The Alarming Number Of Anglers Who Are Keeping And Eating Bass..

Randy talks about largemouth bass that are getting eaten…#bass #catchandrelease #fishinglife #fishingtrip #angler #bassfishing #fishing #fishingdaily #fish #fishingdaily
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[@dannybarker442]

Randy, how can you expect people to release their fish when Professional Bass Tournaments across the country are still pulling bass off of their beds and parading them up on a stage for long periods of time without being in the water? Take a look at the recent videos on the Bass Tournament that was recently held on Lake Okeechobee with Scott Martin and others parading their catch on stage. Scott and his dad Roland should be ashamed of themselves along with the tournament organizers. That is bullshit to do that and there should be a law against letting it happen. The mortality rate for those fish is very high. You know that and so do I. Tournament organizers don't care for anything but the all-mighty dollar. Doomsday is coming soon to public fisheries and the only bass to be caught anywhere will be on private waters.

[@kennethbrautigam2119]

Yes! Our waters will CONTINUE to decline...

[@randyblaukatintuitive]

Thats what I said in the video

[@Eastwoodyoga]

Randy Blauket im sleeping with your wife

[@arciefan]

No, that is not what you said in the video. You talked about fish perishing from being caught deep with livescope. Big, big difference from what this man said.

[@van3158]

I catch plenty of bass at my local lake, and I always toss em back. 🤷‍♂️ trout I eat.

[@Richard-tt7fi]

If it wasn’t for bass, mullet, Specs etc. with dried beans & rice i would have starved to death as a child. If you fish and you are hungry then eat up.

[@ajbertschy8427]

I think we need to start limiting these multiple 200 boat tournaments every dang weekend

[@nickdigrino4423]

And consider dedicating certain fisheries for "non-tourney fishing only." And it is not uncommon for some states to establish AND ENFORCE limits on some of their public lakes.

[@berrymanmontgomery7875]

AMEN BROTHER, THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

[@bradleyrussell1973]

We do in most places

[@bradhensley1134]

100 percent agree

[@jaym8257]

Most bass fishermen release the fish. There is not a greater example of a meat lake than Toledo Bend. Yet they caught the hell out of them in the MLF tournament last week. There is a lot of water out there. Hence a lot of habitat for fish. Your everyday fisherman won't make a dent. And I am not into the elitist attitude from tournament fishermen and guides who worry about the dude who catches and keeps fish. Randy, outrage and click bait.

[@Justin-zw1hx]

as he always does

[@chrismichaelson5668]

I completely agree with you and disagree with Randy. Some of us fish for the same reason we hunt, to feed our families. I don't over fish, I fish for what we need. Just because he sees it as it is affecting his tournament and he can't necessarily go out and catch giants every time, who cares. Tournaments probably, I have no data, but they probably kill more fish just from stress. I agree with his stance of FFS but I don't agree with him on this.

[@timmarkowicz779]

Smaller, natural lakes nearer to urban areas can and do get fished down heavily compared to the gigantic reservoir/impoundments around the country. It's really tough to catch quantities or large fish of any species in these bodies of water. Not only does harvest reduce fish populations, a lot of people don't have the expertise to release fish unharmed, lowering their survivability, especially live bait fisherman who allow fish to swallow hooks. A lot of these lake are literally surrounded by lakefront homes whose owners not only fish, but demand that all the aquatic vegetation by pulled up by the roots and disposed of so as not to impede their other watersport activities, reducing spawning habitat and protection for forage and young fish. Combine all these factors and you get a mediocre fishery. I release everything I can.

[@andybales7318]

​@@chrismichaelson5668so, u are saying you MUST keep & eat Bass? Do u really have to kill & eat the #1 sport fish?

[@Justin-zw1hx]

It's a free country, do whatever you want to do within the boundary of rules/laws, honestly, if there is an issue with the population of the fish, the Fish and Game Department will work on it. @@andybales7318

[@scottgoffinet6936]

Catching bass to feed a family is more honorable than catching bass for sport

[@ozarksbuckslayer2484]

Amen. The people who don't eat fish have zero business being out there fishing in the first place. It takes a lot of nerve to tell us we're the problem and we need to be policed way harder. They make up the majority and they're the problem. There most certainly wouldn't be a problem at all if the hypocrites who falsely claim we're the problem were taken out of the equation. That's a fact.

[@timmarkowicz779]

One way kills bass and the other way kills less bass....

[@ozarksbuckslayer2484]

@@timmarkowicz779 It's a proven fact that catch and eat fishermen kill less bass. Catch and release fishermen should all be cited on the spot for wanton waste.

[@ColorblindBullpup]

That makes zero sense. If a c&r fisherman catches 10 fish statistically 1 fish will most likely die (1.6 but you cant kill half a fish). If a c&e fisherman catches 10 fish and they are all keepers they all die. If they are not keepers you would still be killing more fish. Don't lie because your upset at c&r fisherman. We all know people who keep fish to eat are more likely to keep fish over limit and undersized. I mean they literally brag about it all over social media. Im not opposed to eating bass or any other fish but y'all are doing way more damage than catch and release ever will.

