# Fish Ohio - New Qualifying Size



## bellbrookbass (Sep 20, 2013)

Just saw the new qualifying size for Smallmouth for anywhere other than Lake Erie is now 18". Thoughts?


----------



## bellbrookbass (Sep 20, 2013)

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/fishing/fish-ohio-recognition-program#tabr2


----------



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/index.php?threads/309914/
Fish Ohio Smallmouth


----------



## bellbrookbass (Sep 20, 2013)

SMBHooker said:


> http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/index.php?threads/309914/
> Fish Ohio Smallmouth


Nice! Guess I don't venture away from the Southwest Forum enough and did not see that thread. But now I'll make sure to check out The Lounge more often!


----------



## savethetrophies (Jul 4, 2014)

What was the old length? I feel silly.. Not sure if I forgot or never knew exactly


----------



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

savethetrophies said:


> What was the old length? I feel silly.. Not sure if I forgot or never knew exactly


20


----------



## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

I know there's another thread for this, but 18" is completely ridiculous. It's been said by a lot of guys, but 19" would've been solid. 20" will always be the mark that we all strive for regardless of the FOH size.


----------



## cincinnati (May 24, 2004)

GarrettMyers said:


> I know there's another thread for this, but 18" is completely ridiculous. It's been said by a lot of guys, but 19" would've been solid. 20" will always be the mark that we all strive for regardless of the FOH size.


Next, we'll quit keeping score & everyone will get an award!


----------



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

cincinnati said:


> Next, we'll quit keeping score & everyone will get an award!


Haha, that made me laugh. Thx.


----------



## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

It's basically just an honor system to keep people interested in fishing guys. Don't take it so seriously. If you're doing it for your own goals, then great, but in that case you can make up whatever score you want. Think 18 is too small? Then don't turn any in that are under 19 or 20. That simple. It's not like anyone actually gets anything except a cheap pin and a sense of accomplishment anyway. I could see complaining if you had to pay for it, or if there was a prize for the most fish, or whatever. That's not the case though. Some guys catch a ton of FO fish a year, some don't even pay attention (me) , and some just make stuff up to get a pin in the mail. It is what it is, therefore it is what YOU make it.


----------



## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

beaver said:


> It's basically just an honor system to keep people interested in fishing guys. Don't take it so seriously. If you're doing it for your own goals, then great, but in that case you can make up whatever score you want. Think 18 is too small? Then don't turn any in that are under 19 or 20. That simple. It's not like anyone actually gets anything except a cheap pin and a sense of accomplishment anyway. I could see complaining if you had to pay for it, or if there was a prize for the most fish, or whatever. That's not the case though. Some guys catch a ton of FO fish a year, some don't even pay attention (me) , and some just make stuff up to get a pin in the mail. It is what it is, therefore it is what YOU make it.


Wish I could double like this....wait I think I did....


----------



## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

19 would have been better.....18 is a participation trophy


----------



## crappie4me (Jan 25, 2009)

for most guys its got nothing to do with getting a pin..its personal accomplishment..aint nothin wrong with that.


----------



## ML1187 (Mar 13, 2012)

crappie4me said:


> for most guys its got nothing to do with getting a pin..its personal accomplishment..aint nothin wrong with that.


Yep for me it brings back fond memories of dads pins from the 80s and 90s... it will be really cool 20 years from now to go back and look over a 2017 pin and remember the fish that went along with it !


----------



## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

I agree. My point is though, what does it matter what the actual qualifying length is in that case? If I thought an 18" smallmouth is too easy of a goal, then I wouldn't bother reporting anything that size and give my personal accomplishment goal it's own criteria.


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Not sure I like the changes,With the new change on W/B ( down to 14") In a good year I could possibly catch hundreds of fish Ohio White-bass.
A few years ago myself and another OGF member probably caught nearly 200 14 inch fish in one weekend.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Remember, the F.O program factors in ALL anglers (OGF-Pro's, kids, seniors, novices). 

That said, 18" is perfect.


