WSB Sex Question
 

This is just information gathering for myself. I'm not getting into fishery management or any other issue re catch. I'm not stirring shit per se, I just want to know.

WSB bites come and go, and I see big fish landed, both on the web and grrr in person. I don't really care when and where, but what are the ratios of female to male that are "caught"? Every big fish I've seen has been female, either post or pre-spawn.

Does anyone ever catch males?
Does anyone ever catch big males?
Are males smarter or something?
Do females just eat more?

No shit-stirring.

Thanks to those that have wsb numbers under their belts. I can't relate any info. I have 1 legal caught off a boat on live squeed/leadhead. It was 17# and female, prespawn.

Z

I think of all the wsb I've caught, one was a male and that was last year. The male was the only one that croaked on the deck too. It made the whole kayak vibrate. He was part of a spawning pair I think. I saw him swim by with a female. Esdees caught the female, I got the male.

I think the people at Hubbs said it was normal for almost all the rod and reel fish to be female, but I don't remember exactly the context of what they told me. It's normal for many fish populations that the females are bigger and the trophies.

Right. Which leads to the questions, and my less than trophy 17# female.

How big was the male (#'s roughly)?

Thanks.

Z

I think that females are larger in many fish species. I read that about halibut and most shark species. Could be the same with WSB.

I'm not sure why, but I thought that only males croaked. After a little research, I think that's incorrect. So I don't know that I've caught any males before. All my big ones have definitely been pre or mid-spawn females though. Maybe the males just don't eat as much.

Yeah females are the egg producers and are generally bigger due to being an egg factory which takes lots of fuel. Plus, more size = more egg storage space = greater chance for successful breeding. I get that, but is it just a question of males not eating as much? Maybe the females must eat all the time, and get hooked much more often?

Thanks again. I'm looking for any other confirmed males caught.

My male wsb was 33#.

That's no slouch.

Evolutionarily it may be advantageous for the female to be bigger as a deterrent from natural predators as well as being the egg factory. It costs alot of energy to make and grow those giant egg sacks while the males little swimmers are pretty low engergy cost.

It would be rad if human women were like 20 feet tall. It'd be so easy to look up skirts. :biggrinjester:

Verne's doin alright.

No stirring!

Aaaghhhh!!! My Eyes!

It'll take months of fishing and therapy to get that image erased from my mind!:the_finger:

Troy,

I've caught one wsb that I know for sure was a male. It was 52" and 38lbs. If it had been a female of that length it probably would have been well over 50 lbs. I believe that the female's increased drive to feed is what makes them so much more frequently caught. Males can afford to be more cautious; Females gotta feed the litter.