[@timmarkowicz779]

I'll keep a few panfish or walleyes to eat occasionally but I'll only keep a bass if it's bleeding badly and I know it is not going to survive if I release it.

[@paddlepedalproductions5452]

same for me. I keep Crappie if I'm fishing fresh water, specs, reds, and flounder if salt. The only bass I've kept in the last 5 years since I started fishing again was a bass the choked on a three treble hook crank bait and was torn up inside.

[@unbalancedredneck5778]

I’d bet far more Bass die to tournament fishing than people eating them. I personally don’t care for the taste of Bass anyway. The only ones I keep are the gut hooked fish that will die anyway.I believe the kayak guys have it right on the tournament side. Go by length not weight. Take a photo on a measuring board then release them immediately.

[@timmarkowicz779]

I HATE people who WASTE fish. A guy I worked with was from Marshall, Missouri. He would go back home on vacation, catch a hundred bass and crappies, and filet and freeze them all. Then, before he went on vacation the following year, he would try to give away a hundred freezer burnt bass and crappie filets.

[@gucciman4380]

I see this on lake Erie all the time, I HATE these types of fisherman.

[@oldschoolbassin]

Pretty sure I know that guy!

[@robertpatterson3406]

ever heard of vaccum sealing ?

[@timmarkowicz779]

@@robertpatterson3406 If you're not going to starve to death without them, why keep so many? I mean, regardless of your food saver saavy.

[@robertpatterson3406]

@@timmarkowicz779 Sir I was just offering a solution to not wasting fish , people are going to do what they do regardless of what others think . I am not a fish hoarder I do a lot of panfishing in early spring and that supply’s my family with fish for the year , we usually run out before the end of the year but none of my harvest is wasted .

[@edwardgrobe2848]

Every state requires a license to fish. The proceeds from the sale of fishing license's goes towards restocking the lakes. So, if a license cost me money, then it's my right to keep fish for food. Most lakes in Texas have slot limits and or length limits and number of fish per day. Tournaments have killed their share of bass via stress, not to mention tourny guys taking bass off their nest and leaving the bass minnows exposed to predators. If your truly serious about bass conservation, there would be tournament santions put in place. One tournament per year per lake. Bass weighed in the boat and immediately released where they were caught.

[@DennisMorgan-ls8sc]

Now you know more than all of the biologists. I eat crappie but Its a whole lot better for a family with young children to eat a few small bass they catch for supper as the biologists studies indicate to do than a 300 boat tournament with 10 bigger bass carried in livewell all day and the mortality rate of 40%. 3000 bass times .40 equals 1200 bass killed each large bass tournament.

[@Steve-ev6vx]

He wants the bass to be for professional tournament anglers only.

[@randyblaukatintuitive]

If you watch the video, you would’ve noticed that I talked about tournament anglers towards the end

[@DennisMorgan-ls8sc]

@randyblaukatintuitive I watched the video but you waited till the end to barely mention the issue in passing without any data.

[@bigc8018]

Maybe it's because he had a brief moment of realization that as a participant at the highest levels for over 50 years, he actually was a big contributor to what he now rales against. I remember back when he had his aluminum boat rig and he did tons of videos about how a 100K bass boat was ridiculous and aluminum was just as good. However, I see that his present boat is definitely fiberglass and I'd have to think that retail that would be 85K plus. Why the switch? Yea, I know that is a rhetorical question. I just would have liked to have seen a video on why he switched back.

[@berrymanmontgomery7875]

AMEN

[@indianabass]

The problem where I live is not me harvesting bass from time to time, it's tournament after tournament in which dead bass are plopped back in the lake, after the weigh-in... as if they will magically resurrect.

[@RonnieSprangerJr]

I agree with you, I have seen it first hand way too many times here in northeast Indiana

[@Instynctofficial]

I used to always catch and release, especially bass. i would look at people who caught and kept as some primative people and never understood it. Up until I learned myself how to cook and fry, I now cant wait to go and catch a few bass and fry up some fillet. I obviously wont keep if I'm fishing by myself. I only keep if I'm visiting my grandma, or I go with my dad. When I will own a boat I definitely wont come empty handed unless I'm fishing a tournament.

[@geneodato6240]

I think we need to reduce the number of tournaments on our lakes and rivers. Raystown Dam in PA has 125 fishing tournaments every year. That has to be hard on the fish.

[@dustinwright4601]

I fish the grand lake wolf creek boat ramp with livescope every weekend to get my limit of bass to take home and eat, great place since all the tournament releases.. I’m so excited for the classic so I can find new fishing spots

[@Mark-ct3zc]

I like how when people disagree with Randy he always says “you didn’t watch the whole video.” No Randy, they did watch the whole video. That’s why they are disagreeing with you.

