There was once a time when many believed that all of the earth's resources were limitless. We have learned after many failures that the ecosystems we are a part of can be very delicate. More than ever, we have to be aware of how we treat our resources as a society. Especially when many marine fish species have become such an iconic part of the coastal lifestyle, with the influx of new fishermen because of the pandemic and the rise in coastal living, we could soon hit the ecosystem with a large payload. Remember that always doing your part as a conservationist is essential. Doing things like picking up trash when you see it, supporting your local fish and game agency, and trying your best to #putemback is a good start to being a conservationist. With those methods firmly installed in your mind, it is essential to note that your local DNR has already implemented some guard rails when taking your catch from the field. 

One of the most critical parts of saltwater fishing is knowing your size limits! Every state could have a different slot or size limit for the same fish. So, if you would like to travel and use our Travel Rod, it is vital to check with the local fish and game agency for their size/slot limits. The size limit and slot regulations continue beyond the jetties; DNR also has rules and regulations when keeping and fishing offshore. But the real question is, why are they important?

Size and slot limits are implemented onto game fish with high social/culinary value. The Sea Trout, over the last few years, has garnered attention as a fantastic table fair and a great light tackle game fish. SCDNR has regulations set at a minimum of fourteen inches. Some call for a slot size to be implemented for all popular game species, especially sea trout. The nonprofit organization Release Over 20 has its sights set on a future where the Sea Trout, Flounder, Sheepshead, and Red Drum all have a max slot of twenty inches.

The goal to have a maximum size of twenty inches is not aimless, as they have some science to support their reasoning. They believe that with the ever-rising number of people fishing and an easily accessible fountain of knowledge that is YouTube, the fish are at a severe disadvantage. That is coupled with the fact most species that reach a large trophy size are females. They can only breed after they get past that twenty-inch threshold. They believe these fish are survivors who have survived consistent harassment from anglers and predators. Ultimately, however, this goal will probably be unsuccessful because when the founder reached out to see how feasible it would be, he was told it would never happen.

One of the most common terms in the rule book across fishing and hunting is “bag limits.” The bag limit allows an angler to keep a precise number of fish species daily. Outdoorsmen are known to be criminally deceptive and protective of their strategies and spots. It is important to be forthright about following the bag limit laws, as nine times out of ten, the only person who will check you on it is yourself. So, to be a proper steward of the outdoors, we must be diligent in following something that there is no guarantee will be checked.