Red Drum

[hooknladder]

I'm pretty disappointed that this fish was kept. Despite your ethical dilemma, ignorance of the regulation is no excuse.

No 0ne was more sorry about the situation then I. I throw most all fish back. That fish could have been a world record and if it had the slightest chance of living it would have been released. You are right that I should have known ,my mistake and I will try to always keep the chart of fish with the spec's on board. I just never seen a Red Drum or have heard of them being caught this far in the Bay.

[fishon81]

I would take this post down dude. Dnr can track you down and find you if they find out you killed an illegal red drum. I think you didn't do a horrible thing but dnr may have a different opinion.

[sunman]

DNR couldn't charge him with only internet talk, he could say he was just BS's the board. I don't see anything wrong with the man keeping the fish if it was going to die anyway if he's ready to pay the bill if the man writes him up.

[Bobby R]

Thats one of the hardest situations to be in for an ethical outdoorsman. I'm fully devoted to conservation of all fish and game, and it's my opinion that we should have more aggressive regulations in place on most species. However, this has happened to all of us, and it kills me when I have to release a fish back in the water knowing that it's going to die and go to waste, when it could have fed someone's family. I'm not going to judge anyone for taking a fish that was going to die to feed a family instead of the crabs. But I fully understand why DNR has to enforce the regulations in this situation, and why I obey it with out fail. (though it literally makes me sick when I watch a dead fish float away with the tide) Unfortunatly there are people who would exploit the situation if wasn't enforced.

[Hookman571]

Go throw it back now. Whats the difference?

[CPRfishing]

the reg is 18". sorry bud. its a tough situation to deal with, had to throw back a lot of bleeding dink rock.