Bow Fishing for Channel Cats?

I remember that ordeal and I don’t think I chimed in on that because there were no laws broken. They were shot out west somewhere I think and even in MN it would be legal.

The post I am referring to showed a man holding a 9 pound River Redhorse that in his state WI was illegal. That is what I am referring to and that thread was deleted this was sometime this spring. I was on the river he was on the night he shot it.

I believe I stated before that I am not anti bowfishing but I don’t agree with shooting native species to be used as fertilizer. I think it is great that the LLB works hard to get our youth outside and enjoying our fisheries.

Fact check….I have the PM’s and such from the WI Man but I will not post them.

How many CO’s can ID most of the fish beyond Sucker? I do not know how many but I have never talked to one that could. I have talked to a dozen or so. I get checked by them early in the year fishing when they think I am targeting walleyes out of season, but I am fishing redhorse and catching no walleyes. Our CO’s do a good job and they don’t have to be able to ID redhorse in MN.

FACT-
Joel from the Central region office is working very hard to get data to see how to make the Metro rivers trophy fisheries and learn more about how many cats and sizes we have here.

My viewpoint- Why put another factor that needs to be looked at.

I do not think I put down anything that was wrong factwise. If defensive when reading it it may be taken that way. The short way of stating this is MY OPINION IS THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR CHANNEL CAT SHOOTING!

Fact- Fish gets shot no one else will catch it.

Fact- caught on Rod and Reel it COULD swim away and be caught again.

I fish the croix enough to have caught the same channel cat more than once. Photos can help ID them very well especially when scars or missing eyes are involved.

And in Mncarpdiem’s quote from me some was missing.

here is the rest of it.

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It kind of shows me that it would look bad that this was known. How many other cases like this are there? It is that kind of thing that makes me nervous to support a new species that the state (Joel in particular)is working so hard to create a trophy fishery for. Most bowfishing sites I see have areas where members only can join in and “hide” thoughts and pics that may offend non bowfishers.

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I get so sick of the whiny anti-bowfishing sentiment among self-professed “real” fishermen. It’s probably a more ancient, more traditional way to take fish. Can we try to stick to the facts and not pass laws based on “But I don’t like how those guys ‘go fishing’!” I don’t give a crap what you like, I care about balancing how many people it’ll get out of their houses and on the water with what it will do to the fish populations and the health of the river itself.

/soap-box

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I’m with you on this one

I think there’s far to many people in this forum, who thumb their noses at bow fishing. I think that those people need to come off their high horse, and try looking at it from another perspective. I’m not saying that the people who don’t like bowfishing are wrong, but people really need to STOP WHINING!!

I know we have people like this in other forums

People who don’t think that using a sucker on a quick strike rig is not a sporting way to catch a Muskie

I say, “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”

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I do not think I put down anything that was wrong factwise. If defensive when reading it it may be taken that way. The short way of stating this is MY OPINION IS THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR CHANNEL CAT SHOOTING!

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Holy crap, OD4L, there’s no need for hunting or fishing of any freakin kind.

By your rationale (which, in my opinion is self-indulgent fearmongering), the anti’s should win on all counts with regard to hunting or fishing. You don’t NEED to hunt, you certainly don’t NEED to spent $14,000 on a freakin boat and $250 on a rod/reel to feed your family.

The short way of saying this is my opinion is that THAT’S A CRAPTASTIC BUNCH OF NONSENSE AND I AM CALLING YOU OUT ON IT.

I think we should ban fishing all together and be done with this. I can’t take all this fighting.

Little extreame there Pug…How about we just all go fishing for the weekend. Time to hitch up the boat and get wet!

Have a great weekend all!

I like that idea Brian……We will have an opportunity to sit down one day and have a good discussion.

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Little extreame there Pug…How about we just all go fishing for the weekend. Time to hitch up the boat and get wet!

Have a great weekend all!

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Thats what tomorrow brings! Minus the boat because believe it or not I do not own one.

I stand by what I said, it is my opinion and there is really no more I have to say without repeating myself more.

“””””
Good to see a constructive post.
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And people ranting on their soap box with out any facts are???

For or against is your choice, but flaming a group of people because YOU don’t care for what they do is bs, especially if your going off your own ego..

btw brian, I don’t hunt other than Praire dogs, but they’re not C&R either.

btw hunting isn’t C&R either, you all headed for the hunting forum to raise hell???
Didn’t think so.

al

I think it is amazing how we get stereotyped just because we are against a certain practice. Like I said before, legalize bow-fishing for walleyes and let’s see if the walleye crowd will sit by and not say a peep about it. There would be an outrage against it.

Well you bow guys can go ahead and shoot them all up. You got everything on your side (the laws & lobby numbers). In the end it is just my opinion and I stand by it.

I think this is a ridiculous proposal/question. I think bowfishing in general is questionable, but I’m concerned less because the carp population needs to be put in check.

again….open it up to all species and I’d be willing to be more open to the idea.

It’s a slap in the face to the Catfish Community.

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It’s a slap in the face to the Catfish Community.

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Like I mentioned earlier Darren… why the Catfish?? (Nobody has answered that question yet!) And especially when the reason given was for table fare.

Table fare?? I would love to know what percentage of Minnesota anglers’ fish fries showcase channel catfish. Let see here… walleye, pike, bluegill, crappie, perch all rank higher than the catfish on Minnesota angler’s dinner plates. So why is this proposal about putting channel cats on the dinnerplate?? Perhaps because “most” anglers “don’t care?” This is an “easy” way of expanding bowfishing because nobody cares about the catfish. I think they ran into a pretty vocal group that does care about the catfish. BIG misstep IMO. They also want to “work” with the catfish guys to get this passed. LOL! Yeah because all of us catfish guys are for increased harvest, less restriction, looser regulations, and by any means necessary eh?

