Giving vs Taking?

Disclaimer: Everyone has a right to their own opinion and actions. Please remember we are all catfisherman/gals and we are (or at least should be) doing what we think is best for our cat fishery.

One Truth:
Everyone learned how to fish for cat’s from someone. Even if they went out on and used trial and error, we have picked up tips, tricks, how to read water or even holes from someone or something…like this forum or the hundereds of other cat forums out there.

So my question is, Isn’t it selfish for people to take info with out giving some back?
Whether it be in the form of posts or taking someone else fishing?

In a strange way, it reminds me of catch and release…If you have a small lake and everyone takes..but no one puts back…soon, the lake is fished out….if that makes any sense.

This is true in any forum…but more so in the cat forum when there is a comparitively small number of cat fisher folk than say eye’s or ba$$….

Your thoughts?

Thank You Brian
Everything I learned about catfishing I learned from fellow catters. And to be honest, I am still a novice. I haven’t been catfishing by my self (lack of boat)to try out what I have learned but I am willing to share what I do know.

And while we are at it: Thanks to those who did find the time/room for me in their boat.

Brian is right. Share the knowledge. Help someone else enjoy the sport as much as you do.
Besides, I need to start getting more cats under my belt (insert hint-anyone want to share a boat?). Other wise being call catfishgirl sounds pretty silly for someone who fishes for muskies.

I would like to yell out a big THANK YOU to my Grandmother way up stairs.
If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t even know what a catfish looks like

Also thanks to this forum and the humor we share, I have put more fish in the boat, and been able to endure the slow times without going nuts

So here is a big THANK YOU to those of you who put up with me

And for those who don’t

Good fishing people

There was a guy named Gordy Madison who was a farmer in Pine City. He was a dairy farmer, and his son Dave worked at my dad’s gas station. Gordy knew I loved to fish, so he would tell me if I came over and helped with chores, they would get done faster, and he would take me cat fishing. After chores, he would toss me a bucket and tell me to go out and catch as many frogs as possible. After grabbing a couple dozen or so, we would head down to the Snake River. He knew of a spot that was a large eddy off of some moving water. We would drop lines into the water, and attach bells to the tips, and fire up the Coleman lanterns. Not long after we were diving into the sandwiches Gordy’s wife would pack for us. Life was good! God, the look on that guys face when a bell would ring! Priceless! Gordy died a few years after that while up getting a deer hunting shack ready for the opener. A faulty furnace causes CO to build up, and he died. I would like to think a part of Gordy lives in me whenever I hear the clicker start to sing.

Tuck

Heres a recipie for sour clams that works good and thier great for channel cats. Get a one gallon glass or plastic widemouth jar like the ones used at the restaurants. Put in one pint of half and half, three tablespoons of salt and 1/2 ounce of oil of anise (smells like black licorice) and thats it for the mix. Then put the clams in gradually stirring them until there is about a 3″ space left at the top of the jar. Put a plastic bag over the top and then the lid with small holes in it to slowly vent the gas that comes off the cure befor thier done. When the lids with holes is put on punch small holes through the plastic so the gasses will vent. Heres the way its done down here and you’ll see why. Everybody that uses these sour clams buries the jar in the ground because it needs to stay cool to cure and not spoil instead of just setting them outside beside the garage or in it. If thier not kept cool they will spoil and when your done with unused bait take the jar back out of the hole in the ground and put back the unused portion. While at the river or lake fishing just cover the hole with a piece of plywood or something. For those of you that have bait refrigerators you can keep your jar in there when thier done cureding and ready to use. The brave souls could put them in the household refrigerator but the gasses are pretty strong sometimes coming from the cure. It takes about a month for the clams to solidify and be done fully cureing. When hooking them up you still want to hook through the solid membrane or foot and lip to hold the hook and the cure does soften the lip some and it solidifies the softer flesh. Thier alot of work sometimes to get the clams and to dig a hole about 2′ deep and cover them back up but thier good bait for channels and if you like useing stink bait these won’t be too hard to handle and when the fish smell them they come running this is why you bury them instead of using the refrigerator. Ya i know, some say they should be left there in the ground (lol) but using them for bait for channels is worth your while too. You might want to use a pair of rubber gloves when baiting up because of the licorice smell and the cure but it does come off with a good washing with dishsoap. Thier good bait when nothing else seems to work, especially in the dogdays of late summer.

