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amazed by people


River Dan

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The wife and I went down to prescott this afternoon, she brought her book and I broke out the handline, I was pulling cable up by the confluence and I was shock to see several boats trolling for walleyes through the bidge areas and up on the croix and trolling above the confluence on the miss its inland waters, don't people know the rules? or don't they care?

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Saw the same thing last week by the railroad high bridge. Multiple boats trolling large (6"+) crankbaits. I'm sure they were targeting white bass, right? C'mon people....if you don't know the rules stay off the water. This "ignorance defense" is getting real tiresome.

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This behavior is clearly willful ignorance. Hopefully the HD evidence will find its way to some one in the DNR who can fix the problem.

I walk around Phalen and Round lakes many times per week. At least 50% of people fishing for the last month have 2 or 3 rods rigged with spinner baits and crank baits. I don't even bother to warn them anymore before I call TIP. One of these days the DNR will show up in force and issue many tickets.

I really enjoyed watching two extended families get busted for illegal harvest and possession of smallmouth bass last year during walleye opener after a sting operation in Northfield. My enjoyment didn't last long as the DNR also had to confiscate about 20 5 gallon buckets full of spawning bass.

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My enjoyment didn't last long as the DNR also had to confiscate about 20 5 gallon buckets full of spawning bass.

the sad part is, is how many yearlings would that have been the following year?

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I was going to reply to this post this morning but pulled back. If the folks in question are indeed trolling and working for walleyes then they are fishing illegally. The problem lies in the fact that you can fish for other open species on the river and trolling is a good way to make contact. I regularly will work areas both casting and trolling with #5 shadraps in firetiger to get whitebass. I do catch a fair amount of walleyes while targeting these fish and it may look like I'm targeting walleyes. I will move on from some areas if all I am catching is walleye but if I'm getting whities mixed in then I will stay and work an area to see if more fish are around. Whities tend to school up and where you catch one there usually are others. Now, that being said, if all I'm getting in an area is walleyes ad no whities then I move on in search of them both trolling and casting. Bottomline, if you are seeing peeps fishing for walleye out of season call the tip line and let them explain to the DNR the methods they are using and what they are targeting. I think folks target out of season fish way more then we realize but some tactics work for other species as well. Dan, you know if folks are trying to contact whities for the most part versus walleyes, so I am by no means digging on you and if they are then call it in. If these peeps were prefishing for Saturday then they need a little advice from the local CO.

Tunrevir~

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I've been out trolling quite a bit but I'm dragging cut bait for channel cats. I noticed some people giving me the look but until I read this thread I didn't put two and two together. Maybe they thought I was dragging for walleyes. I'm barely crawling along about .5 mph with two rods out the back - I guess somebody might assume I'm after eyes. I'm after a big ornery channel cat or a flathead if I'm lucky. I'm usually in my pontoon with the IPilot on so if you see me don't be concerned - I'm after real fish not those itty bitty walleye things.

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Tough deal! Maybe the easiest solution is to keep the river off limits until Saturday! CLOSE IT? I am willing to bet more people are TRYING for walleyes....

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Tough deal! Maybe the easiest solution is to keep the river off limits until Saturday! CLOSE IT? I am willing to bet more people are TRYING for walleyes....

Like parts of Canada?

NO WAY!!!

Walleye, Bass, trout and Esox get way too much attention up here. I have an annual gathering early April every year and we target redhorse. If the river were to close I would go through fishing withdrawal.

If you don't believe me that there are many anglers that care to catch Redhorse more check out Minnesota Bound Episode 620. IMO to much attention is payed to gamefish.

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I think that having season needs to re thought. I say fish year round and C&r only during the spawning times. IMHO

Mwal

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I'm in the group that slow trolls crankbaits early spring for white bass too. Incidental walleye hook ups get released back to swim another day. Fun times chasing white bass in the early spring cold water! They put up a better fight than walleyes often and make a nice meal.

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The whole seasons things is archaic and I won't get into another rant, but allowing a year round C&R is the simplest solution. That way if people want to just get out in the boat and fish, they can do it without being accused of "poaching".

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  • 2 weeks later...

Our neighbors to the west (the dakotas) dont have a season and they have some great fisheries. I realize they have alot less anglers, but they also have quit a few less fisheries.. Take away the seasons, drop the limits to 3 or 4 year round and if thats not enough dont allow harvest during the month of April.

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Amen, Dtro! I totally agree with year 'round fishing with C&R during the traditional spawning seasons. Simple fix. During the C&R season (as well as the rest of the year), I'd gladly let the DNR check my livewell to make sure I'm not keeping fish that shouldn't be there. If I have a fish illegally in my livewell, then definitely hit me with a fine...a large fine. The point being, it's sometimes hard to know the intentions of people when they say their fishing for one thing but in their heart they're targeting an out-of-season fish. Having a straight up C&R season from March 1 thru the May walleye and bass openers would take out all the guess work and make things very black and white for both the fishermen and DNR.

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That's to simple makes to much sense - the DNR will NOT go for that. It has to be complicated and backwards.

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A simple year round season with a 6 walleye/sauger bag limit and no slot restrictions. I'm kind of amazed at how many people here are all too anxious to make time wasting annonymous phonecalls to the DNR to report the supposed intent of other fishermen.

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Talk about making no sense (non-sense)...Wisconsin DNR has come up with 3 seasons on inland lakes in the "Northern Zone".

Season 1 - March 5 through May 4 Bass season is closed!

Season 2 - May 5 through June 15 Bass season is open; daily bag limit zero

Season 3 - June 16 through March 3 Bass season open; daily bag limit 5

Soooo...why does the DNR close the season from March 5 through May 4?

I like fishing for and catching fish I've been out on the St Croix 10 times this Spring and haven't killed a fish. I fish strictly artificial lures, my journal indicates that I've caught 11 species (mostly sunfish and crappie). I handle my fish with care and put them back as quickly as possible.

I love "The Croix"; grew up in Hudson and have fished it for almost 50 years.

Is there a biological reason to close the season for a particular species? Why not just change the possession limit?

Best I can figure the only reason season closes is so it can open again.

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Two weekends ago I saw a guy with 3 kids throwing rapalas on a closed section of P3. I politely said

"Just so you know the fishing season is closed"

"huh??, they're just kids"

"yeah you probably won't actually get a ticket if you aren't keeping fish but the season IS closed"

"what do you mean, the season is always open for catching"

"no it's closed for game fish"

He seemed like a nice enough guy but didn't have a clue.

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I walk around Phalen and Round lakes many times per week. At least 50% of people fishing for the last month have 2 or 3 rods rigged with spinner baits and crank baits.

LOL! Recently, my wife has been jogging at Phalen Lake after work. The first day I sat in the car while she made a round. I read forums and play games on my tablet. I too a glance outside, saw a guy walking towards his car from the the lake with a bullet weight and a 6" black and blue lizard rigged onto his rod. You think he was fishing crappies?

2nd time around on a different day, I decide to walk to the bridge. Saw bobbers floating everywhere. A few sunnies caught released, no crappies but in a far distance. With a 1.5 crank. You think he was fishing for crappies too?

RE: Video. I managed to save a copy. Will post it up for entertainment one of these days.

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