What makes a guy a meat hog? I’ve heard this term used a few times in the last couple of days. I keep and eat alot of fish in the winter (20-30 crappies a week) but never put them in the freezer am I a meat hog? Also dose the fact that I don’t keep ANY fish June – November offset my winter fish keeping?
From what I have seen – people like to call OTHER people that keep fish “meat hogs”. Often times I hear this term from guys that don’t mind filling their buckets with fish when given a chance.
T
Meat hog is a term made up by some guy hungry to eat meat that has none!!!! Gross over harvest is meat hogging, storeing multiple possesion limits in your freezer is meat hogging. Shooting every deer you can is meat hoging. I have been called a meat hog before for coming back to the farm with 3 deer in the truck, hunting partners were pretty tight lipped when we split my “meat hogged” deer 4 ways. If you eat what you take and dont go over the limit, laugh all the way to the dinner table about being a meat hog I say!!
Whatever you meat hogs.
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Meat hog is a term made up by some guy hungry to eat meat that has none!!!! Gross over harvest is meat hogging, storeing multiple possesion limits in your freezer is meat hogging.
Yep, and to add…the guy that limits out in the morning but returns in the evening, the guy that keeps everything that comes top side but throws fish out every year or two when they clean the freezer.
With most of my family’s fish fry feeding 3, I have no reason to take a limit for a good feed. 12-15 fish is perfect for us! And we like fish every other week at least 
If you are eating it all, enjoy until you bust a gut 
To me, its when (we, I, or anyone) harvests anything to a level that will have a negative impact on the population. The food chain has a carrying capacity, that maintains balance. Over-harvest = out-of-balance then there is simply jealousy and greed….
I got no problem with meat hogs, it is the trophy hogs that get to me. That only applies to fishing though.
My definition:
One who overharvests a particular body of water regardless of regulations, keeps only the largest fish they can catch, stocks their freezers and does not promote a healthy ecosystem.
Basically – a person who is not a good steward of natural resources when harvesting fish.
To me it’s the guys who pull 10″ saugers out of 35′ of water and keep the first 6 they catch every day for 45 days in a row. These are typically the same guys that keep their first 6 then throw one of the 10″ers back when they catch an 11″, even though the first 10″ has it’s air bladder hanging out of it’s mouth.
To a vegetarian… ANYONE who eats any kind of meat…. 1 definition will not suffice in this case. 
big G
all this talk is making me hungry!
I better head for the lake 
now if only I can catch a fish 
Like said before if you stay within your legal limit and the fish dont go to waste! Im right with ya! we will eat fish twice a week if the fish bite!
I am going to the fridge right now to reheat some chicken florentine pizza. Yeah I said chicken florentine.
If you don’t practice selective harvest you’re probably a meat hog. If you do, you probably aren’t.
Take bucketfuls out (legal limits, but lots of them) and then later complain that they can’t catch any decent fish out of this area
And here I thought it was some of the girls I knew in college.
CatchnRelease, add catches fish or game and gives it away so they can keep killing and you’re right on in your definition.
Meat hog = the opposite of Briank. 
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And here I thought it was some of the girls I knew in college.
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I got no problem with meat hogs, it is the trophy hogs that get to me. That only applies to fishing though.
I couldn’t agree more! It is the big fish that keep a population steady and BIG! If you catch a donk, hog, one that could possible have eaten you, take a picture and throw it back. That insures that in the future you can catch more big ones and that the average size of the fish in that body of water will go up over time. Guys who keep the trophies are the ones that I get really mad about! 
Very good point Pug. Sorry, got started on the topic and then couldn’t stop! Oh, well. Now everyone knows my posision on it! 
I like the way you think iceman.
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I couldn’t agree more! It is the big fish that keep a population steady and BIG! If you catch a donk, hog, one that could possible have eaten you, take a picture and throw it back. That insures that in the future you can catch more big ones and that the average size of the fish in that body of water will go up over time. Guys who keep the trophies are the ones that I get really mad about!
While agree with you. Let them go and get a replica. The mid range breeders are worth way more regarding quality egg production compared to the large fish. SEE BELOW.
