Respect for the resource -

The other day, I spent most of my time watching. The fish weren't biting that great, but it was a great day weather-wise. I'm not one to tell other people what to do with the fish that they catch, but what I saw was this:

1) a 25 - 30 lb jack left on the deck for hours, drying out.
2) a young boy stomping on the head of a hardtail - a dozen times or more.
3) a grown man had put a dozen or so hardtails in a plastic bag and then just poured them back in the water (right next to me) when they started to putrify.

I think that it's sad that people waste the resource and worse, disrespect it. On one hand, what a fisherman does with his legal catch is his business, but on the other hand, there's a reason that there are so many pier rules. It's just too bad, I think, that some fishermen so disrespect the facility, the resource, and fellow fishermen.

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=3910&stc=1

I know a guy like that kills just to kill with no intent of eating it. Fish, and waterfowl mostly. If I harvest any animal or fish you can be darn sure I will be eating it. We had a bad problem up here last year with people shooting ducks then just leaving them in the public hunting parking lot. Hopefully this year we won't.

It irritates me to no end to watch somebody do a body slam with a king---you can see the meat turning to jelly. I know, I know, it's ostensibly to kill the king before you get the hook out of it, but it isn't really necessary, and it's usually done in a manner to show off for the tourists, "What a MAN I am to beat up on this fish!" I carry a mallet to whack 'em on the head, but I try not to make too big a production out of it---none of us wants to get sliced by a dying king.

It ain't necessarily what you do, it's how you do it.

By the way, there are signs all over the pier with the number to call if you see irregularities and/or violations of pier rules.

Some folks just weren't raised right and you can't expect them to act right---easier to tie a knot in a rattlesnake, blindfolded.

My favorite is the 20' belly flop "release" of bull reds after being out of water for 5 minutes of pictures and laying on a dry hot deck. I mean after all that abuse why not just put it in the cooler. End of rant!

http://www.acfafish.com/forum/images...n_rolleyes.gif

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2130...3517325521617/
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1d&oe=562765E2

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What u do with it now?
lots of cat food for the neighborhood cats!!!!

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

http://www.acfafish.com/forum/images...n_rolleyes.gif

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2130...3517325521617/
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1d&oe=562765E2

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Yeah why would they gaff that beast? Aren't you supposed to beach them and release them?

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Originally Posted by Bluemhoon

Yeah why would they gaff that beast? Aren't you supposed to beach them and release them?

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Last year the resident Ranger took offense to Tarpons being beached and released after a gut hooked tarpon inhaled a X-rap and after multiple attempts to revive it it died. So he and the state park manager asked the state to pass laws preventing anglers from walking a fish towards the beach and so now a lot of people have opted to purchase a tag to be able to fight the fish. Please don't put this on the angler this fish would have ordinarily been released after pics in the water but now you get this.
This is a direct result of having a Ranger that does not fish in charge of a fishing pier and making rules for that pier.

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Originally Posted by chillinfish

My favorite is the 20' belly flop "release" of bull reds after being out of water for 5 minutes of pictures and laying on a dry hot deck. I mean after all that abuse why not just put it in the cooler. End of rant!

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Believe it or not those fish can survive a long time out of the water and still swim away lively. However the 20 ft fall from the pier is more detrimental than people understand. Please lower the fish back in a net!!!!

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Originally Posted by Jbearden

Please don't put this on the angler

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I have to disagree across the board. There is no requirement to purchase a tag to fight a tarpon (Is there actually a pier rule about that? Boaters don't buy tags to catch-and-release them), only to kill one. This is not a direct result of a Ranger. This is a direct result of someone choosing to gaff a fish.

Last year the ranger went to Montgomery and had a new rule imposed about walking a fish towards the beach. He also stated unless you have a tag you should cut your line when you see that it is a tarpon. Several people including myself tried to explain to him and the management that if you require people to have a tag then they will use it. It's kind of like buying a beer and not drinking it.

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Originally Posted by Jbearden

He also stated unless you have a tag you should cut your line when you see that it is a tarpon.

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I'd fight him tooth and nail on that part. That doesn't make sense for the fish or the angler.

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Originally Posted by Pierless

I'd fight him tooth and nail on that part. That doesn't make sense for the fish or the angler.

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Neither does needlessly KILLING a tarpon just to 'prove a point'

I didn't know anyone anyone on the pier that had a tag until the rule was passed and the park ranger made a big deal about it. Now I would guess that there are several tags on the pier. I really don't believe that most anglers wanted to kill a tarpon but since he has forced them to buy tags I am betting several of them will get used this year. This is not what anyone wanted to happen.

