WHY QUALITY REGULATIONS FOR SMALLMOUTH?By Tim Holschlag
No question, interest in fishing for smallmouth bass has increased greatly over the past two decades. Today, more and more anglers are recognizing the tremendous sporting characteristics of the hard fighting smallie. At the same time, tackle and techniques have become much more sophisticated, and angling knowledge has also increased. As a result, smallmouth waters today are being fished much more intensively and effectively than they were in the past.
During this time, habitat quality has declined in many of our smallmouth streams. Human activities such as streamside agriculture and housing development have negatively affected the productivity of our waters. Many of our rivers and lakes just cannot support the numbers of fish they once did.Double-Edged Sword
Smallmouth populations, then, have been attacked from two directions. First, because of habitat degradation, the fish's environment is incapable of sustaining populations at former levels. Combine this with increased angling pressure, and the result is smallmouth angling that does not begin to approach the quality found decades ago.
It makes perfect sense, then, to preserve the good quality smallmouth fishing that still exists. In addition, we should restore waters that used to sustain quality smallmouth fisheries, but no longer do so due to abuse and neglect.
Greater protection of smallmouth populations would assure us of improved fishing in the future. That way, all anglers, not just those who can afford to travel to remote fishing destinations, could enjoy quality smallmouth fishing.Anglers Want Quality
Has anyone heard anglers complain about "too many big fish?" Hardly. Anglers want quality-sized fish, and frequently travel to find them. Witness the incredible popularity of waters where "quality regs" have been implemented.
Anglers flock to the "no-kill" smallmouth lakes of Michigan's Sylvania Tract and to Wisconsin's Chequamegon Bay because four pound smallmouth are common. Trout fishermen find big fish nirvana on the special regulation waters of Utah's Green River and Montana's Big Horn River. This is the type of fishing almost all anglers dream about. And judging from the numbers of folks using "quality regs" areas, most anglers are mighty pleased to have these catch-and-release waters.Aren't "Quality Regulations" Elitist?
It's nonsense to assume that reduced kill regulations are elitist, that is they benefit only the knowledgeable or wealthy. In fact, just the opposite is true. Far from excluding anyone, creating quality fishing waters will allow all anglers to experience top-notch fishing close to home.
Under today's catch-and-kill regulations, many waters have mostly small fish, and less fish than in the past. A trophy catch is unlikely. This means that high-quality fishing is available to only a select few: the few who have the money to travel to remote smallmouth destinations like Idaho's Snake River, Quebec's Beuachene Preserve or Ontario fly-in lodges.
For most of the angling fraternity, "quality regs," will mean a chance to finally experience good fishing closer to home. And even those who can afford an annual fly-in trip shouldn't mind seeing the fishing on their home waters improve. Few can travel long distances to fish every weekend to fish.Unrealized Potential
The Smallmouth Alliance believes that American smallmouth angling has great potential that is not being realized. Hundreds of rivers and lakes have the potential to once again become outstanding smalmouth waters. They could benefit local economies, as well as providing tremendous close-to-home fishing for many people. Unfortunately, shortsightedness has meant that until recent years, little has been done to preserve and improve our smallmouth resources. Even though the trout and and muskie experience shows how well fisheries can improve through the enactment of quality fishing regulations.
Plenty of research has been done, and it's clear many anglers want improved smallmouth fishing. Every state should move forward quickly in the creation of new quality smallmouth waters.
(This article was first published in "Smallmouth News")