So by banning bowfishing you are helping the redfish spawn more sucessfully? I did a quick search of redfish spawning habits and found this.

"Mature spawning- size redfish occur mostly in offshore waters." http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/reso...ts/redfish.htm

So I don't see where banning bowfishing will help solve this problem.

NO....talking about trout SPR with eman.

Redfish do most of their spawning offshore, which is why they are protected out there. Can't keep if over 3 miles offshore. This issue is more of a "outlaw" nature. Like shooting deer at night with headlights.

GREAT! Can you distinguish a 16" redfish from a 15" one while you're makin' up your mind whether to shoot it...or not?

can you
 

No salty , I have not bow fished enough to tell 15" fro 16", That's why i don't shoot if it's close. But It's NOTHING like shooting a deer in a spot light! Deer freeze when blinded by a spot light offering a stationary target.
Red fish run from the lights and the boat.

When i went to the meetings about the reduction in that area . I sat and listened to the state biologist give his statement and never heard him say the spr was to low. What i heard him say was that reducing the limit to 15 wouldnt help the fisherie nor would it hurt the fisherie. and that he could find no bilogical or scientific reason to reduce the limits .
CCA won that one and they admitted that it was something THEY thought should be done ( made them feel good ).
Mr. drost ,You and i both Know fight for the reduction in limits was brought on and incited by the pictures of them texas boys coming over here and rapeing the big trout.
They didn't need La. guides or have to spend any money in La. except launch fees. Everyone on the lake hated it.
That is the true reason this all got started and the reason that cca only polled members around that area .

Bob, since I've never bowfished and never plan to, I'm neither fer nor agin it as a 'sport'. As long as it stays within the laws.....I say enjoy it. However, once that juvenile red is shot.....there's no bringin' it back, unlike catchin' it with a rod 'n' reel.

As far as distinguishin' the size of a fish within an inch.....I doubt even a seasoned veteran could do it within the time that he is allowed to make a shot. My only concern would be......how often is he off, say 1/2"? :cool: You have a dead 15 1/2" red that you cant "legally" keep.

I agree with that..........one pic, in particular.

I believe you hit the nail on the head. If everyone stays within their limits that we are supposed to be able to keep, then it shouldn't matter how we get the fish. It is hard to regulate, but the goofballs that are shooting the undersized fish and throwing them away to die are still going to shoot them when they are out bowfishing other species. They are the ones that need to be penalized, not the guy who is legally taking his game.

Salty, from listening to most reports the slot that they look for when bowfishing reds are 18" - 25". So they don't have to guess about the half inch scenario you gave. Another sport that I don't participate in is deer hunting but apogee of people and from time to time a spike gets shot because they were misidentified as a doe. So does that mean they should only allow hunting deer during either sex seasons? How many woodducks get shot during teal season?should they put an end to teal season to protect the woodducks?
It Is the person hunting and some case the guides to make sure they are confident they are making the right decision. If the problem is outlaw. Then that needs to be dealt with but there are plenty of outlaws that use rods and reels also.

Best post......I have seen in a long time.

Well, if that's the case, it should be much easier to stay within the limits of the law.....if that is one's intent. Like I said, bowfishing is not an interest of mine and, if it's done legally, I have nothing against it.