Closed Flathead Season

Thanks Jason, I’ll look it up.

Eye full…”the times they are a changen”! Mostly for the better for the Flatheads!

I was just looking through the WI ’04/’05 regulations.

Most counties had a limit of 25 cats…only two could be flats. One county has a 12 to 15″ slot (?) and on Lac LaBelle there is a close season on flats. Boarder waters list 10.

Anyone know what’s going on at Lac LaBelle?

Hey Catdad? Have you notice a decline in trophy (you can pick your own weights for the meaning of trophy) flathead fishing on the Mississippi over the last 6 years?

I’m a bit confused about the “closed season” idea for Flattys. They don’t bite in a cold water situation anyway and snagging them is already illegal. Dosn’t a “catch and realease only” on them make a little more sense? At least on some waters? I know down south this wouldn’t be popular at all but then again we don’t use every method this side of dynamite to catch um either. There are people who come {at least to the Minnesota River} to catch and keep all the biggest fish they can get away with …makes me sick!

Hey Chris, Maybe see you at the Gapen booth next month?

Brian,

Lac LaBelle is an experiment of sorts…something like 25 yrs. ago it was stocked with adult Flatheads to try and curtail an overabundance of carp. Ever since that stocking Flatheads have had a closed season. I don’t know how the experiment is working…but the season remains closed. I would never fish a lake anyways, even though it’s only minutes away…just not my style.

Jason.

Thanks Jason, It would be interesting to see what the outcome has been so far. I can see the 80 100 lb flats swallowing a 20 lb carp…What size live bait hook would you use for a 20 lbs carp?

Dark,

You have the same thought as the DNR did (at least 5-6 years ago when Catdad was talking with them).

Why close the season when they don’t bite (around here) and snagging is already against the law?

My thought is that when you snag a flattie…once it’s in the boat, who’s to say it wasn’t caught in the mouth? Maybe it was.

So you have hundreds if not more fish in a very small area and folks are taking them out (snagging, hooking, netting…moot point here) and once they get into the boat…they are on their way to the dinner table…or what ever they do with them.

Maybe i’m not being clear…let’s try this. Bears hibernate, and there’s a closed season at that time. Because we know why type of area bear like to “sleep” in they become easy to find. Bang…dead bear, meat for the table…just need one more for my limit. But since this was a big 600 pound bear, I just mess up a few more dens until I find one just a little bigger…then I’ll be back in the morning for my limit again. (I’m not going into the “sport” of catching a sluggish fish here).

So, as with bears…there’s a closed season and they will be left alone…except for the true accedental snagging…

Bottom line? Folks won’t try to foul hook them as they are now (on P4 anyway) because they won’t want to take the chance of taking home a fish while it’s out of season.

Please anyone, shoot holes in my thoughts…

Edit:

But if the fish population can handle this, besides the ethical reason…why should there be a closed season or a law against snagging them?

What bothers me is the impact just a few guys can have on thousands of other guy’s fishing success and enjoyment.

Imagine a guy who normaly has no interest in catfish of any kind. He is bored in February and sees an IN-Fish segment about the wintering flathead bite. He goes out and finds a wintering hole and starts “fishing” for flatheads. He releases 50 or so flatheads that are obviously snagged, because keeping them would be illegal. But he keeps a couple of the big ones that were hooked in the lips, because he can argue that they “bit” his lure. He wants to take them back to the bar and show the other guys the monsters he is out catching while they are jigging for bluegills through the ice.

The next day he takes 2 buddies out with him and they triple those numbers.

Now imagine some other guys, lots of other guys, hundreds of guys, who respect and love to fish for catfish. They live hours away and maybe get to the Mississippi once or twice per year. They put in the time and do everything right. Their success and enjoyment are probably effected by what 3 bored goofballs, who couldn’t care less, did to the flathead population 6 months ago, just because the could.

I don’t know for sure what damage it does to a flathead to be snagged in the winter. But those fish shut down for a reason. I don’t think nature has prepared them to deal with that kind of activity. If winter flathead fishing ever gets more popular I don’t see how it can’t impact the fishing quality for everybody.

Quote:

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If winter flathead fishing ever gets more popular I don’t see how it can’t impact the fishing quality for everybody.

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Seems so simple…doesn’t it?

And so it came to be. This conversation turned into reality at least in the State of MN.

Who said the MN DNR doesn’t listen?

This is an oldie. I can say a flathead will bite in the winter. Maybe not often but does happen. Like 8 years ago had one absolutely crush a jigging rap through this ice on the minnesota river. Wasnt hooked in the lip it was down the back of its throat. Guessing about 35lbs or so had to reach in and cut line it wouldnt come through the hole.