Brian,

Let me take a stab at answering a legitimate question, with a legitimate answer. First of all I was wondering what has laid the groundwork for this query? Do you have anyone in mind that you feel has taken without giving? These sites are actually designed so that if one has the inclination, they can be one-way conduits of information. Ideally that is not the way it should work, but it certainly can. Getting back to the original question, the number one reason I have heard from my peers, resident and transient, for not contributing is “the silliness”. I don’t want to debate the merits of “having fun” or general good natured ribbing/horseplay, I am just answering the quetion you posted. I have carefully cultivated a circle of “hardcore” catfishing friends, and we all communicate via email, telephone, or joint fishing outings. For some this may be all the interaction they need.

Jason.

I would add to what Jason said by this. If someone has a legitimate question and asks opinions, they get lots of good answers very quickly. I think this forum has matured a bit and what was a small group of fanatics has turned into a huge group capable of denting the resources. I have posted a few channels mostly for fun but I doubt I will post a flattie until I am able to Top Matt’s 54. He has set the standard. I used to be happy as hell with a 30 now I kind of consider that to be a short fish.

Hey Jet…I really didn’t have “one” person in mind and the “ground work”? Well I guess this first came through my feable mind with I was thinking about how many unregistered users stop by here..and other forums…just to “pull” the information…without giving back…. it seems “selfish” to me.

If this would be a one way forum….then it would be called …an online magazine(?)

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what was a small group of fanatics has turned into a huge group capable of denting the resources.

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Whiskerkev…. I’m not sure I follow?

The users of this cat forum are scattered all over and target differant sections of pools and differant pools and rivers…

21 hard core…and soft core users replied to the DNR re the bullhead lenght law change… IF we put 21 catters with their friends on a section of a pool and they didn’t practice catch and release…I would agree with you whole heartedly. Twenty one catters from at least 3 states……Hmmmm maybe I’m not sure of a particular area you are concerned of “denting”, so I could be off track here..

I don’t believe you are saying…let’s just not post a picture or talk about catten, because others may enjoy it?

I guess I incorrectly assumed this was a cat forum issue, because of topic placement. Lurkers are part of every online community, whether you think it’s fair or not.

Jason.

I am not a catter, and probably never will become one. I have caught one once on a spinner bait . It was a nice fish around 10 pounds.
I follow this forum because of the humor and “silliness”, sometimes it makes me laugh out loud. Not to learn about catten. Most people are lurkers and it is hard for them to post and give their secrets to strangers. Fair No but that is the way it is in any forum.
Most of my posts are blab, blab, blab. But if I know something about a subject I will tell you what I know. Mostly in a private message though. Its not that I do not want to share info with people, its I don’t want the world to take shortcuts that I worked hard for. If I give them out that’s my choice. Fair NO selfish maybe?
I feel that if people are not registered they should not be able to gather info.
Just my thoughts,

Ron

Cat Controversy…I LOVE IT…

I’d like to think that I give quite a bit to the Members and “Lurkers” of IDA, and have a good time in doing so.

In my Bass World, I give bits and pieces of information through my posts, but give VERY DETAILED information to members through means of PM’s and EMAILS. Some of these people are hard core contributors to IDA, some are not…

BUT

of all the “LURKERS” I have interacted with, almost all have returned the favor when I needed help. Most of the time I don’t even ask for it, they just do it I guess what i’m saying is there is a lot of give and take that goes on (including lurkers), it’s just done behind the scenes.

Brian-

You ask a good question and it is one I’ve asked myself many times. It is a dilemma.

The best I’ve come up with is to be as specific and helpful as possible while not being specific at the same time. Get it?? Then someone, perhaps a lurker, will get mad that you aren’t giving out specific enough info.

I think the other message to convey at the same time is a wise use of the resource whether it be catch & release, CPR, or selective harvest. People need to be aware of the fragile nature of a flathead cat population in Minnesota.

I do not post much. But my reason is in the last few years I do not get out to fish very much any more. ( really Sucks ).

In my opinion

When it comes to giving information out, one can get as specific on technics lures retrieves types of structure, and depth as one wants. That does not mean that the person trying to utilize it is capable of the same success.

Case in point fish with any of the good sticks on this board side by side with them and generally they will out fish the person in the boat with them. The average fisherman or client can a lot of times go back to the same spot and not repeat what the good stick can on the same spot. There are some that can do that but I think the majority can`t. Run into James or Dustin on the river they are slaying the walleyes. Then ask other ( average ) fishermen fishing around them how they are doing and the majority are not doing well.

As long as one is not giving out there specific spots I can never see any harm in giving out all the rest of the information.

As far a lurkers go that is there own insecurities and selfishness. They are probably this same way in the rest of there lives to. So I guess I really feel sorry for these people and there family. Sharing and helping others is a great part of life.

Just My Two Cents

Brian,

The last pic I posted had 420 visits. I don’t give a rats tail if anyone tries for these fish. I am willing to help out new people to help them as I was helped. Teach a person how to fish and they will find their own. Show a person where to fish and they will certainly fish that spot.

