Save some for tommorow

[Gunnis]

I hope I am not poking the bee hive here! But,why is it that some people think it's a great accomplishment to go out 2 days every weekend and, put as many people in a boat as possible,and take limits of panfish every time they go out!! I ran into a guy on a lake I've never fished before and he proceeded to tell me ,they have been coming out here most of the fall and caught limits of crappies. Wth, he tells me they give them away. That's is fine but it seems like people have no restraint to put some back for tommorow!

[delcecchi]

Some people are like that.  They get a bang out of getting stuff for "free", like a bucket of fish.  If the bite on that like goes away they will move to another.  

I think it's selfish, but they don't think that way.   Used to see a lot more of that with the older guys who grew up during the depression, like my Dad. 

[Gunnis]

I hear ya delcecchi and there the first ones to complain when the fish are too small or there aren't any left!!! Reap and pilige and wonder why central mn lakes are horse crap!

[delcecchi]

Hey, if I don't keep them the other guys will or the (list of ethnic groups) will.  It's legal after all  

And add to that the feeling that panfish populations are inexhaustible .

[tinker]

Newbie to this site and this post seemed like the appropriate place to ask and I know this has probably been discussed before and may open a whole new can of worms but does anyone have information on what the mortality rate of catch and released fish ? 

[Gunnis]

I I am no expert on it tinker but, I don't think if you are a responsible angler its high at all on panfish. Common sense prevails,if it's hooked deep cut the line. Panfish are pretty hearty creatures in my experience.

[gunner55]

No expert here either but I know it's been discussed here before & I think someone posted some numbers from the DNR(?). For me it's more if I think the fish is going to live or not as I don't usually have to worry about a slot. For fall panfish, after they go deep, I don't fish for them unless I plan on keeping a few.

[SkunkedAgain]

Since we're talking about crappies and panfish, which are generally caught shallow, the mortality rate is very low. A responsible angler will get the fish back in the water quickly. I've certainly thrown back panfish and crappies that I thought could survive but didn't. It's probably 1 in 100 though. When they are inhaling hooks I just move to bigger and bigger hooks.

Mortality rates for July musky or deep walleye is another story, but probably still not as high as when a meat hunter comes through taking every fish.

Edited October 7, 2015 by SkunkedAgain

[IronDioPriest]

I catch and release unless I plan to have a fish fry.

That said, I keep my nose out of what other people harvest. As long as they are within their legal limit, it is nobody else's business what they take or throw back.