When does hardhead bite slow down?

[Dink]

I'm with Corey on this one.......English dude!

[Dink]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

The wiki article on otoliths is pretty good:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otolith

That's what I figured......just seeing if you knew. Thanks!

[jchief]

Spicers cleaning table has thousands and it is on Kelso so it has moving water

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[Catcher'sMitt]

mathgeek, find a rig that has living quarters. there will be plenty of hardheads. I guess they throw out food scraps or something. you will catch lunkers there.

[pricecb]

Bet I could make a few million selling magnetic hooks. To the pilgrims.

"Reduces hardhead bites by 99%!! only 7.99 for a pack of 4"

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by pricecb

Bet I could make a few million selling magnetic hooks. To the pilgrims.

"Reduces hardhead bites by 99%!! only 7.99 for a pack of 4"

It's not that effective. Our preliminary study showed the magnetic hooks did not reduce the hardhead catch at all in still water. In moving water, 33 hardheads were caught on the non-magnetic control and 9 hardheads were caught on the magnetic hooks. So there might be a significant reduction in the hardhead catch rate, but it's definitely not capable of reducing the hardhead catch rate to zero. And the magnets are a couple of bucks each.

If the magnetic hooks significantly reduce the catch of gafftops also, they might be attractive to folks running drum trot lines where every gafftop is a missed opportunity at a drum. But other than this, the main application is reducing shark bycatch rates in waters with sharks.

[pricecb]

Didn't really think 99% rate. Just kiddin around. People would buy them because they want the latest and greatest.

[hawgsquatch]

I know I am going to get stomped on for this because I am an outsider but here goes.

Why the hate? Is it really that bad? If you were blind and did not know what was on the end of the line, would it matter what fish was fighting you?

I just don't understand the issue with having an abundance of willing fish that are edible and reproduce themselves. Enlighten me.

Here is the part that is going to make some of you mad. If I was to see someone killing fish and throwing them back this is what would happen.

1. Violation for wanton waste of fish or game....1600.00 fine.

2. Violation for littering........1100.00 fine.

3. Violation for introducing a biological pollutant to a stream, lake, or waterway...1500 fine.

4. Siezure of all fishing tackle, gear, rods, reels etc, including boat and the truck you used to tow it to the water. Court fees of about 250.00 and a storage fee to impound the boat, trailer, and truck until trial.

The Judge would whittle this down a bit, but at the end of the day you would be out 2-5 grand and my kids could swim in the creek without drinking rotted fish guts. They might even get to go fishing later and catch something. The judge can't do anything about siezures, they are based on whether or not you are convicted.

You would also lose your fishing license for a year and a guide license for life.

Ok tear me up, crazy enviroweird Kalifornia bunny hugger here. Really I am as conservative as they come, I just cannot stand waste .

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by hawgsquatch

I know I am going to get stomped on for this because I am an outsider but here goes.

Why the hate? Is it really that bad? If you were blind and did not know what was on the end of the line, would it matter what fish was fighting?

I just don't understand the issue with having an abundance of willing fish that are edible and reproduce themselves. Enlighten me.

Here is the part that is going to make some of you mad. If I was to see someone killing fish and throwing them back thsi is what would happen.

1. Violation for wanton waste of fish or game....1600.00 fine.

2. Violation for littering........1100.00 fine.

3. violation for introducing a biological pollutant to a stream, lake or waterway...1500-10.000.00.

4. Siezure of all fishing tackle, gear, rods reels etc, incuing boat and the truck you used to tow it to the water.

I feel you. But walk a mile in our shoes before getting too judgmental.

Unhook 100 hardheads and then tell us about how happy you are to be catching them. Eventually, you'll get finned by one. Then tell us how happy you are to be catching them.

Then why don't you skin, fillet, prepare and eat a few. Then tell us how happy you are to be catching them.

And I think I'm actually pretty positive on sea catfish compared with most inshore anglers. There are times when I've been willing to skin and fillet them. There flavor is a bit strong, but fried and put in po-boys with enough tobasco, horseradish, and mustard, they are pretty good.

If there is ever a famine, I doubt I'll starve to death if I can make it to a brackish bayou or waterway with a fishing pole.

But whatever their redeeming qualities, hardheads are nuisance bait stealers most of the time when targeting other species. They max out at about 2 lbs. They can work their way through $20 of cracked crab pretty quickly when we are targeting bull redfish.

Even when they can't swallow the bait, they are down there farting around with it. My son caught an 8" long hardhead using a 12" striped mullet for bait. What was that hardhead thinking?

[Gerald]

Math......you forgot about having to clean up the slim and "poop" from the fish. Also having to wash your hands every time you have to touch one of them.

In Louisiana.....throwing back a dead catfish in not pollution or waste. It is feeding the crabs or other fish that eat them.

[DVM]

Hardheads are evil little badtards. Especially when they are about 4" long

[duck enticer]

I was spanking them Friday night! Initially It took me 7-8 swings to separate head from body. After I found the rhythm, 4 swings max. 3" hardheads, 13" hardheads, all the same. Anything on bottom in 6 foot of water or deeper was = Hardhead or Gaffstop Friday night.......Devils!