[@samsportsman929]

Amish in north Missouri keep everything they catch, size or limits don’t apply to them, they see it as gods gifts to eat

[@ZZ430T56]

I don't know where these bass eaters are from, but they certainly are in the minority and VERY rare. I have been fishing over forty years and never seen people keep bass. No "real" bass fisherman eats their bass catch. Certainly you don't need $4k worth of electronics to catch a limit. And the FEW (probably poor) people keeping five bass are not hurting the population. And if you buy a license and are legal, you have very right to keep and eat what you want. Forever fishing was to provide food for families. Not for sport. Yes some tribes and commercial fishing have decimated the fisheries but we have learned from that and changed rules. I know you admit it how all the tournaments are hurting spawns and mortality. That is where we need to look. I bet there are more bass deaths from one weekend of tournaments than a year of these so called "fish eaters". You are wrong and on the verge of angler harassment at this point. No facts to back up any of YOUR OPINIONS.

[@drivenbyarchery8676]

Well said

[@nickolauszeiger9698]

Weed killer, Wakeboard boats, jet skiing

[@arngreencare8955]

Properly used weed killer won't hurt fish. It's the people who use it incorrectly, (most people...)

[@anthonyserrano7782]

Fish that are consumed as food for the table are not wasted.

[@waterdog3978]

“Sustainability “ is spending gas to catch bass, letting them go, then buying a fish from the store that has ridden on a diesel truck across America??? Yeah right.

[@lisaannaallen6283]

if we catch and eat more bass then maybe we will not have so many a hole bass fishermen

[@jefferystovall9617]

I have the effects of not catching and releasing. At one time on the Ouachita river only allowed to keep on smallmouth bass. I remember going to river i was kid a catching several smallmouth a day. Then something changed on the river and smallmouth numbers went down severely. I moved back Arkansas this last June. I am seeing the fishing getting better.

[@user-dv6ps2iq3v]

He’s right we need to ban bass fishing tournaments. Tournament fisherman treat fishing as a sport and fish 3-4 days a week . They use the best technology money can buy to try to place higher in tournaments. The bass regularly catch treble hooks to the eye ball or gills, rip a big hole in the fishes lip. The tourney guys put the fish back in the water so they claim the fish is fine.

[@MrAngler21]

I’m a catch and release fisherman 99% of the time unless I’m camping and need a meal that happens to be fish. I don’t think it’s fair to judge licensed anglers that abide by the limit laws to feed their family. Ofcourse I would rather them be released but there are many tournaments and other reasons why bass or any species are potentially suffering. Just my 2 cents.

[@ronaldciterone4134]

Randy you are so right! Hopefully fisheries managers should tighten up on all of the groups you mentioned.

[@robertdtimmerman]

I agree with Randy on 90% of his points in video. The raising of funds part I’m not too keen on. Let’s try private fund raising first. Let’s start with all tournament winnings are now expected to give 5% of their winnings to a fund that Fish and Wildlife will use to restock lakes and hire additional game enforcement. Let’s hold fund raising events or merchandise sales with all profits going to the fund. The last thing I want to get involved in our sport is the Imperial Federal Government. I have 3 lakes in my neighborhood that I personally have spent thousands of dollars on shiners and minnows for the fish over the last 6 years. I have caught small Bass from several other lakes throughout my city and if they passed the physical test, I turned them loose in my neighborhood. Now 6 years later, fish that were not even 1 pound when I caught them are now 3 and 4 lbs. it can be done, but only if those at the top of the sport give a little back to the sport that made them famous.

[@bigc8018]

One of the odd dichotomies of Randy's assertions is that he rails against the lack of action/production/enforcement/etc of government agencies. Yet, he inevitable believes MORE government is the answer to the problem that, in his opinion, caused the problems in the first place. His "logic" does tend to leave one a bit flummoxed as to his positions. Perhaps a poor analogy, but its sort of like treating a bacterial infection by adding more of the same bacteria that caused the infection to begin with.

[@hughshepard2676]

Thank you for voicing your opinion on conservation of our resources and a funny thing that the other You - Tuber's will not address this issue. Please don't stop on this subject because we the outdoors men need to be better informed and thank you for what you do.

[@berrymanmontgomery7875]

Randy, how about talking to your Game and Fish and asking them to stock the lake a little heavier. Oh, I forgot you know more than them. lol

[@brandonelliott5345]

My uncle has a 6 acre pond and the missouri conservation told him to maintain a healthy bass population he needed to take 100 bass a year out of it.

[@colby0082]

And if he wants to grow trophy largemouth he should keep anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds an acre per year.. the notion that you can just let them manage themselves in a small body of water is ludicrous

[@garymoore7445]

I retired from the Florida Wildlife Commission 12 years ago and I worked checking boats and catches along the Gulf Coast. Granted it was saltwater but there was a mindset I could not understand. For a reason I cannot remember, fuel costs rose to a ridiculous level and I started noticing people with more and more fish being harvested. During our conversations, there was a general consensus that was revealed, "The price of gas has gone up so I am keeping everything I catch to make up for it." My answer back to them was, "Just because the gas prices rose significantly doesn't mean that this resource owes you anything." Simple as that. Some understood, most didn't. I could never understand this mindset. Cut your nose off despite your face....

[@randyblaukatintuitive]

Good point

[@WegoFishing352]

Totally agree with you Randy!

[@thundley4]

I live in central Illinois and fish at Clinton Lake quite often. It's not unusual to see groups of 4 or 5 people get out of one vehicle to go bank fishing. They keep every fish they catch.

