Quote:
We should allow commercial fisherman to count fish they catch as records too.
As long as they put a hook in its mouth, I have no problem with this. 
January 21, 2014 at 5:00 pm
#1381567
Was It Snagged?
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January 21, 2014 at 6:22 pm #1381590
They catch them all the time on the Fox chain thru winter. Cats like to rub them whiskers on bait. With an ice rod that looks like a bite. In bullhead infested water I get a bunch of whisker hook ups…..
Of course you are farther North and love “lures?”…..
Carry on…..
January 21, 2014 at 7:43 pm #1381619Quote:
Quote:
A fish snagged in the mouth is a snagged fish. (that’s a cat fishermans law which may or may not aline with MI law.)
I’ve always thought that the rules pertaining to the salmon run in Alaska are funny — the fish don’t eat, but if you snag them in the mouth they’re legal. If you snag them in the fin, they’re not.
For better or worse in this case, I’m guessing that if the fish was hooked in the mouth it was legal even if they used a camera to see the fish and get the lure there. Kind of a bummer if that’s the case (who knows?) and (again, IF that’s the case) creates a great argument for a closed season.
You started to make me think again John23!!
From page 11 of the 2013/14 Michigan Fishing Regulations.
“Snagging: Attempting to take a fish in a manner that the fish does not take the hook voluntarily in it’s mouth. It is unlawful to snag a fish”
I have confidence in the MI DNR.
January 21, 2014 at 8:32 pm #1381638Quote:
From page 11 of the 2013/14 Michigan Fishing Regulations.
“Snagging: Attempting to take a fish in a manner that the fish does not take the hook voluntarily in it’s mouth. It is unlawful to snag a fish”
I have confidence in the MI DNR.
They would have asked the fish if it were voluntary but it died. =)
January 21, 2014 at 9:05 pm #1381652Quote:
They would have asked the fish if it were voluntary but it died. =)
At least he went peacefully in his sleep dreaming of an epic battle with a fisherman. Or was he dreaming he was a chicken?
January 22, 2014 at 8:07 am #1381710Well, congrats are in order to the lucky guy!
…and I apologize for calling him a snagger.This guy truly has a good luck horseshoe in his pocket!
Quote:
It should be noted that flathead catfish typically inhabit large river systems, like the nearby St. Joseph River. Based on the size of this fish, it mysteriously found its way to Barron Lake several years ago, perhaps through illegal stocking as there are no direct connections to a large river system. Anglers are reminded that transferring fish from one water body to another is prohibited because such transfers can disrupt the fish community in the receiving water through predation, competition with native species, or introduction of new disease-causing organisms.
State records are recognized by weight only. To qualify for a state record, fish must exceed the current listed state record weight and identification must be verified by a DNR fisheries biologist.
RobbinsdaleJanuary 24, 2014 at 5:26 pm #1382809Does that mean we will start seeing Mr.BK out ice fishing for a flattie any time soon
January 24, 2014 at 8:03 pm #1382839Oh sure. I can see it now…
Local Guide Breaks 40 year Old State Flathead Record!
RED WING, MN JANUARY 24 2014
Who wouldn’t believe that?
January 25, 2014 at 4:54 am #1382870Quote:
Oh sure. I can see it now…
Local Guide Breaks 40 year Old State Flathead Record!
RED WING, MN JANUARY 24 2014
:
While wearing pink bikini bottoms,flip flops and eating a spam sandwich.
February 10, 2014 at 6:18 pm #1387651Follow up from the MI DNR:
“I agree that this was an unlikely fish story. My first assumption when I received a message that someone thought they had a new state record catfish was that the fish came from the St. Joseph River. However, the video provides solid evidence that this fish was captured through the ice. Furthermore, there would have been no motivation for Mr. Blakley to lie about catching the fish in the St. Joseph River unless the fish was caught upstream in Indiana. Several DNR – Fisheries Division employees asked him questions about the fish. (We do not have a polygraph.) There was nothing in Mr. Blakely’s behavior that suggested he was lying to us. If he was acting, he did a great job. There were no wounds on the fish that would have been indicative of foul-hooking.
