Jigging for Flats in late fall early winter.

That’s not cool. You should see the nice crappies I nail on a 7″ texas rigged worm.

pug.. do you have to try to turn every thread into a bad joke?

Yes, wardens do hand out well deserved tickets to those targeting fish out of season. More power to them. I wish we had more conservation officers to enforce these laws.

FD…it’s either Pug or me…although some of his smell like my bait tank after forgetting about it…last week.

I’ve put the “closed” season issue in the back of my head for a long time as I was waiting for this bh rule to be enacted.

My origanal thought was…if there was a closed season on flats…it would make possision of them against the law…and sale to a meat market (small percentage)…

With the laws right now…if someone was snagging them..once they are in the boat/car, a CO can’t tell the diferance. With a closed season…I (think) people will be less inclinded to keep them and risk a ticket coming off the water.

I know that law breakers/poachers really don’t care about any law and this won’t stop them…but I do believe that a closed season for the Croix/sippi would make the average joe think twice about targeting them…

OK…I’ve thickened my skin…what’s wrong with that thought??

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pug.. do you have to try to turn every thread into a bad joke?

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For the record, I never target fish out of season.

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With the laws right now…if someone was snagging them..once they are in the boat/car, a CO can’t tell the diferance. With a closed season…I (think) people will be less inclinded to keep them and risk a ticket coming off the water.

OK…I’ve thickened my skin…what’s wrong with that thought??

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One might be surprised on how CO’s will inspect fish. I had a game warden force me to release a salmon, and the same CO handed tickets to other fishermen at the same time he forced me to release my fish.

He witnessed me catching my fish, but he didnt witness where I had hooked the fish(in mouth). My fish I just caught had the taddle tail marks that it had been foul hooked sometime in the near past. CO’s will inspect fish, an if they show signs of being snagged, they will issue tickets and take the fish.

I was very upset when he made me release my fish(25# king), but he gave me the option to release it, or he would be keeping the fish and leaving me with a ticket. Me being a 16 year old kid at the time left me feeling pretty helpless. The other fishermen that recieved tickets had harvested fish that did show signs of being foul hooked.

I look back, and I dont take it to heart. That CO was doing his job trying to stop people from snagging fish. I am sure most of the tickets were deserved. An agressive CO on pool 4 would do some good in the winter months if they started inspecting the catfish in the same way and issuing tickets to those who have fish in possession with evidence of foul hooking.

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Wisconsin law is that it is illegal “to fish by snagging, foul-hooking, or attempting to hook fish other than in the mouth.” But that doesn’t really do any good if they can claim that they’re not trying to snag fish, and if they’re releasing snagged fish.

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So, with everyone stating that snagging is illegal, when are all the guys going to get nailed in the spring on P4, using blade baits for walleyes?

Yea, I’m stirring the pot here, but am I wrong?

Leave it to Gary to muddy the Mississippi!

Gary, the differance here is with flatheads, they are mostly inactive in the winter when the snagging seems to be happening.

Snagged fish…as mentioned before is very unsportsman like…unless it’s a mushy…than anything goes.

I can already feel the fire that is going to rain down upon me for this, but I’ll say it anyways, just to stir the pot a bit more and make people think a bit.

As a disclaimer, I, too, feel that something needs to be done about flathead snagging.

There are a lot of people out there, including people who frequent this board, that don’t have a big problem breaking other conservation laws, but they get all up in arms about people snagging flatheads. I’m talking about transporting bullheads from infested waters, transporting bullheads over 7 inches, using two rods, using sunfish for bait, etc. Now, you can justify that by saying, “well, I don’t agree with that law” or “I’m going to release them all anyways,” but the fact of the matter is that the law is still being broken. A law is a law, and you don’t get to pick and choose which laws you want to follow.

Well, feel free to tear into me. I’ll go crawl into my bunker.

I thought the same thing Ralph, but I am glad you were the one to throw yourself onto the fire. For me personally, there is a difference the potential lethalness of snagging and the potential death rate of those snagged during the cold months when they are mostly dormant. It’s also tough to take when we work into fooling 40#+ fish in the summer, while these people are stabbing big fish who aren’t even thinking about eating. Those cats are just in the wrong spot at the wrong time. That’s hardly sporting. I think I can say that we all respect cats and and it feels like we are being disrespected, as well as the sport of catfishing, when people snag these fish. With all the rules you gave, it’s hard to argue that you still aren’t giving the fish a sporting chance. Does it make it right? No. Does snagging seem more sinister? I think so.