[@HeyTurdFerguson]

The hot ditch?

[@joe69trump69]

Did you go ask for advice on how to catch a limit of fish? By the way we call them hillbillies.

[@teamflanneloutdoors5631]

And they don’t speak our language and probably can’t read or do not care what the regs are. Buts that a whole other conversation.

[@HeyTurdFerguson]

@joe69trump69 nope! My old Army buddy live in New Berlin. I've been to that power plant ditch. It's full of big crappie.

[@allboatnotackle3698]

Hey Neighbor, I live north of you in Princeton, IL. Was down that way last summer and found a hidden gem , Weldon Springs. Check it out

[@astrophysicistguy]

Unfortunately you have only presented antecodal data. I have not seen any scientific, peer reviewed studies showing that recreational fisherman are over harvesting bass which is causing a decline in the bass population. Making these kinds of unsupported accusations can create the illusion of an issue that does not actually exist and diverts attention away from actual documented problems that need to be addressed. The unregulated continual out-of-control growth of tournaments, combined with the refusal to eliminate ‘live-well’ events has been and continues to be, the #1 threat to fishery sustainability as compared top all other issues COMBINED. Please use your platform to bring attention to the actual issues facing fishing sustainability which is NOT some 70 year olds keeping some bass to eat or FFS. Both of these are just red herrings as seen through teh lens of a life long tournament fisherman …

[@timothybrennan3600]

Is there peer reviewed data to support that bass tournaments threaten fishery sustainability more than all other issues combined?

[@frankcouste4785]

The problem is all the tournaments that they have can’t put this on the people at decide to keep a few bass

[@jeffreysmith350]

Successful tournament fishing pro turned professional bass fishing troll!

[@wingmanrr]

Hey Randy, Always was a catch n release guy, but my chinese wife always give me a hard time, she loves fish. Here in FL they changed to to asking people to eat the smaller easier to replace fish. What's your thought on that? Truly a shame to take a large bass that took years and years to reach that size, but what about the culling of smaller fish to help support the quality of a body of water with more available food, sorce etc? Thanks

[@stevegerber835]

Livescope helps me fill the freezer with bass.

[@joe69trump69]

😂

[@slaytanicx7633]

I've said many times before, we are stewards of nature. Not dictators of it. Wild life doesn't need us, we need it.

[@Pineforgeknives]

Randy I love your videos but this is the best argument against tournament fishing I’ve heard. Before tournaments fish flourished and people kept and ate them all

[@NightwingGR1]

BINGO!!! Talk about being blind to the truth, this video is a perfect example.

[@tremaineangus6474]

The DNR sets the limits. If you want to keep the legal number, have at it. If the population suffers, talk to the DNR. Have them lower the limits. Pro and amature anglers kill and mame more fish than the people eating them. Nothing against tournament anglers. Just sayin.

[@teamflanneloutdoors5631]

As a stream Smallmouth Bass fishing nut I never eat the Bronze Bomber but I do not hesitate to eat Largemouth. It’s a renewable resource. It’s literally a put and take fishery in the vast majority of public waters. I fish a small lake where the limit is 3 LM-2 under and 1 over a slot length. Few years ago I chased down a DNR shock boat to pick their brains on the fishery. The head biologist told me “too many Bass in this lake, people need to start keeping them”, to which I replied “I almost always do Sir”. A LM bass is akin to a catfish IMO-put&take, and don’t even get me started on those despicable tournaments, they make me wanna puke.

[@Justin-zw1hx]

honestly I don't have that much of happiness when I catch fish, but when I eat fish, I indeed feel happy, I eat any fish, including suckers and carps.

[@coldspring624]

As a very young boy I learned of a fish that was very abundant and fished heavily for its quality and flavor. I was sad to learn they no longer existed and I would never have the pleasure of catching one . That took place on a 9,990 square mile lake. Anyone that thinks a lake is a never ending fountain of fish better think again.

[@echails7900]

Bass are delicious

[@Jon45678]

I have seen first hand everything Randy talked about in this video (which had 5 ads by the way). Including the recent Bassmaster weigh in at Okeechobee where they were waving the bass around out of the water for way too long taking pictures. Used to live near a lake that was loaded with 4-5 pound smallmouth. Immigrants showed up and started keeping everything. In a couple years you were lucky to catch a 12 incher.

[@bigc8018]

That's because conservation has always been a gimmick in bass fishing. They don't let profit and good photos stand in the way of potentially killing bass.

[@tr889]

do not watch youtube without an adblocker

[@MichaelJones-rn2pq]

We are having a problem here in Nebraska with a demographics change in that many new anglers have no concept of the laws and conservation. We even had a bald eagle shot by a couple of guys who thought it might be good to eat. ANY fish caught is usually kept, regardless of regulations, which they cannot read.

[@twiliteagenda]

Responsible harvest was always ethical. Now as you state, demographics and world views are being altered. Every size and species of fish, crustacean, reptile, and amphibian goes in the dinner bucket. And FFS will hasten the depletion of our waters; It will be akin to how the Sharps Rifle enabled the decimation of fifty million bison. It’s a country filled with people who never learn from history.

