75′ Kills Walleye and Saugers in Pool 4

…and please don’t take me wrong. I hope to see a post like this every year into the future.

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PLAIN AND SIMPLE AND HAS BEEN SAID MANY A TIMES…

YOU CANT FIX STUPID

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So we should turn our backs and pretend like theres not a problem? Seems like that has bitten people in the plenty of times before…

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youngfry – I think the point being made is that if you slam your head into a brick wall frequently enough, your a bit numb and realize you can’t walk through it. For as long as i can remember fishing the WI River (Sac dam), Genoa, Tremp,Winona,…and so on, this has been a problem. A very well thought out plan needs to be figured out before rushing into new laws. If you put a distance restriction your going to kill the fishing floats and possibly a lot of very good shallow water locations.
It is very much like the same group of hunters that feel compelled to shoot every flipp’n doe they see in the CWD zones. Just because they can get free doe tags, they shoot everything. Now years later, the same group of people scratch their heads and are pissed off at the DNR because they don’t see any deer. When it happens it will be abrupt. Pass a jar of skittles around a class room and tell every kid they can take as many as they can fit in a hand. The jar gets passed around and everyone seems happy. Suddenly, the jar is passed to a kid and he only is able to get a couple and the jar is empty….and there is still more kids sitting there waiting on their “share” or opportunity. Sucks to be them with all the greedy turds before them. Yet, along the way, there were a few kids that didn’t eat candy and just passed the jar along.
Personally, I think Nov 1st through May 1st – Required Sauger kill of the first 6 you catch within 500 yrds of the dam. No release and any/all sauger caught up to your limit of 6 MUST be kept in your possession as your daily bag. So if you elect to fish the scour, you can catch and must keep your sauger…… Now, how do you address the 11″ walleyes caught???????? If they are released, a high percentage dies. If they are kept, your creating another nightmare to manage.
Maybe we need to go to a system like they have in Germany. In order to get a fishing license, you need to take enough classes to dam near become a fish bilogist

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I couldn’t agree more with this mostly the reference to the deer hunters, we DON’T need any more laws ect. If they were to make a new law for starters it would hurt some of the traffic/buisness at the shops. We need common sense and ethical fisherman. On the flip side if you just want dinner a dink sauger taste mighty delicious.

http://www.in-fisherman.com/2013/06/25/winter-sauger-hooking-mortality/

Here’s the article on In-Fisherman’s website.

BK – According to this you’re right. While it may not hurt the overall population significantly, I don’t see that it helps the population either. Also, this study was on pool 4, the same conclusions cannot be assumed to be true on other pools.

I guess its just frustrating to me…

It is no secret that the sauger population on pool 4 has been drastically declining for a few years. That makes this problem even worse. More people are struggling to catch fish so they head to the deep holes and kill a bunch of saugers. This causes the population to decline even further. It is a vicious circle.

Signs would do nothing to help. Everyone knows what they are doing to the fish by pulling them out of deep water. Most just do not care.

Too many people around here just care about how they can exploit this fishery. Whether it be to sell bait/ tackle to the fishermen or guide them or sell advertising on a website or just to catch fish as easily as possible, most just care about what this fishery can do for them. This is evident by how people who have put themselves in charge of sharing info about pool 4 openly promote the fishing of the scour holes regardless of the fish kill. As long as they can get their money it is all good, right?

Most of the folks that are killing all these fish are dong it because it would be too much work for them to actually go out and look for fish, maybe learn a little about the the river system and how the walleye/sauger relate to it. They just want to go online and be spoonfed information while expending as little effort as possible. They just don’t care.
I am afraid there is no good ending to this situation. I am afraid the only possible solution for the sake of the fishery is to shut it down. People just cannot be depended on to do the right thing on their own.

I am not even going to get into the fact that many of the fish taken from the scour hole are illegally snagged.

I agree with your statements. It is just beyond me why people want to sit and snag small saugers when there is so much info out there (ido, etc) on how, when and where to catch quality eaters as well as trophy fish. Do these people who fish the scour EVER get quality eaters or a 20+” fish? Or is it just so they can tell their buddies at work that they caught 100 fish on pool for over the weekend?

I can personally attest that if you want to catch 15-18″ eaters with a jig and minnow on pool 4 that you can get this done much faster fishing < 20FOW. It just just he blade and plastics fisherman that catch fish in < 20 FOW.

