POOL 4 SPAWN

Social media has definitely increased pressure on P4. And Randy is 100% right on that the old DNR studies should be questioned given the changes in pressure and technology since they were done.

There’s a quote somewhere that says all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. I wouldn’t say that people keeping big females on P4 is evil, but I’d definitely extend the concept to encourage fishermen to discuss catch & release with others. Why the heck would I look the other way? Imagine if we did that with Mille Lacs or AIS regulations. Don’t those laws get made more or less the same way the limits on P4 do?

The power is all yours.

Don’t fish the spawning areas in these low conditions.

There’s fishing and there’s catching. Learn how to enjoy every day of fishing regardless of the catch rate. So many great spots on pool 4 that won’t have a negative impact on this less than favorable spawn condition.

Is it really that much to ask of ourselves?

The water will be high during another Spring and the fish can once again have an advantage over today’s educated, well equipped angler.

How does this differ from asking people not to net when fish are vulnerable? For discussion sake…

To add to the topic, the number of post light hours catching the vulnerable spawn laden fat bottom girls is staggering. Pics all over SM. Are we really becoming that ego driven?

ozzyky wrote:

Social media……ruining fisheries one post at a time

Yeah. I hate those websites. Everyone of them sucks. I wouldn’t be caught dead on one.

I can’t quite remember its name but I’ve heard that there is this one site that has a TV show hosted by the guy who owns it. He goes to a hot bite almost every week and shows you exactly how to catch fish. He’s ruining all the fishing across the Midwest, one week at a time. Gosh, I wish I could remember the name of that website…

mattgroff wrote:

Keep complaining and it will still do nothing. With the way social media is. You think p4 was busy this year you wait till next. And I’ll tell you right now there’s a hell of a lot more meat hunters out there than there is trophy hunters. When people travel to p4 from Iowa and Illinois do you think the care about catching hogs. Well sure they do but at the end of the day alls they want to do is bend the rod and take fish home.
Sucks to see but if they buy a license there is nothing we can do.

Hey now I’m from Iowa and didn’t keep a single fish the 4 days I was there. I was hog hunting, I can catch fish to eat here in Iowa. Something over 10 lbs however is nearly impossible to top in Iowa.

chamberschamps wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ozzyky wrote:</div>
Social media……ruining fisheries one post at a time

Yeah. I hate those websites. Everyone of them sucks. I wouldn’t be caught dead on one.

I can’t quite remember its name but I’ve heard that there is this one site that has a TV show hosted by the guy who owns it. He goes to a hot bite almost every week and shows you exactly how to catch fish. He’s ruining all the fishing across the Midwest, one week at a time. Gosh, I wish I could remember the name of that website…

I am guilty of getting irritated by the Internet posts about the “hot bite” when it puts pressure on a place I had mostly to myself beforehand. But honestly, I don’t think keeping fishermen away is the answer here. And P4 in particular is one of the most pressured walleye waters in the country regardless. The most important factor here in my opinion is responsible harvest (combined with careful handling of those you release).

I don’t think fishing during the spawn is such a big deal if the fish are handled carefully and released promptly when they’re caught, but that’s just a theory on my part. I’ll argue that responsible, even conservative harvest practices should continue year round in any case.

I don’t think fishing during the spawn is such a big deal if the fish are handled carefully and released promptly when they’re caught, but that’s just a theory on my part. I’ll argue that responsible, even conservative harvest practices should continue year round in any case.

In my paws, I have the 2013 Large Lake Report and 2011-13 Creel survey results for Pool 4/Lake Pepin.

I thought about posting a link to it, but not only is it out of date, (360 side imaging is just becoming popular) but it’s just another attempt at some DNR employees trying to justify their job.

See you all back here again next year!

Brian, if the document you’re referring to is an impact study of some kind and not just a fisheries survey, I’d appreciate it if you could post a link. Thanks

chamberschamps wrote:

<DIV class=d4p-bbt-quote-title>ozzyky wrote:</DIV>
<P>Social media……ruining fisheries one post at a time</P>

<P>Yeah. I hate those websites. Everyone of them sucks. I wouldn’t be caught dead on one. </P>
<P>I can’t quite remember its name but I’ve heard that there is this one site that has a TV show hosted by the guy who owns it. He goes to a hot bite almost every week and shows you exactly how to catch fish. He’s ruining all the fishing across the Midwest, one week at a time. Gosh, I wish I could remember the name of that website…</P>

Funny you mention that. I made my first P4 trip this year. The thing that got me excited about it was watching the last 2 seasons of IDO on youtube and seeing James and his P4 trips.

