They're getting them out at xxxxx

I didn’t, thought about calling in now, might still do it.

I’ll be completely honest, complicated situation this weekend all around. Guy I was fishing with is my FIL, with a few of his buddies (and a bunch of people I didn’t know), I was along for the ride. Honestly, not the group I want against me alone in a secluded place if you know what I mean.

I understand that’s not an excuse, so please feel free to point at me and say I’m the problem. I’d be perfectly fine with those guys getting busted(my FIL included if he was breaking the limit, although he wasn’t at that point I don’t think).

What sucks is that under the current laws none of those guys would get busted. CO shows up, checks their licenses, they are all within their posession limit. Unless the CO follows them all home, which is impossible. Or unless he stakes out the same place 2,3,4 days in a row. What if a guy catches a limit two days in a row and the CO happens to notice? “Oh, I had a fish fry last night, they were tasty! Had to come back for a few more ya know”.

I understand your point of view for not calling at the time, and also why you may want to come online to vent after. IMO you obviously feel strongly they were doing something wrong, and if you were sure of it would have been justified in turning them in. Sounds like they weren’t in violation of a daily limit, and from their conversation would have (possibly) been over their possession limit which is more difficult to prove and may require a statement (or more) from you. However, it’s not too difficult to get some privacy while out fishing for a phone call, and you can even text TIP now for future reference. As I stated previously you would call in if someone were robbing your neighbor…

TIP:
◾To report a violation immediately, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, call toll-free 1-800-652-9093 or key in #TIP on your cell phone.
◾To report a violation that isn’t time sensitive, use the enforcement/tipreporting.html.

philtickelson wrote:

I went down to SE minnesota this weekend to see some friends and maybe even get some fishing in. I ended up fishing all day Saturday, near Wabasha. My fishing partner ‘has been killing the sunnies’ in this one spot, so we headed there first.

I’m pretty sure I was there. Could you tell us where this was?

.” I ended up fishing all day Saturday, near Wabasha. My fishing partner ‘has been killing the sunnies’ in this one spot, so we headed there first.”

Do you not see the hypocrisy in this statement after you go on and complain about over fishing.
Its all good if you indulge but if someone else horns in you get upset?

Craziest thread I have seen yet.

I didn’t keep any fish(read the part about someone else getting mad I was throwing perch back), so I’m not sure I see the hypocrisy. I’ll be the first to admit my FIL isn’t part of the solution to this problem.

If by indulge you mean do some catch and release fishing I guess I am guilty?

I’m doing my best to educate my FIL, but by god is he stubborn. I didn’t check his freezer when I was down there, but hopefully you can understand me wanting to educate him and not potentially turn him in to law enforcement. Might make family get togethers awkward for the next 30 years.

The logging idea is interesting. Are you working with any legislators or anyone in the DNR to see it actually happen.

This is a tail chase and just in reading some of the responses here it seems that this “I want my cake and eat it too” mentality is the biggest problem. If we don’t want people messing with sunfish during the spawn then the season on sunfish should be closed , like the walleyes, until after they have finished spawning. Then too, consider all those big sunfish being caught at late ice that WOULD likely spawn.

I think the better part of those who read and contribute to this website are reasonable and fully aware of the impact their fishing has on these valuable fish and practice at least some selective harvest. BUT, there are how many hundreds for every one of the concerned persons are there reading this information that could give a rip about the future of the fishing? The only sure and effective measure is to close the season from, say Feb. 15 until July 1, so these fish have a chance to spawn.

Lets not forget that Mother Nature can throw a wrench in this process too. Heavy rains and/or extremely cold weather that dumps water temperatures at spawning time can completely destroy that which we are attempting to preserve. We cannot do anything about nature but as for people the only true effective measure is a season closure to help sunfish and bluegills along, but I’ll add crappies to this issue too, since there apparently are hundreds of thousands of anglers who are seen reaping a crappie harvest while the fish are spawning or are jammed into solitary deep holes under the ice but are never seen during the rest of the summer or fall. Face it, the majority of anglers are opportunistic hogs, but they are not the ones who share information that we see being shared here….they are the ones who read and use the information to fill their freezers. These are the people who will find a way to keep fish if catch and release is allowed.

I have mentioned ice fishing a bit, but I don’t ice fish any more. I am of the belief that all this technology that goes on the ice has contributed big time to the reduction of large sunfish and crappies on many, many waters in Minnesota and if the drn proposed closing all seasons on the last day of November and re-opened them on January first and staying open until February 15th at which time they’d close again I’d support it. Staying in line with Phil’s ideas of an offender’s license, I’d also a separate, required additional ” ice anglers technology license” for those who choose to use [lean on] the technology to catch fish that also includes slots and reduced limits, perhaps 4 sunfish and 4 crappies.