This information is from the Ohio Sea Grant website. The author has some knowledge of walleyes. He is retired from Ohio Sea Grant where he spent a career studying walleyes.The question on the Sea Grant Lake Erie board was: “I have made it a practice to return the larger walleyes to the lake for spawning purposes, but am now wondering if these older fish are any more productive than the smaller, younger fish. Last Monday I caught 3 fish over 30 inches and would have liked to have had the largest mounted. Should we feel guilty keeping these big walleyes?
This is the answer:
“Good question—–please bear with the lengthy reply as I believe this will provide a good basic understanding of walleye age and size versus egg production and egg viability.
We have discussed the question of walleye egg production and size in the past. Below is a reply to a similar question answered by Fred Snyder on 11-08-05:
Division of Wildlife studies have shown consistently that most female Lake Erie walleye reach sexual maturity at age four; most of the males are ripe at two or three years old. Of course, a few fish always vary from the norm; age at maturity can be affected by things like food availability and growth rate. In a few certain years the females have all been mature by age three.
A widely acknowledged principle in fishery science is that while long-lived fish species may produce more eggs as they get older and larger, the percentage of those eggs that are viable (capable of being fertilized and incubating into normal fry) drops off significantly. That’s why hatcheries tend to rotate broodstock on a regular basis, replacing older females with youger ones.
The word “fecundity” refers to the numbers of eggs produced. The word “fertility” refers to the number of actual offspring produced. After reaching sexual maturity, Lake Erie walleye are likely to be at peak fertility for around three to five years. Their peak fecundity may occur later.
This should help rest your concerns regarding keeping those big 30+ inch females caught during the spring.
To help add to your understanding of sexual maturity, here is some additional information to add to Fred’s comments on sexual maturity in Lake Erie walleye as compared to walleye elsewhere and farther north of here. This information has been provided in the past as well here on the discussion board.
“Regarding older walleye vs. younger walleye—-the older, larger ‘hog size walleye’ may produce more eggs than younger fish. However, it’s a well known fisheries science fact that as females grow older and bigger, the ‘viability’ of those eggs (ability to become fertilized, incubated and hatched) decreases significantly. The younger females, ages 4-7 and lengths of 18-24 inches (these are averages, and can vary), will produce the most ‘viable’ eggs.
In comparison, walleyes in far northern Ontario lakes are known to reach sexual maturity at age 7, and may only be 13-14 inches at that time, compared to age 4 and 17-18+ inches in Lake Erie.
Northern Ontario walleyes exhibiting the highest ‘viability’ of eggs range from 13-22 inches—with walleye over 22 inches significantly less viable than the younger, shorter females.
Why is this? In Lake Erie, due to our warmer waters and abundant food supply, our walleyes grow fast and die young. Colder waters and less abundance of food result in northern Ontario walleyes growing slow and dying old.
Regulations a few years ago for specific regions in Northern Ontario for walleye allowed a bag limit of 4. All 4 must be 16 inches and under, or 3 can be under 16 inches, with one being over 22 inches (this provides a big trophy walleye to be taken by outfitter/guide clientele). This protects their most viable spawners and helps improve recruitment when a walleye stock is low. Mixed emotions were raised among anglers when first imposed, yet the realization for a better fishery in the near future has now been accepted.
This may be a great management program for cold, northern Ontario lakes where food abundance is low, grow rates are slow, and both angling pressure and native Indian netting has impacts on the fishery.
However, you must remember that these northern cold water lakes are NOT comparable to the size and productivity we experience on Lake Erie. ”
Just thought you might like some additional info regarding walleye age/size/sexual maturity from a different region and management perspective.
To take this one step farther, and to answer what I believe will be the next question in this thread, here is some information provided by John Hageman on ‘Prime size for breeding walleye from 11-08-05. This will help identify age vs. size for Lake Erie walleye.
