Quote:
Originally Posted by MathGeek
Of course, but the food chain dynamics are much different in Baffin Bay due to a combination of factors. Baffin Bay is a hypersaline estuary which creates a genetic predisposition towards larger fish because the relative osmoregulation energy expenses are lower for fish with a smaller surface area relative to their weight.
Species diversity is much lower in Baffin Bay than Calcasieu, and consequently spotted seatrout are much more inclined to cannibalism. The limit of five between 15" and 25" is not letting the fish become overpopulated, because the larger fish are big enough to control the population of the smaller fish because the dinks become a primary food source for those trophy trout. In Baffin Bay, protecting the food source for the trophy trout is protecting the dinks. In Calcasieu, protecting the food source is protecting the shrimp and gulf menhaden.
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The limit is 10 fish per day in Baffin Bay, the 5 fish limit doesn't come into play until further south in the lower laguna madre (south of the landcut). However I can say that I have witnessed, and have heard many accounts of, the catching of a small trout in Baffin that is eaten by a large trout while reeling in. Its a fairly common occurrence.