Sportmen?

[MSRiverdog]

Lake Fremont by Zimmerman was opened up to an open season because of winter oxygen depletion. Here's 2 pics I took today.

These are carp not a field of rocks with a couple Northerns mixed in. Guy with a bow has been edited out.

17 Northerns, 2 to about 5 pounds, that I could see without leaving the road.

My understanding is the DNR has found a local farmer with a tractor and bucket to help clean this mess.

[joeyquicksand*]

what is that from? why are there all those dead fish?

[hondavxr]

This was from one of the lakes that were experiencing winterkill, when the lakes oxygen depletes and the fish come to the surface. That is so sick, DNR open the water up so people could take unlimited amounts of fishes on that lake home, not leave them on the lake.

[MSRiverdog]

That is from bow fishermen that practice kill and dump. When I first was going by I thought I was looking at a lot of rocks sticking out from the snow, then I went back, there were two guys there with bows and a long time ago I bow fished. After looking at the mess I left and saw the Northerns dead next to a 24 inch culvert going under the road in to this feeder creek.

Here's a close up for you, normally I take a lot of pics, this time I took 5 and walked away in a daze.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

should have called the TIP! I bet they would have gotten a fine. That is sick...

[Surface Tension]

Sounds like the DNR is on it.

Is it possible that arrangements were made to have the fish gathered up and this knows that? I hope so.

Watching winter kill is bad enough, but to add to its waste by leaving fish behind isn't cool.

[Sandmannd]

Hopefully they catch the sob's

[Av8er]

The pcitures do look disgusting. however, I remember when I was in high school ( ERAHS -about 7-8 years ago) when they opened this lake up again for permiscuious fishing, and I just want to say that all of us who partaked brought home all the fish we speared. I can remember fillin one of those big red party tubs half full of northern!! We were eating and giving away alot of pickeled northern. It was a blast. I do agree that they should have taken the carp off the ice and disposed of them better, or eat them. Not sure of too many people who eat carp? I think the worst thing is that they left the northerns on the ice...those are edible!! My dad went and checked the lake out this year a few days after they opened it and said that most all of the fish left on the ice were carp.

[CrappiesNCats]

more people eat carp than you realize. ever had a fish stick? it isnt cod

[blackdog1101]

That's called wonton waste. I hope the perpetrators are found and punished.

[BoxMN]

Just a potential other side, though I have no idea in this situation. Often on lakes that winterkill, it is a winterkill that KEEPS the lake alive. Often those are more waterfowl lakes than fish lakes (I don't know in this case) but in those cases, people specificially and with DNR permission and sometimes even wages, pump the fish out of the lake to get rid of rough fish, which uproot the precious weeds in such lakes. Christina is one such example that I know of. Lots of shallow lakes in southern MN too, I would guess. Bullheads and carp are no good for those lakes.

So, just pointing out that there may be reasons behind this that make it good for the lake. But like I said, I have idea in this situation. I find it hard to believe that all those fish were due to bowfishers though, thats a lot of fish...

[smallie_hawgin]

Lake Fremont has an average depth of 6 feet with a couple of spots not much deeper. It basically is a glorified wetland with houses around it. The lake association operates an aeration set up almost annually to allow most fish to survive. This year was not real conducive for some of our area lakes. The oxygen dropped even with the aeration in place. There will be some fish that make it through in spite of the kill.

On the spearing/bowfishing and leaving fish issue..

Problem is folks, that there were only oh 35-40 people there the day it was opened. Most folks were spearing that particular day. It was literally like the old pitch-forking hay... literally saw fish flying.. The CO's were and are aware of the issue and the lake association plans to coordinate a clean up.

Just a thought: Some of the northerns could have been dead already and were pulled up on the ice too. Not to suggest this is what happened, or that it makes it right, but there is a possibility...

Regardless these type of situations put a bad blemish on other folks that consistently do the right thing.

MSRD, thanks for posting... good topic to address.

[Ralph Wiggum]

That gives us ethical bowfisherman a terrible image! That is just gross. If you don't want to eat them, at least be responsible enough to properly dispose of them.

[ozzie]

I drove by the north shore until last week and the damage wasn't this bad!!! I will have to stop by on my way home tonight.....It is mostly carp and therns but there shiners bullhead sunnies and crappies showing up....not many crappies or sunnies but I did see a couple small ones mixed in with the piles of bullheads and carp!!!

[UdeLakeTom]

CO Brett Oberg (Hutchinson) spent time educating anglers on wanton waste laws at a lake recently opened to unlimited fishing. Several rough fish and small panfish had been speared and left on the ice.

[MSRiverdog]

Leaving them lay is the issue of my post more than anything else. That was the wrong thing to do. The DNR elected to let the taking happen with the oxygen issues. It was up to the takers to pick up after themselves for the fun they had. The Crows and eagles can only eat so much. If the neighborhood Rats find it thats another issue.

[skip across]

that is a crazy scene.... FYI for all the guys spearing and leaving the waste behind: there are many of use who enjoy the challenge and fun of going out to a lake that they open for unlimited fishing. if this becomes a trend rather than an exception the DNR will have to consider not allowing this anymore(and rightfully so). Please dont let this happen again. I am sure there were others there that were not taking part in this wastful act and should come forward to identify these people, if nothing else' to educate them on the issues leaving these fish makes for others. PS smoked carp, done right is an excellent tasting treat!

[Grant]

I've spent the last several days watching this thread.. whereas I know the liberalized taking was warranted for oxy reasons, I do wish that some of the people that took advantage of it, and abused it were more responsible about their actions. they make not only the responsible bowfishermen look bad, but they make all of us responsible sportsmen(and women) look bad.

that and I really, really hope that I'm not downwind when the temps start creeping over 32F.....