[@Farmersforever1993]

Unfortunately in Nebraska the problem stems from migrants and other immigrants. I witness it all the time at local lakes. Wardens stop them they give up the fish and leave, an hour later they are back. It’s not that new anglers don’t read its a cultural difference. Where you catch any fish you eat. I know a hispanic family who’s family for generations was to fish for the village before they immigrated here, they still believe in that statement. Nebraskas fisheries have been destroyed longer than many realize. There was alot of mismanagement in many areas and now your starting to see it. Unfortunately Nebraska does have some good fishing but you have to be willing tp travel hours to fish or spends hours fishing every lake around you finf good fishing especially around the big cities.

[@MichaelJones-rn2pq]

@@Farmersforever1993 Those are exactly what I meant when I said "a demographics change."

[@johnnybstuddd4482]

I agree especially with walleyes, growing up the limit was 8, now it's 4. Perch used to be abundant now its rare to catch a perch. No one used to keep largemouth growing up but many asains and Hispanic fisherman now keep them

[@Steve-ev6vx]

The eagles in my neighborhood eat a lot of bass. It's the number one fish I see them with, were as the ospreys usually eat mullet

[@RGfishin57]

Good video Randy. Up here in mi. We have them good ole walleye. South East mi. We have detroit river, st clair river, Saginaw river. We Catch 10s of thousands of walleye to eat. But mi. And Ohio manage the heck out of the resource to be able to do that. With that said I do know folks that are meat esters any fish legal is going in the freezer. I know folks that buy big freezers and pack them full of fish and have to throw some away every year. Talked to a guide on Detroit river that 4 people in the boat and 2 ffs front and back had 24 fish nothing under 20 inches they were only keying on big fish. So it works on walleye too.

[@Jon45678]

That spring walleye run on the Detroit River is INSANE. Walleye and perch are the best eating freshwater fish. The bass eaters don’t know what they are missing.

[@FunkE.Fisherman]

Randy the ODWC is encouraging the harvest of Bass in Oklahoma waters. So much so that they have removed the length limit on bass in most state ran waters. They claim it is for the overall health of the fishery. Are you aware of this? I usually keep bass if I’m fishing on slot lakes but they have eliminated those. I keep spotted bass (no limit on size or numbers in Oklahoma) and of course I keep any dead bass I have during derbies. Not seeing the issue but maybe I’m wrong

[@bigc8018]

Of course, if you listen to anglers from Oklahoma, a good many of them think that ODWC are incompetent. Not uncommon for Josh Jones (who is from Ok, but fishes more in Texas) to bag on them in many of his videos.

[@Steve-ev6vx]

Florida eliminated a minimum length requirement on all black bass.

[@christophershelton1735]

I live in southwest Oklahoma and have seen this to at my local lake. Odwc telling us to keep some to help with the lake being full of dinks. I personally let all go and never eat them.

[@user-ey7iq9xg9n]

I agree with the last fellow below but on another note what are the Cormorants on these lakes doing to all fish species. They are getting ridiculously out of hand here in Ohio.

[@johnnywhite4341]

I wish all the local bass fisherman could sign a petition to voluntarily agree not to fish one or two of the smallest bays or coves during the bass spawn. Signs could be put up across the entrances. Signs stating that "x-amount" of local anglers and bass clubs have cooperatively agreed to not to fish the area within a specific date gap during the spawn. Something like this would result in a big boost to bass populations two to three years later down the road.

[@jefferystovall9617]

I also live in rural Arkansas. A lot of people around here eat bass.

[@ronniephelps1671]

milliken just caught a 13plus this wk n gave it to the TX sharelunker program,,to me,thats true conservatorship.

[@oscarwilson3929]

Preach on, brother. These issues have bothered me for years, be it largemouth, smallmouth, or mountain trout. Similar issues are also going on with inshore salt species along the south east coast (speckled trout, redfish, flounder, etc). There is ever increasing pressure, and a widespread culture of keeping anything that is legal-or even close. Often guys keep fish so they can get a pic for facebook or some BS that makes them feel accomplished. Many of the kept fish get freezer burn and eventually thrown in the trash. Of course commercial fishing regulation is also a major problem which compounds the problems. Luckily, there has recently began promotion of catch and release being pushed by prominent guides. I hope it catches on and spreads.

[@burgermeister3443]

Ive tried a crappie once and it sucked and dont have the appetite to try anything else from my local waters lol. Its more rewarding for me to just catch and release the fish right where i caught em.

[@davidrandallrobinson1074]

Lower the creel limits by at least half on all game fish. And lower the tournaments bag limits by half. If you do eat fish in your diet, you are reducing somebody's favorite game fish in fresh or salt water. Moderation is the key. When eating or treating them like poker chips. AND START STOCKING BASS! Missouri stocks trout and you need a special stamp and they have a lower creel limits and no culling .

[@jaym8257]

Do an in person interview with the chief fisheries biologist from Missouri. You can ask all the hard questions and we can get the both sides of the story and judge for ourselves. And it would expand your repertoire of content.

