By Susan King

October 2, 2003

As I went thru the News Press here in Ft.Myers a couple of days ago,I saw the face I most hate in a column.
Yes. It is Byron Stout-the couch potato from Tallahassee who THINKS we consider him an expert in fishing knowledge.
Anyway,the subject was culling.
(for those of you who aren’t familiar with this word,it means you take like a 25 inch red and keep him in your livewell,and then catch a 26 and a half red,and release the smaller one)
Well, according to the fishing commission,this act is now illegal to all of us peon basic anglers, but TOURNAMENT anglers ARE allowed to do this!
The reason?????
As they state,”the redfish mortality would be higher if the general public was allowed to cull.rather than MORE EXPERINCED AND BETTER EQUIPPED tournament anglers.”
Is that not a KICK in thee ass to us?
Who do these people think they are??!
Because I cannot afford the highly expensive tournament fees and do not own a $200,000 damn boat,I am NOT trusted to cull???
I would give ANYTHING to get one of them loser tournament anglers up against me in a fishing contest and we will SEE who keeps our species alive to do the old switch and bait routine.

I, of course wrote numerous letters to the commission and to the news press editor section.
But I know I won’t get any responses.
I never do.
We,the everyday anglers ALWAYS get the shaft.
Whether there is a meeting somewhere in town,and they forget to notify the general public (see snook regs) or when they feel our lowly pathetic lives don’t need to know about any surveys going on.

Well, now they have a survey posted for you to take.
Not that is will matter in the long run.
Go to: http://myfwc.com and look to the right side of the page for the survey.
While you’re there, check out the survey about a $5 bass stamp!
God. Some losers are ACTUALLY voting for this!
Fishing in S.W.Florida is coming to an end,my friends…
The money and politics aspect has taken over…

Someone tell me why the regs for snook are different over on the east coast?
I still cannot understand that.

Bent Rods and Hot Nights……
Susan

P.S. Watch Out!
Pretty soon,you may find yourself in jail for SMOKING ON THE BEACH ALSO!
(If Wayne Daltry and Marge Ward have their way!)