Micropterus -

Believe it or not I agree with you. Nets constitute the largest threat to the vitality of returning fish...

The thing is though, we can all point at that fact and go 'Yup...'...but what frickin good does it do us or the fish? I don't see the Supreme Court changing their minds any time soon on allocated harvest percentages or treaty rights so...

Take some responsibility...is it fair that it falls on our shoulders to protect a resource no one seems to care about except sporties? Hell no...but NOT taking common sense measures to protect what's left of the resource makes people with logic yours, nothing personal, just as as culpable for the declining returns as any of the other things you mentioned.

Summation: Is it our fault runs are declining? No...

Can we do something to mitigate our contribution to that decline? Yes...unequivocally, and in my opinion if you are not taking those measures you have no right to complain about the other contributing factors.

On the net thing, do what the rest of us can do...write your congressmen, Senators, state reps etcetera and see how far you get.....all the complaining and/or organizing in the whole world is not likely to save one fish...but by enacting a personal bait ban or selective fishery you could save a fish tomorrow.