[@jaym8257]

@@Garminrules I'd go further and say some fishermen catching and keeping fish doesn't affect the population. In the same manner old guard Randy would like to see FFS banned from the new guys. Randy is now conveying he'd like to have old guard fishing for food, (the original reason for fishing) curtailed or at least fishermen be shamed, to save his perspective of what a healthy fishery should be. Some people just want to catch and eat a few fish.

[@brian9670]

There is a group of people in this world (usually more toward the elderly age group) who simply refuse to catch and release. The entire thought of it confuses them. Their mentality is "I caught it, I eat it!" I have has numerous people look at me crazy when I put a 4 lb bass back in the water..."AW BUDDY I WOULD HAVE ATE THAT!!"

[@Justin-zw1hx]

ate or eaten?

[@brian9670]

I live in the country, so it's ate

[@Justin-zw1hx]

I live in the country too, no one except my 5 year old sometimes says ate.@@brian9670

[@kennethbrautigam2119]

Yes! I just mentioned that...

[@nwjrbaits1261]

Dont know where that group is. My 60+ age group lets them go and is trying to teach the youngsters not to gut hook the fish. Most older people arent dumb. The people who keep everything are hungry or greedy. Age doesnt seem to play in whatsoever.

[@stevec1022]

So maybe state dept of natural resources should regulate tournaments better. Cause you can’t convince me that these tournaments are benefiting the bass populations

[@davehuggins5777]

I dont eat bass. I'll keep a few crappie or catfish to eat here or there but I see too much chemical runoff in the water and it's a fact that fish have high mercury content in our fresh water. It's simply not good for you to eat too many. Secondly, I think tournament anglers putting bass in their live wells and banging them around all day, then carrying them up on a stage and banging them around some more to go back out and release them far from where they came from are doing just as much damage to them as people who eat some. Just my opinion.

[@arngreencare8955]

Best fishing I've ever had was at unfished waters/ponds.

[@keithfuson7694]

To whom much is given, much is required. With superior electronics comes responsibility and self restraint and practicing preserving our fisheries.

[@leemo5864]

First I will eat crappie when I want to eat catch. Second Tournaments kill more fish than the few anglers who keep fish to eat. Come view the weigh in areas after many Tournaments held on Lanier especially in summer months.

[@bigc8018]

"My experience", "My buddies say", "I know", "from what I have heard"....................Randy, if this were a topic wholly unrelated to fishing, say a medication you were prescribed and you were "researching" it, would you feel that if this was the info. you could get, that would lend enough objective data that you would feel totally comfortable with taking it ??? I think many (most?) of us feel that when you get on these type of topics, how you feel and your visceral opinion closes the case for it being (whatever "IT" happens to be) "true".

[@bigc8018]

You poo-poo what you THINK the scientist studies are and say how they are conducted/ec. Rather than just SAYING it, why don't you go out and find out when studies are being conducted and ask to tag along with wildlife departments DURING the study so you can SHOW us, the viewers, what you THINK is happening? Your "well-my-wife's-second-cousin-is best-friends-with-a- neighbor=who has-a-brother-who-works-at-the-state-fishery" methodology of trying to establish credibility isn't really cutting it, dude. DOn't worry, your cell phone camera will be more than up to the task.

[@adammitchell3462]

I love bass fishing and never eat them. If an angler want to catch and cook, I would recommend catching some stock trout or maybe crappie. I always catch and release.

[@johnmcdaniel2536]

I haven’t kept or eaten a bass in over 20 years. That’s what cats and crappie are for. There have been a couple I’d have hung on the wall back then, but I have photos now and hopefully they are still swimming and breeding.

[@charliecfh]

Not that instances of poaching or wasting should be condoned, but people have been catching and eating bass forever. I eat them occasionally, but they're always small fish and I never keep more than we can eat in one sitting. My opinion is, as tournament organizations formed and rose up to parade around the country, ravaging one lake after another, tens of thousands of other aspiring pro anglers formed their own circuits and clubs to wreak havoc on their own local waters. I know for a fact I've seen more dead, post-tournament fish floating around, rotting away, than I have kept in my entire life.

[@lorenkrug]

It’s legal to eat bass

[@herbtudor5592]

I’ve tried bass many years ago and not worth keeping to me I keep pan fish as long as they are decent sized

[@garlandalmarode6396]

I don't bass fish, but I always liked the way bass taste. Good filets too. I now mostly throw any fish I catch back, but some people are going to eat some of the fish they catch. Just the way it is.

[@Steve-ev6vx]

If you can't make bass taste good then you can't cook. Bass is way better than a mushy little bluegill or crappy. No fish under 2 pounds is even worth messing with.

[@herbtudor5592]

@@Steve-ev6vx there’s no need to be rude and I only made a comment of my first time eating a bass and the only time and I know that there’s a way of preparing certain fish before cooking it.. I was only saying I’m happy with crappie and yellow and white perch and bluegills and I also eat striped bass and snakeheads and walleyes … I don’t have a problem with people keeping what they want to eat because some people depend on that .. where I live there is plenty of bass and catching them and it’s fun ..