What about fishing pressure? How man of you believe fishing pressure is taking a toll on the fishery? When I was younger, 14-15 years ago I would go to red wing on a “hot” week and would run into 150-250 boats a day. Now a hot week in red wing is 400-500 boats in a day. Just curious as to what you all think……

I believe pressure changes a fishery. Not necessarily negatively, though. Thinning of a population reduces numbers, but can also increase average size, through reduced competition for resources. Not that Pool 4 has that issue, though. I think if the perfect ecological storm affects Pool 4, then pressure will definitely be a factor and the DNR will impose tighter restrictions.

One could argue, though, that any angling pressure is counterproductive to a fishery’s sustainability.

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This is evident by how people who have put themselves in charge of sharing info about pool 4 openly promote the fishing of the scour holes regardless of the fish kill. As long as they can get their money it is all good, right?

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Using that thought process, if the fishery doesn’t survive then neither would the businesses. The same could be said about trappers as well.

That’s what is great about a web site…any web site that has people that share. It teaches people (at least some) that fish (and better fish) can be caught other places then the nursery.

‘course that sometimes doesn’t go over real well with the locals that like to keep those places on the down low.

Many big rivers are so healthy and ecologically sound, even over fishing has little to no affect.

Then what’s with all these limits they keep putting on these fish?

Sustainability is a fine line, no matter the body of water.

It does appear that Pool 4 is above the curve in regards to resources, but I doubt it would tolerate reckless management.

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Many big rivers are so healthy and ecologically sound, even over fishing has little to no affect.

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Wow!!!! I am not sure how to even respond to this statement. The very definition of overfishing is harvesting in quantities over the sustainability of a body of water.

Oceans have been depleted of species of fish because of overfishing.

I think all fishing should be catch and release only. The only white meat we eat should be chicken

I agree. I was down there a couple days ago and seen people throwing small eyes AND saugers back that we’re caught in at least 60 FOW. These fish had there diaphragm hanging out of there mouths. There were many dead floating fish around. Even if you take your time bringing them up 80% of these fish caught this deep will die. Just doesn’t seem sportsman like to me.

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I don’t see how Steve and Kari should be responsible for flyers or a sign

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It’s absolutely not their responsibility, but certainly in their best interest. Every year this topic comes up. Every year less and less people defend fishing deep water for walleye on IDO in the ensuing discussion. At least in the IDO community it seems that “education” has made a difference. Maybe it would with others too. Certainly a percentage of people don’t care, but when I was a newbie walleye guy I would fish deep water too, because I didn’t know any better. Now I know.

In general, I’ve found that doing something is better then doing nothing. Like I said, flyers were just a suggestion.

I am surprised a bit by some of the responses. Think back to the first time you fished pool 4. If you weren’t a river fisherman, and headed down to catch all kinds of fish like you saw on the web. What happened to you? Lake fishing logic doesn’t work well on a river, and I found pool 4 very humbling years ago when I started fishing there. The vast majority of fisherman have little to no idea of what they are doing. If the weather is nice I find my last statement to be true. People look for crowds and give it a try. A couple of years ago I was hitting several spots one morning. Every spot I headed to there was another boat that would be in the same area eventually. At one point we passed close to them, and one of the guys in the boat said ” I’m not sure if you have noticed, but we have been following you around all morning”. I said that I did recognize them from earlier. He said they have no idea what they are doing, so they just pick out a ranger boat to follow around when they go to a new destination. I think because rivers are so different from lakes that is the main reason you see so many people over the deep water. Most have no clue and many are either too lazy or don’t have the patience to put in the time to learn the differences.

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Many big rivers are so healthy and ecologically sound, even over fishing has little to no affect.

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Wow!!!! I am not sure how to even respond to this statement. The very definition of overfishing is harvesting in quantities over the sustainability of a body of water.

Oceans have been depleted of species of fish because of overfishing.

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Hmm, maybe I should clarify that. Poor choice of words. I should have said heavy fishing pressure, not over fishing.

Look at the overall picture guys. That pool has some of (if not the best) overall walleye and sauger fishing on the whole river.

Come down here and see how you like it, when you fish all day to try and get a 15″ walleye or a 12″ sauger to keep… and very, very, rarely get one over 20″.

P16- home of the 11.75″ sauger and 14″ walleye.

You fellas don’t know how good you have it.

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Look at the overall picture guys. That pool has some of (if not the best) overall walleye and sauger fishing on the whole river.

