Lacassine Bass Population

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by BassYakR

A part of me wants to agree with you Smalls.... but then the Selfish part wants to argue with you... bc i want it to be better for me. At least charge a 20 dollar fee to launch... that will keep alot of ppl away... then use that money to enforce a slot limit for at least 5 years....

I don't know what kind of hoops they have to jump through to charge you to use it though. I mean, its public land. I guess it would be no different than the requirement to have a WMA license to hunt a WMA, but that is a one time fee.

Plus, when you start introducing a fee, you are going to have opposition from the people that have always fished it without having to pay. That causes issues. People aren't going to like it. The fishermen may be the most vocal now, but if you start charging a few and it drives people away, they won't be for long.

Wildlife and Fisheries could quit stocking it tomorrow, and it wouldn't bother me. Plenty of places to catch fish. Yeah, its nice having a place to catch big fish, but I've never been all about that myself.

I found a report online about meetings they had about the fishing in Lacassine back in 2003. Got about 40 fishermen together to talk about their concerns with Lacassine, what they would like to see, etc. Got a lot of good feedback about slot limits, tournaments, charging a fee, water level management, etc.

End result of the report: still going to manage it for waterfowl. It doesn't matter what people want to be done out there. All that matters is what the legislation that set Lacassine up back in 1937 says, and its expressed intent was to manage for "WATERFOWL and other wildlife". They manage it for everything, but waterfowl is the focal group.

I think there was something in that report about fishermen wanting to start a group to help the refuge, but only IF this was done and that was done and budgets weren't going to be cut. No manager can guarantee that.

[funkyflemmons]

I know that it is made for waterfowl, im an avid duck/goose hunter and guide, I know how much it helps around here, it is made for waterfowl therefore it will NEVER be a "trophy" fishery, it just wont, it will be a place that all the freakin ducks go and people fight over big bedded bass in the spring

[Natural Light Kid]

Originally Posted by funkyflemmons

I know that it is made for waterfowl, im an avid duck/goose hunter and guide, I know how much it helps around here, it is made for waterfowl therefore it will NEVER be a "trophy" fishery, it just wont, it will be a place that all the freakin ducks go and people fight over big bedded bass in the spring

Ditto. Just wait til June when the grass gets a little thicker and it "gets so bad you can't fish it". The number of people fishing goes down and the number of fish caught goes up.

[Top Dawg]

U really think if your put more money in the pocket of the federal government they will use it where need be?? Remember this is the government we talkin bout.

[noodle creek]

I'm not sure why yall don't think Lacassine is a big ole trophy bass pond as it is.....

What other body of water gives up the number of 10+ lb fish that Lacassine does?

Leave it be for waterfowl like it was meant to be, and you still have a high quality fishery. It's crazy if yall think Lacassine isn't loaded with 10+ lb fish. I'm sure numbers could be better, but where else do you have as good of a chance to catch a 10 lb'er on any given day?

[BassYakR]

after april your chances are VERY SLIM! Not many ppl catch em other than sight fishing beds.... which is great but IMO now how i want to catch my 10+

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by noodle creek

I'm not sure why yall don't think Lacassine is a big ole trophy bass pond as it is.....

What other body of water gives up the number of 10+ lb fish that Lacassine does?

Leave it be for waterfowl like it was meant to be, and you still have a high quality fishery. It's crazy if yall think Lacassine isn't loaded with 10+ lb fish. I'm sure numbers could be better, but where else do you have as good of a chance to catch a 10 lb'er on any given day?

Exactly.

[tmatte]

I don't think it gives up as many as you think, and I know there aren't as many 5-7 lb fish as there were in the heyday.

[funkyflemmons]

I know of a few 8-10 pounders caught in june, as far as them mainly being caught on beds, it all goes back to pressure, they are getting **** thrown at them everyday, they are smart, the only way they will put a bait in there mouth if they think it is harming there eggs, if you wouldn't have 100 idiots a morning throwing at them with the same ****, im sure it would be easier to have one slip up

[funkyflemmons]

believe me tmatte, it gives up A LOT, I think more this year than ever, the little deal with the pictures at the hayes store or for what I think people that never go there and get lucky, the people who fish there a lot and catch big fish don't post many pics and don't tell many people

[prattvan]

I've never been there. Where is the best place to launch ?
Which are are the best to fish ??

[Kreating_kaos]

Anybody here kayak fish in lacassine?

[noodle creek]

Originally Posted by tmatte

I don't think it gives up as many as you think, and I know there aren't as many 5-7 lb fish as there were in the heyday.

I've been getting multiple pics almost daily since March 15th. It is actually probably more than I think.

[BassYakR]

Me too Noodle.... but everyone i see is keeping them to kill em... or move to to the burns... why not let em live and continue to grow big fish.

[DaPointIsDaBomb]

Charge a fee to fish on publicly owned waters?

Hello Nancy Pelosi!

[DaPointIsDaBomb]

Originally Posted by BassYakR

after april your chances are VERY SLIM! Not many ppl catch em other than sight fishing beds.... which is great but IMO now how i want to catch my 10+

you gonna keep that 10+ or let it go?

[BassYakR]

Yep... take measurements and get a replica