Personally I think we all need to learn to police ourselves and practice what we know is best for the environment we use when we fish. All of the environment for that matter. I fish during several different spawns, crappies included. I don’t keep many sunfish because I hate cleaning the suckers. I seldom keep more than 4 crappies, spawn or not, unless I have a dinner planned where more fish are needed but those larger meals aren’t had when the fish are spawning. There are a ton of things we can do at a personal level that we can talk about as well as practice and often it is what we are seen practicing that makes the biggest impact on younger anglers especially if some explanation is included so they have a full understanding of why you are doing it and how the future of the sport is carried on what you do. At the same time it needs to be mentioned that not all waters are the same and some just cannot bear to give up any big fish.

This thread has a ton of ideas but most will never get noticed or employed by the dnr because the ideas would never get past the state legislature. The dnr will act though if any body of water is floundering. Notice I said “is”. They seldom act to avert unless people ask for help on specific water and then the legal and legislative crapola gets brought into play and by the time anything logical is applied to redeem things its too late. I have some experience with this and know first hand how hard it is to get even a simple slot or limit reduction made on a body of water….most people haven’t a clue. So for now I keep a couple to chew on here and there with a lot of c/r in between. Down the road if the dnr slams the door on fishing waters I enjoy fishing I will at least know that I did my part in trying to help save what is gone.

Interesting and this IS an educational thread for folks new to the sport.

Mashall, not that I disagree with you on the river’s fishing pressure, but working the bait shop it seems like 20% do well, 65% do ok with some fish and 20% catch nothing.

Keeping in mind that 60% of all statistics on the Internets are made up.
Looking at last weekends Freeze You Butt, there were 40+ boats that didn’t weigh a fish with just over 20 catching something to weigh in. Boat numbers aren’t always an indicator of harvest.

On the other hand when they’re stupid crazy (the fish I mean) well, that changes things.

River fishermen (including me) tend to look at what they see in the areas they fish and draw conclusions from their experiences. Lake fishermen do the same thing. As any biologist will tell us, they are apples to watermelons and can’t be compared.

I’m not sure how the depth of water relates to anything. Limiting in 3 feet or 20 feet is still limiting.

Panfish slowing down can be from many different thing besides over fishing. In three feet of water they can be moved out by the noise on the ice, warming water temps, changes in barometric pressure AND of course over fishing.

Bottom line is posts like this does educate folks (and much more efficiently then our DNR spending thousands of $ on media advertising. Take the walleye stamp for example)

All from my arm chair point of view of course.

wimwuen wrote:

Participation rates are what interests me. Everybody says how many fewer people are fishing, however I’ve never seen the amount of boats out that I have the last 4-5 years. Trempealeau landing had over 60 boats out today, this was always 20-30.

Genoa can hit 100 boats easily on a nice day. I will agree that the numbers of younger anglers seems to be down, but I’ve never seen the 65+ crowd out in force like these last 5 years. If you want to see true gross over-bagging, come fish pool 8 when the big perch run. There are many trips to the ramps to dump fish in coolers. A few tickets get given out per year, but it’s obviously not enough of a deterant to keep it from happening.

Trempealeau landing has very little enforcement,that’s why you see the numbers there.I have witnessed triple bagging there as you described,plus a bunch of other violations there.Many don’t believe in navigation lights or secured batteries.And don’t forget the ones that have over-powered boats,just remove the HP numbers on motor?And if you remove the model/serial# tag from motor,isn’t that considered a stolen motor?

The DNR could have a field day there,but I have been checked there more often by MN DNR vs WI.They should also ticket the yahoos that park in the center of the lot there(considered loading zone),that’s a big mess on some days.0 consideration for those that park proper in the designated spots.I helped a guy move his trailer once,because some idiot boxed him in by parking in center.I told him to call the Tremp.County Sheriff next time.

No landing is immune to stupidity.

Brian, I agree with your assesment for pool 4 at least. The pools down here are very different though. If you come down to 7 or 9 right now, almost every single boat can catch their limits of small Saugers easily. Note that I said “Easily” not “Ethically”. 50′ of water with minnows are the norm for the crowd down here. Not saying this isn’t possible on 4, but shorter pools without giant lakes in the middle of them to act as nurseries are even more susceptible.

