Crappie overharvest

[HuskerBen]

Okay, I'm totally in agreement with selective harvest. Keep a few if you want a meal, but let the big guys go... this is something that a lot of us practice, and I honestly think it's getting better as more people are educated. It's up to the angler to make that decision, and although it takes a long time for minds to change, it's happening. Slowly but surely.

[Burnham]

thats part of the reason for this forum, is stating your opinions(vex-marcum, giving your opinions of lakes, fav lures, rods)..and stating facts too, but opinions do matter..i am not saying that there is anything wrong with keeping your limit, but it may not be the best thing for the body of water that you are on, and that is where todays kids may not be able to enjoy the outdoors as much as you older guys do today.

[hondavxr]

[please read forum policy before posting again]

[andrew chadwick]

selective harvest is not totaly here. just the other day at a bait shop a guy had brought in a 47 inch pike, and he ate it.

HE definatly did not practice selective harvest. I think that we may need some slots.

[turn_in_poachers]

That was uncalled for. Just because you see one "person not of caucasian descent" keeping everything they catch, doesnt mean all of them are like that. There are some that follow the rules and are ethical fishermen. But lets not bring something like race into a fishing forum again please. I've heard it all before. Its like we're in the 6th grade all over again. Thank you mods for removing that comment.

So........ ya'll ever had ostrich meat?

[fisherman-andy]

 Originally Posted By: chadwick

selective harvest is not totaly here. just the other day at a bait shop a guy had brought in a 47 inch pike, and he ate it.

HE definatly did not practice selective harvest. I think that we may need some slots.

How do you know? Maybe he caught several that size and decided to keep one for a meal. I personally wouldn't eat a Pike that big but hey who's to say other can't. In fact I rarely eat Pike.

If people are worry about slot limits and sizes I think the DNR already puts enough stress on the lakes requiring this already.

Knowing that there are Anglers out there who practice selective harvesting & preservation should be good enough. Why? Because people are aware of it already and practicing so. To the amount of people that don't do so, if they do it legally then it's their right. You have no say, I have no say. If you kept that big Pike that person would not have said anything either about keeping it except the part of congratulating you on your big catch...

[FishOn!]

Thank you for removing that statement is right. but did u have to remove the name of the person who said it? I really dont want to chat with this person in a friendly manner!

[andrew chadwick]

How DO I know he ate it, I dont for sertain,But that is what was relayed to me by the guy at the baitshop, who I talk to quite often. I know for a fact he didnt catch several that size. I fish the lake specificaly for catch and release pike 2-4 times a week, and the biggest I have caught is shy of 40"

Im positive he would have had no problem finding plenty of 24-28 inchers to eat.

That said, it is not my decision weather or not for him to keep a fish, and he was perfectly legal in doing so.

Do I look at him as less of a sportsman for doing so? Yes, to an extent I do, and just as it is his right to keep it, it is my right to believe so.

However if I were to see him on the ice, I certainly wouldnt go up to him and give him a hastle about it, I certainly would congratulate, and perhaps politely ask as to why he is keeping it. Maybe he doesnt know about mercury, or selective harvest and we could have a discussion, which could end up bennifiting his health as well as that of the lake. I think many others would think the same way as well. It is not 1947 anymore, and trophy fish, whether pike, crappie, walleye or bass all need to be getting the respect they deserve.

[MuleShack]

 Originally Posted By: chadwick

However if I were to see him on the ice, I certainly wouldnt go up to him and give him a hastle about it, I certainly would congratulate, and perhaps politely ask as to why he is keeping it. Maybe he doesnt know about mercury, or selective harvest and we could have a discussion, which could end up bennifiting his health as well as that of the lake. I think many others would think the same way as well. It is not 1947 anymore, and trophy fish, whether pike, crappie, walleye or bass all need to be getting the respect they deserve.

This is a very good tool to help others to appreciate the benifits of selective harvest. You cant force others to respect the resources and appreciate the fisheries that we have, but you certainly can have friendly and positive conversations with people when the opportunity arises. Who knows, some might not even think about the other side of the coin.

[TonkEye]

All right ladies & gentlemen,isnt it all about our own personal Ethics? I teach my son to shoot what he eats and to only keep enough fish to feed the family.( Remember tape measure + camera = Graphite,which means Fishing for our Future.)"FFOF" Remember family size dictates amount kept.

[Tom7227]

The issue is very complex. Here is the site for the DNR report on large pike. http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/muskie_pike/muskiepike_2020.pdf

If you take the time to read it you may realize that the answers to a lot of the questions get awfully complex. There are long threads in the Bowfishing/Spearing forum where people are debating this back and forth. I guess that I don't know what will produce abundant slab size crappies in White Bear or Minnetonka or Prior. What I do know is that it isn't simple, and it isn't cheap.

What would happen if we all had to go back to sitting on a milk crate with braided black line and a dowel for a rod? Maybe there would be bigger crappies, but who'd know?

Why is ice fishing the problem anyway? What are the man hours spent fishing per month on any given lake?