Sorry Whisker, I know that you share info and post. That’s why I was confused….you were talking about sharing spots..and I was thinking sharing info (general fishing info) and pics.

Miss communications on my end.

Should this forum be a bragging board or a place to have personal banter(silliness) between friends or is it a tool for serious catters to get opinions from other serious catters or is it all of the above? I fish for cats often but I also fish for many other species. There is information I would share with anyone and other stuff I would share with a select few and other stuff I wouldn’t tell my best friend. I really like the serious discussions on boats and tackle and approaches. I like the pictures (especially the kids) and I also hope to see an IDA guy if not myself catch the new state record in either of our states.

OK. I’m guilty. I have read the catfish threads many times without posting anything. I know, I am such a bad person.

SO I will now try to “put back” a little. For those of you who use stink bait. Add some fluffed up cat tails to it and mix in well. It gives the bait some “fiber” and helps keep it on the hooks longer.

Now for the record. I have never intentionally went after BIG cats at night. I have fished bullheads and catfish at night, but its been my experience that the 2-4 lb ones that are best eating are ones I can easily catch during the daytime.

Dude,

We will certainly have to fix that deficiency. The waters around La Crosse have produced some mighty big cats. they are like walleyes only oh 100 times stronger and maybe 200 times as mean.

maybe all of us should get together and have a cat night out? face to face info is the best, you learn you follow and you become a better fisherman. thanks to you guys i have had a great cat season.fisher dave, brian k, hanson, dark30, blacksportsman,and all of the others that’s been out this year..now it’s time for me to hang the rods up for hunting season..so maybe one or two more times out for the year. and then im done…so lets get together one night and have a good time…..chow

By the time you’ll be ready to get out noober these folks will have to bring an ice auger..

BTW.. dont forget your bullet proof vest and ear muffs for your hunting trip sunday.. let me know where your *captain* is taking you.. I want to be in a different county(safe shooting distance).. not to mention out of duck call range? .. A survival suit may not be out of question if your all hunting in that canoe.. the water is up more than 4 feet(deeper) where we hunted last weekend… flooded, water into the trees and the rice is only 2′ tall where it was 6′ before the rain.

For those looking onto this.. this IS NOT an attack on noober.. he is a great guy to have hunting and has eyes like a telescope for seeing birds.. he will have you excited and getting ready when the birds are 2 miles away.. literally.

I can hear it now…”I almost got a duck”…..

I’m still out of town…just wondering what P2 is looking like…a mess?

(this would be a taking post…. )

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(this would be a taking post…. )

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This would be a giving post….

Im sorry, just thought maybe a laugh was ordered up. Im done now.

Better be careful Bret (considering your a labeled man now)last time you cracked a joke the NO HUMOR POLICE came out and gave you a ticket. Oh geez now I am going to get one too. See what you did you trouble maker you.
Hey we all need a laugh or two now and then.

Ticket dismissed…court adjourned…..

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I can hear it now…”I almost got a duck”…..

I’m still out of town…just wondering what P2 is looking like…a mess?

(this would be a taking post…. )

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actually.. I have heard *almost had a duck* before.. but I guess thats more fitting than *almost had a bite*.

I havent looked at P2 lately.. I am afraid to… Sherry was cruising around today and se said there is a TON of flow coming over the St Anthony dams.. the water levels have to be up. The river I am huntin on north of the cities is still rising also… up another 6″ today from yesterday.. gets any higher we will be able to throw decoys on the highway.

Shooting slowed down today but there are still lots of birds around.. but many are sitting in flooded farm fields. There are quite a few northern woddies and ringers around.. mallards are increasing in numbers also… trick is to get them to land on the lake and not the fields.

Noober, Blacksportsman(good people and hunters) and their other hunting partner(insert statement here) that I dont care for will be in Carlos Avery tomorrow… If anyone here is a duck hunter and wants to sit in a blind in SCOTT county for the majority of the day.. send me a pm.. I have room for 2 more and a dog if you have one.

Well I’m a taker and a half. Not because I don’t want to share; but I don’t have much of anything to share at this point. I’m lucky if I get out for some fishing or hunting once a week. And it is a bonus if it is for an entire day.

Now I fully intend to get FisherDave out for some private land hunting yet this fall (I will see you sir Friday night on Mille Lacs) for ducks and pheasants. And I intend to do some P4 fishing in November with Briank.

Dave and Brian and Walleye GFA got me going on catfish. And it has been fun; but I gots little kids and a wife who works 70 hour weeks and more demands on my time then I know what to do with. But some day life will slow down and hopefully I can start giving back more and taking less. Later!

dd