----------



## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

beaver said:


> It's basically just an honor system to keep people interested in fishing guys. Don't take it so seriously. If you're doing it for your own goals, then great, but in that case you can make up whatever score you want. Think 18 is too small? Then don't turn any in that are under 19 or 20. That simple. It's not like anyone actually gets anything except a cheap pin and a sense of accomplishment anyway. I could see complaining if you had to pay for it, or if there was a prize for the most fish, or whatever. That's not the case though. Some guys catch a ton of FO fish a year, some don't even pay attention (me) , and some just make stuff up to get a pin in the mail. It is what it is, therefore it is what YOU make it.


Well said!


----------



## reelwonders (Apr 10, 2016)

acklac7 said:


> "OGF-Pro".


 bwahahahahahaha shots fired!


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

reelwonders said:


> bwahahahahahaha shots fired!


----------



## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

Maybe the better question would be, How many serious fishermen have never caught an 18 inch smallmouth????

Even if you are a bad fishman, but put in your hours, you are going to catch an 18 inch smallie. 

Perhaps they need to create a "Stream/River" category and a "Lake/Still Water" category. IMO, it is much tougher catching an 18 or 20 inch smallie from a stream, and 20 inches under those circumstances is downright notable.


----------



## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I think 18" is a great size for the average fisherman. I've been fishing for as long as I can remember and I'm 65 now. I don't fish just for sm but have caught quite a few over the yrs, and nothing over 18". for the guys that target sm 18" may be a little small. and lake erie sm should be 20". but that's just my opinion.

someone said that wb are now 14". that's way small for a wb. I catch several over 14" every yr fishing on erie.
sherman


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

sherman51 said:


> someone said that wb are now 14". that's way small for a wb. I catch several over 14" every yr fishing on erie.
> sherman


 The lake Erie WB stays at 16". 14" is for inland fish only but that still seems a little short IMO. Plenty of 14" fish in the Ohio River and its tribs ,14 is tooo easy , but in many lakes 14 can be fairly tough.( Not impossible)
Good luck and Good Fishing !


----------



## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

garhtr said:


> The lake Erie WB stays at 16". 14" is for inland fish only but that still seems a little short IMO. Plenty of 14" fish in the Ohio River and its tribs ,14 is tooo easy , but in many lakes 14 can be fairly tough.( Not impossible)
> Good luck and Good Fishing !


thanks for clarifying the white bass sizes. i'll never put in for the pin myself but its a great thing for the novice fisherman and the young guns.
sherman


----------



## Tim67 (Mar 21, 2013)

Mickey said:


> Well said!


Totally agree, also on the comment about multiple W/B FO fish. Each angler can only submit 1 fish from each species, personally I have 5 F.O. for largemouth w/first caught in 97 and my personal best this past yr.2016 24 1/4in 8lb 3oz with 2 witnesses and fish released. Agree with remark that we should hold ourselves to our own individual standqrds.


----------



## Cat Mangler (Mar 25, 2012)

Tim67 said:


> Each angler can only submit 1 fish from each species


This is completely false. Only one of each species qualifies you for master angler, but you can submit as many as you wanted.


----------



## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

garhtr said:


> Not sure I like the changes,With the new change on W/B ( down to 14") In a good year I could possibly catch hundreds of fish Ohio White-bass.
> A few years ago myself and another OGF member probably caught nearly 200 14 inch fish in one weekend.
> Good luck and Good Fishing !


14" is silly. Might as well just make it 8" so no one gets their feels hurt. On the same note, can't we just make every fish a FOH? Actually, that would be mean to people who get skunked, so let's just give it to everyone who makes a cast.


----------



## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

GarrettMyers said:


> 14" is silly. Might as well just make it 8" so no one gets their feels hurt. On the same note, can't we just make every fish a FOH? Actually, that would be mean to people who get skunked, so let's just give it to everyone who makes a cast.


Dude, it's a free award based on an honor system with the purpose to keep people fishing. Chill out. Im not sure what the issue is with you on this. 

Honestly none of the qualifying sizes are really hard to obtain for any serious fisherman who fishes a lot. However this system isn't designed for the serious fisherman who fishes all the time. It is designed for the hobbyist and even the novice. 