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

Neither does needlessly KILLING a tarpon just to 'prove a point'

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While most of us agree with not killing a tarpon for any reason, especially a future potential breeder of that size, we predicted exactly what would happen this year over the dispute. Now it has, and the picture should be given straight to the press so that the tarpon's death was not in vain.

Done.

We'll have to see where it goes......

BTW, isn't the ranger who initiated this rule now 'at other duties'?

https://www.facebook.com/DuteOutdoors

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Tarpon decked at the Gulf State Park Pier on Thursday.
The guy had a tarpon kill tag, so no one go crazy.
Folks wanting to catch tarpon from the pier pretty much have to buy a $50 tag since they are no longer allowed to fight any fish to the beach and release it.
Not sure I like that rule. How about y'all?

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I just want to know why in the hell you can purchase a Tarpon tag not that it matters to me but can't buy a shark tag. I bet the state could make ten times more money selling shark tags.

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Originally Posted by Robert(Tato)Piteo

I just want to know why in the hell you can purchase a Tarpon tag not that it matters to me but can't buy a shark tag. I bet the state could make ten times more money selling shark tags.

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That is the best thing I've heard all day. A+ for you today

Jeff I've got 200 dollars in my wallet right now to buy 4.

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Originally Posted by Robert(Tato)Piteo

I just want to know why in the hell you can purchase a Tarpon tag not that it matters to me but can't buy a shark tag. I bet the state could make ten times more money selling shark tags.

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+1

and at least you could eat the shark ;-) lol

I thought sharks taste like urine.

Just imagine how much money the state could make. We could sell tourist tags for 50 bucks a pop to land a shark and I'm sure we could find somebody to clean them. Even if they didn't want the meat somebody would be more than willing to take it. Of course if we started doing that after the first couple were cleaned and remains thrown over the rail all the rest would probably leave.

Here's a tarpon recipe

1 Tarpon about 50 pounds.
1 plank the length of the fish
Olive oil, salt, pepper, bacon and slap your momma
Season the Plank with the ingredients
Place the Tarpon on the plank. Wrap the Tarpon in bacon and foil
Put it on the fire
After 45 minutes remove the foil and toss Tarpon in the trash.
Bacon and wood feed 10 people.

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Originally Posted by Zhiyong

I thought sharks taste like urine.

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You can soak the steaks in some milk and that will take out the ammonia.

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Originally Posted by Zhiyong

I thought sharks taste like urine.

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I believe the black tips, mako, and thresher sharks don't have the ammonia taste. I had some bull shark tacos and there was no ammonia taste to them. Chili would be the guy to ask

Urine is in the shark's skin. Bitter taste in the meat is electrolytes. Easily removed by soaking the meat in buttermilk or plain milk for at least 4 hours before cooking. The natural enzymes will do the work for you.

The fear of beaching tarpon is a prime example of the law of unintended consequences.

The fear of people being bitten by sharks on the pier (liability fear, not harmed-spectator fear) is odd, particularly with as many people who fish with dangerous equipment and fish for fish with teeth. Soon I predict gaffs will only be allowed with the guard left on the points even when in use (or flat banned), fishing for all toothy fish from kings to bluefish will be banned, and barbless single hooks of size 12 or smaller (readily available from fly-fishing stores) will be the only legal tackle. LOL but not totally a joke!

Just a quick note about killing fish you're going to eat. Some years ago we got tired of the bats and bloody decks . . . solution: a small spray bottle of 100% isopropyl alcohol. Land fish + spray mist into gills = dead fish. No muss, no fuss, no effect on taste.

There were 100s of fish lying on Cedar Point pier two years ago when I went. While I understand catfish are a pain in the ass, killing them for no purpose is disrespectful. I threw any I saw alive back in (obviously on the way out, making a quick getaway to avoid being stabbed or shot.)

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Originally Posted by SalmonDaze

Just a quick note about killing fish you're going to eat. Some years ago we got tired of the bats and bloody decks . . . solution: a small spray bottle of 100% isopropyl alcohol. Land fish + spray mist into gills = dead fish. No muss, no fuss, no effect on taste.

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Wow! The fish die with a buzz on.

I may be a little weird but I fish the Pier often and can't eat them because of allergies. Love the fight but someone else has to take them and hopefully use them. Like Lou and the Spanish

uuummm... You must be eating the wrong part.