[@Steve-ev6vx]

@@herbtudor5592 You're correct, I apologize. I was already in touchy mood over Randy's rage bait against "meat eaters." When I cook bass I usually cut the fillets into fingers, lightly bread, and fry until crispy hard in hot peanut oil. It's also the only fish I have found that gets better after cooling down, coming out of the grease. Right out of the grease it's kind soft and mushy, but tends to firm up as it cools. Salt is a must. Snakeheads are hands down the best I have had out of freshwater, slot like grouper or cusk eel.

[@herbtudor5592]

@@Steve-ev6vx that’s fine no problem and I understand !

[@edwardcowan7012]

I’m in PA and historically ice fishermen keep everything. With climate change we seldom get safe ice so generally the fishing has improved in the lakes that were previously popular with ice fishermen. The other heavily harvested fish are the stocked trout which are often stocked in places that aren’t suitable for them to live and enhances the bass fishing. There are a lot of private communities around me with small lakes and catch and release only has been becoming popular with the HOA’s that have recognized that good fishing is an attractive amenity.

[@kennethbrautigam2119]

Let's Go global warming!

[@edwardcowan7012]

@@kennethbrautigam2119 it’s not good

[@johnm2617]

In over 40 years their is only 1 place I take them < it's a private lake < loaded with 12-14 inches! So we take a few to help with stunting! It's been years since iv fished it

[@user-ro5rl5et5i]

In my state among bass boaters' at least: i see most mortality from dead fish in tournament livewells- I know it is area- specific; but-i would like to see anglers more informed about proper bass handling+ livewell care. Almost all of the "meat" anglers in my state are shore bound- or smaller craft fisherman.The majority of these anglers keep multi species& most of tbe bass lakes here have very little to no public shore acess. So keep pressure tends to be relegated to smaller park ponds& town parks.

[@bigc8018]

Regardless of how you handle the bass. anytime you catch them, put them in a box and drive up and down the lake all day with them in there, it's going to cause increased mortality. I don't care how much aeration, recircs, water changes, ice, buffering agents, 02 tanks, whatever. Its still going to kill more than just catching, weighing and releasing them.

[@gucciman4380]

This was a great video that needs way more views, people need to understand that bass are a limited resource and theres way better tasting fish in the water anyways.

[@Fishingike4888]

You go Randy, I’m with you ! Fish and game are not what they use to be, nothing is these days ! Immigrants play dumb to our laws and get away with, breaking the law. Scopers have to eat what they catch after spending all there money on FFS. The other guys feed there family game fish cause there too lazy to work. Come on guys quit whining and just do the right thing, for your kids and there kids. Its not about who’s telling you what you can and can’t do. Its about doing the right thing.

[@highjenks3d]

There has been a drop off in quality bass in my area and mostly due to habitat loss through human incursion

[@timothybrennan3600]

Interesting topic. You identify many of the issues that put a strain on the resource. Do you feel that putting more funding into enforcing the laws and regulations that are already on the books would allow the fisheries to remain healthy? Isn’t there such a thing as a possession limit? I guess what I’m asking is…..isn’t the system in place already…..just not enforceable? Education, enforcement, habitat management, fish care in tournaments, and stocking programs……that’s what it’s going to take. Cultural differences don’t make any difference……funding and enforcement. I fish a few tournaments and I’m meticulous about fish care. I practice catch and release when bass fishing, but have no problem with anglers keeping legal numbers of bass within the possession limit.

[@randymiller5008]

Tournament Anglers kill more fish than anyone else. I say , Stop ALL fishing Tournaments. That'll definitely help out our Resource.

[@clay7514]

My problem with spotted bass is that they don’t get to 7 or 8 pounds and they take food away from the largemouth that do get big.

[@garlandalmarode6396]

I may be wrong but the state of Virginia encourages and spotted bass caught to be kept and killed. Says they are not native and it hurts largemouth.

[@clay7514]

@@garlandalmarode6396 yes I’m in va and diascund creek reservoir was illegally stocked with spots and supposedly has hurt the size of the largemouth tremendously. I don’t fish there a lot but all the dgif reports say this

[@BobbyHawkins-kc8ik]

What stuies or recorded data to support your position other than your opinion?

[@fisherman7275]

He doesn't. He's turned into a manchild. To have a great fishery you have to harvest fish. Funny guys that have trophy fisheries harvest fish. Biggest myth I've found lately is Randy's fishing career.

[@berrymanmontgomery7875]

Yes he has become a grumpy old man because he can not win a tournament .@@fisherman7275

[@ozarksbuckslayer2484]

@@fisherman7275 That's exactly right. All of the recorded data proves the exact opposite of the absolute BS that was spewed out of his mouth.

[@OliverNgy]

Randy, I'd love to host you on the @BigBassDreams Live Stream with @AquaticBiologist to discuss this very important topic! You know I have a lot of respect for you and would love to have a conversation about it.

[@sleetherookie2929]

There you go Oliver, hope to see and hear on this discussion @BigBassDreams live stream soon. Play the game don’t hate the game.

[@christophershelton1735]

Oliver the bass hammer. Love your channel.

[@gummz84]

Stock more bass with license fees where is that money going?

