Conference wahoo::fishing

    I looooooove it!!!
    
    Will there be a booth at the Outdoor Expo making personalized "please
    release me" tags?  
    
    Steve

    I agree, to tag a fish unneedingly is an injustice not only to the
    fish, but an insult to the next angler landing the fish. If the
    tags were truly made of plastic I doubt very seriously if another
    fish could digest such a thing (i.e. different than a plastic/rubber
    worm). If I ever found such a fish I believe I would remove the
    tag, attempt to identify the tager and send him his ten piece tag
    back with a nasty gram and a c.c. to his local Fish & Game warden.Tom
    Mann, Jr. or no Tom Mann Jr.
    
    
    john

    I saw that show also, and also it made me sick that he put HIS name
    on the fish he caught.
    
    I agree, let's tag Tom Mann Jr.!!!
    
    PS. I hope we never see a tag that says "Caught by the Legend, put
    me back"  ;-)  ;-)
    
    Erik

     Couldn't agree more with you guys on this one, although I can't
    say that's always the case. Tagging fish, such as the anadromous
    fish study programs, can yield vital information on a species. The
    hoped for result is a better, more healthy fishery and it works.
    Tom Mann isn't makin' it, in my book.
     As far as catch and release goes, the recent "Fly Fisherman" does
    an interesting study on the Ausable in Michigan, and there is evidence
    to support that fish actually flourish more in an environment where
    it's o.k. to keep some.
     Personally, I don't keep Bass, because I don't eat 'em. I'll keep
    some of the few Steelhead I catch because I do. Also, since each
    state has creel limits for each species which supposedly will allow
    those who wish to do so to keep x number of fish without jeopardizing
    the fishery, I think it's up to the individual to exercise his own
    discretion. Unless you're going to mount a fish or eat it, it doesn't
    seem reasonable to keep it, to me; but for those of you who do use
    your fish and don't exceed state guidelines, who am I to gainsay
    this.
     One final point - a yardstick I use is to watch the license fees;
    if they rise dramatically and creel limits stay the same, then we're
    probably paying more than our share to allow guys who keep fish
    to do so. 
     Great comment to start this whole thing off, and well thought out.
    
    The Iconoclastic Skoal Bandit

>>    PS. I hope we never see a tag that says "Caught by the Legend, put
      me back"  ;-)  ;-)
    
 NOT TO WORRY!  Those tags are too big for what the Legend catches!

	I think you missed the point as to why he was tagging the
	fish with the message.  I agree, maybe his name on the tag
	was/is a bit much, but his reasons for tagging are valid.

	Maybe he could have left his name off the tag, and in its 
	place used Div of F & G, with permission for example.

	Did you pick up the fact that he was catching Spotted Bass?
	Did you pick up the fact that in that lake anyway the spotted
	bass population was/is on the decline, and that part of the 
	reason may be due to people not practicing "catch and release"?  
	Did you pick up on the fact that, while he was working on his 
	own, he does have the support of the Div of Fisheries and Wildlife 
	in that area/state.  Did you pick up on the fact that he keeps 
	reports on his catches, and provides the Div of Fisheries and 
	Wildlife with the info?  

	His purpose is not to put his name on all fish he catches, as .0 
	might have interpreted. He does so with and for the purpose of 
	wildlife management.

	If what he said was true regarding the declining population of 
	spotted bass in that particular lake is true, and his efforts are
	are successful in helping to bring back the population, I support his 
	efforts 100%.  If catching one with a tag, and reading its message 
	is going to possible make someone think twice about keeping the fish, 
	then I'm all for it.

	Bryan who also watched that particular show and is expressing his 
	opinion on the subject matter.
    

I saw the show as well and I guess I've got mixed feelings.  On one hand, 
I'd say that Mann was on a little ego trip...."lookee here at all these bass 
I caught!"  I mean...they've got his name on them! Wow!  (As I recall, he 
said he's tagged over 1000!)

On the other hand, I can understand and certainly appreciate his 
justifications for attempting to restore the declining population.  And 
sure...he could have done it without personalizing the tags.  But if someone 
were to catch a tagged fish and had intentions of throwing them in the fry 
pan, would the tag REALLY stop them?  I doubt it.  I would think a he'd be 
more successful at driving home his point through some type of campaign 
conducted with the help of local bass clubs and Fish & Game.

It was fun watching him catch them, though.  But...owww...that needle was 
BIG!

