Improve quality of sunfish in Minnesota

Of these 2 options – What one do you think would help to improve the overall quality of sunfish in Minnesota waters?

A slot limit sure would kill the fishing pressure.

I’m all in favor of a slot limit. A 8″ fish is more than large enough for eating. If it was a reduction in the limit it would be nice if they allowed double the daily limit in possesion. I don’t like the idea that if I keep a limit of fish today that I have to consume them prior to being able to keep more.

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Of these 2 options – What one do you think would help to improve the overall quality of sunfish in Minnesota waters?

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Can’t I vote for both? Plus they aren’t strict enough. Lower that limit even more.

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If it was a reduction in the limit it would be nice if they allowed double the daily limit in possession. I don’t like the idea that if I keep a limit of fish today that I have to consume them prior to being able to keep more.

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Negative. Freezer filling is a major problem. Keep enough for a meal. Go enjoy them. Then when you want fish again, go get more.

I just had an interesting thought.

So we all know a 30″ trophy walleye produces less viable eggs than a 20″ walleye (prime breeder).

What about Sunfish and Crappie? Are the little ones ( under 8″) prime breeders? Are the 10″ plus the best breeders?

– The biggest Bulls hold the prime spawning spots, typically right in the center the center of the beds.

– All the other Males want to get as big as the biggest Bull so they can compete for the best spawning spots.

– They don’t become sexually mature until they get big enough to compete for the top spots.

If you keep throwing those 9 and 10 inch fish back, you’re encouraging the rest of them to keep on growing. If everyone keeps a limit of those fish (regardless of what that limit is), eventually the biggest fish in the center of the spawning bed is 5 inches long, and the rest of them are smaller. I know a lot of lakes in the Metro Area that meet this description. Adding predators and reducing limits hasn’t worked. The only thing that hasn’t been tried (as far as I know) is a slot limit.

Rootski

What about stunting if you don’t take enough out? I say leave the limit at 20, but only one over 9″ or something similar?

I would think the majority of lakes would need a minimum length limit. Some lakes would need a combination of all three. I just see too many lakes that can never produce fish of size due to angling harvest. Minimum size limit to help them grow and a slot to protect them once they do. Leave the bag limit where it is, since this would almost insure a reduced bag of legal fish. Special spring time bags would be acceptable, however.

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What about stunting if you don’t take enough out?

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I’m not convinced that happens very often. I know a lot of lakes that are full of insects, minnows, terrestrials, etc. and have nothing but small Sunfish. There’s so much food in these lakes it looks like a can of Cambell’s soup, but the Sunfish never get any bigger.

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If it was a reduction in the limit it would be nice if they allowed double the daily limit in possession. I don’t like the idea that if I keep a limit of fish today that I have to consume them prior to being able to keep more.

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Negative. Freezer filling is a major problem. Keep enough for a meal. Go enjoy them. Then when you want fish again, go get more.

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I do not see a possesion limit of 20 sunfish as freezer filling. I see it as a way to have a meal with my family and a few non fishing friends. 20 sunfish fillets does not make much of a meal for a family and a few friends. i also don’t like the idea of if I catch fish one day and don;t have time to eat them that I can not go fishing and keep another limit of fish – Just my $.02 worth. Everyone is intitled to their opinion.

I think we need to reduce the limits to 10 fish daily/posession as well. I agree with Wade, if you need more fish go catch them not just to stock the freezer full. Minimum size restrictions help on some lakes as well. A few lakes have installed 11″ minimum crappie lengths and this has worked, lots and lots more crappies coming back into the system as well as some big Pies.

A few lakes that are getting pounded need to be restricted as trophy lakes and should be catch and release only. These lakes already have 5 fish limits but lots of people take advantage of the 5 daily fish to count towards their 20 possession and can wipe out a lake very fast.
I would like to see the MN DNR focus on size and reduce limits on specific lakes that need them.

Just to look at it from a different perspective…

Many if not all of you are die hard anglers, but what about the other 75% (I made that number up)?

The folks that seldom get out, but when they do they would like some fish in the freezer. They might only have a week of vacation all year and that’s it for their fishing.

Just asking.