[@knowitallfishing6990]

alabama bass are confused with northern spots. they are invasive and proven to disrupt lmb and sm fisheries. even though the fishing may suck that doesnt mean there arent fish in a lake. ive done some dive surveys in the past and the amount of bass in some of these lakes is unbelievable.

[@okiefish7066]

The only bass I will eat are spotted bass (kentuckys) and sand bass, I was taught we should never eat black bass as they are a sport fish and there are plenty of other species that can be eaten.

[@richardallen8465]

Grew up hunting and fishing. And put food on the table. I have no problem with it if within the rules and law. Taught the kids how to clean fish too.

[@janosczovek8524]

Agree with you 100 % I have seen this happen in Africa😅 people taking up to 50 bass at a time from the small to the biggest fish , on some big lakes you fish then you lucky if you catch 3 fish 😢

[@BruddaWUZ]

Otters have been a problem here is Southern NJ... they kill lots of fish.

[@Nate_Higgins]

Billy Joe Jim Fred 😂. Love it.

[@JeretFoy]

This dude is the biggest crybaby I’ve ever seen.

[@TheAverageFisherman99]

Yet here you are...watching and commenting.

[@Justin-zw1hx]

he does this all the time because it's a source of income, manufacture conflicts and gain clicks, the final goal is more money with more clicks.

[@brin66itm59]

I don’t see people going out everyday and catching Bass to eat. Maybe 1 or 2 Weekends a Month is a lot. I see more guides and Tournament Fisherman with them, then anyone else. So, why don’t they switch Bass Fishing to Drum Fishing? They chase the same lures, and put up a hell of a fight. Not a lot of people eat those, problem solved.

[@bigdawg580]

Randy using his biologist degree he gave himself to break down a fishery is like a baker trying to tell a plumber how a turd flushes

[@bradhensley1134]

Fishing was a way of providing food for ones family long before Tournament bass fishing became a sport. As long as they follow the creel limits and have a valid license, then I cannot say I disagree with what they do. I crappie and walleye fish myself to fill by freezer with my family.

[@robertspeakman8107]

What about the tournament guys that catch bas off beds that kills millions of bass . Thats why some lakes like Lake Erie that have a season to predict the nest

[@ClaytonSchickOutdoors]

Bass taste so good. Yum yum

[@davidrandallrobinson1074]

Start a put and take trout stocking in lakes during colder months. It will provide an alternative to keep and eat. Plus the added benefits of high fat food to grow larger bass, that's a proven fact. Missouri will only stock trout in the trout parks, some urban lakes and Taneycomo lake. Taneycomo kicks out some of Missouri largest bass. I heard Texas is planting trout in there lakes for bass and human consumption. Win Win.

[@piesquared1025]

bass if its bleeding, but panfish, crappie, walleye and occasional trout taste the best.

[@dannyhocutt8490]

Randy you found all the problems what could know can fill all the possible being solved

[@leescheffler7677]

Alot of fisheries actually have no significant impact from lethal take due to consumption. usually no notable benefit either. Alot of spotted bass fisheries out west is a good example. that being said, there are quite a few lakes with significant take that should be managed more closely. Im just a fisheries scientist and angler.

[@dannykeenum7537]

The Latino guys on our lake eat um all! I've seen um at tackle store livewells full 4 pound 5 pound smallmouth! Largemouth don't matter! They eat um all! I've never kept 1!

[@JohnGWilson]

Correct me if im wrong.... but weren't people fishing to feed their families way before they were fishing to get rich...?

[@danielhyde1268]

In China they farm bass for food

[@charlespuckett8429]

Live by his rules, or you are wrong. I live by Truman lake in Missouri an I have no problem going an catching a good amount of bass, I do not keep any fish, but if someone wants too fiish it's completely fine, I know very poor family that depends on hunting an fishing to survive, he would have them go hungry. He lives in Missouri, and I grew up on Lake of the Ozarks . In Ivy Bend, we were very poor, and my dad ran lines and took care of his family. So, by his thought process, my dad should not of feed, his family. He wasn't a rich tournament fisherman with his own 40 acer lake. But Randy's right, I guess.

[@colby0082]

Is Truman good fishing? Been wanting to come up to turkey hunt around an thought about pulling my boat

[@charlespuckett8429]

it's still good, in my opinion. I mostly fish the smaller conservation lake in the area. but the last time I went bass fishing at one of the camp grounds, I caught 5 good bass in a few hours.

[@mpybals8002]

I remember when I was a kid and Ray Scot said when you are bass fishing he said keep all bass 12 inches and under and throw back all bigger fish. I agreed with this to a small degree because as you know those smaller fish aren’t spawning and eat the crap out of the fry. I used to fish this little pond where we basically kept everything the average size of the fish was around 1/2 a pound then after a couple years all the bass were 2 pounds plus and fishing was better. In some cases when there are too many fish they get stunted from lack of food. I think you have to be reasonable and only keep bass when there is clearly an over population bass and only keep small fish. One point Randy never brought up is the wife factor. I go bass fishing for days every year and I never bring anything home and women don’t understand why you’d go fishing and spend all that money for nothing but a picture.