JimH wrote:


Sheephead are a useless fish and I am glad to see them go. The problem,
however, is the stench as they lie dead along the beaches. Lakefront
property owners are being told to bury them and cover them with lime.

No such thing as useless in nature. Even the worst misfit serves a
purpose in the grand scheme of things.

Besides, here's an interesting comment about that very perception from
the article you linked:

"Let's face it, if people weren't educating others that these
fish are 'bad' then we wouldn't come away with that
perception," he said. "I've had kids on my boat and had them hook
into some nice drum that's bigger than the perch that's coming in.
If you're not beating the fish over the head and talking about how
bad it is, that kid will think he's caught a nice fish ... It is what
you make it."

If they are an easy fish for kids to catch, that's a big plus. The
author is right on with his observation. Back when I was a
pre-kindergarten kid I caught my first fish. I reeled that little
sucker in all by myself, and for a moment I was so proud and excited,
you would have thought I had won first place in a major tournament.
Almost immediately, I was made to feel as though I had done something
wrong by the adults on hand, "Oh, look. It's only a gawddam
bullhead....." Wonder if that's why I can take or leave fishing, even
to this day?
Probably not, really, but it could be a minor factor.