For MN anglers only

Hi all,

I’m trying to get a fairly accurate count of MN residents that support increasing the size of using bullheads for bait. The currant regulation is a max of 7 inches and we’re shooting for 12 inches.

Also, a count of MN resedients that support using sunfish for bait, which is currantly against the law.

Comments and suggestions from resedent and non-residents are welcome in the thread. But again…to keep the count as accurate as possable, only MN residents are make a selection in the yes/no section.

In the poll below, you are allowed to make up to three selections.

PLEASE IF YOU ARE NOT A MINNESOTA RESIDENT just click on the three NON RESIDENT buttons and you will be able to view the results.

Thanks!!!

Thanks Slop Bass,

It’s taking your non resident numbers. I went to a differant computer and it worked for me?

Anyone else having problems viewing the poll after clicking on the three non resident buttons?

works for me

Worked for me.

I am OK w/ bullheads of anysize. I would like to see a max size if you want to use bluegills for bait, 5-6″ maybe?

I guess I’m one of the few that don’t agree using “meal” size bullheads for bait. There are a few people who consider bullheads table fair, just as much as cats.

Also, I have to state that I’m fully against using blue gills for bait.

I see no need for either one. Especially when the condition of our blue gills in this state is soo poor. Too many lakes have stunted blue gills in them. To include harvesting of “meal” size gills for bait does not sit well with me.

I say to stick with the 5″ or less bullhead and the sucker minnows.

If not, then open up perch for pike fishing………Nothing catches a big pike better than a 10″ perch.

I’m not a minnesotan. ….and feel sorry for you guys and your piddly laws, but i would have to say that if you can have a daily limit of 10 bluegills or “Green sunfish” in your possession (whatever the limit it), why can’t you use those as bait? What’s the difference if you eat them or kill them as bait?

I am in favor of using small perch and bluegills as bait, especially from lakes with stunted panfish. Beside’s, perch eyes work great.

I resent the title of this post.

We can use gills,perch,green sunfish, as bait in IOWA.Have to catch them with hook and line but you can use them.

Ryan Hale

NW IA.

Fixed it for you Ryan…

I love the post that come up against a change, thanks Gary!

It make me think of the other points of view.

If anyone else thinks this isn’t a good idea, please post it…if your from MN, please use the poll.

Thanks Brian.

I know that sometimes being the odd ball doesn’t always sit well with alot of people.

Preaching to the choir Gary!

No opinion. No smartars remark either.
I don’t feel so good

Cat..

to add to your point about Green Sunfish..I’ve read tons of articles in which most agree that flats love green sunnies over other kinds.

Hands down, the best “bait” for cats. Small Stripers.

Not speaking from experience of course…..

Minnesota has the most restrictive laws for flathead bait that I have seen and I checked out quite a few states that border the Mississippi. I don’t see any biological reason not to have larger bullheads allowed for bait. Or sunfish for that matter. Whether I choose to eat them or use them as bait shouldn’t matter. Other sates don’t seem to have a problem with it. I don’t see flathead fisherman having any effect whatsoever on the quality of panfishing in this state. Walleye guys would have a fit if there bait choices were so restrictive and quality bait took so long to get. Just look at the willow cat issue. That law will likely be changed this year.

Can you catch flatheads with 5-7 inch bullheads? Yup. (5 is getting a little small though from my experience). I used them all summer long and caught plenty of fish. I didn’t catch as many 40’s as I did when I used more 7-9 inch bullheads but maybe that doesn’t mean much. Enough good flathead guys use smaller baits and say they work to convince me. I don’t know if I’ve ever caught a 12 inch bullhead. They wouldn’t need to go that long to make me happy. 9 would be ok. As Catdad said, big baits get to be a pain to work with but if you like to use them and like to experiment with different sizes you should be allowed to.

What about availability? It’s one of my biggest issues. When I travel a long way to catch bullheads and then have to sort and measure them it aint fun. I spend allot of time traveling and catching bait and this 7 inch law doesn’t do anything to help. It sometimes adds hours to the outing. Maybe some of you don’t have any trouble catching bullys only between 5-7 inches, but I do. If the law was changed to allow bullys up to 9 inches or so it would make my life much easier. Many flathead anglers would be grateful if they could buy bullheads at baitshops. That opens up a whole bunch of other aquaculture issues though.

I’ve never been able to find quality baitshop suckers. Wild ones work great. Anyone know where I can catch 100 suckers not exceeding 12 inches?

Quote:

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“to many lakes have stunted blue gills in them.” One of the reasons that blue gills get stunted is because there are to many in the area and they must fight for servival. From where I’m from we are able to use any size blue gills and bull heads we want. When fishing for big fish I would much rather use big baits to keep the smaller ones away. Yes I’ve caught big fish on small bait but from experience when you target big fish you catch a lot more of them. In my eyes the main factor to targeting big fish is big baits. Keep up the good work Brian, and Dirk hopefully it will pay off sooner or later. I just wish we had all the big flatheads that you guys have in the upper Mississippi River. Just my opinion. LOL

Are we talking about using these baits as live only? I like the WI law that says you can use sunnies for bait but they have to be part of your daily bag limit. The reason I point this out is I know every spring, thousands of shad get scooped up and used for cutbait. I don’t want to see people getting a hot bite on sunnies and freezing them for cutbait.

I agree that the stunted lake populations need to be thinned in order to achieve a better quality gamefishery, but I also think it’d be nice to preserve some of those waters for the younger generations. Ever take a kid to a “guaranteed bite” and wonder what went wrong?

Another issue is balance. I know of waters that appear to have a huge sunnie problem. WAYYYYYY too many and mostly stunted. But, these are the main food source for the bass and pike that live with them. There are no suckers or shad! Yep……. these kinda conditions exist in more places than I think we realize and if we allow the easy bite to get raped for bait purposes, we’re going to adversely effect the other gamefish.

No lippy “green carp” comments needed……. although funny ………. but I return to the younger generations. These are still waters that practically guarantee a bite and I don’t want to lower any bass, pike, or walleye numbers either.

While some areas would likely go unchanged and uneffected, at what cost do we open up the law books and expose every fishery in the state?

Yeah…… MN has too many regulations but guys…… think about this HARD…… When HIGH QUALITY fishing is desired, where do people come? The tourism market for freshwater fishing SCREAMS MN!!! WI allows more freedoms but the lack of voluntary contribution to conservation doesn’t measure up to the results of the laws put over the MN residents. Our fishing isn’t bad, but it’s nowhere near the level I experience in MN, on an annual, consistant basis.

The only place it seems to be ridiculously unfair is on the WI/MN border waters. For that reason, I’d have to say that if I was a MN resident, I wouldn’t be in favor of changing a state regulation. Only the regulations of a specific waterway or body of water would get my support……. IFFFFFF………. the research supported the claims of being able to support this new inclusion.

Big picture guys……. it’s always beyond our own little world.