For crying out loud, it took over 5 years for the bullhead length restriction to be modified, which the catch & release sportfish crowd were advocates of. But now we can go and shoot them with a bow?? …with what is hopefully a regulation that can be passed over night??

Honestly… with the way this issue was approached, the phrase “shoot yourself in the foot” comes to mind.

Well put sir. I think a lot of us are angling toward equal opportunity here. You can’t just arbitrarily choose one game fish over all others to shoot for table fare. What is the justification for this species over any other BTW? I don’t think we have heard that argument yet.

The whole table fare argument on both sides seems to be a mixture of red herrings and straw man to me.

To argue that they can’t honestly want to bow hunt cats for table fare over those other species, or that it is a ruse, really isn’t what is being discussed. Just as much as claiming that you want to bow hunt them for table fare is enough of a reason to allow bow hunting channel cats. And I say that knowing full well that I used that as a possible argument for bow hunting cats in an earlier post.

I think the real argument is should we allow bow hunting of game fish. Or should we only allow bow hunting for rough fish as it is, right or wrong.

Are there any special rules right now in place for bow hunters? I mean, if I am fishing a shoreline, the same shoreline another boat is coming toward me plunking carp, does he have to keep a certain distance?

I have no shame in admitting ignorance to the sport. About the only time I have seen it is on YouTube and some undercover PETA video.

I was only able to read 2 of 6 pages before the opinions got repetitive….so I just decided to post my comment

How can they impose a length limit on bowfishing? It’s logical to have equal limits and length restrictions per the respective body of water, regardless of the method of take; therefore the MN DNR would have to eliminate the existing catfish length limit before bowfishing for catfish could even be an option.

I apologize if somebody already pointed that out…

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again….open it up to all species and I’d be willing to be more open to the idea.

It’s a slap in the face to the Catfish Community.

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I’ve always thought that the prohibition against fishing archery was utterly, blatantly, massively S. T. U. P. I. D., especially when we’re able to spearfish Northerns already. So yeah, bring it on… let’s talk about opening it up to all species of gamefish.

And if you’re about to say “but that means bass will be easier to take”, just go try shooting a bass, underwater, at an unknown depth and an unknown distance. There’s so much ignorance in this thread we could start bottling it and using it to power our outboards.

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There’s so much ignorance in this thread we could start bottling it and using it to power our outboards.

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I guess we all have something we can agree about

I am full of bliss.

Bowfisherman filling up trash cans with fish on my home waters to use for fertilizer makes me want to start using bowfisherman for fertilizer. If the DNR actually allows you F@#ks to start shooting cats, you better watch your F#$#ing backs you meat\blood greedy yokel slobs.

Nice to see your one and only post was full of intelligent and educational information.

Al

I think he used up his $.02 worth of fish bucks with that one post.

There is no need for anymore education, just action. Im sick of this [censored] and am doing something about.

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There is no need for anymore education, just action. Im sick of this [censored] and am doing something about.

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By threatening people who are participating in a completely legal activity? This has gotta be a troll.

Edited to include the word ‘legal’

I guess we’ll see him in the news. Hardly seems worth it for a few carp.

I guess some people on here need to get off the computer and go out fishing. Dr. S.G. prescribes a minimum 8 hours fishing to everyone on this thread who has used all caps text, bold font or used exclamation points in excess. Go fishing, chill out.

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I think he used up his $.02 worth of fish bucks with that one post.

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No Kidding

Sounds like somone needs to get laid

Might help ease all the built up tension/stress

Atleast I don’t think it would hurt!!

just my $.02 though

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There is no need for anymore education, just action. Im sick of this [censored] and am doing something about.

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Hold on there partner.

You don’t think talking about a subject that sportsmen have different views on is not doing something about it?

Let’s back up here a moment.

This was a question that was asked. I asked to see what the guys on this site felt about it. I find it interesting to see the different points of view for and against…then there’s your view.

I would suggest that since your at a hospital already that you seek some help for your apparently violent thoughts.

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And if you’re about to say “but that means bass will be easier to take”, just go try shooting a bass, underwater, at an unknown depth and an unknown distance. There’s so much ignorance in this thread we could start bottling it and using it to power our outboards.

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Replace the word “bass” in the previous quote with any other species of fish. Whats the difference??

Whats critical to a bowfisherman is the fish must be visible to the eye, within bow range, and somewhat near the surface. Thats honestly all thats required for a bowfisherman to complete the simple act of shooting a fish.

Species doesn’t matter, as long as it meets these criteria, they could be a target.

So why is the channel catfish the next fish on the list that bowfisherman want to target?? Plenty of other fish that are more reasonable and abundant targets than the channel catfish that like to frequent shallow water near the surface in bodies of water with better clarity. Just sayin…

Kinda interesting here, we have a member who catches 5 – 5 gallon pails of catfish and 6 replies to that, here we have 7 pages of people complainning the bowfishers will damn the sport of fishing as we know it and eliminate any fish from overfishing????

Sometimes if you live in glass houses, maybe don’t throw bricks?
Just a thought.

Why doesn’t a bowfisher come on this thread?
Would you walk into a Biker bar with a Honda tee shirt on?

Brian, I’m not sure how many members the forum has but it does seem only a few of the vocal ones are responding, considering I’m betting there’s at least several hundred members, not much to base opinions on imho

Al

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There is no need for anymore education, just action. Im sick of this [censored] and am doing something about.

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Switch to decaf?