Another Brood Stock Fish Dies for a Record

Sorry, I just don't understand why some folks choose trophies and records over conservation when its become increasingly unnecessary. The fact that this Alligator gar is going on diplay does not, in my mind, lessen the loss. Instead of helping to populate the lake with healthy stock and prey for other fishes, it will spend eternity as a mount. Yuck.

Maybe folks just aren't thinking it all the way through? And in the exciting moments of bringing up a record fish, forget that the fish is OLD, really OLD? And, if they are females, they can carry millions of eggs which represent valuable genetic diversity?

Changing the 'rules' has been a point of debate for some time, especially since overfishing has reduced so many large fish species to schools of runts. Just look at this break-down! A bit complicated.

My rule? If the gamefish or foodfish is not legal, and we're not going to eat it that night, it goes back into the water. Period. No sharks, no records, no mounts, no arguments. And, no guilty conscience.