“According to the ODNR, Div of Wildlife report cited earlier, in 2001 walleyes caught averaged the following lengths lakewide:
1+year old walleyes caught=10 1/2″
2+year old walleyes caught=14 1/4″
3+year old walleyes caught=17 1/4″
4+year old walleyes caught=18 7/8″
5+year old walleyes caught=20 1/4″
6+year old walleyes caught=21 1/4″
7+year old walleyes caught=22 3/4″
8+year old walleyes caught=24 1/4″
9+year old walleyes caught=26 1/4″
10+year old walleyes caught=27 1/2″
Now to clarify a couple of things. The “+” refers to the fact that it was beyond the anniversary of its hatching date, which in the main lake is in late April/early May. Most harvest occurs during the summer, so a 1+ fish would be approximately 13 months old in May, 14 months old in June, etc.-but nearly 2 years old during ice fishing season, so you can’t really pinpoint an exact size unless you only measure fish caught in a certain month. Also, growth rates vary with available food supply. In years where there is a big year class of walleyes competing for a finite amount of forage (bait fish), growth may be slower than in years where the walleye population is smaller and/or bait production is higher. Another big point is that the females grow larger and quicker than males, and this chart only reflects the average of the female/male growth rates. The three to seven year old walleyes don’t look like they grow too fast, but it’s because the average is muted by the slower growing males measured in the samples taken.There were not distinctions made at the time of sampling between males and females due to it being summer and there is not an easy way of telling them apart without cutting open the fisherman’s catch.”
Like I said earlier it makes a difference where you are fishing and he population of the lake — Erie has millions of eyes so there are ALWAYS enough eggs!!!! Walleye Reproduction Conversation
This has been a great post Tim
Google meat hog….scroll down a couple and IDO stands out
Many people have been educated on fish consumption and everyone’s idea of the term “meat Hog”
Waist Not, Want Not
Cultural Dictionary
Waste not, want not definition
If we don’t waste what we have, we’ll still have it in the future and will not lack (want) it.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Idioms & Phrases
waste not, want not
Wise use of one’s resources will keep one from poverty. For example, I just hate to throw out good food waste not, want not . This proverbial saying was first recorded in 1772 but had an earlier, even more alliterative version, willful waste makes woeful want (1576).
Tim ive been a beer hog since the divorce!!!!
Just remember, if you catch a monster female and keep her, 0% of her eggs and genes will be viable the following year.
So there are no misunderstandings, Wade B AKA: Ruger2506 I know that was not the point of your post (that it is ok to keep big fish).
or, if you catch a BIG female… play her out, boat her, take a bunch of pics, drop her on the boat floor a couple times and then slip her back….. and she dies 2 hours later…that also equal’s 0% or her eggs being fertilized.
big G 
Meat hog is if you catch/keep more than you are allowed. That is it.
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Meat hog is if you catch/keep more than you are allowed. That is it.
I think the term meat hog could apply to people keeping only their limits as well.
Last year we witnessed a local catch a 3 man limit of walleyes (15 fish), numerous crappies, several pike and yet he still felt the need to keep several bass (both smallies & largies) and a bonus large catfish. Even though he had three people in the boat, that to me is a bit excessive and falls under the category of “Meathog” as well.
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Meat hog is if you catch/keep more than you are allowed. That is it.
I think the term meat hog could apply to people keeping only their limits as well.
Last year we witnessed a local catch a 3 man limit of walleyes (15 fish), numerous crappies, several pike and yet he still felt the need to keep several bass (both smallies & largies) and a bonus large catfish. Even though he had three people in the boat, that to me is a bit excessive and falls under the category of “Meathog” as well.
I agree. If you are keeping fish and have a bunch in the freezer at home, then I feel you are a meat hog. I understand every now and then people stock up for a fish fry with friends/family. However if that’s not the case, keep enough for a meal, eat the meal, then catch more. Maybe have 1 meal in the freezer in case you have a craving and can’t get out.
I think we can throw BK in there again.. when he catches a walleye, he cuts the cheeks out and throws it back…. at a minimum, he is a cheek hog….
big G
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I think we can throw BK in there again.. when he catches a walleye, he cuts the cheeks out and throws it back….
big G
Mark
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