FLW getting length limit changed at Lake Cumberland?

[Chief Paduke]

The mortality rate for the Cumberland FLW event will be extremely small due to the fact that the water temperature will be mid to upper 50's during the event and fish will not be extremely deep during the event. If KDFW really wants to know in depth about post mortality then they should have FLW hold the event after the spawn and after water temperature has rose to a much warmer status. The time of year they are holding this event about the only dead fish you will see is one that was deep hooked. In that case it does not matter time of year because they will die regardless of size. I will admit I am somewhat of a skeptic. I feel like KDFW is pissing on my boots and trying to convince me it's raining outside. If you want to convince me it is to study delayed mortality then do it when delayed mortality is at its greatest chance. To me this is like monitoring the harsh effects of winter in the month of July. I have on my tin foil hat and I think it is a economic $ thing. If I am wrong then I will admit I am wrong. Otherwise the study is BS. If they do have a high mortality what will they do raise the size limit to 20". I think not.

Perhaps KDFW would like to have some scientific evidence to compare to summer statistics, rather than rely on anecdotes on bass boards.

[Axkiker]

Heck I dont care why. It brings a big time fishing event to an area close enough that I can drive down to watch. It also will help plenty of businesses which rely on tourisim $$ to survive. If the lake shows out on TV it could also bring future tourisim $$ from people who may not have planned to fish the lake. If they can time this with a potential study that possibly improves future conditions its a win win win win.

[Josh McDermott]

If they are the best pro's in the world why do they need limits reduced to catch fish?

https://lakerecord.net/2018/03/21/kd...lw-tournament/

Put your money in the fruit jar, lets see what happens.

[Bradley.stephens]

T

[Bradley.stephens]

Put your money in the fruit jar, lets see what happens.

[Fistacuffs]

Doesn’t Florida do the same for tourneys?

[Walleyeguy456]

Will be interesting to see if anything is mentioned on the TV show.

[Rude196]

I'm in disagreement if FLW or chamber of commerce pushed this through, even more disappointed if kdfwr changed size for that reason.

If kdfwr wants to do research that is completely different. If these size limits were in place last year Clarke Christie would have won it.

[jigman51]

This is what I was getting at.

A couple of marine biologists.

[RazorCat]

I look forward to seeing how well the BBC members who are FLW touring Pros perform under these new length limits.

[Fishin is life]

One thing that hasnt been mentioned is that itll help the weights of the co anglers tremendously. Its hard to catch an 18" sm there, and even harder to do from the back of the boat if you draw a guy targeting them. Lets be honest, theyre trying to make the lake show out so itll become a "tourist attraction". Its a great lake, a beautiful lake, and can fish great but it can be an absolute grizzly bear to. They want people to see the 17 1/2" smallies that you have to throw back 4 of to catch an 18"er. I dont understand everybody getting their panties in a bunch, if they think a smaller size limit is whats best for a certain tourney then so be it

[Les Young]

I was told it was for showcasing the lake to attract more big tournaments & that the cities of Somerset & Burnside petitioned the fish & wildlife to do it for the tournament. I think they should have to throw back 17 & 3/4 " smallmouth like the rest of us do on a daily basis. There are plenty of 18 to 21" & up smallmouth in Cumberland although they can be harder to catch then the dinks they're gonna weigh in. I personally think it's pathetic myself.

[JR19]

If they change the size limit to showcase the lake, make it more helpful for the anglers or for whatever reason to make it a better tournament then so be it but don't tell me it's for a mortality study when the water temp will be upper 50's. I don't personally hold anything against KDFW for doing what they done even though I do not like their decision. What I have issue with is covering up the real reason by saying its a mortality study. If they want a true delayed mortality study then they need to observe a large tournament held in June when fish are post spawn and at their highest level of stress. A much better study could be done at the FLW Tour Event May 7th at KY Lake. Remember all the talk about the dead floaters a couple years ago after the Triton tournament on KY Lake just after the spawn. That is when you need to do a post mortality study, not when the water temp is in the upper 50's or low 60 at best and fish are not stressed real bad. Again KDFW is peeing on my boots and trying to convince me it is raining.

[munchie]

If they change the size limit to showcase the lake, make it more helpful for the anglers or for whatever reason to make it a better tournament then so be it but don't tell me it's for a mortality study when the water temp will be upper 50's. I don't personally hold anything against KDFW for doing what they done even though I do not like their decision. What I have issue with is covering up the real reason by saying its a mortality study. If they want a true delayed mortality study then they need to observe a large tournament held in June when fish are post spawn and at their highest level of stress. A much better study could be done at the FLW Tour Event May 7th at KY Lake. Remember all the talk about the dead floaters a couple years ago after the Triton tournament on KY Lake just after the spawn. That is when you need to do a post mortality study, not when the water temp is in the upper 50's or low 60 at best and fish are not stressed real bad. Again KDFW is peeing on my boots and trying to convince me it is raining.

seems to me th at mortality rates should be studied at both temp ranges for a honest evaluation.

[bassky]

Eeryone complained about major league fishing when they had a twelve inch limit so they changed it to a pound minimum. I’m not real sure lowering the size limit will help show off a fishery, but it will keep people from hearing professionals complaining about it.

[cbp84]

We all know the reason the size limit was changed, the timing of this "study" and the flw tournament is no coincidence. That being said having a tournament to see who is the best bass fisherman and watching guys chuck back 15lbs worth of fish a day doesn't really make sense.

[Legend LE-195]

Interesting, I know tourney organizations have been asking for this on lake Fork for a long time put TPWD won't budge

[bassky]

We all know the reason the size limit was changed, the timing of this "study" and the flw tournament is no coincidence. That being said having a tournament to see who is the best bass fisherman and watching guys chuck back 15lbs worth of fish a day doesn't really make sense.

I guess the counterpoint to that is these guys are supposed to be the best so why do they get a different set of rules than the average tournament angler. It just has a funny feel to people that a select group can be on the lake with a live well full of fish and at the same time someone else can have the same livewell full of fish and be in a world of trouble with a game warden.

[Tenn.todd]

They do stuff like this so that armchair pros like yourself can have something to gripe about.

This comment was not necessary

[KYSkipper]

They do this everywhere they go. Okeechobee comes to mind.