Topics

dang, I was getting a bit worried there for a bit, till you said they don't reside here, but.i do reside other places!!!!!🤣😜

I know they are looking at reduced limits but In think they're missing the boat if they don't add size restrictions on sunfish.   I've mentioned a few times that every gill over 9" goes back with 1 over 10" as a trophy would make a positive impact. Add this to an10 fish limit and we'd see positive outcomes.   I still cringe when 5 or 10, 10" gills leave the lake every day with the current reduced limits.

There are only 2 guys in the whole wide inter-web where I take things personally. I don't like them, they don't like me. Neither guy resides here. So we are good.  😀   Seriously, it's only opinions here. You are entitled to yours, I'm entitled to mine and Joe Blow can have his.  👍

and as smurfy is saying one bad apple can ruin a whole bushel....  there will always be the one who says I deserve it...  and we have those in all walks of life...  use this corvid thing right now, folks are taking and hoarding so much that others are suffering....  but enough on that..  I think at the moment we can agree to disagree without a any hard feelings...

there sure is dutchy......its not throwing the spear..or pulling the trigger...…… pretty easy to me. don't assume the actions of one or several individuals and make the assumption everyone does it!!!!!!!👍

Yes I see people in the cleaning houses cleaning large Pike also. What they have in common with Spearing is that 100% of the fish are dead. If I catch (2) 36" plus Pike and keep one and release one I've killed 50%. If I release both i've killed 0. (assuming a successful release)     But I've strayed.........the thread was about spearing on Kab. where you have the same people sticking Trophy after Trophy, year after year. Everybody up there knows who it is. IMO he is a ......................well I can't think of the appropriate word.   If somebody wants to spear and has a license, I have no problem with it. However I have watched for years a total disregard for large fish on Kab.   I view spearing the same as hunting...... there is no catch and release for another day.

Not sure about the float tubes. Never have been in one. Yaks not just for back country😁. Very relaxing and great brain therapy chasing panfish in the yak anywhere. Blast on the river also chasing smallies but can’t say that’s as relaxing. Lol. I think I will go after northern a couple times this summer and also largemouth for fun on some area lakes. But will be in the spectrum fish boat also after everything. 

Ok  , my fault , I should of said “adjusted in one way or another.”

I'm for this and a reduced bag limit too.  I think Tom may be right though, its probably too late.  Heck, even the number of posters on this website alone during the winter indicates that panfish are being heavily over harvested.  We over harvested big northern pike for way too long, and now that system is broken too.  Its going to take a massive cultural shift from harvesting to catch & release to turn the curve.   Bass and muskies anglers have done it and those populations of large trophy fish in MN right now are the best they've ever been.

Lotta good posts and opinions on this thread.  A while ago there was a similar one that I commented on.  I am not going to paint everyone with a broad brush because its just not true, and people who have commented on it indicate that.   I do believe that it is dying out.  The data in terms of spearing licenses sold reflects that.  It used to have about 50,000 participants 20 years ago and its down to just over 10,000 now.  The math says its losing participants.  Plus, lets be honest, how many spearers are of a younger generation (under 30 yrs of age)?  Very few in my opinion.  The ones I know of are all my Father's age in his mid 60's (or older).   I do think that the C&R ethic is gaining traction, especially with species of fish that we know are in decline in terms of quality size (pike in this subject, and there are other threads about sunfish and crappies specifically).  A big pike these days is classified as 30+ inches by the DNR.  These fish are rare.  A 35 or 40 incher is a very rare fish nowadays.  Some of the bigger lakes still have some gators but for the most part our lakes are loaded with small aggressive snakes that no one really wants to harvest with regularity (this is why the daily bag limit in most of the state is now 10, and all but 9 have to be under 22 inches).  I think pike is pretty good if you pickle it, but cleaning them is a complete slimy mess.  Its like a bad sinus infection.   I personally think that spearing should still be banned on designated muskie lakes.  I'm sure most spearers can tell the difference between a pike and a muskie, but some can't.  And if some can't, then its not worth the risk.  There's plenty of lakes that don't have muskies anyways.  I'm a muskie angler so hearing or seeing of someone who "accidentially" speared a muskie angers me greatly.  If you are one of the few spearers left out there, please let big foot swim away.  Harvest all you want of the 21 inchers.  In fact, I encourage it.