i agree that this is less of a problem as you move further south (get longer warm seasons) and bigger fisheries. it is also less of a problem if you practice catch-n-release during the spawn. another technique is to fish to the perimeter of the beds during the spawn, and not to the heart of a bedding area. but then you're settling for the smaller fish and engaging in conservation activity through selective harvest. so it depends on whether you want to be a conservationist, a trophy hunter, or a meat hunter as an angler. and you have to know the nature of the fishery where you are fishing. no 2 are exactly the same. this is especially important to those who manage private ponds/lakes. public waters are a tough subject when it comes to fisheries management by selective/restricted harvest.