catch and release

It seems that every few months a discussion comes about either on this site or the FTR site that involves catch and release and becomes somewhat heated. We here arguments from one extreme to the other. Some say that if you bought a license then you have a right to keep what ever is legal. Others feel that it is an outright sin to keep even one fish that they might consider a trophy. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. My-self, I have eaten many types of fish, more than once. I enjoy the flavor of musky, northern, bass, trout, stripers, panfish, catfish and more. (no sheepies)
It would be interesting to here any solutions to the catch and release problems. Fish and Game hearings are coming up. The leaders that be might appreciate some new good ideas.
For example, As far as Muskies go, I would like to see a tag system like I believe is used for Steelhead in Alaska. On the license are tags that must be turned on when a Steel head is cought. ( I think that is how it works). We could allow a small number of Muskies per license. We could do it for any trophy sized fish.
I think that this might be better than just plain raising size limits on all bodies of water.
Like I said, just an idea.
If the folks here are able to come up with a solution, then perhaps it might be a good idea to organize something to take to the hearings.

Sorry about the spelling and other errors in the above message. Forgot to edit before I hit continue.

Eating muskies? Yikes

Anyways, I will leave that alone for now.

There have been all kinds of ideas of what to do about increase the size and number of muskies caught.

The whole idea of a “stamp” has been brought up. Just like trout stamps in MN, a Musky stamp would be needed to keep a fish. The stamp would generate some revenue for the DNR to help stocking programs.

The only problem is that most die hard musky anglers would not even purchase a stamp because they have no intention of ever keeping a fish.

It would however, force the weekend angler who happens upon a musky to release the fish since no musky stamp is in possession.

Although, it will never fix the fact that alot of people don’t know the difference between Northern Pike and Musky and are keeping sub-legal muskies on a stringer fishing off the local dock thinking it’s a pike. (Although, increased size limits wouldn’t help that either).

My personal opinion is that continued education about catch and release and increased size limits, will benefit the musky programs greatly for years to come.

There is NO reason to kill a big muskie. They do not make great table fare and graphite replicas shoot the mounting idea out of the water.
I do not know how anybody who’s had the privilege of catching a magnificent beast like that could club it over the head and stick it on a stringer.
I very rarely keep any fish. Certainly not against keeping a few for the frying pan, being they are panfish, walleye, northern or sauger. IMHO there’s no reason to kill bass either. LM or SM.

Ohhh………….it’s always so hard to post anything that doesn’t raise somebody’s dander with subjects like these! I agree that ALL trophy sized fish should be released. However, if I’m alone the day that 60 incher comes along and I have no camera or camera man, she’s going on a wall. Now, if I catch a 70 incher after that, too bad I mounted the first one because that’s my limit. I will mount ONE trophy of each specie, that’s it. New world record? I hope they can log it as a catch and release because she’s going back! Bass were good eating when you could still keep 12-13″ specimans but the 14″ guys start getting that “big fish” taste to them. In that light, I side with Yo-Zuri and believe all bass should go back. MORE PIKE need to be released! How rare is a big pike these days??? The smaller can be found in great numbers and should be used for table fair. Anything over 26″ in my book should be returned. Walleye, 15-17″ table fair. Release the rest. Panfish, keep what you need only. Perch……….I see less and less perch all the time………..let’s put some back!

All I ask is use your head. Are you abusing, using, or preserving? Release the fish, don’t “toss it back”! That body slam can kill them as easily as a trip to the livewell.

Okay………..done for now.

hey all,

i can remember my first trip down to the river by myself with out my dad. we fished at lacupolis and caugth a good number of eyes/sauger. i thought that since we were catching so many that i would bring a few home for dinner. i kept 3 walleye, one 18″, one 20″, and one 21″ fish. i thought my dad would be so happy to see that we caught some nice fish. boy was i wrong. when i got home and showed him the fish i got the biggest verbal lashing that i’ve ever gotten from him. he told me that there was no reason for me to be keeping fish that big, and that everything over 17″ should be going back imediately.

my outlook on fishing changed that day. i have not kept a single fish over 17″ since then and i probably never will again, unless its a new recored or something.

How about something simple, like releasing fish that are managed specifically for trophy fishing and eating fish that are managed for numbers?

No agency that I have ever heard of manages muskies for the purpose of ‘take and eat’ fishery. The reproductive abilities just aren’t up to the task. Panfish, on the other hand, are prolific enough that without someone to eat them, they will crowd out all the other fish.

Eat ’em: Crappies, ‘gills, sunnies, perch
Toss ’em: Bass, Muskies, Sturgeon
Toss the biggun’s: Walleyes, pike, trout

For the most part, it works out pretty well, since ‘trophy’ fish usually don’t make very good table fare.