No DNA testing is planned. We know that flathead catfish are not native to Barron Lake. In all likelihood, another angler illegally transferred this fish from the St. Joseph River to Barron Lake several years ago. Unfortunately, such illegal transfers are not uncommon. For example, we caught a 41 inch flathead catfish in another landlocked lake (Round Lake in Van Buren County) during one of our muskellunge netting surveys in 2010.
With any state record, we are not able to identify the capture location with 100% certainty. There is always the possibility that someone could catch a fish out-of-state or in a private pond and lie about the capture location. If Mr. Blakley was going to lie about his fish, I think he would have come up with a more believable story (e.g., that he caught it in the St. Joseph River on heavier line). The outlandish nature of his story, coupled with the video, convinced me that he was telling the truth. Truth is often stranger than fiction.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me.
Brian Gunderman
Senior Fisheries Biologist
MDNR – Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit
Plainwell, MI 49080
Phone: (269)685-6851 EXT 145
Fax: (269)685-1362″
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Truth is often stranger than fiction.
Yes it is Brian, yes it is.
February 10, 2014 at 7:41 pm #1387671You busy body you.
February 10, 2014 at 9:20 pm #1387695Beats casting to a mail box.
February 11, 2014 at 4:16 pm #1387916I find it interesting that they never mention that Flatheads are dormant during the winter and if so…..wait for it…..how did they get it to bite.
February 11, 2014 at 9:15 pm #1387958Don’t think I didn’t ask.
February 12, 2014 at 8:35 am #1388047Quote:
I find it interesting that they never mention that Flatheads are dormant during the winter and if so…..wait for it…..how did they get it to bite.
How do you figure out if the fish intentionally put the bait in it’s mouth. Ask the fish? Maybe BK could get an answer. If it is hooked in the mouth technically it is legally hooked. Right?
February 12, 2014 at 8:57 am #1388057I noticed Clam was cashing in on it right away. Don’t let the truth stand in the way of a good story. I am a little surprised how quickly they were piggybacking it.
February 12, 2014 at 10:43 am #1388082Quote:
Quote:
I find it interesting that they never mention that Flatheads are dormant during the winter and if so…..wait for it…..how did they get it to bite.
How do you figure out if the fish intentionally put the bait in it’s mouth. Ask the fish? Maybe BK could get an answer. If it is hooked in the mouth technically it is legally hooked. Right?
From page 11 of the 2013/14 Michigan Fishing Regulations.
“Snagging: Attempting to take a fish in a manner that the fish does not take the hook voluntarily in it’s mouth. It is unlawful to snag a fish”
There’s a lot of “legally” caught fish on Pool 4 that have odd looking tears in their skin or around their fins. Once a flat is in the boat how does anyone know if it was legally caught or foul hooked.
Toss in two holes prior to seeing the fish and a underwater camera…and truth become stranger then fiction.
February 13, 2014 at 4:14 am #1388270As far as catching flatheads in the cold weather months go—I have probably caught at least a half dozen over the last 10 years. All have been when I was vertical jigging in the boat on Pool 4. Every flathead was caught in the lip and until I watched Brian’s videos I would have sworn that they bit my bait. After watching the videos I believe they were all sitting on the bottom facing upstream and my jig was coming downstream and the logical place for them to get hooked is in the mouth area. They all were released but I can see how someone would think they feed. I have never caught a flathead in the winter months that did not have the hook in it’s mouth. What does this have to do with the original story—not a darn thing
February 13, 2014 at 1:54 pm #1388472Can we put this one to bed?
February 14, 2014 at 3:30 pm #1388758…like a winter cat.
February 14, 2014 at 6:05 pm #1388782Quote:
I noticed Clam was cashing in on it right away. Don’t let the truth stand in the way of a good story. I am a little surprised how quickly they were piggybacking it.
First phone call they made was probably to Clam to allow them to state what gear was used to catch it… for a small fee of course. Tney probably called everybody, rods, reels, auger, line, lure, etc.
February 14, 2014 at 7:30 pm #1388789Quote:
First phone call they made was probably to Clam to allow them to state what gear was used to catch it… for a small fee of course. Tney probably called everybody, rods, reels, auger, line, lure, etc.
That’s what I a doing if I ever luck out and catch a monster fish…however it will be released.
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