I have been out 4 times this year and have easily caught 40+ eater Saugers (14″ or better, and probably a dozen legal eyes). I kept 4 for a meal last weekend, the first I kept all season. I’m mostly a catch and release fisherman these days. I do like to have a few here and there, and will occasionally help one of the guys in my boat get a few to take home.

I have many reasons for this

1. I fish hard (harder than most), and can be pretty exhausted after a long day, and cleaning fish is the last thing I want to do.
2. I like them much better fresh than frozen
3. If I don’t have any frozen and the wife wants a fish meal, then I get to say “Oh darn, guess I’d better go fishing then”
4. I have 3 kids, which makes me feel more personally responsible for making sure there’s a resource left for them, and their kids.
5. This may sound arrogant, but I usually feel confident that if I want a fish meal, I have a good chance of going out and getting a few so that I can have that meal.
6. I NEVER have to worry about possession limits if I don’t have any in my freezer.

I won’t keep fish just to give them away, there are a very few select people that I will willingly bring a meal home for (elderly or unable to go out and get them). I know too many people who crave the accolades they get for giving fish away. Those same people will gladly give them away to anybody for those reasons, and frankly it makes me sick.

I practice the same concept deer hunting. I will maybe shoot one for my dad or brother etc… if they need the meat. I will not join a group of 20 guys going out in the woods to blast as many deer as possible then look for somebody with a tag. I’ll get off my soap box now, but the fact is that the pressure on the pools I fish regularly has increased dramatically the last 4-5 years, and the same guys are out day after day after day. They brag about it, knowing there is little to no chance of being caught. Unfortunately, that is the generation that we’re least likely to educate. They’ve been doing this for 65 years, and you know what they say about old dogs and new tricks.

milemark_714 wrote:

No landing is immune to stupidity.

Yep, that goes for everywhere.

Some of the concepts above are great in “controlling” an individual, but you still leave wide open the harvest from a particular lake or river. If you really want to have things micro-managed, you need to set individual harvest quotas for every lake as well.

Just some numbers to toy with. These were quoted to me from a WI fish biologist with recommendations on what constitutes a “healthy” lake. All numbers are refering to mature (Capable of reproduction)

Panfish – 60-80 (all based on per acre)
Walleyes – 4.5 – 5.8
Pike / Musky 2.8
Bass – 5-7
So if a lake is 1000 acres, you have roughly 70,000 mature panfish, 5,000 mature walleyes, 2500 pike/musky…. Now imagine if your fishing a 100 acre lake….real quick to blow the eco system out of balance.

Now apply how many thousands of man-hours are spent on that 1 body of water and apply creel census/ harvest rates to see what is actually removed. No doubt all fishing pressure has an impact.

Realistically, can any Department of Natural Resources fund such a labor intensive management program – NO. So it falls back onto each of us to be responsible and report violations

If you see someone a few days in a row and see them taking their limit every visit, take a pic of them call tip line. Meet with Dnr and show them where you were and give them pic. They will deal with them. I started taking pics at a spot I fish that is only frequented by a few. We all know each other and can always tell when some one new shows up. Spot gets trashed with garbage,broken line etc. I started taking pics of their cars and coming back after they left. I kept a file to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was always the same 3 cars that left a mess.including a garbage bag full of fish carcasses. (Yeah they brought a garbage bag in and dumped it) I ran in to a Dnr officer at this spot and got to talking with him. He complained about all the trash he hauled out of there on several visits. I smiled and in response said wanna see something? I don’t see those cars anymore and no more trash so far. This was like 3 or 4 years ago.
Otherwise take a few pics of the meat hogs and post pics online shame them. Look at the treatment people get for posting a pic of 1 fish on a lot of forums.

River fishermen (including me) tend to look at what they see in the areas they fish and draw conclusions from their experiences. Lake fishermen do the same thing. As any biologist will tell us, they are apples to watermelons and can’t be compared.

See? We both do it!

I like the log idea…

Could we do a season limit then???

ie- 250 sunfish per license year

This is getting pretty freaking complicated. Let’s keep it simple and lower limits.

Sunfish-5
Crappie-5
Walleye-3
Northerns-3

Ok. We have this.

3 times the cost we have now to fish.

Log the fish you kept.

lower the limit.

Was a tag a fish one of those?

Was fishing an infested lake one of those rules on the log? Why not?

Did you stop at an required inspection station for your boat after you left the lake? If so what color of sticker did you record on your log? If not why not?

Should I go on?

