Jake I know about the looks and comments you recieve. I have had quite a few sent my way. I have been told "if you don't want it I'll take it" alot.
Cdog in Fla to keep a tarpon you need to purchase a tag @ $50.00. 
For Drum I believe it could work as well. Several options could be explored. My big thing is how would someone feel to have caught the World Record fish(snook as well) and not be able to register it. The slot appears tobe a very method of managing fish, it protects the breders well and still allows people to catch a keep the better eating fish.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Digger thanks for the info, it sounds like a good idea in theory but I'm worried about people abusing it. Coarse I've seen people keep 14" puppy's and they act like they wanna kick your arse for informing them that they shouldn't cuz its illegal. 

Jake the way I figure it from my buddies to the guy that called me a [email protected] idiot for releasing a 27" drum they just ticked cuz you are catching an releasing fish they cant catch.


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## Jake Ace (May 4, 2000)

Kimoslobby and I tend to cause much consternation amongst the masses whenever and where-ever we fish.

This despite the fact that we are very open about what we're doing and how we're doing it when we're out there and give a lot of lures away to younger and/or novice saltwater fisherman.

I've fished with and around Salty a few times with the same peanut-gallery feedback.

In fact, here's a typical "Salty Fishing Day", or perhaps, a "Jake Ace and Kimoslobby Fishing Day". Those of you who've fished with Salty can relate wholeheartedly.

Scene: Camera pans over water and rises up from the bowels of the pier pilings to reveal Salty flipping a jig.

There are 20 people fishing. No one is catching anything or has caught anything in several hours.

Within 3-casts and using an outer-space type jig head and plastic grub, Salty decks and releases a fish ... 

Camera pans to the other fisherman and the wailing and gnashing of teeth begins.

End scene, fade out.

Throw "most" back,

Jake Ace


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

I know what you mean. I have, I think one day I out fished Salty and that day he was kicking a 70lb cow nosed ray's arse (on a jig) and broke it off to give me room for a 78lb 12 oz Cobia.


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## Salty (Jan 10, 2000)

I know all about the ugly looks... you should see the looks you get when you toss back 5-8lb trout, or just completely ignore the peanut gallery. What really bugs me though is the people that want to keep your illegal fish- that just ticks me off.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Not to change the subject from maroons.  but my "friend" and I got into a discussion regarding size vs age for drum. In Docs earlier post he said a 50" drum was prolly 50 yrs old. Does anyone know where I can find info on drums rate of growth,reproduce age etc.?


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## Jake Ace (May 4, 2000)

Funny you should ask. There's an article in the Local Section of the Daily Press today (Sunday 5.26.02) about an ODU Scientist conducting age research on Black Drum.

It centers around the inner-ear bone and rings that are laid annually in that bone, like tree growth rings.

Jist is Black Drum can live 60 to 65 years.

Throw "most" back,

Jake Ace


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

here's a little info, Cdog........
http://www.odu.edu/sci/cqfe/age&growth/Red%20Drum/reddrum.htm


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

I'm all in favor of dropping the limit in Va. to one or two small fish per day (5 is too stinking many) and putting a tag system in place for big reds--one big one allowed per year for those who really want it, but only to holders of tags (sort of like deer tags).

All fees collected would go to red drum conservation and stocking programs. Thousands of people would buy them just to have them in their tackle bags "in case", even if they weren't intending to keep their one big one per year.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Hey Doc thanks for the info,I did a google search and found some good sites.Got my house pretty much in order so hopefully now I can do some fishing.

Sandflea I am in agreement with you. Protect the fish and it pays to learn more about them at the same time.


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## Weakfish Warrior (Jul 15, 2001)

I agree, because it pisses me off when a novice catches a puppy, and mistake it for a Big croaker, and refuses to put it back, and the process is repeated only this time it is a bigger fish!!


TIGHT LINES & MAY THE REGULATIONS INCREASE!!!


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## smb (Jun 4, 2002)

Erlier this spring I watched,while catching herring for bait on walkers dam.A man caught a very large striper.He walked it up to the store and registerd it for a catch and release citation.20 min. later,after lots of large stipes had been released he returned.Threw the fish in the water in front of us and we all watched it float away dead.Should there be some course of action for that? Should the registration station be responsible in part? They knew that fish was dead.should each fishermen have the power to police each other? That could get ugly.Striper season was closed at the time.I release 99% of what I catch.Fresh and salt.I know not everyone is going to be honest,we are fishermen after all.Just kidding.It is scarry to think that we are fishing among some of them.Think about what that person would do to you or for you if you were in trouble offshore.Don't keep em all,just what you will eat.I don't think keeping a fish here or there is going to do that much damage,but destroying any fish for a peice of paper is a total waste.


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

If the season is closed then no Citation will be issued. Also a C&R citation the fish is not required and not recomended. If you wish to report this type of behavior call 1-800-541-4646 they would most likley respond. The Store should not issue such paper work with the fish out of the water.


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## smb (Jun 4, 2002)

Just spoke with vgif.you can legaly get a freshwater catch and release citation.The person I spoke with said she thinks ,salt water citations are different.I have not checked with that agency as yet .Thanks for the number .used it this morning.saw three young men wading around mayo island snagging and keeping flathead catfish.Probably will weigh in for citations.they caught 8 ,very large fish.All snagged in the belly, I was not far from them.I released 12 smallmouth ranging from 13-15 inches.There are tons of them and a blast to catch.


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## FAST EDDIE (Nov 14, 1999)

SMB - welcome to the board. You're right about the smallmouths on the James. I just started fishing for them last summer and have really enjoyed the excellent fishery here in Richmond.

I gernerally fish from Pony Pasture down to Mayo Island. That's alot of water to cover, yet every time I fish (it doesn't matter what time of day), I'm always able to find the smallies ready, willing, and able to take my baits. The river is loaded with HEALTHY bass. Most of the ones I catch are in the 10 - 12 inch range, but a real blast on ultra-light spinning tackle. The largest I've nailed has been a 16 incher.

I'm considering picking up a fly rod / reel to start fishing clousers and streamers for 'em. What a blast that'll be.

Look for me down at the Rivah - I'll be the one wearing the fly fishing vest and fishing soft plastics..........

Tight Lines


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

Ed, 

you're so damn ate up wid it, you'll be going on ice fishing charters this winter


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## smb (Jun 4, 2002)

grew up in cleveland,fished a frozen lake erie many times.


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