I love to eat stripers from the river. My wife and I have between 1 to 2 meals per week of either stripers, catfish or trout durring the summer time. The only time I put fish in the freezer is if the one fish I caught provides more than one meal. I kept a 34 inch northern last summer. I let a whole bunch more go that were bigger than that and even more that were smaller. The wife and I ate 4 meals from that one fish. I don’t feel guilty having kept it, especially since that particular fish might not have survived (because of the way it was hooked) if I released it. The bass I eat usually come from the BWCA as they seem to taste a little better from up there. I am a true believer in catch and release. I have let way more trophy fish go than I have kept. Fact is though that those large fish really do taste good. A baked fillet from a 30 inch walley is fantastic as you eat it one flake at a time. Same with the big northern and yes, musky. Those fish are very special and when I do decide to keep one it is almost a spiritual event; from the time it was caught until the time it was consumed. On a good afternoon in June I might catch in excess of 100 trout on a South East MN stream. Even though those trout are my wife’s and my favorite all time food, I might keep only 4 all season long and never from a stream that is being managed for trophies or from a secret stream or spot that a friend has shown me.

From the area where I caught and released many of my 30+ inch northerns last summer, people harvested dozens more this winter through the ice. From my favorite Walley Lake in Northern Wisconsin, The Native Americans have harvested thousands of Walleys larger than 17 inches. In addition, thousands more by locals and tourists filling their freezers. From my favorite Musky lake, dozens are taken by the same people year after year. The fishing is not as good as it was when I was a kid.
The people that frequent this site, I believe, are true sportsmen and women that do believe in and practice catch and release. Rules are needed for those that just don’t understand. I do believe that a compromise can be met. I still think that the best way to meet and enforce that compromise would be with a trophy tag system. To have a trophy in possession, one must have a validated tag. I will probabally never keep another musky. But the local resorts in Northern Wisconsin will continue to have their musky feeds.

I rather like the Conservation License that is used in Ontario Canada. They charge about half the cost of a normal limit license and for that financial savings the angler can only posses about half the legal level of fish. Most of the camps will give the conservation license to their patrons to promote conservation fishing, although the ‘freezer fillers’ can spend the money for the privilege of taking additional fish.

As far as trophies go, I’ll never keep another trophy fish again. Hassle getting the fish to the taxidermist, especially on a remote trip (ever try to fit a 50″+ fish into a cooler?). Also, skin mounts do smell! Put your mounted fish in a container for a day or two, then open it up and you’ll get a concentrated whiff of what I mean.

< sniff >… mmmm… muskieeeee!

About a stamp to keep a Musky— The weekend angler I would almost bet would not only know what one looks like but if stopped would undoubtedly say “I thought it was a Northern.”

Better yet,

How about a total C&R fishery for Muskie, it has worked wonders in Canada.

Wasn’t gonna touch this one….

I see nothing wrong with the current regulations except that in some states the Min. size for Muskies is a bit low. If someone wants to keep a fish whether to eat or to put on the wall as long as it is legal it is great with me.

Yes, Fiber mounts will last longer, smell better & look better. But some feel that it is not the same and for personal reasons keep the fish.

I hope to keep a Musky in my lifetime but it will be at least a state record or die from being hooked. If someone is in my boat and wants to keep a fish they have that right and who am I to tell them they can’t if the fish is legal.

Anyone notice that alot of kids don’t fish anymore?

Education is the key. With all species.

Of yeah eating Muskies…

Would love to see the mecury content in a 40″ plus fish that has been swimming for 7-8 years.

Hey Steve,

Yea I was just playing the devils advocate, most people want to put them back anyway,Right? I have also seen the fish cleaning shack at the McKinley park camp ground on a Saturday evening. In fact, last summer on one occasion, I counted no less than 9 muskie heads among the walleye and pike remains. Many of them also looked to be sub 40″ fish and this goes on, all summer long.

Like I was saying Ace, a HIGH majority of “recreational” anlgers can’t tell the difference between muskies and northerns.

It’s sad.

All I know is the day I see a sub-legal musky in the possession of an angler, you can bet TIP will get a call.

Probably all they will get is a slap on the wrist, but I feel like they should be treated harshly … as is poaching a deer, extra geese, ducks, etc.

It is ILLEGAL, plain and simple !!!

Hi Matt,

With the deep budget cuts facing the MN DNR, the big problem will be the inforcement of our fish and game laws. With out the manpower to enforce size limits and bag limits, I’m affraid that the poachers will have a field day, at our expence.