My trip was sucessful and 4 guys took a 3 man limit. Tossed back as many females as we could, threw back our 1 hog of a fish, did not take a sauger under 14, and the fish we kept was enjoyed by our familes. I’m more serious into fishing now then I have been but I can say 100% that is the first time I took a personal limit in over 5 years from any body of water.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<P>I don’t think fishing during the spawn is such a big deal if the fish are handled carefully and released promptly when they’re caught, but that’s just a theory on my part. I’ll argue that responsible, even conservative harvest practices should continue year round in any case.</P>

<P> </P>
<P>In my paws, I have the 2013 Large Lake Report and 2011-13 Creel survey results for Pool 4/Lake Pepin. </P>
<P>I thought about posting a link to it, but not only is it out of date, (360 side imaging is just becoming popular) but it’s just another attempt at some DNR employees trying to justify their job. </P>
<P>See you all back here again next year! </P>

I went to the Walleye searchers meeting where the P4 DNR guy came and spoke. I walked away with the understanding that for the most part the year round fishing was having little impact on the fish populations.

The study about year round fishing was done in 1984. It’s available here: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/publications/fisheries/investigational_reports.html

I do not see an updated investigational report for Pool 4 on the DNR’s list.

Brian, I strongly suspect that the reports you’re referring to do not constitute an update to the investigational report. But I will withhold judgment until you post the link. I spent a few minutes on the DNR website looking for them but wasn’t able to find links to the most recent reports you mentioned.

I have hard copies and haven’t looked for a link.

I’m sure if you contact the Lake City office they will locate them for you.

They are titled: 2013 Large Lake Report and 2011-13 Creel survey results for Pool 4/Lake Pepin.

BK is the smart one (no, I’m sober) rarely any contraversial threads regarding Catfishing…

That’s because half of us can’t even spell catfeesh correctly.

chamberschamps wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ozzyky wrote:</div>
Social media……ruining fisheries one post at a time

Yeah. I hate those websites. Everyone of them sucks. I wouldn’t be caught dead on one.

I can’t quite remember its name but I’ve heard that there is this one site that has a TV show hosted by the guy who owns it. He goes to a hot bite almost every week and shows you exactly how to catch fish. He’s ruining all the fishing across the Midwest, one week at a time. Gosh, I wish I could remember the name of that website…

Lol oh irony.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

They are titled: 2013 Large Lake Report and 2011-13 Creel survey results for Pool 4/Lake Pepin.

…Not to sure about this whole creel survey thing. Not this winter but the winter before last (2013 & 14). I was living right across from the back channel ramp. If you remember that was a very cold winter with lots of snow. Now this ramp had been closed from November or December 2013 until late spring 2014. On account of snow and ice. Once twice or three times a week there would be vehicle parked over at the closed ramp for hours at a time. I couldn’t stand it any longer so I went over to see what was up with that. It was a creel survey guy.! I said why are you here the ramp has been closed for at least 2 months or more.? Why aren’t you up at EVERTS Ramps they keep those open all year. OK GUYS HERE IS THIS DUDES ANSEWER. I HAVE TO STAY BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE COMPUTER ASSINGED HIM FOR SO MANY HOURS THAT DAY.!!!! Now another thing here on pool 4. Is the night fishing has taken off big time.! Some nights there are almost as many fishing at night as there is in the day time.!! And it seems like for some people the rules change a little at night. There are tons of fish caught at nite, But butt there aren’t any creel guys to be found any where…. I have heard it before more than once that some people say don’t tell those creel guys anything. So how much faith do you have in those creel surveys.?!? … …rrr

Brian, if you’re arguing that the DNR has an updated position on the impact of year round fishing it would really help if you posted something to support it, even if it’s just a quote from your hard copy.

The most recent large lake report for Pepin I found in my quick search of the DNR site is from 2010. It doesn’t make any statement as to the impact of year round fishing. The most recent creel survey I found was 2005-2007. It cites back to the 1984 study of the impact of year round fishing, but only as a mention to the survey portion of that study. No statement about year round fishing otherwise that I could find, but the survey did mention that a lot of walleye anglers practice catch & release!

It would be helpful to know from some of the more age experienced fisherman down there on how much spawning habitat has been lost to sediment from the 70’s, or possibly gained too.

If the creel surveys were the only thing the DNR used to assess the status of the fishery, we would be screwed. There is a percentage of anglers that won’t tell or exaggerate their experience on the water. That number is worked into the model as well. The closed ramps are taken into account too.

