Size of bass question

[Skunkedtoomuch]

So I went to lake loma today in snohomish county, one of the 7 lakes. It's a small lake about 50 acres. I read all the fishing reports on this lake and all of them are the same. When fishing for LMB everyone seemed to catch over 20 but none over 2lb. Well, we went out today and caught 30. All a half lb to the biggest somewhere between 1.5-2lbs. My question is this. If there are too many small bass in a lake can they have a hard time growing big? These reports go back 14 yrs. Or is the idea of if there are small bass there are also large bass true?

[Amx]

too many small fish means they compete too much for food and don't get big

there can still be a big fish or 2, but not very many

lakes like that people need to keep their limit for a couple/few years, let the population dwindle some, so that there is enough food to go around, and then some/lots of the fish can get big.

[Skunkedtoomuch]

Makes sense. If you catch 20 a day and fish 50 days a yr, you can take out 1000 bass. That's a lot of fish to eat, but I'm sure homeless shelters would love them.

[arniejl]

Makes sense. If you catch 20 a day and fish 50 days a yr, you can take out 1000 bass. That's a lot of fish to eat, but I'm sure homeless shelters would love them.

There are limits and size slots set forth by the Washington State Department of Fisheries. You may want to check them before you start keeping a bunch of fish.

[Skunkedtoomuch]

Yup 5 per day only 1 over 17" can't keep any between 12-17". That's for LMB. We didn't catch or see any smallmouth there. Although right up the road Goodwin has a ton of them

[ridgeratt]

Yup 5 per day only 1 over 17" can't keep any between 12-17". That's for LMB. We didn't catch or see any smallmouth there. Although right up the road Goodwin has a ton of them

Isn't this a odd slot for Bass and the reason I quit fishing for them in Washington, I watched 3 people just flogging the banks for Bass and they had a bucket of under 12's. When the guy had finished running a fillet knife he had a bowl of scraps!!!
Not hardly enough meat on an under to warrant time. When I'm fishing and my wife and I enjoy eating them a Bass that is around 15 inches used to make a meal for us with no waste. Also one over 17 is more than enough so there could be wasted fish. I have watched numerous folks fishing some of my lakes just like a game of follow the leader all of the working the banks.

Like I have posted on here before someday I'm going to find a young person bass fishing and I will just hand over a tackle box full of bass gear. But then it one of those things it's not a tackle box I carry often anymore.

[Skunkedtoomuch]

Sorry to hear that you quit fishing for bass. I actually only started fishing for them die to an injury from snowboarding that carried over to mtn biking season. Ironically I told my wife last night that bass fishing is more fun than DH mtn biking. I don't think I'll ever stop bass fishing. I sold my DH mtn bike earlier this yr.

[ridgeratt]

Sorry to hear that you quit fishing for bass. I actually only started fishing for them die to an injury from snowboarding that carried over to mtn biking season. Ironically I told my wife last night that bass fishing is more fun than DH mtn biking. I don't think I'll ever stop bass fishing. I sold my DH mtn bike earlier this yr.

No need to be sorry I stopped fishing them. Have fished them for over 40 years. I just don't care for the amount of rules it takes to fish them!!!

Last weekend I was targeting Wally's and had a small mouth make a mistake. It was 15 1/2 inches long and was reduced to the table last nite. It was excellent also!! Caught and released to hot coals!

Lake roosevelt is full of smallie's and you need to be careful while fishing since most are above the 14 in slot.

I choose to target fish an old guy can understand what he can and can't keep! With out the aid of my Barrister!!

[swb69]

If you fish the Snake river, there are no restrictions(size or quantity) on bass or cats. I would think that the WDFW would do this on all bodies of water that are overrun with "unwanted" species of fish. I also think that groups like B.A.S.S have done too good of a job with the idea of catch and release. It is important to help maintain fisheries, but when the fisheries becomes overpopulated then C&R becomes detrimental.