Think about the kid who starts fishing for something productive to do , even though they don't really have a great support system like many of us are blessed with. If he is able to obtain a couple FO's and get a cool pin in recognition his first season, he's hooked. Even better, is that once he starts bragging about it to his other friends, they get excited about it. Even if it's just to have a competition amongst themselves, they're excited to join. Now we have another group of young people fishing instead of getting in trouble, and on our side when issues with anti outdoors people arise. All because the qualifications for a fish ohio award were high enough that they feel accomplished, but not so high that they're unrealistic to accomplish. 

If you think a sewer snapper needs to be 20" to be a trophy, keep chasing that 20" fish. However, there isn't any need to tell someone else that an 18" (or any size for that matter) isn't an accomplishment for them.


----------



## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

beaver said:


> Dude, it's a free award based on an honor system with the purpose to keep people fishing. Chill out. Im not sure what the issue is with you on this.
> 
> Honestly none of the qualifying sizes are really hard to obtain for any serious fisherman who fishes a lot. However this system isn't designed for the serious fisherman who fishes all the time. It is designed for the hobbyist and even the novice.
> 
> ...


It was a joke hombre. Obviously, you're the one that is worked up considering you just wrote a short novel. Relax.


----------



## Cat Mangler (Mar 25, 2012)

I just like pins........

And turtles(sorry Bill)


----------



## Flannel_Carp (Apr 7, 2014)

beaver said:


> ....If you think a *sewer snapper* needs to be 20"....


No shame, I'm stealing this


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm willing to bet know one on this forum would fish any differently if there was or wasn't a Fish Ohio program but I'd also bet everyone has some opinion on what size fish constitute a trophy fish. No one size fits all program will ever please everyone but We can all still have opinions. Some of the changes I agree with some I don't, no big deal just my opinion.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


----------



## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Flannel_Carp said:


> No shame, I'm stealing this


You're welcome.


----------



## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

garhtr said:


> I'm willing to bet know one on this forum would fish any differently if there was or wasn't a Fish Ohio program but I'd also bet everyone has some opinion on what size fish constitute a trophy fish. No one size fits all program will ever please everyone but We can all still have opinions. Some of the changes I agree with some I don't, no big deal just my opinion.
> Good luck and Good Fishing !


Very well said.


----------



## Aaron2012 (Mar 26, 2014)

garhtr said:


> I'm willing to bet know one on this forum would fish any differently if there was or wasn't a Fish Ohio program but I'd also bet everyone has some opinion on what size fish constitute a trophy fish. No one size fits all program will ever please everyone but We can all still have opinions. Some of the changes I agree with some I don't, no big deal just my opinion.
> Good luck and Good Fishing !


I didn't know that the fish ohio program existed till I found ogf. 

My goal for this season is to beat my pb smallie and set a pb for largemouth. Unless I get a 20 inch smallie I won't put in for the fo smallie pin.


----------



## J2jm (Apr 20, 2015)

Just buy the pins in eBay and say you caught whatever size smallmouth you want if having one means that much.
It's just an advertisement/marketing program to promote fishing by the ODNR. 
I am not going to look out of the corner of my eye, and scoff at children and old timers as if their pins are tainted or they cheated the system. Let them enjoy the pat on the back, a congratulations and tell you the story about a fish they caught.


----------



## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

I like collecting the pins. I have a pretty nice collection going right now. With that said, I never submit unless I actually catch one that's qualified. I
Hope to look back at them in 50 years and share stories with grandkids if I'm fortunate enough. 

As for the smallmouth size, it's nice that 18" is the new size, but 20" is still the standard for most smallmouth anglers.


----------



## ML1187 (Mar 13, 2012)

BuzzBait Brad said:


> I like collecting the pins. I have a pretty nice collection going right now. With that said, I never submit unless I actually catch one that's qualified. I
> Hope to look back at them in 50 years and share stories with grandkids if I'm fortunate enough.
> 
> As for the smallmouth size, it's nice that 18" is the new size, but 20" is still the standard for most smallmouth anglers.


Exactly my philosophical view on the subject too Brad- well said.


----------

