If you’re not yet familiar with Release Over 20, it’s a movement dedicated to encouraging anglers to release breeder-size fish–—the ones that are essential for replenishing our fisheries. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started, it’s crucial to understand how releasing certain fish helps ensure healthy, sustainable populations for the future.

So, what exactly does this movement mean for you? Let’s break it down.

It’s no secret that big fish are vital to the longevity of a population, but you might not realize just how important that one fish can be—especially when it comes to Speckled Trout. During the episode, David highlighted some eye-opening stats: if you start with 1,000 baby specks, only 8 will make it to 20 inches—and it takes 4 years for a trout to reach that size. As the fish grow, the likelihood of survival decreases, but their importance to the ecosystem grows exponentially. The larger the fish, the more eggs they produce, and some of these big female specks can lay up to 20 million eggs in a spawning season! That’s a lot of future fish.

But here’s the issue: when these big breeders are caught and placed in your cooler, you’re not just removing one fish—you’re taking away a significant amount of reproductive power. David’s advice? At a minimum, release any fish over 20 inches. These big fish are harder to come by, and releasing them helps ensure they can continue to spawn and contribute to future generations.

On the podcast, we also discussed the declining flounder population, and David shared some crucial insights into why it’s essential to release them. Flounder populations have been on a steady decline for over 30 years, and part of the reason is tied to how the species is regulated. In South Carolina, anglers can keep up to 5 flounder per person, with a minimum size of 16 inches. The catch? Every keeper flounder is female since males typically max out at about 13 inches. 100% of the time, the flounder being taken home are females—key pieces of a sustainable population.

David stressed the importance of releasing these larger females so they can continue to spawn. While regulations are in place, it’s up to us as anglers to go a step further by releasing fish that are near or above the breeding size, particularly large females. This small, individual effort can make a significant difference in restoring the flounder population in the long run.

When it comes to redfish, David shared a lot of enlightening biological information about our “slots” in the US. Redfish reach sexual maturity at 27 inches for males and 30 inches for females, but in South Carolina, the upper slot limit for keeping a redfish is capped at 23 inches. That means if you’re keeping a redfish in that range, it likely hasn’t had a chance to spawn yet. By choosing to release slot redfish, you give them the opportunity to grow and contribute to their population.

David also discussed the importance of big bull reds—those fish over 35 inches that are sexually mature. Between August and October, these bull redfish are in our SC waters to spawn, and while targeting them is incredibly tempting, it’s best practice to disturb them as little as possible so they can do their part to repopulate. These massive redfish are in our waters April through November and, at Toadfish, we’ve had great success targeting them in July and November— outside of peak spawning season.

As is the essence of Release over 20, David really drove home the idea that, as anglers, we hold the power to make a lasting difference in our fisheries. While following the regulations is important, imposing your own personal limits can take it a step further—it’s all about creating positive habits now that will benefit the future of the fishery. The Release Over 20 movement isn’t just a catchy slogan—it’s a call to action to protect the fish that are crucial for the long-term health of our ecosystems.

Over 20,000 anglers have already signed on to release big breeders and keep fish populations strong. It’s about doing the right thing—not just for us, but for future generations of anglers who will be casting their lines in our coastal waters.