Friday report (sort of)

[gonfishn]

went out friday to the big pond. Nothing like seeing the look on a 9 year olds face when they reel in a 26 inch walter. Sure

is a shame seeing all those 25" fish floating in the water though. My kids counted 12 belly up in 2 hours.

[aanderud]

What makes the floaters a 'shame'ful thing? I think it's exactly the opposite! The floaters and high probability for your kids to catch a 26 inch walleye go hand in hand. Lose the floaters, lose the good fishing.

A 20% mortality rate on released fish is MUCH better than the alternative -- 100% mortality rate on harvested fish. Your kid's 26 incher would have likely been eaten when it was a 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 incher without a slot in place. One thing we know for sure -- we have a much much lower shot at getting that 26 incher on any non-slot-limit lake within 2 hour's drive of minneapolis. Sure, you won't see floaters on lakes that don't have slot limits, but that's because instead of floating in the lake, the fish is dying in a livewell out of plain sight!

It's a fact that some released fish will die, but it's also a fact that all harvested fish die. The only difference is that release mortality results in floaters that are obvious, which you can see sometimes days later (bloaters?? ) Harvested fish, meanwhile, die an unseen, quiet death for the dinner table. A strict slot rule, while *GREATLY REDUCING* the number of dead fish, makes that reduced number stick out like a sore thumb. But just because the death is obvious doesn't make it sad.

Here's something to tell your kids next time: every time you see a floater, smile because 4 of his buddies are still swimming for the same reason he is floating -- the slot rule. Catch and Release puts 4 live fish back in the water out of every 5 that would have been kept/killed otherwise. That dozen or so floaters means 50 other fish are ready to be caught another day.

The results of C&R on the lake are very obvious -- one effect is release mortality (floaters). Two others are higher catch rates and larger average size. If seeing these 3 effects of C&R is too sad, you could always fish on a lake where there's fewer restrictions and thus less C&R. Of course, now you have 2 choices -- put up with fewer and smaller fish in the boat, or drive much further distances to remote locations to keep your catch rate and size up where they would be on ML.

Remember that you're fishing a lake that is pounded on a daily basis due to its proximity to the metro area. Catch and Release is the only way to keep the fishing as phenomenal as it has been on a lake fished as heavily as this one. Is it perfect? No, but it's much better than any viable alternatives.

[james_walleye]

Amen!

[walleyecaber]

Couldnt of explained it better well said i agree.

[gonfishn]

Well put. I agree too, but those dead walleye would've looked much better in my frying pan.

[aanderud]

Hey, put up a pic of your 9 year old with a 26 incher! I like seeing that kind of thing. I never caught a walleye that big til I was probably 18-19 years old! Dad never took me to the 'pond'! I hope this lake is producing fish of this quality when my kid gets old enough. It's still gestating at 19.5 weeks now, so that'll be a while!

[Big R]

Quote:

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It's

still gestating at 19.5 weeks now, so that'll be a while!

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It's!?

[aanderud]

Well I can't say He/She yet -- hopefully we'll know on Tuesday

[gonfishn]

Was actually my daughter. Didn't take pics . Still kicking myself...All I had was my cell phone; She hooked it down in the gullet and I was more concerned w/ getting the fish back into the water. Wish I would've taken one though.

Congrats on the (future) new addition, BTW.

[rangerforme]

Two words

Circle Hooks

[ikatcher]

circle hooks would only work effectivly bobber fishing.

[eyewarrior]

Quote:

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Two words

Circle Hooks

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My experience w/ circ hooks & eyes was not very good. Missed alot of eyes w/ circ hook and I tried a bunch of different hook sets(no hook set & reel etc.)Walleye Insider article showed similar results. If everybody used circ hooks it would definatley help out with the fish mortality alot fewer would be caught.

[Hookmaster]

Circle hooks work. I have been using them rigging for about 4 years. Don't get an offset circle hook. Gamakatsus are offset. Get the ones that lay flat on a table top except for the hook eye, like Eagle Claw. No hook set needed. Just reel. Ocasionally you will gut hook one, but if you do, don't give the next fish as much time.

[mittni]

Hello James Walleye. I was wondering if you could email me at [email protected] I have a question on a lake. Thanks Cory