Catfish Farms

[FisherBuddy]

I didn't see a topic on this. If there is Schoe or Annie, let me know and I'll post there. I was wondering what everyone thought about catfish farms/ponds. I'm not talking about personal ones, but those where you pay to go and basically pull them out and pay by the pound. Is this sporting and fullfilling or not?

[Schoe]

Fisherbuddy, We really appreciate your participation and ideas. Here on this site all fishermen are welcome to express their thoughts on where, how, and what species they are pursuing.
Pay lakes, there are a lot of different opinions on this subject. If there weren't any in existence a lot of people wouldn't have the opportunity to fish at all. I personally have fished a pay lake for Burbot, at Springfield Ohio while I was working there a few years ago. The Burbot is excellent table fare and if it wasn't for a pay lake I probably wouldn't have ever caught one.
I will work on getting more forums up shortly including Pay Lakes and Ponds.
Schoe

[Stump Bumper]

Hey fisherbuddy, I fished one they used to have down here "only once". It cost $5.00 to get in, then $2.00 per pound and you couldn't throw any fish back. It dosen't take long at all to rack up quiet a bill. I left almost $30.00 dollars poorer but alot wiser. As a kid I enjoyed pay lakes where you paid $5.00 to fish all day long and you could enter a "big fish pot", for $5.00, that paid out at 6pm for the largest catfish or carp caught that day. That's alot more of a draw than a "pay by the pound" and there were alot of regulars that fished 3 or 4 times a week. Anyway, that's been the extent of my pay lakes experience....Ray

[Wyndigo]

I've fished at a couple of pay places, one was in Georgia, paid like $5 and fished all day, the other (may even be the one Ray fished at) was $2 to get in and then $2 a pound and no throwing any catfish back in.
I fished the second one with my nephew, who was maybe 5 or 6 at the time, mainly so he could catch fish, but if thats all you have available, then I say Fish and enjoy yourself :)

Wyndigo

[big country]

if you have to pay to fish a lakethen you shouldn't have to pay to keep the fish especially by the pound....
if i catch a fish i don't want then i'm throwing it back and ain't no one alive gonna tell me i can't...that's my opinion.....:D

[FisherBuddy]

Ah, Schoe, you didn't mention all "Fisherwomen" were welcome! :) Where's Annie? LOL!

Just pulling your chain. This is a great forum. I've really enjoyed hearing about some of the other ways/areas people fish, and I'm very much looking forward to participating in some of these contests you've talked about. Hats are always a great prize.

[FisherBuddy]

Big Country I'm with you. If I'm paying to fish somewhere I say what I keep, buy or otherwise.

Schoe, you're right about pay ponds being a good source to find and try fish you might not get to otherwise. It also helps if you find one in an area you're visiting and don't have time to scout out (like when you're on vacation to someplace you really don't want to be LOL!).

[FisherBuddy]

Wyndigo, my kid was the reason I went to the last pay pond/lake. He's little and certainly doesn't get the sitting all day to catch one fish. We had to make it easy for him the first time so he'd be willing to go again when it might not be as easy. Lets just say it was almost a waste. He was more interesting in wading in after these ducks that landed. I guess there is a "too little" to go rule.

[gofish]

fisherbuddy the key to taking little ones fishing is to be prepared to let them do their own thing. slap a life jacket on them and keep an eye on them but let em chase ducks, play in the mud, whatever. show them the fish and bait and how to do it as you can. first theyll enjoy just being out with you and as they get older theyll get more into the fishing aspect.(maybe)my daughter (17 now)enjoyed time with dad outside but doesnt care about fishing much, my 3 boys on the other hand............mention fishing and theres a fight on whos going first. just remember theyre never too young but dont count on fishing a lot.

[Schoe]

Fisherbuddy,
You mentioned hats, I usually have some with the WIF logo with me when I am out and about so if and when I see you remind me to give you one. I'm out at the moment but will have another 100 as soon as I get home in April. Our member "Screen" has a silk Screening business in Sterling ILL and doe's a fine job with hats, shirts,etc. Schoe

[wewamohawk]

I was glad to see you fishing the rodeo and hope you can get someone to come up here to fish our catfish classic here in wewa don and the mohawk
if you have to pay to fish a lakethen you shouldn't have to pay to keep the fish especially by the pound....
if i catch a fish i don't want then i'm throwing it back and ain't no one alive gonna tell me i can't...that's my opinion.....:D

[Catbird]

WewaMohawk,
Good to see that you are a member here now. Looking foward to fishing the classic with you this year! I will be there the week before so I am sure I will see you bait fishing (I know at least one of your spots...lol).