I would like to see a slot from 9″-10″ with only one over 10″.

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Just to look at it from a different perspective…

Many if not all of you are die hard anglers, but what about the other 75% (I made that number up)?

The folks that seldom get out, but when they do they would like some fish in the freezer. They might only have a week of vacation all year and that’s it for their fishing.

Just asking.

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They need to set a tip up out for pike. One or two small pike still puts out much more meat than a bucket full of pan fish. That was a easy one to fix.

For the ice months. I would guess the question was for all year(?)

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Just to look at it from a different perspective…

Many if not all of you are die hard anglers, but what about the other 75% (I made that number up)?

The folks that seldom get out, but when they do they would like some fish in the freezer. They might only have a week of vacation all year and that’s it for their fishing.

Just asking.

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IMO, I hear that argument a lot and I just don’t think it holds water anymore.

Fishing and hunting are not for supplementing nutrition and stocking up for winter like they used to be. I think we now need to think of hunting and fishing as a recreational resource and manage them as such. Hence….lower limits, tighter slots and no more freezer filling. Just my opinion.

Plus if a person really wants fish and can’t/won’t get out. There is a freezer full of fish at Cub.

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Just to look at it from a different perspective…

Many if not all of you are die hard anglers, but what about the other 75% (I made that number up)?

The folks that seldom get out, but when they do they would like some fish in the freezer. They might only have a week of vacation all year and that’s it for their fishing.

Just asking.

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This is the fishermen that I fear, they are more likely to keep enough fish during that week of vacation to have fish for the entire year. Now they can certainly do it legally if they keep a limit for Ma, and the 3 kids as well. I have zero issues with people keeping fish inside the legal limits, but there is also a “limit” in place for specific reasons. IF the limit was down to 10 and you had Ma and the 3 kids that is still 100 fillets in the freezer which should be enough for 3 if not 4 meals. I also see that if it stays at 20 then you are looking at 200 fillets then looking at 6-8 meals throughout the year. Just looking at the bigger picture.

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Just looking at the bigger picture.

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Something that I wish all sportsman would do.

Raise the limit and stock Tigers in lakes with stunted fish.

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Just looking at the bigger picture.

Something that I wish all sportsman would do.

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I wish no one were ever allowed to keep an fillet another fish just so we would not have to hear all the whining.

I would like to see both a smaller limit and a slot +1 over 10″. I just don’t see them implementing it statewide. I think a better solution is more waters designated as trophy panfish waters with possibly catch and release only or the 4-5 fish limit. That way anglers will be more inclined to police them themselves. Also it will keep people away if they know they can go to another lake and catch a full limit, basically the ones only interested in eating and keeping gills. Then the people who truly appreciate and are looking to just catch and release trophy gills (and crappie) have that opportunity.

I am fortunate that my sister has a cabin on a lake like this with a 5 sunfish daily possession limit. Because of that and the fact it isn’t known for other gamefish, you just don’t see many boats on the lake.

Some lakes will never get big panfish back. The gene pool is shot and the ecosystem is way out of whack.

As for stunting, in my opinion only ponds and very small bodies of water have stunted fish due to the environment. The rest are due to poor genes and all the older, bigger class fish being harvested, while little ones are released.

I feel like too many people have an attitude that it is an easy meal and that panfish are a replenishable resource not worthy of catch and release. And the fact that their size makes them targets for people who will just keep the biggest ones that they can catch.

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I am fortunate that my sister has a cabin on a lake like this with a 5 sunfish daily possession limit. Because of that and the fact it isn’t known for other gamefish, you just don’t see many boats on the lake.

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I have seen this go the other way too. There is a lake close to me that has a 5 fish limit and that does not stop people from double diping or even going back for thirds. That lake was one of the best crappie lakes with an average size of 12+ and now its under 10 and you struggle to catch 5 fish.

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I have seen this go the other way too. There is a lake close to me that has a 5 fish limit and that does not stop people from double diping or even going back for thirds. That lake was one of the best crappie lakes with an average size of 12+ and now its under 10 and you struggle to catch 5 fish.

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Those people are easy ti identify and a call to TIP should help. Especially once people know that there are people calling in. That was kind of my point that it should be easier to self police.