As a kid I used to snag carp down at the creek. I stopped when I hooked into a 6lb pike. I probably caught hundereds of carp and buffalo up to that point, but that didn’t matter after I hooked just one gamefish.

I appreciate you having the cohonas to say what your thinking. My personal opinion: There are lines drawn in the sand in every issue. I read a article today in the Rochester Post Bulletin about allowing Crossbows during the normal archery season, and was asked by a coworker, what is the difference.

I tried to respond that it take much more practice, and skill to shoot a standard bow over a crossbow, which is why there is a longer season. After saying that, I started to wonder why can we use compound bows, and not have to use long bows or recurves? Do they not require more skill and practice then a compound?

Does it matter if a few guys use crossbows, Problably Not. Does it matter if a few guys snag flatheads in spring, problably not? Do I agree with either issue, No.

I know you were problably expecing this arguement, but as you said, Laws are laws, Right? Ever traveled over 55mph, drank before you were 21, premarital sex , yelled at your parents, coveted your neighbors wife, the list goes on. It is all simply where do you draw the line between right and wrong.

I think the bottom line is more laws will do no good, enforce the laws we have. The best police force in the world is right here, guys like you and me. CO’s, Cops, Firemen, Teachers, etc. are all short of funding and cannot police these issues, including the laws you stated, we have to do it. Most COs will gladly write a ticket for people doing things illeagaly, including snagging flats, more lines, oversized bait, or whatever, they cannot be everywhere.

I for one have used oversized bait, and if I were questioned about it would fess up and admit I knowingly broke the law, and take my punishment. A law is a law. I am sure most of these flathead snaggers would do the same, but as we all know, chances of being caught are right between slim and none

All I can say is call the TIP line for any reason and get the people doing this to stop.

Ralph.. I can hear what your saying, and we all dont agree with the laws that are out there. Some of us stretch the laws, some of us just outright break them, others of us abide by them. I see much more shame in those snagging and harvesting fish than I do with someone using a illegal bait. That doesnt make the guy using an illegal bait right, but at least that person is still trying to coax a fish into grabbing a stationary bait.

Without this turning into a big debate… I agree there is a problem with *porcupine boats* in some areas. I dont think there is as much of a problem with illegal baits as you are implying.

Okay…. Okay…
Lets all take one step foward and raise our right hands and plead the fifth amendment. Niether confirming nor denying previous actions while fishing. This isn’t an appropreate place to air our previous transgressions on “Public, Permanent” record.
enough said.

Sorry, I need to get some sleep

Sorry that was a touchy subject, but maybe it’ll make one or two people think twice next time.

I’ve angered some people, so I think I’ll walk away and let you guys enjoy the forum without my input.

Take care.

And you guys say Bass Fisherman are bad….geesh….

I don’t think you’ve angered anyone. I don’t sense any animosity in any of the posts.

And we have kind of come full circle and I don’t know that have figured anything out. I don’t even know how much I would want to push for a closed season anymore. You never know with that, they might want to close it through July until they are done with spawning. I for one would not want that. They also effectively have their own closed season when the water is below 50 degrees. People are going to break the law and bend the rules and like stated, it’s up to us to help police it.

There is a great artical on the cons of Flathead fishing in the winter at http://www.procats.com

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Sorry that was a touchy subject, but maybe it’ll make one or two people think twice next time.

I’ve angered some people, so I think I’ll walk away and let you guys enjoy the forum without my input.

Take care.

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That’s a rather extreme opinion. I don’t sense any anger at all. What I do sense is people finally stepping off a second and looking at what they have done in the past that may give them reason to pause before going on and trying to talk with a size 12 foot in their mouth.

Ralph, I personally thought it was a good point.

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I don’t sense any anger at all.

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Quoting myself, now this won’t be pretty…

Then again, after some, ahem, insight, I can see where the anger comes from. Cheap shots in the form of PM’s should be directly reported to an Admin or Mod.

Some of you suck.