[capt.kirk]

Wewa Mohawk
Thanks for the PM this morning,I really was glad to hear from you,and
am even more happy to see you make a post on the WIF site,keep them
coming,and keep us informed about whats going on up that way.I have
in all my years of tournament fishing never fished a river tournament,I
need all the HELP i can get,and you and WEASER are the ones that i am
counting on for advice.
KIRK

[FisherBuddy]

Gofish, good advice but I still think we'd have been better off taking him to a swim hole...for now anyway! I just don't think he was all that happy to be there (that is, until the ducks came our way!). I don't like making him unhappy. Sad eyes breaks my heart every time. Man, I'm a sap. Anyway, I'm thinking when he's about 4 he'll be ready to get more into the fishing instead of the wading. :-)

Schoe, I'm in TN...so I doubt I'll "see" you anytime soon...LOL! Do you have a mailing address where someone could send for one? I'd be happy to pay for the hat and shipping.

[FisherBuddy]

Gofish. Good advice, but I don't think he really "enjoyed" going to the pond. I think he would have rather been at a swim hole. It wasn't until the ducks were spotted that he seemed to have fun. I'm guessing when he's about 4 we'll try again and he'll either like it then or he might not. For now, I plan to spend time with him other ways.

Schoe, with me in TN, I doubt I'll "see" you anytime soon. LOL! Have you thought about selling them through the site? Paypal? If you do, let me know.

[hushpuppy]

Wewamohawk, it was good seeing you again at the rodeo. I sure am lookin' forward to that catfish classic.

[capt.kirk]

HEY HUSH PUPPY
When can we get together with a few invited friends,to check out that
other kind of fishing that we like so well???Give it some thought,you know
how to reach me,when you get some idea of when & where.
KIRK

[Environmentor]

Too me, it is not sporting. Like shooting fish in a barrel; rather, catching fish in a barrel. Some such ponds are stocked-often, over-stocked, and fish are under-fed. In these ponds, you can't help but not catch fish. If you catch fish at an unreal pace, then it isn't really sport. It's kind of like catching a lobster from the lobster tank at the grocery store with your eye's closed. You don't know the size your going to catch, but your going to catch!
However, if the pay pond isn't stocked-often, over-stocked, not contains underfed fish, then it might be sporting. . . but, why are you paying?
Rather, most of these "pay ponds" are like the "game farms" where you go to a farm with a bunch of overfed game, get a guide/stand, and shoot game (that are practically tame) in a fenced in area. One and the same! Both are not sporting!
However, both "pay ponds" and "game farms" serve a purpose. They bring these activities to people who could otherwise not participate. Urbanites, youth, handicap, aged, etc. can all participate at such a place, when they otherwise might not have the location, mobility, ability, or knowledge to participate in the real sport in the field. They also provide jobs (but so to do public ponds and hunting grounds). They may even help some catch a burbot or shoot a boar, when they otherwise wouldn't have the opotunity. "Pay ponds" and "game farms" really don't do any harm, yet they provide benefits.
The only thing you have to remember is that when you are out in the field, and I mean the real field, not some "pen" or "barrel", using the knowledge your father passed unto you, that was passed from his father, down through the generations to outsmart some wild, untamed animal/fish, then you are a sportsmen. Man (or women) against beast. Man (or women) against nature. Man (or women) against him/herself. If you are unable to be in the field, as those mentioned above, then it is not your fault. In my book, and many others, you can still call yourself a sportsman because with your aging, ailment, handicap, etc. you have been fighting all your life. If you are a real sportsmen, just trying a new experience, such as catching burbot, then thats alright, too. However, if you have the ability to be out in the field, but choose to be at a pay pond because your "lazy" then you are not a sportsmen, at least not in my book. Most of those urbanites, hanidcapped, aged, etc. individuals would give anything to be in your shoes and be able to go into the field. Sportsmen are a dying breed!

[hushpuppy]

Kirk, I'm still working on that.

[FisherBuddy]

I just realized I had a post that duped. Sorry about that. It takes me too long to type a post, I guess. It seemed to time out on me! Then posted the message and the one I retyped. Oh, well.

Anyway, Ron you have a very interesting view. I think there are people the ponds are suited for...and those who wouldn't get much enjoyment out of it because it's TOO easy.