#587745 - 11/23/0501:52 PM
Re: Creel limit for Bass
Jon Pski
Member
Registered: 04/15/02
Posts: 5742
Loc: Winsted, CT
As Mitch mentioned- Be careful what you wish for especially regarding the CLA. The CLA does a great job with trying to preserve and protect Candlewood Lake. They also get a bit overzealous with perceptions. The perception of many waterfront owners is that their lake receives way too much fishing tournaments. I wont deny that the lake gets a ton of fishing pressure yet from my veiw, it has not impacted the fishing quality. The perception is that the two state ramps allow too many boats on the water. The reality is there are somewhere aroound 5400 vessels on the water and shores of Candlewood Lake this year that are owned by the residents. In a survey done a couple years ago, the CLA found that fishing tournaments were in the top three complaints of lakeside residents. The perception is that every bass boat on the water is involved in a tournament. We know the reality is different. Though these lake associations can be beneficial to the overall health of a lake, if given too much ammunition from fishermen, this information will be taken to their local legislative leaders who will in turn create a Bill in Hartford. Does anyone really want more government interference in their lives? I know I don't. When matters as this reach a political level, veiws, and facts tend to get distorted. And not in the sportsmen favor neither.
When it comes to creel limits how about a seasonal limit. Maybe 2 fish a day over 16" from Dec 31 to March 15? Special exemptions for tournament? PHOOEY! I'm so tired of jumping through political hoops now and to think of another form that would need to be filled out is ridiculous from my veiwpoint. The current permit system was originally put into place to try and get a picture of how many tournaments were occuring with the added benefit of free data. It then progressed to limiting parking space to now a full blow regulatory quagmire. To this day I really can't understand why these restrictions are in place. If ten guys want to get together for a day of fishing and compare weights, that constitues a tournament and must be permitted. If a group of ten guys want to get together and go skiing for the day and time each other on a makeshift slalom course that is fine. What's the difference? They are both "organized events" Anyhow, I'll end my ramblings on tournament fishing with this last statement. Be careful what you wish for. Any attempt to further restrict or curtail fishing tournaments could be a very slippery slope.
ok guys...i have the papers on tournament mortality for you. Two are from Connecticut and were conducted on Mansfield hollow and Gardner by a UCONN student. They are in PDF format and can be found here at these links....they are large files so be prepared for a little wait if not hooked up to a high speed connection....have fun!!!
If you start limiting the number of legal tourneys (on C-Wood or in general around the state), then there will just be more "illegal" tourneys. The DEP can't be everywhere at once on a weekend to regulate. Since I've been seriously bass fishing in this state since 1999, I've probably averaged doing between 10-15 club and opens a year. In all that time, I've been checked for my licesene twice. Once out on the water, and once prior to launch. And I can't ever remember seeing DEP officers out there off the top of my head. There really isn't anything stopping a small club from meeting up out on an island or just mooring together to weigh-in. The problem is there just isn't enough water in the state for the amount of tournaments, therefore every little puddle, pond and lake usually has a tournament on it every weekend from May-Oct. There is too much private water as well. If Waramaug were open, you'd take some (not much, but some) pressure of C-Wood.
Plus, even if they successfully lobby to stop Tourneys on C-Wood, that just means crazy added pressure on every other lake (especially Lilly and Zoar).
#587749 - 11/23/0502:16 PM
Re: Creel limit for Bass
CWood Man
Stop Bitchin' And Get Fishin'!
Registered: 02/13/04
Posts: 22814
Loc: Villas NJ
Dusty- The pages wouldn't display.
Pski- For the record we have 14 boat owners and another 25 residents in our community and they don't complain at all about the bass boats. When line or a lure is stuck on there boat they say something but who wouldn't. So as far as I see there are not alot of gripes against bass boats.
As I said as long as they continue to build more houses, communities and condos on the lake they will be more traffic, but you can't kill the homeowner for moving on the lake and having a boat. There just has to be more regulations as far as building and preservation.
CHANGE IS SCARY BUT IT IS REWARDING ON THE OTHER SIDE!
SURELY MISS MY CTF FRIENDS BUT ALWAYS WILL BE HERE TO GIVE ALL A HARD TIME!
#587750 - 11/23/0502:36 PM
Re: Creel limit for Bass
Jon Pski
Member
Registered: 04/15/02
Posts: 5742
Loc: Winsted, CT
You're absolutly right in that not everyone is complaining. But, I have heard myself from residents and attendance at CLA meetings that bass tournamnts are one of the big gripes. This came straight from the CLA newsletter.
No doubt traffic is an issue on Candlewood along with many other lakes. I live near Highland lake which is 444 surface acres. The lake is densley populated and most every home has at least one boat moored. The state launch can hold 44 rigs. On a nice Sunday afternoon the place is absolutly nutty. Yet I would not go anywhere near new or additional regulations to try and restrict recreation.
As has been mentioned here several times, we live in a high density population state where many people have disposable income to buy their toys. Yet, there are just a limited amount of resoources to play on. There will always be some level of user conflict. The water skiers dont like the pleasure craft wakes, the fishermen don't like the jet skies, and on and on.
One trend on Candlewood that has the CLA concerned now is the number of BIG boats on the lake. Those cruiser type boats in excess of 22 feet. The concern is twofold. Those boats have large displacement hulls and tend to be driven at "maximum plow" throwing monster wakes. This is a contributer to shoreline erosion. The second issue with these big boats are that most have a head on them. Where are they to discharge their waste?
Retaining your catch, and tournament mortality MAY have an impact on SOMEA waters but there are also many other issues of concern for sportsmen that should be looked at also. All those boats moored around your favorite lake, how do they refuel? Most are done on the water using five gallon cans. The amount of raw gas that gets dumped in each year accidently is probably pretty large. Hundreds or thousands of auto bilge pumps kicking on over the season releasing lord knows what from the nasty bilge areas. How about antiquated septic system dumping literally tons of nitrogen and phosphorous into the water each year?
Many, many issues that are best left to the scientist'. Good debate going though.
#587752 - 11/23/0503:50 PM
Re: Creel limit for Bass
CWood Man
Stop Bitchin' And Get Fishin'!
Registered: 02/13/04
Posts: 22814
Loc: Villas NJ
PSKI- I can't agree more about the size problem on the lake. And you want to talk about people that can't handle what they have? I watch them dock at Echo Bay Marina and it is commical. Our docks are near them. Most of the big boats don't leave the slip over there but the ones that do put off huge wakes and it is a concern.
You have mentioned a few other concers which are all legit and it boils down to over population and regulation.
I am still in favor of limitation as far as boat size, ramp restrictions or higher launch fees for revenue and less tournies. The lake is an awesome resource and anything that can be regulated should. I can't see how making a size restriction and limiting some tournies should be that hard.
CHANGE IS SCARY BUT IT IS REWARDING ON THE OTHER SIDE!
SURELY MISS MY CTF FRIENDS BUT ALWAYS WILL BE HERE TO GIVE ALL A HARD TIME!
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