Come down here and see how you like it, when you fish all day to try and get a 15″ walleye or a 12″ sauger to keep… and very, very, rarely get one over 20″.

P16- home of the 11.75″ sauger and 14″ walleye.

You fellas don’t know how good you have it.

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Plus you live in Iowa. Man that’s rough.

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Plus you live in Iowa. Man that’s rough.

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OUCH

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Many big rivers are so healthy and ecologically sound, even over fishing has little to no affect.

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Wow!!!! I am not sure how to even respond to this statement. The very definition of overfishing is harvesting in quantities over the sustainability of a body of water.

Oceans have been depleted of species of fish because of overfishing.

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I know I haven’t read farther down from this statement, but I can’t wait to see what it says to back this statement up. LOL overfishing doesn’t harm a fishery. LOL

So when does “Heavy fishing pressure” not turn into over fishing? Every “Heavy Fishing Pressure” I have seen has related to many many fish getting caught and tossed in the live well with many people doing whatever they can. Local warden here experienced this 6-7 years ago when people were over harvesting an area in which crappies could literally be caught by anyone in abundance. Most people were getting their limit in less than an hour and were trying to go back to the area later in the day bringing friends and what not to all get their limit. I would consider this “Heavy fishing pressure” and I would relate that to over fishing. You can honestly say 350+ 450+ boats in red wing on a day where most people can catch fish isn’t hurting anything? Your delusional.

Could something like … “You hook it… You keep it” kind of concept be implemented?
Where as anyone seen tossing a fish back which is caught out of the score hole is subject to a fine and encourage others that are fishing near bye to report the boat hull ID# to regulators?
Would this possibly discourage or at least slow down this problem?

Just a thought

Your delusional.

So people agree that there is heavy fishing pressure at the dam and on pool 4? How much of a decline have you seen since the pressure got bad? Compare it to inland lakes. Ask any fisheries biologist about pressure and ecology of a lake compared to a big river. For the record, I have talked about it with a fisheries biologist at the round table.

I am here to tell you it was a lot easier catching fish in red wing 10 years ago compared to now. The river is great because it can easily replenish its resources. Lake Pepin is a huge asset no doubt, but you can’t say it hasn’t effected fishing at all mr. you can over fish pool 4 and it will be alright. LOL

ps, are you a fishing biologist knight at the round table?

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I am here to tell you it was a lot easier catching fish in red wing 10 years ago compared to now. The river is great because it can easily replenish its resources. Lake Pepin is a huge asset no doubt, but you can’t say it hasn’t effected fishing at all mr. you can over fish pool 4 and it will be alright. LOL

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Part of that was my point. I guess it is all relative. There’s really no point in discussing it, especially when back to the OP, I am not happy people are wasting a resource. I’ve been forced to keep, clean and eat fish I wouldn’t have because they were gut hooked or belly up. I’d wish everyone was like that or at list hope that most are like that.

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I am here to tell you it was a lot easier catching fish in red wing 10 years ago compared to now.

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Use a hook, minnow and slip sinker, it’s just as good as 20 years ago many will say.

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As much as I hate to say it, I honestly feel the walleye/saugers season needs to be shut down on pool 4 during the winter/spring.

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Not sure about complete closure. But I think some change is probably needed. From Feb 28 to May 1st go to a Rainey River rule. 2 fish nothing over 20 inches. Protect the big girls.

Easy fix on the scour hole problem. During those same dates, move the “no fishing here to dam” signs down to the second wing dam.

Mr. Holst said it best. The biggest problem pool 4 faces is lost habitat due to sedimentation. If you believe what is predicted to happen, lake Pepin will be a swamp/mash within the next 100 years. There will basically be a dredge channel down the middle of the lake. Game over.

-J.

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I am here to tell you it was a lot easier catching fish in red wing 10 years ago compared to now.

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Use a hook, minnow and slip sinker, it’s just as good as 20 years ago many will say.

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These “many” must not have known how to fish 20 years ago.

There have been plenty of studies the last few years documenting the depletion of the walleye/sauger population on pool 4.

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Well mplsplug it’s like this. In IA the DNR has concluded in their infinite wisdom that fishing sauger in the deep holes under a dam has no effect on the sauger population. Case in study dubuque dam.

However as an uneducated fisheman (no fancy fisheries degree) it seems to me that simple counting of dead fish downstream as stated above does mean an impact has occurred….

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Statistical it doesn’t have any overall effect on the Sauger population.

Block off a section of public water?