arkansas spearfishing problem.

[trevor]

Here in Arkansas we have a slot limit for largemouth bass. If the fish is between 13 and 16 inches long you have to throww it back. Now this presents a problem for spearfisherman.The game and fish comission say that if you shoot one that doesnt meet the slot then you must throw it back. I shoot bass in the head sos not to ruin the meat. An the agfc is saying throw back the dead fish so you dont get a ticket when they will write you a ticket for wasting edible game does this make any fn sense?

[ramstam]

The people that write the game laws don't spear fish.
They eat tofu and leaves. I have a new rule that if I
spear a fish that's not legal(very rare) I take out my knife and chop it up for the other fish to eat. Maybe this isn't a good idea
in places with sharks.

[DBS]

Hey trevor, I know the problem as I dive mostly DeGray. I have markings on my gun for 13 and 16 inches so as I can measure underwater and if needed be kindly burry the fish under a rock. I hear the tickets reach close to $300 for having one in the slot.

Easiest solution: make sure to shoot only mid-sized spotted bass instead of any mid-sized largemouth. Spotted(kentucky) are easy to distinguish by thy dark strip they have down their side whereas the largemouth generally just a few dark spots here and there. I haven't been spearfishing long but i've gotten good at spotting fishing that are in the slot and then quickly distinguishing between largemouth and spotted. But it sure is hard to pass up a 2lb bass... mighty good eatin.


Also Trev, that slot doesn't apply everywhere. Just certain lakes. You might want to try out Greason ( no slot!!)