Don’t forget to electronically sign the log with the “to the best of my knowledge under penalty of law I pulled the plug after leaving the water” check box checked.

Poaching and ice fishing go hand in hand.

I would be in favor of further-reduced bag limits and slot limits for sunnies and crappies.

crawdaddy wrote:

Poaching and <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>ice fishing go hand in hand.

Really ? I would say poachers and poaching go together.

hl&sinker wrote:

Ok. We have this.

3 times the cost we have now to fish.

Log the fish you kept.

lower the limit.

Was a tag a fish one of those?

Was fishing an infested lake one of those rules on the log? Why not?

Did you stop at an required inspection station for your boat after you left the lake? If so what color of sticker did you record on your log? If not why not?

Should I go on?

Yes, please go on.

Are you saying you oppose all those ideas? Care to explain why?

You’re unwilling to pay more than the current $24 or whatever for a fishing license? People seem fine paying $30 to hunt deer for 9 days, but $50 to fish for 365 is crazy talk?

Maybe fill in the blank. I don’t want more DNR officers around because _______.

I don’t want a lower limit of panfish because ________.

I don’t want to log the fish I keep because _______.

philtickelson wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>hl&sinker wrote:</div>
Ok. We have this.

3 times the cost we have now to fish.

Log the fish you kept.

lower the limit.

Was a tag a fish one of those?

Was fishing an infested lake one of those rules on the log? Why not?

Did you stop at an required inspection station for your boat after you left the lake? If so what color of sticker did you record on your log? If not why not?

Should I go on?

Yes, please go on.

Are you saying you oppose all those ideas? Care to explain why?

You’re unwilling to pay more than the current $24 or whatever for a fishing license? People seem fine paying $30 to hunt deer for 9 days, but $50 to fish for 365 is crazy talk?

Maybe fill in the blank. I don’t want more DNR officers around because _______.

I don’t want a lower limit of panfish because ________.

I don’t want to log the fish I keep because _______.

You wouldn’t even turn in suspicious activities that you heard/witnessed because you were with in-laws and scary people. Yet everyone should jump on these ideas? If everyone turned in illegal activities these are not needed. Your solution was to call it in not make new laws.

It’s amazing the dirty looks you get when you release everything.

Philtickelson,
answer to your question is I believe in laws and rules and strong ethics as you do I’m sure, though I don’t believe in a Totalitarian Society.
These ideas will do nothing in the matter of squashing those that pilfer. All they will do will create more obsticles for those that play by the rules.
If you cant see where I was going with that list you are not useing an open mind on where the list leads us. Don’t ask me where it leads us because I wont walk you through it. Your just stiring the pot for your open ended fill in the blank to support your rant story.

I believe the laws and rules we have now are sufficient, in many respects it gives us room for choice while protecting our rescourses fairly without going overboard. Somedays I will choose my limit other days I wont keep any. I don’t need or want you or the government to take my right to choose away from me let alone make it harder to enjoy our resources. Do gooder laws laws do nothing in the scheme of things.

More laws always deter the poachers…. just like gun laws stop crazy people

So in conclusion. You see poachers, call TIP. Other than that enjoy the great resources…before someone else does.

One nice thing about fish is they are a renewable resource. If a lake gets wrecked due to a winter kill or over fishing from humans. All it takes is maybe a little stocking and a couple of years and the fishing can be great again.

I don’t think that calling it a renewable resource is the gist of this thread, but rather, why let man wreck the resource in the first place?

Granted, we cannot control what nature hands us, but we can control, and should, how a resource is managed.

Bass Pundit wrote:

One nice thing about fish is they are a renewable resource. If a lake gets wrecked due to a winter kill or over fishing from humans. All it takes is maybe a little stocking and a couple of years and the fishing can be great again.

False! Not to sound rude but this has to be one of the most ignorant posts I have ever read.

You need a lake with big gills to grow big gills. Unless you are aware of a stocking program for 9″-10″ gills a lake will NEVER come back if the majority of the big gills are taken out. Gills are different from most species that way. A male sunfish will sexually mature at 6″ if they are the biggest gill around.

On the other hand crappie or walleye need food and time and they will come back. Our kids will never see state wide 9″ gills ever. Do some reading on this topic before it’s too late.

FYI it takes more like 10yrs to grow a big gill.. not a couple.

Joe seqaguia FALSE MAN. I would like to see your data on genneics and life span and growth spans.
I believe another blowmouth is at had.

Talk about not knowing what one is talking about Joe xxxxx.
You have got some reading ahead of you.

You make me laugh then dissapointed.