-Joe-

    I saw the show also.  I tend to agree with the last few replies.
           
    Granted, putting his name on the fish does seem a bit egotistical, 
    but  "Tom Mann Jr." on it is a little different than having "Joe Schmoe"
    on it.  He's probably somewhat of a hero amongst the local fisherman. 
    He's been doing well on the B.A.S.S. Tournament Trail lately, and his 
    father's sure popular enough.
           
    They led us to believe that the tag would not hurt the fish at all,
    if that's the case, and what he's doing helps, then why not...  
  
    Catching a 'release me' tagged fish like that wouldn't bother me at all.
    I'd appreciate the fact that someone else had released it so that I could 
    could catch and release it again.  I seriosuly doubt that it would become
    popular for the average fisherman to put their name on all the bass they
    catch -- it'd be too expensive.  Unless of course tackle manufactures 
    start supplying them -- "Please Release me, I was caught by Joe Schmoe, 
    on a Mann's Augertail Worm, Call 1-800-BUY-MANNS for details!"
    
    Don Mac

   I raised the issue in .0, and have read the replies so far.
   I still feel the same, but some of the replies have good
   points, too. I gathered that Tom Mann Jr. was a bit of a hero
   or "legend" (ha) down in Georgia, and I believe he felt he
   was using his status to influence others, which, of course is 
   good. I also think there was a bit of the ego trip there, too, 
   but that's opinion. I did tape the program, so I watched it 
   again, and they most definitely expressed the hope that the
   practice of tagging would catch on in other areas - that's
   what scared me the most and led to my speculation on fishing
   in the future. If people that fish that lake are so dense (or out
   of reach of the fishing shows) that they have to resort to tags,
   so be it, but PLEASE let's not make a fad of it everywhere.
   (and, if the heroes start tagging fish, will the hero-worshippers
   be far behind? Not if they want to be like... Tom Mann Jr.!)
    
   All of the fishing shows I have seen *actively* promote catch
   and release, so I expect people who idolize the fishing gurus
   have caught on to the idea, and more will continue to do so in 
   the future. I am very glad of that, but, like all trends, there
   is a danger that some will take it too far. It should be a 
   philosophy, not a doctrine. The main  idea, I thought, was to
   minimize the pressure on the fish, respect them, their environment,
   and leave things pretty much as you found them. If that's the
   idea, then putting artificial tags on every fish you catch, just
   to further repeat the growing message of catch and release, is
   overdoing it. I hope this doesn't get like the smiley-face "Have 
   a nice day!" or "Baby on board" fads... it could backfire...
   "Release me - Joe Shmoe Jr, ha! I'll keep'm an see how Joe
   Schmoe Jr likes THAT!" It's possible...

   Ed (leave-em-like-you-found-em-or-put-em-on-the-wall)
      (ok-maybe-eat-em-once-in-a-while)
      (but-not-during-spawning-season)

     I have to admit that I missed the fact that Tom Mann jr. was
    conducting this tagging program with the blessing of the State Fish
    and Game Dep't. As long as it's o.k. with them, it's o.k. with me
    because their implied goals are to provide well managed and viable
    fisheries for every species of sportfish. I think he should be using
    State F&G tags, which are less controversial and probably more liable
    to influence "fence sitters" to throw back a fish, rather than keep
    it but that's just my opinion. Certainly every guide ought to be
    concerned about issues like this which affect their ability to make
    a living. Unfortunately, there are a lot of jerks out there (guides
    and "sportsmen"), but if I get started on this it will turn into
    a filibuster on The Myth of the American Sportsman. That being the
    case, I think I'll just get on my Flexible Flyer and "let it slide".
    
    The Slightly Misinformed Skoal Bandit.

    I just got off the phone with Duncan McInnes, Chief of Inland Fisheries
    for the State of N.H.. Good old Duncan says, "It's illegal for anyone
    to tag any fish in the state of N.H. unless the person or group
    has a scientific permit from the state and has undergone proper
    training by N.H. Fish & Game. Now that we are armed with our
    information, lets protect those bass.

    I think it stinks. I saw the show too and will never buy another
    MANNS JELLYWORM. I never caught anything on em anyway. 
    
                                                        NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~

    
    Don't stop buying Mann's products.  Tom Mann Sr (not the offending
    Jr.) sold that company a year or two ago.
    
    I forget the name of his latest company, they make Kangaroo worms
    which is pretty obvious if you watch his (T.M. Sr.) show.
    
    Steve