They use trammel nets, hoop nets, and gill nets at designated locations to come up with the population estimates.

It will be interesting to see the weights that win the MTT this weekend.

Brian, if you’re arguing that the DNR has an updated position on the impact of year round fishing it would really help if you posted something to support it, even if it’s just a quote from your hard copy.

I’m not arguing anything other then the Pool 4 fishery is just fine even with low water, year round fishing, the internet and better electronics. Opps for got all the tournaments.

But if a person is really concerned about the pool 4 fishery, there are HUGE eyes being caught and released on Pool 2 right now. Check it out if there’s interest in hooking into a trophy of a life time.

Where is the report about the huge eyes on P2? I typically get my butt handed to me by the big fish from pre-spawn through the spawn, so I want to read it!

BK can I read that too.?

Jez you guys can’t find anything for yourself?

The river is just as low up there as it is in #4 ya know.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Jez you guys can’t find anything for yourself?

The river is just as low up there as it is in #4 ya know.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Jez you guys can’t find anything for yourself?

The river is just as low up there as it is in #4 ya know.

…Ok Mr. BK I found it. Now Gone Fishun for the Next 4 Days… PS The water temp. is up E-nuff the Big Flats have been Hitting Hair & Meat… …rrr

Plus the fishing pressure on pool 4 is the highest that its ever been. These fish are getting HAMMERD.!! Big Time. All the fish are between the banks on the main channels. The walleyes can not get to where they want to spawn in this low water…..Plus With the water this low they can NOT get away from the fishing pressure. The average modern day fisherpersons are way better fishermen/Ladies than in years past….

Fishing the MTT Tourney?

Please do not fish the main channel, we need to protect our big spawners that can’t get away from the angling pressure.

To partially answer the first question…

Today in Red Wing the stage is 3.99 ft.

Low Water Records for Mississippi River at Red Wing
(1) 1.80 ft on 10/01/2003

It was about the same in 1972 but only RRR was around then.

OK John 23, what is your questions specifically. I have all day today to answer them…at least until 4 when I’m going to to hammer the pre and post spawn walleyes that are so easy to catch. I’m here for ya.

PS white bass are picking up on P 2 as well I’ve been told.

Brian, I don’t like the way you’re responding to this so I’ll back out before we get into an argument. Enjoy your evening on the river.

Sure now that the site is up and I have the time you’re worried about conflicting views.

The original poster was concerned about people catching too many spawning fish because they were in the channel due to low water. Water lower then anyone could remember implying that it was like catching fish out of a barrel.

Then the DNR records were irreverent because they were out of date with the advent of electronics and so on.

I pointed to the creel and other surveys the DNR uses to gauge the state of Pool #4.

Those surveys boiled down (a lot) points to Pool 4 being in just as good of health as it was 20 years ago as far as walleye population.

A quick look a the historical readings at Lock and dam three show that in April of 2000 (15 short years ago) the levels never reached 676 above sea level.
In 2012 (just 3 years ago) the level was 675 and just scratched 676 FASL at the end of April. We are at 675.+ now.

…we and the fish survived well enough for a good number of people to hook into a fish of a life time.

What’s there to argue about? The choice of beer?

Find a link to the surveys (which aren’t the same as the studies). The questions you should ask yourself are:

1) Has voluntary catch & release increased on Pool 4 over the last 31 years?
2) What is the impact of that voluntary practice on the fishery?

Then, if you determine for yourself that the voluntary C&R practices are compensating for increased angling pressure and effectiveness, ask yourself the following:

3) Is my social media presence encouraging the voluntary angler behavior that has helped maintain (or even improve) the Pool 4 walleye fishery?

Umm the only question I’m concerned with is when I will be on the water next…it will probably be on P4 too!

put some spam in it Klawitter

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Plus the fishing pressure on pool 4 is the highest that its ever been. These fish are getting HAMMERD.!! Big Time. All the fish are between the banks on the main channels. The walleyes can not get to where they want to spawn in this low water…..Plus With the water this low they can NOT get away from the fishing pressure. The average modern day fisherpersons are way better fishermen/Ladies than in years past….

Fishing the MTT Tourney?

Please do not fish the main channel, we need to protect our big spawners that can’t get away from the angling pressure.

…MTT–All fish are released, just like they do in the cat tourneys. /… …rrr

Hat’s off to you and the MTT.

These guys are our fishing future.

Sam Stier’s couple little fat girls.

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